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PAGE ONE, The Long Island City, Queens, Daily Star, Feb. 21, 1931: "A huge crowd stormed the new Loew's Triboro Theater, Twenty-eighth Avenue and Steinway Street, Astoria, as it opened its doors shortly after noon today all eager to view the lavish trimmings of the foyers and rooms and the splendor of the auditorium."
When we happen upon a grand old theater, the kind built before World War II, with high, painted ceilings, marble trimmings and elaborate terra-cotta figurines, we get a glimpse into a time when movie theaters weren't today's cut-up, multiplex structures with plain, drab rooms littered with popcorn and soda cups.
This grander era is remembered in the exhibit "The Movie Palaces of Queens," which continues until the end of February at the Flushing-based Queens Historical Society. Through a collection of newspaper articles, photographs, original artifacts from the theaters, music and videos, the golden age of three Queens theaters - Loew's Valencia in Jamaica, Loew's Triboro in Astoria and RKO-Keith's in Flushing - is recalled.
But in one respect this is not your average historical exhibit. Curated by Jerry Rotondi, a member of the vocal Committee to Save the RKO-Keith's, the show preaches preservation and, advocates that all who go through it learn to value the historic buildings we walk by each day.
"Save the RKO-Keith's!" says one banner used in recent demonstrations to prevent conversion of the theater, on Northern Boulevard at Main Street, into a mall and offices.
"Viva Valencia!" says another sign, lauding the preservation of the Jamaica theater, which since 1977 has housed a...