RKO Keith's Theatre
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
51 people
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And thanks a bunch!
Davebazooka… I don’t see anything wrong with posting the image as long as proper credit is given and no profit is made. Not to mention that the image was previously published in a newspaper with a daily circulation of over 1.1 million. Of course, I’m not a lawyer and will renounce any of these claims if called to testify in court! Ha ha!
:) You’re very welcome!
I think I speak for everyone when I say, they will have to haul us ALL off to Rikers before we’ll let them take you. Thanks for that awesome photo!
Oops sorry I mean Rikers. Or is it Rykers…ARGH sob weep whine snivel
Chang Lee is one of the photographers for the NY Times. When the lobby was opened for viewing some time back he was sent to the site to photograph it for the Times. A thumbnail-sized cropped version of this image was used for one of the stories about the RKO linked to from this page. Why bother posting or publishing an image at all if it is too small to view or enjoy? I ordered a copy ($$$ yikes!) and here it is. I am sure it is a violation of copyrights to post it in any way but like I said I was gonna burst. :–(
Please remember it is Chang Lee’s and the NY Times' photo, not mine. Nononononono pleeeez don’t have me hauled off to jail for posting it, I don’t wannna go to Rykers! Sob
Wait — what is the story behind that photo? When is it from? Who is Chang Lee? How? Why? Enquiring minds want to know!
Nyargh! Stop tempting me!
(Hehehe)
I know this is a HUGE NO-NO I am committing by posting this image. I ordered it from the New York TImes, it is a larger uncropped version of Chang Lee’s photo of the foyer. I just HAD to share it with everyone here or I was gonna BURST:
View link
Please don’t turn me in to the authorities! :(
I used to live a few blocks away from the RKO Keith. When it was first slated for destruction I wrote the song “Movie Palaces” which is somewhere above on this page.
Even then I never foresaw that horrid boring ugly project they plan to put there.
So I’m glad I moved out of Flushing to an old-fashioned little street in Manhattan, which I hope Boymelgreen will never get their money on. Francesca
How about somehow coaxing a wealthy, imaginitive actor or actress (or any other theater/film related professional) who understands the importance of the Keith’s to buy it?
Just reading Stavisky’s comment makes me cringe. The condition of the Keith’s is an eyesore, but so will the new building be from a historical point of view.
Complete restoration is a nice idea. But we don’t seem to have reliable information on exactly how bad the condition of the auditorium is. If the auditorium is in equal shape to the lobby (which I have seen pictures of) I think that the auditorium could certainly be restored and reused. If it is completely devastated (like the Grand Riviera in Detroit was in the years it stood empty before demolition) I think other options should be considered.
My bottom line opinion is that this glass wall is ugly and completely disrespectful to the building’s past. I don’t support any pipe dreams that don’t have grounding in reality. I simply want to see a sensible, tasteful, historically minded plan put into place.
Let’s hope Boymelgreen’s plans fall through in its entirety. This might be distant, but if he is willing to sell, we should find someone who’s sensible enough to restore the RKO Keith’s completely, and build above it. If everyone circled our Keith’s petition to at least 10 contacts, we would be in the thousands. Pleas help: View link If you look at the current proposal, you will see a structure that looks like a bunch of cubes randomly thrown together, and deserves a “chunk of junk” award. It will be a shameful act in history if that Lego structure is built, and remember…There will only be ONE RKO KEITH’s!!!
WE SHOULD CALL A MEETING WITH BOYMELGREEN ASAP & PRESENT THE ONLINE PETITION & OUR CONCERNS. WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE? WHEN IS BEST? ANY THOUGHTS? AS A RESULT OF THE PRESS COVERAGE, THIS SOUNDS AS IF IT WILL BE OUR LAST CHANCE TO GET INVOLVED!!!
We should stop conversing about the theater’s fate & try our best to be more active in the political process! Maybe some orgs would help raise $$$ to restore the Keith’s interior and exterior. How about grants from the State/Nat'l Registers? Please post your thoughts &/or e-mail Michael at and Tom at
Mae West? Goodness!
(Honey, goodness had nothing to do with it!)
What about Mae West? I remember reading she appeared at the Keith.
You hear about all the greats who appeared live on the Keith’s stage. But I wonder how many of those were quick promotional appearances for films? I remember back around 15 years ago the Queens Historical Society had an exhibit of photos and artifacts from the three big borough palaces: RKO Keiths, Loew’s Triboro and Loew’s Valencia. It was there where I first started learning about some of the Keith’s history – which was presented as having been rather glorious. I recall seeing famous names that performed on stage, including Bob Hope. Did Hope ever truly perform on stage? Or are they simply referring to his early 1960’s appearance (one of many along the RKO circuit that day) to promote one of his films?
Let’s hope they didn’t sell 3500 tickets for each of those two New Year’s Eve shows advertised, Warren.
In all seriousness folks… I read about another theatre on this site that has been restored to it’s nearly original condition. I beleive it was mentioned in these very postings. It’s the Loew’s Paradise theatre in The Bronx.
Questions: Who funded this restoration?
Why was it funded?
Was the theatre earmarked for some other purpose?
Was it granted landmark status, which could account for its restoration?
Is there enough revenue from the limited list of live shows, engagements and tours that will continue to support it existece and FINALLY..
Why the hell can’t a similar thing be done for the Keiths. (sort of already know the answer . but frustrated as hell)
Not unless Thomas Huang was bar mitzvah’d…
What is this all about Hebrew lettering on the van? Are the Jews now going to be blamed for the
destruction of the RKO Keith?
Farrington Street IS the street at the east side of the Keith’s property – Main St. ends at Northern Blvd. I’m sure the drawings at the library are this Keith’s theatre. The atmospheric theatres were in vogue with Lamb and Eberson in the late 20s and early 30s.
Hmm…that had to be February or so.
Hmm. How early this year was it? Maybe they were just making the interior Kosher for Passover.
Hi Jeffrey,
I can’t see much else in my original either. I should have taken a better picture- I saw Hebrew lettering on the side of the truck, unfortunately there’s no proof to back that up now :–/