Avalon Theatre
1720 Kings Highway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11229
1720 Kings Highway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11229
8 people
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Showing 51 - 61 of 61 comments
When I was growing up near Kings Highway and Ocean Avenue there was a choice of so many fine movie theatres big and small: the Avalon, the Kingsway, Triangle, Jewel, Vogue, and more. People of all ages went to them at least once a week. And then we’d subway on Saturdays to Manhattan to glory in the further splendors of the Roxy, the Capitol, the Paramount. etcetera, Now I see from these pages they are ALL GONE! Are there any movie theatres left in that big busy neighborhood AT ALL? Aside from those who read “Cinema Treasures”, will anyone growing up today even know such things existed?
And can anyone tell me what was the source of that distinctive and exciting movie house smell? I’m not talking popcorn—I used to think it was the smell of Film. Francesca
The Avalon was part of this showcase in 1965
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What a beauty of a theatre. Balcony was so steep, if you tripped in the last row it meant certain death. The K2 of balconies. “Filled in” here for managers off days. Must of ran strictly 20th Century Fox product- worked both “The Rose” and “All That Jazz”. Huge white elephant for Century – never did any business. Booking and business compromised by Centurys other “big” theatre Kingsway – only a couple of blocks away. Closed somtime in ‘81. Parking was at a premium here and also at Kingsway. Kingsway did big business. One of those inscrutable things. Theatres only blocks apart – one sucessful , one not.
I remember living back in bklyn, late 70’s the avalon played
one particular film for close to 1yr STARWARS, the original movie
even 6months into its running the lines would wrap around the
building. then around 1978 or 1979 there was a race riot on kings highway. I believe that the avalon took some damage that day
along with the restaurant that was on the northwest corner of E16th street and kings highway, and many of the stores under the “L” for the D train. those were some crazy days back then.
the avalon used to run only mgm, paramount and columbia films
i rememberthe lines around the avalon to see the jolson story in november of 1946
also the ushers who would say ‘immediate seating only'
i was crazy about 'gilda’ also shown in 1946
albert packman
email me at
Listing should be changed to: Loew’s Avalon
The Avalon Theatre opened in Brooklyn in 1927. Designed by Samuel Cohen, the auditoriums seated 2,100 and featured a Robert Morton “Wonder Organâ€. The ornate movie palace survived a half century, then closed in 1980.
My cousin was the chief projectionist at the Avalon from 1936 until it closed in 1982.
It was there I learned the projection craft from 1976 – 1978.
Until the theater’s closing day, the booth was equipped with (and ran) three machines.
The configuration was as follows:
Simplex X-L picture heads.
RCA MI-9030 soundheads.
Ashcraft Cinex Special Arc Lamps. They burned a 13.6mm positive, and 9/16" negative.
The first Kelmar solid state theater sound system. Changeover was accomplished with “Raysistor” modules. The power output was 25 watts.
Non-sync music was played on a Garrard turntable.
Until its closing day, the Avalon ran with a travelling curtain. The show always included 2 or 3 trailers, a cartoon, and the feature.
A lot of fond memories in an industry that has forgotten its sense of showmanship.
the theater’s last movie was Raging Bull, and was one of the many theaters that once populated Kings Highway or were just off Kings Highway, like the Kingsway, the Jewel, the Highway, the Nostrand, and the Marine.
The Avalon on Kings Highway and East 18th Street now houses a C.V.S. store and offices on upper floors.
Originally part of the Loew’s circuit when it first opened, the Avalon became a Century theater about a year of two later. It closed in 1980. One of the auditoriums in the Loews Lincoln Square is named after this former Brooklyn movie palace.