Charles Denson and Keith Suber at 2011 Coney Island Film Festival. Photo © Norman Blake

The Coney Island History Project presents a free screening of Charles Denson's documentary starring Keith Suber on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 7:00 pm. "The Last Immortal" premiered at the 2011 Coney Island Film Festival in September and was awarded Best Documentary Feature. After the movie, which runs 90 minutes, there will be a Q & A with Mr. Denson and Mr. Suber.

Location of Free Movie Screening: Liberation High School Auditorium 2865 West 19th Street at Mermaid Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11224 D, F, N or Q train to Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island

Keith Suber is a forty-five year old reformed Coney Island gang leader, an original Rollin' 60's Crip who's been shot four times and served ten years in a federal penitentiary. He's returned to his Coney Island roots and founded an organization whose mission is to stop the gun violence that is plaguing the community.

Keith's brothers "Blue" and the "Colonel" ran one of the 1970's Coney gangs that the movie "The Warriors" was based on. This film, shot on the streets of Coney Island, shows the reality of gang violence, its influence on the Coney Island community, and Suber's efforts at saving lives through youth mentorship, job training, and intervention.

Charles Denson, a Coney Island native, grew up in Coney Island Houses in the neighborhood's west end where part of the documentary was filmed. Mr. Denson is executive director of the Coney Island History Project and author of the award-winning book "Coney Island: Lost and Found" His previous films include "The Prince of Mermaid Avenue" about Major Market's Jimmy Prince (Best Documentary Feature, Coney Island Film Festival, 2009) and the short "Coney Island: Secrets of the Universe" (2010).

This program is part of the History Project's ongoing series of free movie screenings in the Coney Island Community. It is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

posted Nov 2nd, 2011 in News and tagged with

Secrets of Coney Island Creek

An exhibit of Charles Denson's photos of Coney Island Creek is currently on view in vitrines in the lobby and on the 2nd floor of the Coney Island branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Click here for hours and directions.

The exhibit is in conjunction with Partnerships for Parks, Catalyst Program at Kaiser Park. A slide talk and on-site project TBA. For info sign up for our mailing list.

creekCharlie

Charles Denson, a Coney Island native, began photographing Coney Island Creek in the 1960s and 1970s when the waterway was at a low point, surrounded by industry and suffering from neglect and pollution. Since then, portions of the creek have been reclaimed, drawing both wildlife and residents to its shores. The photographs in Secrets of Coney Island Creek document those early decades and offer a fascinating and comprehensive portrait of the creek today and its relationship to the Coney Island community, from the people of diverse cultures who visit the creek and its new parks to the environmental challenges that lie ahead.

posted Oct 6th, 2011 in News and tagged with

lastimmortal

The Last Immortal
A Documentary Feature by Charles Denson

Coney Island Film Festival Opening Night Film
September 23rd, Friday, 7:30 pm

Keith Suber is a forty-five year old reformed Coney Island gang leader, an original Rollin' 60's Crip who's been shot six times and served ten years in a federal penitentiary. He's returned to his Coney Island roots and founded an organization whose mission is to stop the gun violence that is plaguing the community.

Keith's brothers, "Blue," "Molock," and the "Colonel" ran the 1970's Coney gangs that the movie The Warriors was based on. This film, shot on the streets of Coney Island and at juvenile detention centers, shows the reality of gang violence, its influence on the Coney Island community, and Suber's efforts at saving lives through youth mentorship, job training, and intervention.

Charles Denson, a Coney Island native, grew up in Coney Island Houses in the neighborhood's west end where part of the documentary was filmed. Mr. Denson is executive director of the Coney Island History Project and author of the award-winning book "Coney Island: Lost and Found" His previous films include "The Prince of Mermaid Avenue" about Major Market's Jimmy Prince (Best Documentary Feature, Coney Island Film Festival, 2009) and the short "Coney Island: Secrets of the Universe" (2010).

Event Info: Coney Island Film Festival, September 23, Friday, 7:30 pm
Tickets for the "The Last Immortal" screening only, $6.

Screening venue is the Coney Island Museum, 1208 Surf Ave, 2nd floor.
Please note this venue is not wheelchair accessible.

Opening Night Party 9:30pm - 12:30am at The Freak Bar and Sideshows By The Seashore, 1208 Surf Ave. 1st Floor. Tickets are $25. Party with open bar and burlesque show, 21 and over to drink.
Advance ticket purchase and info at www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com

posted Sep 16th, 2011 in News and tagged with

HOF1
Charles Denson with Cyclops from Wonder Wheel Park

Spook-A-Rama's Cyclops, a Coney Island legend that hasn't been seen in decades, came out of retirement on September 3rd to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Coney Island History Project. Lula Vourderis accepted the plaque on behalf of Deno's Wonder Wheel Park and the Vourderis Family.

The two previously announced honorees were Lady Deborah Moody (1586-1659?), the first woman to found a colony in North America, and the recently landmarked Shore Theater. Charles Denson, director of the Coney Island History Project, presented the 2011 Coney Island Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at CIHP's exhibit center on West 12th Street.

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Carol Hill Albert

"Deborah Moody recognized the importance of Coney Island back in the 1600s when she founded the colony of Gravesend in 1645," said Denson. "Moody proved to be a visionary when she declared Coney Island to be the Common Lands of Gravesend, public land available for the use of all villagers."

Accepting the plaque for Lady Deborah Moody was Carol Hill Albert, owner and operator of the former Astroland Park and co-founder of the Coney Island History Project with husband Jerry Albert.

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John Badalamenti

John Badalamenti accepted the award for the Shore Theater, formerly the Loews, on behalf of his late brother Andy Badalamenti, the longtime caretaker of the theater. "He had a new roof installed and stopped the leaks. He sealed up the building to stop looting and scavenging," Denson said of his friend, who always dreamed of restoring the Shore to its former glory.

Said Denson, "This 2,500 seat theater is key to Coney Island's future as a year round destination. It's been sealed up like a time capsule for several decades and recently received landmark status."

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Lula Vourderis with sons Steve and Dennis Vourderis

In his speech honoring the Cyclops, Denson said: "Last year I was hired as a consultant for an upcoming university art exhibition about Coney Island. While researching artwork for the exhibit we realized that the Cyclops head was an iconic and recurring image in dozens of modern artworks. The curator and I wondered if it still existed and if it could be included in the exhibition. I asked Steve Vourderis if the Cyclops had survived. He had a surprise for me. It was in storage right behind the History Project.

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Spook-A-Rama's Cyclops at Deno's Wonder Wheel Park

"After being excavated and stabilized it became the centerpiece of our induction ceremony. The Cyclops represents the creativity of Coney Island's artisans and visionaries. In the past, anyone with a vision could create a fantasy, and you didn't need formal artistic training to create a work of art. And you didn't need an engineering degree to build a ride. Spook-A-Rama opened in the 1950s at a time when monster movies and Cinerama were popular. It's a one of kind work of art, a cultural artifact handmade from ordinary bandages and plaster of Paris. When Denos Vourderis bought Wonder Wheel Park in the 1980s, the Cyclops had deteriorated and was removed for a future restoration. Next year it will once again be on exhibit at the ride for an admiring public."

posted Sep 16th, 2011 in News and tagged with

Hall of Fame banner

Note that this event has been RESCHEDULED due to the hurricane forecast. The original date was Sunday, August 28th.

On Saturday, September 3rd at 1 pm, Charles Denson, director of the Coney Island History Project, will present the 2011 Coney Island Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at CIHP's exhibit center on West 12th Street.

This year, the Coney Island Hall of Fame pays tribute to Lady Deborah Moody (1586-1659?), the first woman to found a colony in North America. Moody fled her native England because of religious persecution and first arrived in Massachusetts, where an aide to the governor advised barring her "for she is a dangerous woeman."

"In choosing to honor Lady Deborah Moody, we are returning to Coney Island's centuries-old roots," said historian and History Project director Charles Denson. "Moody has been described as 'the woman who wrote [America's] Declaration of Independence 150 years before the men got around to it.' Lady Moody, who founded the town of Gravesend in 1645, was not just the only woman to start a colony in the new world, but was also the first to recognize the value and importance of Coney Island."

Coney Island was part of Gravesend, which Moody settled when the Dutch governor granted her a charter insuring religious freedom and self-government. Gravesend was one of the original towns of Kings County in colonial New York. Coney Island was the town's common lands on the Atlantic Ocean. At the Hall of Fame ceremony, Lady Deborah Moody's contributions will be highlighted in a colorful banner accompanied by illustrated text panels detailing her fascinating life.

shore

The second 2011 Hall of Fame honoree is in the architectural category: The Shore Theater, formerly known as the Loew's Coney Island, is a seven-story neo-Renaissance style theater and vaudeville house built in 1925 at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues. On History Day, never before seen photos of the theater's ornate interior will be on view at the History Project's exhibit center, providing a rare glimpse inside a building that has been closed since the 1970s.

"The Shore Theater represents not just Coney's golden past, but also its bright future," said Charles Denson."Now that it's been granted landmark status, the Shore awaits a renovation that will make it the year-round entertainment center of a new Coney Island." When the long vacant building won New York City landmark designation in December 2010, Landmarks Preservation Commission Chairman Robert B Tierney said, "The theater shepherded Coney Island's transformation into New York City's playground. Its elegant style and substantial size were decidely more Broadway than Boardwalk."

Past inductees of the Coney Island Hall of Fame include such architectural wonders as the Elephant Hotel and the Parachute Jump. Pioneers and visionaries whose creativity and ingenuity helped shape and define Coney Island include George C Tilyou, founder of Steeplechase Park; Dr Martin Couney, inventor of the baby incubator; Marcus Illions, developer of the Coney Island style of carousel carving; and Granville T Woods, inventor of the figure eight roller coaster and the third rail. Coney Island Hall of Fame banners celebrating their accomplishments are among those on view at the History Project's exhibition center in Deno's Wonder Wheel Park and on our website.

posted Aug 19th, 2011 in News and tagged with

Note that this event has been RESCHEDULED to Saturday September 3.

Celebrate historic Coney Island and enjoy live music, entertainment and history on Sunday, August 28, from 1pm-5pm at the 1st Annual History Day at Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park and the Coney Island History Project.

The Coney Island History Project will present the 2011 Coney Island Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at 1pm. The Hall of Fame pays tribute to architectural wonders as well as to pioneers and visionaries whose creativity and ingenuity helped shape and define Coney Island. The names of this year's honorees will be announced in the coming days.

Have a “Romantic Coney Island" story? Did you meet your true love in Coney Island, go on your first date or fall in love here? Come and record your memories for CIHP's Oral History Project and make history! You may also schedule an in-person or telephone interview by emailing info@coneyislandhistory.org.

On History Day, visitors are invited to test their Coney Island smarts at the Coney Island Trivia Contest with historian and author Charles Denson. Prizes include ride passes for Deno's Wonder Wheel Park and souvenir postcards from the Coney Island History Project.

Enjoy live music by New York City's legendary Hungry March Band, straight-up, foot-stomping jazz by the Hot Sardines, and Ragtime and Dixieland by The Banjo Rascals. Additional entertainment provided by Kae Burke of Lady Circus.

The performances are free to the public and will be held at the Wonder Wheel, at the Coney Island History Project (on W. 12th Street off the Boardwalk) and throughout Deno’s Amusement Park from 1pm -5pm. Visitors who ride the Wonder Wheel will receive a nostalgic Coney Island commemorative gift and are invited to take their photo for free with old timey cutouts. Visitors to the History Project are invited to take their photo with our original Steeplechase horse.

Celebrate Coney Island’s History and make some of your own—don’t miss it!

posted Aug 12th, 2011 in News and tagged with

Pre-Show Featuring History, Trivia & Prizes from Coney Island History Project

Join us on Monday evening, August 8th, for a free screening of Woody Allen's "Annie Hall" at the Coney Island Flicks on the Beach Series. The Coney Island History Project is co-sponsoring this week's pre-show, which begins at 7pm with a Coney Island and "Annie Hall" trivia contest for which we've provided some quirky questions. There will also be a Woody Allen impressionist contest organized by Rooftop Films. If you're interested in participating, you can e-mail woody@rooftopfilms.com. Prizes include Coney Island History Project T-shirts, autographed copies of History Project Director Charles Denson's "Wild Ride: A Coney Island Roller Coaster Family," and tickets for our popular Sunday Walking Tour of Coney Island. Stop by CIHP's tent on the Boardwalk to say hello, pick up a free copy of our History Puzzler, and learn about our exhibit center and oral history archive.

"Annie Hall," which screens around 8:40pm, chronicles the romantic relationship of neurotic New York comedy writer Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) with the charmingly flaky Annie Hall (Diane Keaton) in 1970s Manhattan. Some of the scenes from Alvy Singer's childhood were filmed in Coney Island. You'll have to brush up on history to correctly answer our trivia questions! Stan Fox, who works with the Coney Island History Project, will share his memories of the 1976 filming of "Annie Hall" at Monday's pre-show and at CIHP's booth. Fox operated the Playland penny arcades in Coney Island from the 1940s through the 1980s. One of his never-before-told anecdotes is about how the Parachute Jump almost played a starring role in "Annie Hall."

Also on Monday night's program is Charles Denson's photographic tribute to the late Andy Badalamenti, who operated Coney Island's Himalaya, Bobsled and Tornado. Around 8:30 pm, Rooftop Films will present the short film "Bottle," a film animated on location at a beach, in snow, and underwater about a transoceanic love affair and messages in a bottle. Films are shown at dusk on a jumbo 40-foot screen on the beach at West 10th Street every Monday night through August 29. The free summer series is presented by Epix, Verizon FiOS, NYC & Company, Rooftop Films and the Coney Island Development Corporation. For info about upcoming films, visit the Coney Island Fun Guide.

posted Aug 5th, 2011 in News and tagged with

The Coney Island History Project announces a series of themed history weekends to pique your interest and jog your memory.Throughout the summer visitors are invited to record their memories for our Oral History Archive. Stop by for an interview with historian Charles Denson, Amanda Deutch or Natalie Milbrodt.

SCHEDULE

Selected interviews will be made available on our website as part of our Coney Island Voices exhibit, a record of visitors and their stories during the 2011 season. Interviews are available at the History Project's FREE public exhibition center on W 12th St under the Wonder Wheel.The center is open on Saturday, Sunday and holidays, 12-6pm, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, as well as by appointment. You may schedule an in-person or telephone interview in advance by emailing info@coneyislandhistory.org.

July 23 & 24, Childhood Days... Carousel and kiddie ride memories, being tall enough to ride the Cyclone or Parachute Jump for the first time, your very first memory of Coney Island.

July 30 & 31, Under the Boardwalk and On the Beach... Favorite memories, Outings with family & friends, first trip to Coney Island--even if it's today--because memories are in the making.

Aug 6 & 7, Neighborhood Coney Island... Did you grow up here? Have a summer job in the amusement district or work year round in the neighborhood?

Aug 13 & 14, The Taste of Coney Island... Are you a fan of Nathan's hot dogs, Mrs. Stahl's Knishes, Philip's salt water taffy? How about Ruby's Bar & Grille, Totonno's Pizza or Williams Candy?

Aug 20 & 21, Thrills & Chills!... Coney Island's rides, funhouses, games and arcades are world famous, but which ones are your personal favorites?

Aug 27 & 28, Romantic Coney Island! Did you meet your true love in Coney Island, go on your first date or fall in love here?

posted Aug 1st, 2011 in News and tagged with
posted Jul 31st, 2011 in News and tagged with
andy_2610

Andy called me last Sunday, the day before he died, to tell me about the Himalaya ride in New Jersey that he wanted to buy. He was in serious pain that even morphine couldn’t alleviate, but all he could talk about was the ride, how he wanted to buy it and bring it back to Coney Island. The ride had sold to another operator, and I told him that there’d be others. He wouldn’t stop. “I almost hocked my house to buy it,” he told me, “it’s electric drive, one of a kind, all the others are hydraulic.” He felt that his Himalaya ride, with himself as DJ, playing all the old Motown tunes, was the thing that Coney needed most. He was a true believer.

Coney Island was Andy’s life and obsession. In the 1970s Andy was a fixture in Coney Island, operating the Tornado Roller Coaster, the Bobsled, and his great love, the Himalaya. He was an expert ride mechanic whose love of animals led to his job at the police stables in Brighton Beach. In recent times he had a thankless side job, working for Horace Bullard as the guardian of Coney’s decaying relics, the Thunderbolt, the Shore Theater, and Playland Arcade. He always dreamed of restoring them to their former glory and never fully recovered after the illegal demolition of the Thunderbolt.

I will miss his smile and laughter and his intensity and optimism. We shared many Coney Island moments together. He was a good friend for many years and a main character in my books, "Coney Island: Lost and Found " and "Wild Ride: A Coney Island Roller Coaster Family." He left us too soon, but his legacy will live on.

—Charles Denson

andy.playland.7579

andy and cd.4858

 

posted Jul 26th, 2011 in News and tagged with