Kenmore Theatre
2101 Church Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
2101 Church Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
11 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 77 comments
Its a shame that so-called humans can wreak so much terror in a place that is supposed to be “fun” to go to.I really can`t believe the razor and barbed wire at the concession stand and lobby, but I have to believe it really was there. If the Kings ever reopens(And I hope it does} I pray the same events will not take place there.We have come a long way from the innocence of laughing at the matron and throwing Milk Duds to outright murder and shootings, and it is a pathetic state of affairs.
Worked there as an usher during the summers while I was a student at Erasmus, around 1960-61. No one has commented on the mezzanine… don’t know about the ladies room but the men’s room was huge and lavish with dozens (at least) of full-length ivory colored porcelain urinals (sorry, some memories stick).
During that time there were two live appearances I recall… using the stage facilities which still existed from vaudeville days… one was a joint appearance by Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff for some end-of-career grade b stuff (Peter Lorre shook my outstretched hand). The other appearance was by George Raft and I recall was a more elaborate production. He also was a true gentleman and treated everyone with kindness.
Nobody’s mentioned the Loge section… at the very front of the balcony, a separate railed off section, they charged extra for it, as an usher I had to constantly check that people sitting there had actually purchased the more expensive tickets…
I remember the security was a short wiry tough guy named Frank, he wore an authentic looking NYPD uniform but without the insignia… there was a hooker who used to frequent the place and perform her services there… an aged brassy redhead who wore a fake leopard jacket… and Frank, instead of kicking her out would call us over to witness the goings on… Years later when I saw a movie at the theater she was still working the place… we called her “Miss Kenmore”.
We were the first graduating class of Ditmas JHS and our graduation ceremonies were held at the Kenmore. I think they had some musicians in the orchestra pit (in front of the stage/screen).
Also fondly recall Garfield’s Cafeteria across the street… am searching for old photos showing interior or exterior of Garfields, anyone know of any please post a link.
The Kenmore was in a war zone neighborhood that had shootings daily. The lobby was full of bullet holes and audiences talked right through the movie. The acoustics in the upper cinemas were appaling and the images had such severe keystoning that all ending credits looked like the beginning of STAR WARS. The staff could not stop the locals from jumping the candy counter and taking what they wanted so the mention of razor wire in the post above is not an unreasonable move. The exit corridor had barbed wire yet I personally saw a mother with a baby trying to sneak in by climbing over the wire.
In spite of its glorious past, beautiful chandelier, staircase and coal furnace (in the 90s!)the Kenmore’s more recent history involved two employees being shot, riots every time a “Chucky” film opened and a not surprising revolving door of employees. The theatres often sold out at half capacity as customers refused to sit next to strangers.
One 1980’s incident involved a naked hooker on crack running through a crowded screen, a guest of the Local 306 projectionist. This place was a bigger than life nightmare and Loews rightfully shut it down as soon as they took over Cineplex Odeon.
Last time I ever set foot in the Kenmore was in spring of ‘85 and it was a total piece of shit. This place was so scary to be in I’m surprised it was open for another 14 years. I’m not surprised however about how the NYPD closed this place. When you’ve got a theatre in a “ghetto” neighborhood with animals that don’t know how to behave themselves shooting each other over seats, then it makes total sense to shut the place down for good.
Wow it was that bad it’s a wonder how it out lived the Metropolitan, Rugby, and Duffield that had the same element patronizing them as well and partially led to there demise.
There’s a good corporate choice —– razor wire instead of employee presence —– nothing like a cheap roll of razor wire that sets such a great atmosphere —– hmmmm …
I was told by people who worked there that in the end days of the Kenmore, when the concession stand was closed up for the night they had to put razor-wire on it to prevent it from being looted by the patrons exiting from the last show of the evening.
I appreciate it Kenroe I will e-mail you in about 4 weeks
savage;
I will be away for 4 weeks, so e-mail me mid February (e-mail address on my profile) and I will scan the photo for you. That’s if you haven’t already purchased it from THS.
Kenroe is there any way that I can see those photos.I mean i’m gonna still contact T.H.s for photos but do you have any that you can share.
The opening date of the Keith’s Theater was 17th September 1928, built as a vaudelville theatre for the B.F. Keith Circuit. It went over to a films only policy in 1932.
On the side walls each side of the proscenium arch were a series of three boxes set within a tall arched opening which was draped similar to the proscenium.
The large painted murals by Willy Pogany were set in tall recesses on the side walls from the front to rear of the balcony, possibly four on each sidewall. On a photo I have, it shows two panels, one in the front balcony section which has an elephant ridden by an Indian Raja, the details on the second one, at cross aisle level unfortunately can’t be made out.
Orlando, re. corporations “celebrating” 100 years is such a cynical joke, amen to that. And I can’t believe this theatre had murals by Will Pogany…. up till now, I only knew his work from a single book I own which he illustrated, Padraic Colum’s “The Children of Odin” which is a retelling of Norse myths for “kids”, a book I’ve treasured since my own childhood. The thought that he had murals in a city theatre, in my old borough, and that they are gone makes me nauseous. Oh well… I came upon this page while cross-referencing for theaters designed by Eugene DeRosa, because I’ve just visited his Lafayette Theater in Suffern, NY for a wonderful Sci-Fi Festival. At least that one is cherished by its current owners. It’s still there, and it looks and feels like dream, which takes only some of the sting out of learning of the loss of this one.
Keith’s/Kenmore, R.I.P.
Hey Warren do you have any photos of this theatre especially of it when it was a live venue as well as a movie house or can you tell me where I can find them.
In answer to lopes on Aug 15 the theater on Church near Nostrand was the Granada.
THIS WAS A GREAT OLD TIME MOVIE HOUSE ALWAYS OVERSHADOWED BY THE LOEWS KINGS.Even as a quad still nice and cineplex odeon renovation of this theater was great.
Does anyone remember the name of the movie theater that was located on Church ave near Nostrand? They used to play blaxplotation films..
The shooting noted in John and Jamal’s initial description occurred when a member from one gang sat in a seat previously occupied by a member from a rival gang and was shot to death for doing so prior to a 10 pm, opening night screening of ‘Life’. According to an ABC-7 Eyewitness News report the next day, Loews decided to immediately walk away from the property instead of, as originally planned, holding on until their lease ran out at the end of the year.
They used to run rock music films at midnight in the mid to late 1970’s like
“Rainbow Bridge”(Jimi Hendrix)and “The Song Remains The Same”(Led Zeppelin), I think it was on Friday nights.The last movie I saw there was “History of The World” part 1(Mel Brooks).Afterwords it was Chinese food at Joy King across the street.
Here is some information on the seating capacity for each of the Kenmore’s auditoriums. Theatre 1: 668 seats, Theatre 2: 660 seats, Theatre 3: 550 seats, Theatre 4: 551 seats.
I remeber going there with my Mom to see a movie in the early 80’s but for the life of me I can’t remeber what it was. I do remember here buying me a pack of “Star Wars” trading cards afterword while I read my Fangoria magazine on the bus ride home.
The Will Pogany murals were either painted over during the Cineplex Odeon redo in between ‘89-'91 or after the RKO “quadding” in 1977. They were there in 1973. If they were attached to the walls (fabric-mural) then they were removed for their value again by either of the above. The balcony walls were painted in blue when I saw the theatre over ten years ago. Usually only the main floor of an unused theatre property is gutted for retail with the balcony unseen under false ceilings. This is not the case with the Kenmore. The restored lobby was’t even spared as I saw the area hollowed out last May 2003.
The last operating Flatbush Avenue movie palace is now gutted for retail, a Modell’s, how sad! I saw “Bullitt”, “Bonnie And Clyde”, “Take The Money And Run”, “Custer Of The West”, “Whatever Happened To Aunt Alice?‘, "The Odd Couple”, Jerry Lewis in “Which Way To The Front?”. The last thing I saw there was a double feature of “Ben” and “Tales From The Crypt” in 1972/3. The trailer for “Lady Sings The Blues” the next attraction was shown. I took a tour of thr theatre after the Cineplex-Odeon redo in the late '80’s or early '90’s. C/O did a nine or ten month renovation with the theatre closed all the way through the nine months. They did a great job of the lobby. (I won’t talk about the auditorium). Backstage was a storage ares that consisted of old popcorn warmers, hot dog machines and other concession equipment from the RKO days. (They never threw anything out) I’ll bet all the relics backstage ended up in a dumpster once “Onex” sold the building for retail. They made sure it would be gutted and never used as a theatre. They should be boycotted. Big “theatre owner” companys don’t care about their history, they only know how to celebrate being 100 years old with no regard for their historical past.
This theatre opened if i’m not mistaken from information i’ve recently found opened in the late 1920’s it was a single screen until the mid to late 70’s when it whent straight to a four screen cinema it had decent sound for a single screen to quad conversion but some times in the downstairs cinemas the sound leaked but aside from that had some nice elements to especially when it first reopened as a quad. It declined over the years. it’s now opened as a Moddell sporting good store with no sign of this once magnificent moviehouse but the stripped marquee reading Modell’s. and more retail space is being made in the areas which housed the screens and front auditorium areas of cinemas 1 and 2 down front.
The RKO Kenmore, became a quad as early as 1978. One of the last movies to play there when it was one screen, was “Close Encounters”.
I remember seeing “Foul PLay” there in the fall of 78, and hearing the music from “Grease” pounding through the wall.
Regardless, it’s sad to see it closed, because it was the last surviving movie house in Flatbush, and it was a beauty.
The former Cineplex Odeon Kemore Quad is in the process of being turned into a Modell’s Sporting Goods Store, the inside has totally been gutted of any theatre related items. The marquee of this former movie palace has been stripped of it’s neon Kemore lettering, it’s been covered up and Modell’s signs are now on all three sides. A trully sad sight indeed for this former vaudeville theatre in Flatbush Brooklyn.