The Capital District had some of the most memorable motion picture palaces and intimate drive-ins around. How many of us remember the great Mohawk Drive-In on Central Avenue in Colonie, with the big arrow-toting Indian on the back side of the movie screen, visible to all drivers along Central Avenue. How many of us remember the great Hellman Theater on Washington Avenue Extension, the first theater in the Capital Region that was capable of hosting the biggest widescreen features of its day. And then there was the Petit Cine 1-2, which used to show…
Um… scuse me… gotta get back on topic.
Allen Pinney and his partner David Blanchard remember those old motion picture palaces and ozone gatherers, many of which have unfortunately disappeared today. Their plan is to chronicle those forgotten drive-ins and theaters of a bygone era into both a website – Project Movie House – and an upcoming documentary film.
“I was talking to my parents one day and asked them if they remembered the name of that “old 2-screen theater” in Guilderland,” said Allen. “They did not, but knew the building I was talking about (it’s still there). And from that simple question our Project Movie House house took.
“I have been doing a lot of internet searches, picking friends brains, etc. to get info, pictures, etc. The goal is to start filming webisodes as we complete researching a particular geographic area. I started with my home town and am about to move on to the interview stage and making road trips to meet with historians, gather archival material, etc.”
So far, Allen and David’s work has included theaters from their hometown of New Scotland, including the Indian Ladder Drive-In, off of Route 85, and the Mayfair Drive-In, which was once a stone’s throw away from the Toll Gate Ice Cream restaurant in Slingerlands.
“The Indian Ladder Drive-In, opened in May of 1949 by Don Hallenbeck, was at the time a “300-car open air theatre” built on 38 acres at a cost of “about $40,000.” In 1961 Mr. Hallenbeck added an 18-hole miniature golf course. The theater was closed permanently after high winds had knocked down the screen a fourth time. I found an interesting ad for drive-in church services held at the theater in the July 1, 1960 edition of the Altamont Enterprise. Mr. Hallenbeck was quoted in the Albany Times Union saying that the theater ‘was the victim of air conditioning, television and a failure to show X-rated films.’ The property is currently undeveloped.”
As for the Mayfair Drive-In, Pinney recalls that theater was a victim of a tragedy just weeks after its opening.
“According to Boxoffice magazine, the Mayfair “screened a triple-feature bill” at the grand opening,” said Pinney. “The Mayfair closed after one season apparently due to owner Robert Conahan’s unexpected passing just two weeks after the theater had opened. The property remained undeveloped for years. At one time it was home to a golf driving range and is now host to a professional building.”
At the moment, Pinney and Blanchard are assembling a documentary about those old movie houses, and are working on the first of several “webisodes” that will eventually be stitched together into a full-length documentary, Project Movie House, that will tell the story of movie theaters, some gone and forgotten, in and around the Capital District.
If you have any information about these old theaters – or if you feel like reminiscing with Allen and David about a time when you didn’t have to pay $10 and travel to the mall to see a film, drop them a line.
As for me – I’m going to add the Project Movie House project to the blogroll on the right. You should visit the site, you’ll enjoy it.
Chuck The Writer 
What a worthy project … particularly for those of us with an innate love of such places. That Web site surely will be a frequent stop for me.
Several years ago, I was flattered and honored to be invited to host and narrate a WMHT documentary titled “Matinee Memories,” a history of many of the movie theaters throughout the region. I learned fascinating things about them in the course of doing that project.
The bulk of my own memories of that nature are tied to Glens Falls movie theaters, where I spent countless hours. At that time, it was always a treat for me to make it down to one of the Albany theaters — such as the Hellman — for special occasions.
All best wishes to Allen and David on their undertaking, and congratulations to them for tackling it!
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Thanks so much for the shout out Chuck! I loved your pieces on The Madison and The Beatles, good stuff!
Only one correction for you; David’s hometown is Troy, NY although he spent the majority of his movie going in Albany/Colonie.
Thanks again!
– Allen
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My favorite had to be the Super 50 on Rt.50. Even though I grew up in Rotterdam and the Carmen and Mohawk, as well as the Turnpike on Western Avenue were closer, the Super 50 would host Dusk to Dawn Maniac Marathons.
Films from sundown to sun up with such endearing titles as “The Corpse Grinders”, “I Eat Your Flesh”, and “The House That Dripped Blood”.
You could fall asleep and awaken to someone being disembowled.. on the screen that is..
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