Wagner Theater
110 Wyckoff Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11237
110 Wyckoff Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11237
3 people
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I personally can verify it operating as a porn cinema in 1968, showing titles like “The Devil’s Bed” and “Let’s Play Doctor”. I lived with my mother’s family, four blocks northeast of the Wagner Theater at that time.
Listed in the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as the Reo Theatre with a seating capacity of 600. In the 1930 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as the 600 seat Reo and is (Closed).
There is no theatre listed as operating at this address in the 1941 F.D.Y. (I don’t have edition between 1931-1940 to verify if it was open during those years). However in the 1943 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as the Wagner Theatre with a seating capacity of 510. Still listed as operating as the wagner Theatre in 1950 with 550 seats. By 1957 it has gone from listings in Film Daily Yearbook, but must have re-opened as a porn cinema which went into the late 1960’s.
That’s spelled “diagonally”, Chris. Thanks for posting the image link.
The Wagner Theater was diagnolly across from Wyckoff Hospital. Here’s an aerial view. The brand new building diagnally across from the hospital was the site of the Wagner:
View link
I lived on Wyckoff Avenue from the 50’s to late 60’s where the hospital is now. I remember the Wagner theater showing the German films and then switching to porn. I remember a movie they were showing once called “Boxed Lunch.” I don’t believe I was ever inside the theater…
in 1945 i saw destination tokyo with cary grant at the wagner …. it was a look alike to the wyckoff as far as inside appearances go as well as a look alike to the willougby and empire …all about 450 seats and smelling of pine disinfectant….admission then about 15 cents…..
I don’t actually know if it was demolished or not. I took a photo o the location last year, and it appears to be a new building. However, there is a chance they just put a new brick venier on the old theater. My gut is that it’s demolished and replaced, however, I really can’t say either way:
Click here for photo I took last year
Ugh. Erwin, you are absolutely correct. I posted this in the wrong section! This was in fact meant for the Irving Mozart. I will copy and post my post and post it in the Irving Theater section. I have no idea how i wound up posting this here.
In fact, you are correct, what was once the Wagner theater has been demolished, and is in fact the Woman’s Health Center.
Bway….Are you sure you were going past the Wagner on July 13th?
As far as I know, the Wagner is not a 99 cent store, but the Women’s Health Center. Perhaps, you went by the former Irving/Mozart, which is now a 99 cent store.
The two porno films I remember playing at the Wagner in summer 1968 were “Devil’s Bed” and “Let’s Play Doctor”. Film critic Neil Gabler and I are among the few people who actually know about another film advertised on the page with “I Am Curious” : “Futz”.
I saw “Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun” at the American Musuem Of Natural History in spring 1993 and got to meet its star, Roy Thinnes, there.
I past by the Wagner this evening, and peaked in the 99 cents store as I drove by (I was stuck at the light at the corner anyway). It has glass doors now, and inside it has a drop ceiling. A quick glance doesn’t reveal any original interior, and there is a fake drop ceiling in the store.
As for the Brooklyn thing, this theater is the one in the immediate area out of all the ones that they adevertised in Brooklyn, but are really in Queens (Parthenon, Madison, Ridgewood, Oasis (how dumb), etc, and then the one that is CLEARLY in Brooklyn, the Wagner, they say is in Queens!
Heh, I like lostmemory’s comment….put porn in the theater, and then, and only then say it’s in Queens…..
It’s funny in 1969 when the Wagner played “I am Curious Yellow” they listed it as Queens. Meanwhile this theatre is right on the border of Brooklyn and the Oasis which was nowhere near Brooklyn was listed as Brooklyn.
View link
In the late forties the Wagner theater showed rerun Hollywod flicks.
I remember seeing Captain’s Courageous there.They also ran cartoons
such as Mighty Mouse and Popeye.
The interior was non descript.
While it is correct in the address section, the opening comment in this theater section should be altered because there is no such street as “Wagner St”. It should say “Wyckoff Ave”.
I believe Deep Throat is the movie that I think tipped the tides into the “modern” porn industry. It’s also sort of “tame” considering what is out there nowadays.
My parents saw “I Am Curious-Yellow” in spring 1970, I think at the Arion in Middle Village.
As far as I know the Wagner was the only Ridgewood theatre to show porn. Although, in the early days alot of X features played regular theatres, so you never know.
Nope just “Let’s Spend the Night Together”, which I first saw at Centurys Floral.
More X titles
Beaverly Hills Cop
Star Whores
RobertR, did you ever play the Robert Frank movie about the Rolling Stones' 1972 US Tour, “Cckscker Blues”, at any NYC cinema ?
No, let’s not. I saw “Groove Tube” on a double bill with “Flesh Gordon”, first at the Crossbay I in June 1975, then again at St. Mark’s Cinema (unfortunately cut) in January 1976. Fun stuff.
“Brown 25 : New things come out of Uranus every day !”
Hahaha. My coworkers must think I am crazy because I am laughing at my computer.
Let’s not forget, “Ball in the Family”, “The Hunchback of Dirty Dames”, and “The Long Ranger”.
I played that X rated Pinocchio at the Cinema Village on a double bill with Flesh Gordon.
Like “Ball Street” and “My Bare Lady” and “Under Five Fags”(instead of flags).I have also been told of an X-rated Pinocchio. It’s not his nose that gets longer !
Sounds like the first porno I rented when I was a teenager at the video store, which was a great “cinema masterpiece” called, “Bright Lights, Big [fill in a word that rhymes with Cities]”.
Funny how many of these “masterpieces” are plays on real movie names.
I remember the Wagner having porno, “Devil’s Bed” and “Let’s Play Doctor”, in 1968.