At some point in your life traveling around New York, you’ve probably come across a Strand Theater. If you’ve been around the block a few times, you’ve probably noticed more than a couple and wondered, why are they all named the Strand?
Well it all roots back to the streets of London, where the most famous theater district in the late 19th and early 20th century was named the Strand. The Royal Strand Theatre, originally built in 1832 was one of many such theaters on this row. Think of it like our modern Broadway in New York City.
Fast forward to 1914, and two brothers in NYC named Mitchel and Moses “Moe” Mark built a theater on Broadway named after this very street in London. It was the first in the NY Theater district to show only films and not live shows.
This strand theater was so immensely popular, the brothers formed The Mark Strand Theater Company and created a series of chains that were then bought up by Warner Bros, which introduced Strand Theaters on a massive scale.
So over time, the origins of the name came to refer not to the famed London street but rather that original NYC theater that the rest of the chains spanned from.
Although no exact number is known, there were hundreds of Strand theaters dotting the U.S. at their peak between 1920s and 1940s. But as the years went on more theaters rebranded or closed their doors completely.
Still, some of these original theater chains still exist across the country. Today, we’ll be exploring some of the select few still operating in New York State.
Brockport Strand Theater
The Strand Theater in Brockport holds the claim to fame as the 2nd oldest operating movie theater in the country (that still shows new releases).
The theater originally opened in 1908 as the Lyric Theater before the Strand took over in 1916. At the time, films were still silent, of course. However, during this time period it was also common for the Strand to host variety shows, magic shows and fashion shows, among others.
The theater was located in the upstairs section of a building and for a brief period there was even a sweet shop located below it. Over the years the Strand expanded, by 1946 taking over an entire block and boasting a two-story high ceiling.
For decades, the theater had only one screen. It wasn’t until the early 90’s that the theater upgraded to three screens.
Over the years, the theater was owned by a Syracuse-based firm called Kallet Theatres as well as Cinemanational of Syracuse which eventually merged with Loew’s theater chain. In 1994, Brockport local Bill Yantz purchased the theater, which is now run by his sons as part of their larger company Rochester Theater Management, Inc, which also owns theaters in Canandaigua and Geneseo.
Despite the fierce competition from larger chains, the Strand keeps ticket prices well under $10 making this theater a community staple for generations.
The Strand Theater in Hudson Falls
The Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls, NY opened in 1923, hosting both vaudeville and silent pictures. It originally sat over 800 people.
In 1935, the theater changed hands, operated by the Schine Circuit as the New Strand Theatre. It showed movies all the way through the late 50’s and early 60’s. It shuttered its doors amidst the widespread decline of huge movie palaces.
The building was spared from demolition when it became the site of the new town hall for Hudson Falls. It served this purpose for over 50 years.
In 2016, it was purchased by the non-profit Hudson River Music Hall Productions Inc. who raised funds from the community to restore the theatre. The restoration involved the help of many local volunteers and shows were able to resume in limited capacity within a few months of purchasing.
By 2019, the theatre, lobby, entry foyer, and coffee shop were completed and the theater could seat 350 people. Now the theater hosts a variety of live performances from both local and touring acts of all genres and styles, breathing new life back into this historic theater.
Strand Theater in Old Forge
The Strand Theater in Old Forge originally opened in 1923 as the Thomson Theater, operating as a silent movie house.
According to Adirondack Express, the opening of the original theater was documented by the Boonville Herald newspaper which wrote, “Wednesday evening, March 14, occurred the unofficial opening of the Thomson Theatre in Old Forge. The theatre is of brick, steel and tile construction throughout and will eventually seat 700.”
After a brief two year run, the theater was sold and renamed the Strand in 1925. Throughout its history the building served as a dance hall and even a barbershop.
In 1991, locals Bob Card and Helen Zyma restored the theater after moving from Watertown to Old Forge a year prior.
Helen told North Country Public Radio in a 2017 interview: “He [Bob] came home and he said, ‘there’s a theatre in Old Forge, I want to buy it!’ And I said, ‘are you crazy?’ I ended up going up with him and I fell in love with it, and I said ‘okay, let’s find a way to do this.'”
For the pair, owning and maintaining the theater is a continual labor of love that they cherish. They still own the theater to this day.
The renovated theater boasts a color art-deco design with vintage neon, colorful concessions and a display of antique cameras and cinema memorabilia.
As of 2014, The Strand went fully digital, with a digital projector for each of its four auditoriums.
Here, ticket prices still remain under $10 as well.
Strand Central Theater in Plattsburgh
Another longstanding Strand location is in Plattsburgh. The Strand Central Theater originally opened as a vaudeville theater in 1924 and it is currently on the National Register of Historic Places.
When it first opened, the theater featured a Wurlitzer organ and live orchestra to accompany its silent films. Tickets were as little as 10 cents.
In the 70’s, the theater was renovated in such a way that it became a two-room movie theater, and eventually a four-room theater.
Over the years, the theater continued operations under a variety of different owners but slowly deteriorated.
In 2004, The Strand Center for the Arts purchased the theater, raising $3 million towards renovations. Two highlights from the restoration include the replica of the original chandelier, donated by Swarovski Lighting, and a 1924 Wurlitzer orga .
The theater currently hosts both independent films as well as touring musicians, actors and dancers and can seat up to 950 people.
Honorable Mention: Manlius Art Cinema
In Onondaga County, the Manilus Theater is worth noting as the oldest theater in Central NY that’s still showing movies. While it no longer bears the Strand name, it was indeed part of the Strand chain when it originally opened in 1918.
The theater added sound in 1931 when it was renamed the Seville Theatre. In the 1940’s the entire building nearly burnt down and the theater had to be rebuilt.
This particular theater has undergone a variety of name changes over the years include London Theatre, Colonial Theatre, Billings Theatre and the F-M Theatre. Since the 80’s it has continuously been known as Manlius Art Cinema.
There are still other Strand Theaters scattered all throughout the United States, each with their own special story and unique history. With hope, they’ll remain around for years to come.
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