CRANFORD, NEW JERSEY, 1926–2026. For generations of Cranford families, going downtown to the movies has meant going to the Cranford Theater. This year, one of New Jersey’s great surviving neighborhood movie houses reaches an extraordinary milestone: 100 years of movies, memories, first dates, family outings, popcorn, Saturday matinees, and nights out in downtown Cranford.
It all began on November 29, 1926, when the doors opened at 25 North Avenue West. Originally called the Branford Theater, the magnificent new movie house seated roughly 1,300 people and featured a stage and a Wurlitzer pipe organ. Opening night featured the silent film Padlocked, starring Noah Beery, and drew such a crowd that some moviegoers were reportedly turned away. Within just a few months, the “B” came down and a “C” went up, and the Cranford Theater was born.
A century later, after changing hands, surviving dramatic shifts in the movie business, undergoing renovations, closing and reopening, and even weathering the COVID era and the theater’s 2025 closure, the lights are still on, and the movies are still playing. Most importantly, the Cranford Theater remains what it has been since 1926, a gathering place in the heart of the community.
So as Cranford prepares to celebrate the theater’s 100th birthday on November 29, 2026, we’re taking a look back at the little movie house that became a Cranford institution, and the generations of people who have kept coming through its doors.
Cranford’s new swanky Branford Theatre, with 1300 seats, a stage, and a $18,000 Wurlitzer pipe organ, opened on the site of Cranford’s old Township Building with actor Noah Beery Sr. starring in the silent film Padlocked. An issue over the theater’s name was ironed out, and the “B” on the electric sign was replaced with a “C” as the new signs were lit with the name “Cranford Theatre.” Giddy with excitement, the Cranford Chronicle gushed: “The New Branford is Dead! Long live the New Cranford!”
By 1941, Warner Brothers was operating the theater. Remodeled to 1209 seats, it remained unchanged until the 1980s when the theater was twinned. In 1998, the owner of the Rialto Theater in nearby Westfield purchased the theater and converted it into a five-screen movie house. Following a rough patch of corporate ownership from 2014 to 2019, the theater was purchased by Jesse and Doreen Sayegh and reopened on November 8, 2019. In recognition of its history, the Cranford Theater received the Cranford Historical Society’s Historic Preservation Award.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the theater’s temporary closure. “We’re not going down without a fight,” responded the Sayeghs, who opened a “pop-up drive-in” to keep going. A portion of the ticket proceeds gets donated to various organizations, including frontline healthcare workers.
Televisions, VCRs, streaming services, and even pandemics have challenged the existence of local theaters, but they continue to survive as long as the community provides support. Events such as Dinner & a Movie, free night Golden Tickets, and private movie screenings help keep the public coming back.
In 2021, the theater hosted the Garden State Film Festival (GSFF). In recognition of its history, the Cranford Theater received the Cranford Historical Society’s Historic Preservation Award. The Cranford Theater continues writing its next chapter in the history books.
Fast-forward to 2026, and it’s the centennial celebration. Congratulations, Cranford Theater!
Celebrate Cranford Theater’s 100th Anniversary at Meow Collectible Keepsake
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Congratulations Cranford Theater
The Cranford Theater Mr. Local History Photo Collection
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