Loew's Oriental Theatre

You’re welcome, Darthscooby, and welcome to Cinema Treasures !

Thanks Warren, for the photos of the Oriental. I grew up in Bensonshurst on 81st and 18th Ave so I was only a few blocks away. Many Saturday afternoons were spent there. Saw Jerry Lewis live there also i hte early 60’s

Warren, thanks for all the photos you have added lately. Especially the color ones of may of the theaters in their last days as theaters.

As for the photos of the Oriental, its an absolute shame that all that beauty is now gone, and it’s used as a store.
Does anyone know what, if anything, remains visable in the Marshalls Store? I’d like to make a trip over to that store to see the inside, but if all that remains is similar to the butchering that was done to some theaters in store conversion, like the RKO Madison in Ridgewood, I don’t want to waste the trip.

Grow-up Warren.

It’s been a while since I signed into this site. It appears that Warren is still making waves. He must have a boring life an uses Cinema Treasures for his excitement. I was born and bred in Bensonhurst. 79th Street and 18th Ave to be exact. Even though the Hollywood was my theater of choice because it was so close but I still favored the Oriental. It was like going to the city to the “big” theaters. I read that some cannot understand why developers do not re-create the past because of parking etc. When I was young we had an ingenious method of travel. We used our two good legs and hoofed it where ever we traveled. The parking was solved because we park our legs under the seats. Some times, when the person was too tall in front of us, we sat on our legs. For the more distant theaters we used the trolley, the bus or the el. No need for parking. Alert! Those means are still available it’s just laziness that prevents their use. Now for my sadness. I never had the means to take pictures of the interior of the Oriental. GerardC’s story brought tears to my eyes. I left Brooklyn in 1961 when I was 28. I often tell my kids, grand kids and great grand kids what the “old” Theaters looked like. If anyone has any pictures of the interior of the Oriental please contact me as I would love to share them with my family.

Would like to share my one and only experience with this fine theatre. Back in the yearly/ mid 90’s I convinced my girlfriend at the time to take a ride with me down to Brooklyn to see a film here. I was never there before, but had passed it on the street and knew right away it was something special. So, armed with my trusty pocket 35mm and girl (who had no interest in theaters, but was cooperative) went to see a movie. When i entered i was instantly reminded of the RKO keiths. Even though it looked different inside you knew it was of the same era of opulance. (I remember being a “little” disapointed at the time because i was hoping this was an atmospheric theatre, like the Triboro or keiths.) Never the less I clicked away the whole 36 exposure roll of the auditorium, upstairs hallway and lobby. Very happy, I went home wanting to develope the film the next day, to show to my older brother who also loves old movie houses. Now, Iam sorry to say fans i will not be posting these pictures here because i never had them! The next day,(and you have to remember this was the early 90’s when coke/crack heads were still running around in my area-Astoria. The next day i go out to my car and the door is wide open, my radio is gone and so is the camera. No big loss-fairly cheap camera, cheap radio but the film inside!! I closed my door and looked down the side walk and there in the bright daylight was my fully exposed roll of film!! I told myself i would go back again but procrastinated and soon after learned the theatre closed.

P Koch… you are exactly right.This is a “warehouse” type of store that sells cut rate furniture, clothes, jewelry, toys and electronics.Marshalls-where the former Oriental theater was ain`t much better. -hit stores indeed!

More bad Bensonhurst news. The Oriental Manor, the catering hall and Brooklyn legend directly across from the former theater has now been closed. Even though the decor is still there,a new cut rate “schlock shop” has opened there as of 2 weeks before this post.

I’m happy you guys enjoyed the picture. I actually attended Loews one of the last weeks they were open for “A Goofy Movie” when I was about 12 years old for a friends birthday party. One of the things I miss about that place was the decor. I remember the ceilings had beautiful vintage designs, they also had antique chandeliers ect…

I loved the loews, to me it was so cozy, you know the balconies, marble staircases, water fountains in the marble walls, it was an awesome theater. I saw Star Wars, Grease, The Warriors, and countless other movies there. To me the Loews is still there because its massive frame still exists. The only thing that stunk was the sticky floors, but now I wish I had those sticky floors back.

Pkoch, your computer won’t let you access photobucket?

Thanks for posting the link, VinnyBrooklyn. Unfortunately, it’s blocked at my PC. My headache, not yours.

Thanks, Bloop, for your reminiscence.