RKO Keith's Richmond Hill Theatre
117-09 Hillside Avenue,
Richmond Hill,
NY
11418
117-09 Hillside Avenue,
Richmond Hill,
NY
11418
25 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 100 of 427 comments
It was quite a tour. Over a 3 day period, they appeared at 21 theaters!
I think that’s the flick in which they went from Ithaca in upstate NY to Ithaca, Ancient Greece.
Thanks, Bob. Missed ‘em then. Never even knew they were there.
Nyuk nyuk nyuk ….
On Friday January 26, 1962, the Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly-Joe DeRita) embarked on a three day promotional tour for their latest feature film, THE THREE STOOGES MEET HERCULES. They were accompanied by “The Herculean Giant” (almost 8 foot tall Dave Ballard) and popular DJ Clay Cole, who was one of the stars of the co-feature, TWIST AROUND THE CLOCK.
On Saturday January 27, they appeared at the RKO Richmond Hill at 9:10 PM.
George Tabor, I have to respectfully disagree with the characterization of this neighborhood as one of decline. What I found is that while the area retail, while decidedly low brow, has not created an atmosphere of decline and fear. The area around the RKO Keiths has never been a retail mecca with chain stores and the like. I moved to nearby Richmond Hill area in 1970 and even then, the area around the Keiths seemed stuck in some sort of limbo.
I think we feel it is a decline because the stores and restaurants that we remember growing up are now gone. Jahn’s is being replaced by Montezuma. The Triangle Hofbrau, by a pool hall. Who’s to say that 50 years from now, Monetezuma will be remembered as the local dining hot spot and the Pool Hall the popular meeting place for the neighborhood? :–)
The sad reality is the the Keiths was closed before I even moved to Queens. I’ve never seen it open. That said, I still am very pessimistic about the Keiths. It has been sold and the new owner is going to have to demand a decent return on investment and perhaps in these trying economic times more people will play bingo and keep this place afloat for a decade or so more, but I just don’t see daily Bingo with a Sunday Flea Market tossed in as a viable business model.
Indeed my good friends; the area is in a constant flux of change. When neighborhoods decline they breed apathy and crime, discourage investment and contaminate the areas around them. Use of the building as a flea market did not enhance the stability or quality of the neighborhood. Why then do some city neighborhoods die while others flourish? Perhaps it all comes down to the community itself. Would the current residents support the use of the RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill as a theatre? I am fast becoming as pessimistic as LuisV in the realization that this building is doomed. What was once a joy to behold is now a decaying hulk of a building.
George
Thanks for your trip report, LuisV. I can relate : it reads pretty ugly. The only bright note for me is that the Hofbrau is once again serving food, albeit not German cuisine as it once did.
I just got back from a visit to Richmond Hill and have the following updates:
All letering making any reference to the RKO Keiths on the Marquee have been removed.
The plastic lettering advertising the flea market is curling up and will fall off soon as well. I just don’t see how this theater makes money as a flea market. Granted, I haven’t seen the turnout for Bingo but how many people play Bingo?
Jahn’s next door is still under renovation for its new stint as the Mexican restaurant “Montezuma”. I actually saw them working and the entire interior has been gutted. The Jahn’s sign remains on the exterior….for now.
The Triangle Hofbrau, which on my last visit a few months ago, was medical offices on one side and a pool hall on the other is now just a pool hall! Leo’s Billiards and Restaurant! Not sure what the restaurant serves but you can be sure it ain’t Haute Cuisine! :–)
The parking lot behind the Keiths that was referenced in a prior post is now the site of some butt ugly multi-family housing. Man, it is ugly.
The Richmond Hill Savings Bank that was on the corner of 118th Street and Jamaica Avenue is also closed and “for rent”.
To summarize, I’m more pessimistic than ever about this theater and the area being able to support a renovated theater and it does pain me to say that.
Yup, John, purty ugly, except for the projector, which reminds me of Wall-E a bit.
Thanks Bway, though it looks pretty brutal.
Here’s a photo of the Keith’s projection room:
http://reliques.online.fr/theaters/theaters04.html
Good one, BklynJim ! Thanks !
Starring Leonardo di Crapio?
Yes, Warren, and its Italian diminutive, “crapola”.
Well, Warren it’s either queens crap or queen scrap. I don’t miss the “s” word either.
Bway, good observation about where that photo must have been taken from. Makes me wish I could still get up onto that platform. I was last there January 1997, just about 12 years ago.
From the Queens Crap blog, Jan. 15:
“The RKO Keith’s marquee continues to deteriorate after the new owner stripped its lettering.” w/photo
View link
The picture from Queens Chronical that Warren posted must have been taken from the now abandoned Richmond Hill LIRR station platfrom which runs next to the theater.
You and me both, John D.
J.D., hopefully they only added a cook who could prepare Indian cuisine. By the looks of things on my last walk through, both the Italian and Indian interests seem quite secure. So there is hope for the future – at least here. Hope the same is ultimately true for the old movie palace.
Thanks Warren for that fantastic link to the Keiths in its prime. The caption says that the parking in the rear was sold to build an A&P. I have no recollection of that ever having been built. I thought there was still parking behind the building though I could be wrong.
By the way, Sorrento’s next door was re-launched by someone connected with the family that had long owned Salerno’s. Last summer, an elderly customer coming out told me that the menu was similar and the food was still good. However, it’s now added an Indian menu to reflect the neighborhood’s current population, so the ownership may have changed again.
About the only remnant of the old triangle left intact is the florist down the block (Bangert’s), still operating under a great 1920s neon sign. And the Richmond Hill library (a Carnegie library) is still intact on the other side of the tracks.
It’s sad to hear that the ownership has changed. The previous owner was a friendly old guy who would often sit near the entrance in a folding chair on bingo days, and was happy to talk about the theater. When I met him sometime in 2007 he offered to let me upstairs for a peek at the balcony, said to be left largely in its original state. I went back last year, but he wasn’t around and the staff wouldn’t let me near the stairs, claiming they were dangerous. I’d bet the new owner has some more aggressive plans for the building, which aren’t likely to make us happy. I doubt he/she acquired it to keep it operating as a somewhat seedy bingo hall and a low-end flea market.
Thanks, Warren. It’s always great to see a view of the RKO Keith Richmond Hill Theatre up and running as a cinema again.
Thanks for the update, John D.
Just took a rather depressing walk past this old theater. The Mexican restaurant replacement for Jahns has not yet opened, though the new Italian-Indian replacement for Salerno’s seems to be doing a pretty good business. For the record, it is named Sorrento and appears to retain Saterno’s basic ambience. How the food tastes is anyone’s guess.
The old movie house was doing pretty good business, with a rather paltry flea market in the old lobby – the big flea market day is Sunday – and a full house for Bingo. But I really got the impression that this will not last for long.
Hopefully, the Richmond Hill Historical people will come to the rescue here.