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Inside the Paramount Theatre, Shuttered For Over 25 Years

06/17/2014

Whenever I drive down Bay Street in Staten Island…

…I always wonder about the boarded-up movie theater between Union and Prospect.

Shuttered for over 25 years, this was once the art deco Paramount Theatre, one of Staten Island’s grandest movie theaters. Built on the site of Cornelius Vanderbilt’s childhood farmhouse, the Paramount opened in October, 1930, with seating for up to 2,300.

Like most of New York’s once great movie palaces, The Paramount eventually succumbed to changing times and closed in 1977. It later reopened as a nightclub, and then an entertainment venue. Among the bands that played the former Paramount were The Ramones, Metallica (opening for Venom), the Dead Kennedys, and the B-52s. The Paramount finally closed for good in the late 1980s, and has been locked up ever since.

For the longest time, I’ve wondered if anything remains of the former theater inside. Then, completely by chance, I happened to get in touch with the owner, and he agreed to a rare tour. Last weekend, I drove out to Staten Island to visit the Paramount.

There are a ton of great details on the exterior – I love the marquee lettering, along with the flourishes, which almost feel nautical (note the lion hidden on the right):

These panels border the entrance:

I also love the classic art deco facade…

…which has great little accents right up to the top:

More bits can be found around the side…

…set into the brickwork:

We headed through the doors…

…and I was thrilled to see that the Paramount’s former lobby was still very much intact, complete with a grand staircase wrapping around to the mezzanine level.

Here’s the reverse looking toward the entrance (the bar on the right is a later addition):

The wall moulding is in particularly great shape:

A closer look at the stairs:

The decorative balcony over the entranceway:

A very unusual lighting fixture overhead:

But what about the theater? From the lobby, we headed through the doors, passing under the mezzanine balcony…

…and into the remains of the Paramount Theatre:

Despite the disrepair and what I presume are numerous alterations made during its time as a concert venue/nightclub, quite a lot of the original theater has managed to survive. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a single picture of the 1930s interior, so it’s hard to know exactly what is original.

Upon entering, your eyes are immediately drawn to the enormous purple and gold ceiling overhead, featuring a flock of gilded birds flying in a circle:

Toward the stage is this inset of hieroglyphics. Also, note the blue framing detail around it. I’d love to know how much of this was original.

Here’s a look at the main stage area:

Flanking the stage are two exit doors surrounded by gorgeous detailing…

I love the art deco duck/serpent things sipping from the urn. Also note the face below:

Its twin on the other side is currently being restored:

Close-up of the face – note the surrounding sunbursts.

On either side of the door are additional flourishes…

…with beautiful depictions of people frolicking:

Along the sides of the theater…

…you can see a lot of the original designwork still remaining on the walls…

Theatergoers would have passed these decorative emblems while walking down the aisles to their seats:

The centerpiece:

Above the aisles are hanging lights…

…which seem appropriate to the theater design:

Finally, here’s a look at the mezzanine with seats removed:

The balcony curves out to the two exit doors on either side:

From the main theater, we headed to a side staircase…

…with much of the original moulding in place:

From there, we stepped onto the roof of the theater, which has a great view of the Verrazzano on one side…

…and the city on the other.

We made one final stop on our tour to the old ventilator room:

Long out of commission, this enormous fan would have circulated air through the theater.

So the Paramount still remains – but will it someday reopen? The owner is actively trying to restore the theater and open it as a functioning venue, but as you can see, there’s a lot of work ahead. He’s certainly willing to entertain any serious offers (read: with a budget!) for film or photoshoots, and if you’re interested, you can get in touch via his website here.

And if you ever went to the Staten Island Paramount for a movie or concert, I’d love to hear your memories in the comments!

-SCOUT

Many more posts in the archives!

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Georges Montalba

06/18/2014

And the SI Paramount’s famous 3/19 twin console Wurlitzer lives on as a single console behemoth in Salt lake City. Still doing a fine job entertaining folks today.

http://theatreorgans.com/utah/loft/

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prufrock

06/18/2014

Check this out:

http://www.heightstheater.com

Two guys brought this back to life. It is splendid– especially when the old WCCO Wurlitzer starts coming up from below!!

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Jim Chukalas

06/18/2014

Thanks for sharing, the pictures and the article. I too went to many a dance recital there as my sister was performing in them with Mrs. Rosemary’s, and also when it was a concert venue. I would love to see it restored to it’s original glory. I remember as a child, my Dad took mt and a friend to see “The Towering Inferno” there, there was even an intermission in the movie too.

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Paul Gerardi

06/18/2014

I was one of the people who did the renovation on The Paramount to turn it into a nightclub in the late 70s and after it opened remained on as the head of the Stage Crew and worked back stage at most all of the concerts that everybody else here mentioned. I installed ‘X’-shaped lighting grid on the back wall of the stage, the cables coming down through the ‘Macedonian Hieroglyphic’ part of the ceiling and pretty much everything else that had to do with the stage area.

Here are a few more facts about the building:

They Paramount Studios started building it in the mid-late 20’s but halfway though construction they got hit with an anti-trust suit and were forced to sell off their theaters. So they halted construction on the offices and storefronts in front (they’re part of the same super-structure as the theater) and capped the building off at two stories instead of the originally-planned six.

The Orchestra Pit went up and down and was in three separate sections – an 8′ circle on either end and a 35′ section in the middle and all could be operated independently. One circle held a grand piano and the other had the keyboard for the pipe organ mentioned above. Remember those ‘art deco duck/serpent things’ in the photo above? The pipes for the organ were located in the rooms behind them. We never did get the pit elevators to operate because…

The Paramount was built over an underground spring that runs down from Grymes Hill behind it to (presumably) the bay. When we started renovation we discovered the trap room (that’s the room below the stage and how you get to the orchestra pit when its lowered) was filled with 8′ of water and the motors for the pit had been submerged for a few years and were destroyed. Every time it rained water would leak out of a crack in the front wall of the pit. After a heavy rain water would squirt out more than a foot from the wall.

When James Brown played there he fell in love with the place and told us he wished he could take the theater on the road with him and play every gig he did in it.

I could go on like this for days but I’ll spare you. Thanks for bringing back some very fond memories.

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1. Georges Montalba
  
  06/19/2014
  
  The circular Peter Clark elevators on either side of the orchestra pit at the SI Paramount each held a Wurlitzer console. Left console was the main console and the right side console was a “slave” (looked the same but not as many features). Piano was on the central orchestra elevator. Nice photo of duo organists posing at the left side console here.
  
  Priscilla Holbrook on the left and Betty Gould on the right. Other duo organists who played the SI Paramount were Don Baker and Elsie Thompson.
  
  Additional NYC theatres with duel Wurlitzer consoles included the Brooklyn Paramount, Times Square Paramount and Radio City Music Hall. The Roxy had three Kimball organ consoles in the pit, each on its own Peter Clark elevator.
  
  Sad to hear about the water reported in the previous post.
  
  Reply
  1. Georges Montalba
    
    06/19/2014
    
    SI Paramount Wurlitzer organ photo link:
    
    http://www.nycago.org/Organs/SI/html/ParamountTheatre.html
    
    Reply
  2. Paul Gerardi
    
    06/20/2014
    
    Sorry for the mistake about the piano, that was information that was told to us by either the Steckman Bros. (who owned the building at the time) or a stagehand who had done work there in the 40’s, I can’t remember which (these are 35-year-old memories after all, lol)
    
    One more thing I remembered about those circles the keyboards were on – there was a mechanism on them that made them slowly rotate, they would spin one way for half a rotation then reverse and spin back half a rotation. It must have been quite the spectacle at the time.
    
    Reply
Linda Roberts

06/19/2014

Oh what wonderful memories. I dated an usher at the old Paramount Theatre and I saw West Side Story there probably a million times. I remember the Lane, the St. George, the old Ritz in Port Richmond but the Paramount was special. Thank you for the visit.

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George Wilcken

06/20/2014

I can remember my sister and I spending many Saturdays watching movies at the Paramount in the early 60’s. These pictures bring back many memories of great times. I remember waiting in line to get in to the theater, looking at the fishing gear in the window of Steckmans Sporting Goods (I think that was the name of the place). Back then, $.75 got us in the theater, a box of popcorn to share and a coke! Those were the days. My JHS49 class had our Graduation Ceremony there as well. It is so sad to see it in such disrepair. I left NY in ’72 to join the US Navy and never returned, but the Paramount will always be one of my cherished memories. Thanks for this amazing post.

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Christine W.

06/20/2014

Check out an episode of ” Mysteries at the Museum: Asylum Poisoning; Naked Joe; The Mad Bomber” This Theater is mentioned as part of “The Mad Bomber” so some of the interior must have been repaired for that.

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Robert Brandow

06/21/2014

When it was a ‘New Wave’ club back in the early ’80’s, I spent many Friday and/or Saturday nights at The Paramount. A lot of my friends either went there (and a few worked there too, including my friend Paul Gerardi who managed the stage and had a lot to do with renovating the place to make it what it was). It was (at the time) the best nightclub on Staten Island. Everybody came dressed up to look the part and make the scene the place you wanted to be in. It was like a local version of Studio 54, but no Disco: the music was all early Blondie, U2, B-52’s, Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, Gary Newman, David Bowie, etc. plus some local bands like Dirty Looks. ‘Wave Street’ across the street took over after that, but after a while everybody kind of realized it just wasn’t happening anymore. I miss those days, with my sharkskin suits and my English boots. Yes, I was a New Wave poser. Sue me. I had my fun.

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1. Old Skool
  
  06/26/2014
  
  No worries dude. It was a great scene while it lasted.
  
  Reply
Kathy L

06/24/2014

What a view! I hope someone turns this into a restaurant/bar/music venue.

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Chet-NYC

07/05/2014

With all the coming development on the North Shore- the Wheel, Empire Outlets, Lighthouse Point, the National Lighthouse Museum, and the residential/commercial development by Ironstate- almost walking distance to the old theater, I have to believe something good should happen here.

Ideally, the city will step in and help get a total rebuild/renovation of the old Paramount similar to what is happening with the old Loews’ Kings Theater in Brooklyn. (see http://www.nycedc.com/project/loews-kings-theatre).

I remember having my junior high school graduation at the Paramount (from IS 51 in 1976). The walk across that stage seemed endless..lol.

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Lou Giacalone

07/10/2014

I went to many, many movies there in the late ’50s-early 60s. Much smooching and smoking in the balcony.

Then… In the early ’70s we opened the Blue Unicorn Gallery in the storefront to the left of the entrance. It didn’t last all that long but featured many SI artists that have had great careers. The only citation I could find on Google is re: the one-person show we gave Courtenay Milnes. http://www.noblemaritime.org/2013artists/Courtenay_Milnes.html

Good old times!

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Ruth

07/13/2014

Ty to get into the RKO Keith’s in Flushing. It is beautiful. You won’t be disappointed. There are back stage dressings rooms, as well, to explore. A lot of big time vaudeville stars played there. (Main Street and Northern Blvd)

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Dan Weissman

07/15/2014

Every balcony should have an exercise bike!

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David

08/16/2014

Saw the Ramones there for the very first time, in, I think, 1980. Got myself thrown out of a Plasmatics show there sometime after that.

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Billy

08/24/2014

Wow, what unbelievable memories flooding thru me, Myself, Friends, Girls maybe 30 of us mostly from Brooklyn and Manhattan yes NYC would descend on the Paramount every Saturday Nite to Drink Dance , drink and Dance some more , all Nite , Best times of our Lives just gearing up for the Great Music, Great New Wave , Punk and Alternitive Bands and Great Friendships with Old and New aquaintances. I remember one incredible New Years Eve Party there with The Hottest trendiest Music inside and a Blizzard outside but it didn’t stop anybody from going and having a Blast. This went on for more than 3 years until the scene and this Great Venue waivered and drifted into oblivion , But these times are burnt into our Core of deep memories that will last for the rest of our lives.Thank you for this superlative Post , it really hit home , I have already e-mailed it to the old Pack of 30 that ruled this joint every weekend for what we considered Eternity. God bless you and good luck with your endeavors……..

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DJAK47NYC

11/29/2014

…As I understand it, renovation was started on the Paramount Theater, then stalled because of lack of funding. The space needs investors willing to take it on full throttle, just to bring it up to building codes is an enormous undertaking. I was inside it and walked through the whole building during the initial renovation. The structure has taken on a lot of damage and rot, water and otherwise over the quarter-century or so that it has been closed.
This is a very expensive restoration project, and if it is to be done correctly, it’s going to take millions, not a paltry “kickatarter” campaign.

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Kris

12/27/2014

Today is my 64th birthday, I am a lifelong Staten Islander. I remember what Staten Island was like before the bridge, that changed everthing. We had a lot to be proud of, the Paramount Theater was certainly one of those things along with the Ritz in Port Richmont, and the Saint George Theater as well. Many smaller theaters are gone the Victory, the Empire, the Lane and more. Everything changes, the huge companys took over the movie business with mulitiplex theaters not necessarly for the better. I mis the simpler times when Staten Island was full of farms, the airport, the drive in movie theater, the two lane roads wich were never crowded with cars. The Paramount was something special, I don’t remember which movies I watched there but I was part of that era. I hope something is done with the building before it goes to waste like everything else here has. I don’t ever expect it to open as a movie theater but to loose it would be quite a shame.

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refazenda

01/22/2015

I remember going to the movies at the Paramount. In the 1970s we could actually go across the island in a group that was supervised by a 14 year old (imagine that!). If there’s any hope, it’s that the St. George Theater was restored and is again in use. I saw the restoration of the Loews in Jersey City, and now there’s the theater in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn that is being renovated. Glad to see the Paramount is in relatively good condition.

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David silberstein

02/09/2015

http://www.eyecandybydavid.com/Dance/Disco-Daze-the-Paramount/47409787_QGj86H#!i=3868939253&k=q6vpwzL

I took these around 1980. I was the resident photographer

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1. Scout
  
  02/09/2015
  
  Those are some really great pictures.
  
  Reply
Brenda Singer

05/13/2015

In about 1967 or thereabouts, my ballet class had their recital at the Paramount. I was about 7 or 8 years old. Imagine my delight to fast forward to about 1977 or so and the Paramount had a stint as a disco and I had the pleasure of dancing on that stage again in my late teens.

It would be amazing to see this treasure restored someday. Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos!!

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1. David silberstein
  
  05/13/2015
  
  see my photos from the disco you may be in them
  
  Reply