Nostrand Theatre
2817 Nostrand Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11234
2817 Nostrand Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11234
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Further research revealed that Warren G. Harris listed this theater some years ago as the Normandy Theater.
/theaters/8854/
Apparantly, it was renamed from Normandy to Nostrand and then, in 1933, to Howard Theater.
There was another Nostrand Theater in Brooklyn listed in a 1932 Street Directory. The address was 1927 Fulton Street . It is now a Baptist Church. Current photo gives some hint it could have been a theater.
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There was another Nostrand Theater in Brooklyn. It operated up to at least the summer of 1938. It was at 27 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn 6, New York, between Flushing Avenue, where Nostrand Avenue began, and Park Avenue to the south.
Very good, thanks.
At one time, until the mid 1930’s, its location was not far from the strand. At that time a major land fill operation was undertaken filling in an arm of Jamaica Bay and creating Marine Park. The theater, when built, was named for Nostrand Avenue which crossed King’s Highway near the site. This was Dutch territory before the Brits stole it and Van Nostrand was an old name in the new Kings County.
Why the name? Any ideas? Too far from the beach?
I was an usher at the Century Nostrand Theatre from 1970 till about 1976. I would love to get in contact with any other Century Theatre ushers during this time period..Anyone out there??
Wait till it comes to the Nostrand was our family cry. And most of the time it came true and it did come to the Nostrand.
We lived smack in the middle of a cluster of Century Theaters in Brooklyn. In the 40’s and early 50’s, movies would open in NYC and then move to the first run houses in Downtown Brooklyn. After that they’d reopen at the Kingsway, Marine, Brook or Avalon. Then they headed to my beloved Nostrand.
I think I watched more movies there than any place except for our television set.
Back then they usually ran three double feature bills a week. I loved that theater from its art-deco features, indirect lighting and even its maroon drinking fountain.
In our neighborhood movies left the Nostrand and went to the Quentin, College, Elm or Triangle.
I guess this routing plan changed in the late 50’s or early 60’s.
That hobby shop is also long gone too. Too bad, it was a great store and the owner had a nice display of assembled models- mostly ships and planes on display inside the store.
i remember in the early 80’s my uncle took me to see Halloween 2 here and there was a german shepherd walking around and barking INSIDE the theatre – pretty sure i saw Flash Gordon here and Private School with Phoebe Cates – and they had the hobby hut next door to the theatre so you could hit that afterwards
Went to this theater several times. The most memorable time is when I went with my then current girlfriend to see “Apocolypse Now” early in 1980. The heat was not working that cold day, but the film was excellent! That was about the 5 th time I saw it. We used her long down jacket as a blanket and it kept us warm, but my feet were numb!
I saw Fantasia from the balcony of a sold-out Nostrand around 1975. They would schedule classic Disney films throughout the summer during the ‘70’s. The place was always packed with us kids. It was a lot of fun.
I remember there was a big line to see a revival of “Fantasia” sometime in the 60’s or 70’s.
Another neighborhood theater I loved. I remember going there in the early 70’s right after a major, major snowstorm, the most severe I had ever seen. But they were opened, warm and familiar. A great place to see a flick.
Warren, thanks for posting the images. I spent a lot of time in this theater. I drove by two days ago. Except for the missing marquee, the building doesn’t appear too different.
From what I recall this theatre closed in late ‘83 or early '84 and don’t remember it being a second run and was beautifully kept till the end.
The theatre’s interior walls have been re-painted and details of the trim work highlighted. All in all, I expected to see a disaster inside but was happy with what I saw. Did the furniture store that occupied the building previously do the renovation or did it have the original color scheme the theatre had when it closed. I bet the gym did the work and they did it faithfully to the building. The place was hopping at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
This was a first run theatre Philip, not second.. except maybe at the end.
I remember lining up to see GREASE here.
They had painted birds on the ceiling.. it made you ask.. is that BUTTER in my popcorn!
An interesting fact about this theatre…
A few times I saw a movie a second time here… it was during the week and there was hardly anyone in the theatre….
In order to go home early, the projectionist would just SKIP a film roll!
Mike
The Nostrand Theatre’s address is 2817 Nostrand Ave..