Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Rambo's Saloon, better known to locals as Gus Becker's, faces demolition.
The Fort Lee Historical Society met Tuesday to discuss petitioning the Mayor and Council and the Fort Lee Zoning Board of Adjustment to save Rambo's Saloon, a house dating back to the Civil War era, from demolition. Rambo's, better known to locals as Gus Becker's, is located on First Street in the Coytesville section of Fort Lee. Because of its prominent role as a site location in the early film industry that once dominated Fort Lee, the saloon is listed on the Bergen County Register of Historic Buildings. However, according to Tom Meyers, founder and Executive Director of the Fort Lee Film Commission and founder of The Fort Lee Historic Committee and member of The Fort Lee Historical Society, that designation offers no real protection …
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Resolution passed to name the new three-screen cinema and film museum to be constructed in Redevelopment Area 5 on Main Street "The Barrymore Theatre."
The Mayor & Council passed a resolution to name the new three-screen cinema and film museum to be constructed in Redevelopment Area 5 on Main Street "The Barrymore Theatre" during their Feb. 14 public meeting. The name is in honor of the Barrymore family, who not only lived in Fort Lee, but made lasting contributions to the town through their volunteer work and successful efforts to raise money for a firehouse in the Coytesville section of town. It was at the location of Area 5 that 18-year-old John Barrymore made his stage debut in 1900 in a production of A Man of the World to benefit the construction of a new firehouse for Co. 2 in Coytesville. The play was directed by his father, actor Maurice Barrymore, who was a volunteer captain in …
Monday, February 18, 2013
Many turn out to support FLHS Drama Department on John Barrymore's 131st birthday.
Depsite the snowbanks, the cold temperature and the on-coming traffic--the Fort Lee Film Commission celebrated John Barrymore's 131st birthday by laying a wreath at Central Road (commemoratively named John Barrymore Way) and Main Street as dusk fell Friday evening. A young Shakespearian actor donned the role of John Barrymore for the evening and captured his spirit magnanimously and magnificiently as he regaled the audience gathered around the bar at In Napoli Restaurant with stories of Fort Lee from the last turn of the century. All money raised at the fundraiser goes to benefit the Drama Department of Fort Lee High School. Follow Fort Lee Patch on Facebook.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Mayor and Council recognize the contributions of the Barrymore family to Fort Lee and agree to name new theater and film museum to be built on Redevelopment Area 5 after them.
As part of the developer's agreement for the western parcel of Redevelopment Area 5, the Fort Lee Mayor & Council have secured the construction of a 13,000 square foot movie theatre and a film museum to commemorate the role of Fort Lee as the first American film town. In recognition of their many contributions to the community of Fort Lee, the Mayor and Council agreed to name the theater and museum after the Barrymore family. According to Tom Meyers, Executive Director of the Fort Lee Film Commission, the western parcel of Redevelopment Area 5 once housed Buckheister's Hotel, where an 18-year-old John Barrymore made his stage debut in a fundraiser for Fire Company 2. The fundraiser, organized by his father Maurice--a member of Fire …
Friday, May 18, 2012
Fort Lee Film history along Main Street, and North to Coytesville, lead to Fort Lee High School this weekend.
The Fort Lee Film Commission has been at work feverishly since last year on plans for this weekend’s production of the Jerry Herman musical "Mack & Mabel." The musical is the “Keystone” of sorts in our centennial tribute to the founding of Keystone Studio in Fort Lee in 1912 by Mack Sennett with the aid of his leading lady, the lovely screen comedienne Miss Mabel Normand. The first order of business was to meet with Fort Lee High School Drama Department teacher Jodi Etra and get her on board to direct. Ms. Etra agreed, and work commenced on the plan and structure of the play, as well as the funding. The Fort Lee Film Commission applied for grants and raised funds in excess of $10,000 to take this idea from conception to reality. Some of …
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Fort Lee Borough High School
3000 Lemoine Ave, Fort Lee, NJ
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Friday, December 9, 2011
Fort Lee High school carries on the tradition of the great John Barrymore
It has been said that the past is history, the future is a mystery, but today is a gift – that’s why they call it the present. Well, this weekend we can open up a great big present at Fort Lee High School, as the school presents its first one-act play festival entitled "The Art of Adolescence" Friday and Saturday, Dec. 9 and 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Fort Lee High School auditorium. These student thespians carry on a great tradition of theatre arts in our borough that can trace its roots to the corner of Main Street and Central Road. A few years ago the Fort Lee Film Commission petitioned the Fort Lee Mayor and Council to commemorate this spot with a special street sign and designate it "John Barrymore Way." Buckheister’s Hotel stood on …
40.85824
-73.965809
Fort Lee Borough High School
3000 Lemoine Ave, Fort Lee, NJ
/articles/barrymore-s-way-the-next-generation
1770838
/locations/5983812
Shawn Kelly
7:29 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013
Its a shame but I think the people who are against saving this building must not remember what the town used to look like. Perhaps they have no roots there? The last few decades I have watched piece by piece be leveled and carted away in a dumpster. A lot of them my own families houses. While I understand you can't save the world how about saving some of the towns history? This is critical. Other… more ›