Loew's Melba Theatre
300 Livingston Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11217
300 Livingston Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11217
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Loew’s Melba started out as Keeney’s in 1902 or thereabouts. It was named for Frank A. Keeney, the owner. It was a showcase for local talent and it is said that Fanny Brice got her start here. The house featured vaudeville and sond and dance routines. When other downtown palaces incorporated vaudeville into their photoplay programs, vaudeville by itself was a hard sell. Mr. Keeney ( who was portrayed in “Funny Girl” ) withdrew in 1926 and Loew’s stepped in. This gave Loew’s 3 houses within a 2 block radius, the others being the Metropolitan and the Bijou ( already playing after the Metropolitan ). The Bijou (1894-1931) closed in 1931 and the Melba picked up their run. Loew’s Melba at 300 Livingston Street was near the Livingston Street entrance of the Fox Theatre ( The Fox had two entrances at the time of its' opening ) up a block or so. Loew’s Melba was demolished in 1954, the same year the RKO Orpheum and Momart Theatres were torn down.
The Melba was a very old theater dating back to the late 1870’s or early 1880’s from what I can recall. It was quite ornate and the entrance lobby was long and mirrored and highly decorated. It was built in the gaslight era or perhaps before it but gas fixtures were still present in some areas although it had long been wired by the 1950’s. The last time I was there it was to see a double feature of the “African Queen” and the “Captive City”. It was clean and well kept at that time which I think was in August of 1951 or 1952 but a section of the balcony had been beem closed of by the Department of Buildings due to structural problems and so posted and roped off. The place closed a few weeks later never to reopen. I took time to check over the place carefully that day as it was a gem unlike any theater I had seen and had an aged, musty odor. I think it was the cost of repairs that led to its being closed by Lowe’s at this time rather than TV as it was well patronized when I was there on a weekday afternoon.