EdSolero;
Yes, the church you saw further down Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard(Seventh Avenue) was the former Lafayette Theatre, listed here: cinematreasures.org/theater/12596/
The Sumner Theatre opened in early May 1914. On 20th June 1914 the Sumner Roof Garden Theatre opened with an all star revival of “The Prisoner of Zenda”. The Roof Garden occupied the entire roof space of the theatre proper and seating was provided for 1,100. These seats (not benches) were installed by the Haywood Bothers and Wakefield Co. and were built especially for comfort, with plenty of space between the rows and extra wide aisles. There were many wide entrances and exits to and from the roof which had been approved by the fire and buildings departments. The space was surrounded by many varicolored electric lights which made for a beautiful effect from within the space and when viewed from the street. The pictures were always accompanied by the Sumner Theatre Orchestra and if the weather was not appropriate to screenings on the roof, then the same performance would be held in the main theatre aditorium downstairs.
The Sumner Theatre opened in 1914 with a seating capacity given as 1,000. It also boasted a Sumner Roof Garden Theatre. The address given in the Film Daily Yearbook:1926 is 265-271 Sumner Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. The seating capacity varied in later editions of Film Daily Yearbook;1930 edition=961, 1941 edition=802 and 1957 edition=930.
Today the building is in use as a children’s day care centre with an address of 265 Sumner Avenue (aka Marcus Garvey Boulevard). The former roof garden theatre space can still be seen on top of the theatre, now in use as a play area.
Sad news folks…
The arial view posted by bway on 12th June is a little out of date. I passed by the site of the former Van Buren/Marvin Theatre today and it has now been demolished. It must have happened earlier in 2006 as already foundations have been laid for constructing a new building on the site.
In the Brooklyn Eagle Newspaper edition dated 7th November 1915, this Midwood Theatre is listed as operating as the Midwout Theater under new management and with an entire change of policy. (Midwout is the old Dutch spelling for Midwood meaning middle of the wood). The location is given as Foster, Bedford and Flatbush Avenues.
The last sentence on the opening text for this theatre is incorrect as the other Midwood Theatre located at 1953 Avenue J was already advertising in the Brooklyn Eagle in November 1915. It originally opened in 1913 and was later enlarged to the current building which is seen today.
OK folks, Here’s the answer to all the confusion above…..
There were indeed two different Grace Theatre’s in Brooklyn. The opening statement made by Phillip Goldberg now needs to be changed as the Whipple Street Grace Theater/White House Theater has now ‘taken over’ this page.
The ‘other’ Grace Theatre, 1830 Coney Island Avenue needs to be added as a ‘New Theatre’ and to have a page to itself. For the record I have it opening as the Grace Theatre in 1917. It is listed in the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as the Miriam Theatre with a seating capacity of 479. In the 1930 edition of F.D.Y. it has been re-named the Navarre Theatre with the same seating capacity. In the 1941 F.D.Y. it had been re-named yet again the to Fair Theatre with 420 seats(Closed). As Phillip stated, it has been in use for many years as a Youth Center.
Now back to the Grace Theater, 2 Whipple Street, Brooklyn…….
Currently a McDonalds Restaurant only takes up the original entrance and part of the foyer space of the building. The auditorium has been converted into a bank and medical center.
I have Film Daily Yearbook editions 1926 and 1930 which list it as the Gotham Theatre with a seating capacity given as 2,500 and 2,600 respectively. By the 1941 edition of F.D.Y. it had been re-named Delmar Theatre with 2,250 seats and still the Delmar with 2,200 seats in the 1957 edition.
The Grange Theatre building still exists, in use as retail on the street level and a church on the 2nd floor. The address of the church is given as 7-11 Hamilton Place and I have it listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1926 edition as the Grange Theatre, 7 Hamilton Place with a seating capacity of 482. It is not listed in the 1930 F.D.Y. or beyond.
However, in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 there is a double listing for a Hudson Fulton Theatre, West 136th Street & Broadway and also at 3 Hamilton Place. Now 3 Hamilton Place is on the corner of Hamilton Place, Broadway and W. 136th Street. Could this be the same theatre as the later named Grange? Looking at the actual corner site today(#3), it has been redeveloped into a small retail unit, but the other adjoining building remain, with numbers 7 thru 11 certainly looking like a former theatre.
The Leader Theatre is currently split into 3 units. At the entrance foyer and rear orchestra end is a pharmacy and retail store. The central section is currently available to rent and the front orchestra section is a large Jewish restaurant.
Currently (June 2006) the auditorium is being ‘built over’, with a new (at least 3 storey) construction being erected above the auditorium. Supporting steelwork is currently in place.
The Casa Del Rey building on the corner is available to lease or for site redevelopment.
There was a Viennese Garden Theatre (an air-dome?) operating in 1923 in Brooklyn. But I doubt an air-dome would have installed a Wurlitzer theatre organ.
A possible answer could be that the proposed name of the theatre was going to be Weinwolf Theater and it actually opened with another name.
The building at 118 Graham Avenue (current retail use as RAC-Rent-A-Center) is the former Variety/Progress/Lindy Theater. The former auditorium space at the rear of the store widens out and when viewed from the McKibbon Street side, the exterior brickwork of the auditorium can be seen.
There is currently no visible trace of any cinematic decoration to be seen either within or on the exterior.
ken mc;
Film Daily Yearbooks can occassionally be found at specialist 2nd hand bookshops or by searching online used books sites. Average prices for later editions 1940’s-1950’s go for around $60.00. Earlier 1920’s and 1930’s editions go for $80.00 upwards.
The year 1926 edition was the first to list theatres. This continued for many years, but content and detail can vary from year to year. Some give actual street addresses (with numbers), some just the street in larger cities and other editions list just the theatre name and seating capacity.
This opened in 1914 as the Reel Theatre. The seating capacity given in the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook is 600. In 1928 it was re-named Graham Theater, F.D.Y. in 1930 gives a seating capacity of 587.
I have an opening year of 1923 (which could be around Christmas 1922?) if an organ was installed November 1922. A seating capacity of 600 is given in Film Daily Yearbooks;1926 and 1927 editions.
The Winthrop Theatre closed in 1959 to become a supermarket two years later. The building now houses a MET supermarket with the address (corner entrance) at 131 Driggs Avenue.
The Cinema Warsaw is located in the free standing building to the right of the corner building seen in the photo posted by LostMemory on Mar 26 2005.
The corner building is the offices of the Polish National Home at 261 Driggs Avenue. The Cinema Warsaw is located at 263 Driggs Avenue, although a notice on the coming attractions board outside the building (which contains the name ‘Cinema Warsaw’) lists an event to be held at 261 Driggs Ave.
I passed by the building today and spoke with the caretaker who told me that has not screened films for a couple of years now, but the projectors and equipment are still in situ. The building still has the seating, but this is currently re-configured (around the side-walls possibly) and weekly dances are held in the building. He told me there is only one level (no balcony).
The Polish National Home have operated from this site since 1914 according to a plaque on the wall of their office building.
Further information I have found:
This may map as George Apen Street, but the actual street still bears signage of it’s original name;Green Street.
A motion picture theatre is listed as operating at this address (153 Green Street) in Throw’s Business Directory 1911 & 1912. No name given for the theatre but it is operated by Patrick Kelly. This could possibly have closed for some years and then re-opened in 1926 as the Arcade Theater and is listed in the Film Daily Yearbook; 1926 edition with 475 seats. In the 1927 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as the Green Street Arcade Theater with a seating capacity of 400.
I have notes that it finally closed in 1927. The building has been in use recently as an electrical warehouse, but is currently (June 2006) offered ‘For Rent’.
LOL>>>Lost Memory. Well I have been plodding around the mean streets of NYC again for the past week (another 4 to go!). Glad we have yet another theatre wrapped up ‘in the can’ so to speak.
I have just looked at this building. It is located at 529 Empire Boulevard on the corner of Balfour Place. (Film Daily Yearbook’s in 1930 & 1931 incorrectly give 829 as the street number). Listed as the Empress Theatre in 1941(closed). In 1942 it became the Crown Theatre and closed in around 1951.
EdSolero;
Yes, the church you saw further down Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard(Seventh Avenue) was the former Lafayette Theatre, listed here:
cinematreasures.org/theater/12596/
The Sumner Theatre opened in early May 1914. On 20th June 1914 the Sumner Roof Garden Theatre opened with an all star revival of “The Prisoner of Zenda”. The Roof Garden occupied the entire roof space of the theatre proper and seating was provided for 1,100. These seats (not benches) were installed by the Haywood Bothers and Wakefield Co. and were built especially for comfort, with plenty of space between the rows and extra wide aisles. There were many wide entrances and exits to and from the roof which had been approved by the fire and buildings departments. The space was surrounded by many varicolored electric lights which made for a beautiful effect from within the space and when viewed from the street. The pictures were always accompanied by the Sumner Theatre Orchestra and if the weather was not appropriate to screenings on the roof, then the same performance would be held in the main theatre aditorium downstairs.
The Sumner Theatre opened in 1914 with a seating capacity given as 1,000. It also boasted a Sumner Roof Garden Theatre. The address given in the Film Daily Yearbook:1926 is 265-271 Sumner Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. The seating capacity varied in later editions of Film Daily Yearbook;1930 edition=961, 1941 edition=802 and 1957 edition=930.
Today the building is in use as a children’s day care centre with an address of 265 Sumner Avenue (aka Marcus Garvey Boulevard). The former roof garden theatre space can still be seen on top of the theatre, now in use as a play area.
Sad news folks…
The arial view posted by bway on 12th June is a little out of date. I passed by the site of the former Van Buren/Marvin Theatre today and it has now been demolished. It must have happened earlier in 2006 as already foundations have been laid for constructing a new building on the site.
In the Brooklyn Eagle Newspaper edition dated 7th November 1915, this Midwood Theatre is listed as operating as the Midwout Theater under new management and with an entire change of policy. (Midwout is the old Dutch spelling for Midwood meaning middle of the wood). The location is given as Foster, Bedford and Flatbush Avenues.
The last sentence on the opening text for this theatre is incorrect as the other Midwood Theatre located at 1953 Avenue J was already advertising in the Brooklyn Eagle in November 1915. It originally opened in 1913 and was later enlarged to the current building which is seen today.
OK folks, Here’s the answer to all the confusion above…..
There were indeed two different Grace Theatre’s in Brooklyn. The opening statement made by Phillip Goldberg now needs to be changed as the Whipple Street Grace Theater/White House Theater has now ‘taken over’ this page.
The ‘other’ Grace Theatre, 1830 Coney Island Avenue needs to be added as a ‘New Theatre’ and to have a page to itself. For the record I have it opening as the Grace Theatre in 1917. It is listed in the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as the Miriam Theatre with a seating capacity of 479. In the 1930 edition of F.D.Y. it has been re-named the Navarre Theatre with the same seating capacity. In the 1941 F.D.Y. it had been re-named yet again the to Fair Theatre with 420 seats(Closed). As Phillip stated, it has been in use for many years as a Youth Center.
Now back to the Grace Theater, 2 Whipple Street, Brooklyn…….
The Kings Cinema has been demolished and replaced by a parking garage to serve the adjacent newly built tower block at 250 W.50th Street.
Currently a McDonalds Restaurant only takes up the original entrance and part of the foyer space of the building. The auditorium has been converted into a bank and medical center.
I have Film Daily Yearbook editions 1926 and 1930 which list it as the Gotham Theatre with a seating capacity given as 2,500 and 2,600 respectively. By the 1941 edition of F.D.Y. it had been re-named Delmar Theatre with 2,250 seats and still the Delmar with 2,200 seats in the 1957 edition.
The Grange Theatre building still exists, in use as retail on the street level and a church on the 2nd floor. The address of the church is given as 7-11 Hamilton Place and I have it listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1926 edition as the Grange Theatre, 7 Hamilton Place with a seating capacity of 482. It is not listed in the 1930 F.D.Y. or beyond.
However, in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 there is a double listing for a Hudson Fulton Theatre, West 136th Street & Broadway and also at 3 Hamilton Place. Now 3 Hamilton Place is on the corner of Hamilton Place, Broadway and W. 136th Street. Could this be the same theatre as the later named Grange? Looking at the actual corner site today(#3), it has been redeveloped into a small retail unit, but the other adjoining building remain, with numbers 7 thru 11 certainly looking like a former theatre.
The Leader Theatre is currently split into 3 units. At the entrance foyer and rear orchestra end is a pharmacy and retail store. The central section is currently available to rent and the front orchestra section is a large Jewish restaurant.
Currently (June 2006) the auditorium is being ‘built over’, with a new (at least 3 storey) construction being erected above the auditorium. Supporting steelwork is currently in place.
The Casa Del Rey building on the corner is available to lease or for site redevelopment.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1926 edition as having a seating capacity of 299.
There was a Viennese Garden Theatre (an air-dome?) operating in 1923 in Brooklyn. But I doubt an air-dome would have installed a Wurlitzer theatre organ.
A possible answer could be that the proposed name of the theatre was going to be Weinwolf Theater and it actually opened with another name.
That would be great Cecilia. I for one would love to see the original photos.
You can post them on here by scanning them into your Flickr.com account and then add a link to that page onto this page.
Looking forward>>>>>Thanks
The building at 118 Graham Avenue (current retail use as RAC-Rent-A-Center) is the former Variety/Progress/Lindy Theater. The former auditorium space at the rear of the store widens out and when viewed from the McKibbon Street side, the exterior brickwork of the auditorium can be seen.
There is currently no visible trace of any cinematic decoration to be seen either within or on the exterior.
ken mc;
Film Daily Yearbooks can occassionally be found at specialist 2nd hand bookshops or by searching online used books sites. Average prices for later editions 1940’s-1950’s go for around $60.00. Earlier 1920’s and 1930’s editions go for $80.00 upwards.
The year 1926 edition was the first to list theatres. This continued for many years, but content and detail can vary from year to year. Some give actual street addresses (with numbers), some just the street in larger cities and other editions list just the theatre name and seating capacity.
This opened in 1914 as the Reel Theatre. The seating capacity given in the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook is 600. In 1928 it was re-named Graham Theater, F.D.Y. in 1930 gives a seating capacity of 587.
It was last known as the Capri Theatre from 1978.
I have an opening year of 1923 (which could be around Christmas 1922?) if an organ was installed November 1922. A seating capacity of 600 is given in Film Daily Yearbooks;1926 and 1927 editions.
The Winthrop Theatre closed in 1959 to become a supermarket two years later. The building now houses a MET supermarket with the address (corner entrance) at 131 Driggs Avenue.
The Cinema Warsaw is located in the free standing building to the right of the corner building seen in the photo posted by LostMemory on Mar 26 2005.
The corner building is the offices of the Polish National Home at 261 Driggs Avenue. The Cinema Warsaw is located at 263 Driggs Avenue, although a notice on the coming attractions board outside the building (which contains the name ‘Cinema Warsaw’) lists an event to be held at 261 Driggs Ave.
I passed by the building today and spoke with the caretaker who told me that has not screened films for a couple of years now, but the projectors and equipment are still in situ. The building still has the seating, but this is currently re-configured (around the side-walls possibly) and weekly dances are held in the building. He told me there is only one level (no balcony).
The Polish National Home have operated from this site since 1914 according to a plaque on the wall of their office building.
Further information I have found:
This may map as George Apen Street, but the actual street still bears signage of it’s original name;Green Street.
A motion picture theatre is listed as operating at this address (153 Green Street) in Throw’s Business Directory 1911 & 1912. No name given for the theatre but it is operated by Patrick Kelly. This could possibly have closed for some years and then re-opened in 1926 as the Arcade Theater and is listed in the Film Daily Yearbook; 1926 edition with 475 seats. In the 1927 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as the Green Street Arcade Theater with a seating capacity of 400.
I have notes that it finally closed in 1927. The building has been in use recently as an electrical warehouse, but is currently (June 2006) offered ‘For Rent’.
LOL>>>Lost Memory. Well I have been plodding around the mean streets of NYC again for the past week (another 4 to go!). Glad we have yet another theatre wrapped up ‘in the can’ so to speak.
I have just looked at this building. It is located at 529 Empire Boulevard on the corner of Balfour Place. (Film Daily Yearbook’s in 1930 & 1931 incorrectly give 829 as the street number). Listed as the Empress Theatre in 1941(closed). In 1942 it became the Crown Theatre and closed in around 1951.
A vintage view of the exterior of the Odeon Corby. I am unable to date it, but possibly mid-1950’s:
View link
A couple of vintage photographs of the Odeon:
In November 1949 as the name is being changed to ‘Odeon’:
View link
In April 1971:
View link
A more recent photograph showing the Ilford Cinema sign and entrance (a former balcony exit) and the main foyer in use as a pub:
http://www.moviebunker.com/ilford_cinema.htm
A scan of a photograph I took of the building in the summer 1994, when was operating as ‘The Island’ concert venue:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/152495563/