Fox Theatre
20 Flatbush Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11217
20 Flatbush Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11217
31 people
favorited this theater
Showing 101 - 125 of 178 comments
Thanks for at least this fabulous theatre has been preserved via photos though just not the same as having it with us today.
I was just asked about this theatre by a friend of mine who grew up in NYC and as a teenager went to the Murray the K shows. After viewing the many photos (some of which can’t be viewed though) I am sick that NYC allowed this theatre to be demolished for Consolidated Edison. Shame shame, NYC.
End of the road, 1970:
http://tinyurl.com/ut7lp
Jim is right, guys.
If you can’t stay on-topic and be friendly with each other, we may be forced to take action. So please keep things civil, ok?
All this nonsense for a theater thats been torn down for some forty years now…………
I do not wish to start a debate ziggy but I would like to be clear on your position. Do I understand you to say that the abrasive comments and condescending attitude of Warren is acceptable so long as he provides photos? If that is the case I must disagree with you. Viewing a theatre photo is not worth being insulted or demeaned. This is a statement made by Warren ‘This is the last time that I will answer questions posed by members hiding behind pseudonyms. Until they come forward and identify themselves, they do not exist.’ Since your name on Cinema Treasures is a pseudonym ziggy you do not exist according to Warren. Should Warren reply to your comment he would then be contradicting himself and speaking out of both sides of his mouth. Interesting situation; don’t you agree.
I can understand why some folks would find Warren’s comments abrasive, but he is one of the best contributors to this site. He manages to find and post more photographs than anyone else on this site that I’m aware of. Speaking of which, Warren some of the links to the photos you’ve posted of this theatre no longer work. Would you please re-post the photos so that we can enjoy them again?
Jim Rankin, I would like to respectfully disagree with your post of October 10, 2002. I don’t think the Fox in Brooklyn is Gothic at all. It looks like a mixture of Spanish Baroque, Byzantine, a few touches of Art Deco and a few Near Eastern items all thrown together. I honestly don’t see anything Gothic in it. All in all, it must have been a very beautiful theatre. Too bad I never got to visit it.
CAUTION, fellas; some other members have recently been restricted after their personal attacks got out of hand. Read: http://cinematreasures.org/news/A15133_0_1_0_C/ Patrick Crowley is now watching many posts more closely for violations of the Terms Of Use. And why should cat calls continue, when both of you have genuine content to enrich this site for all?!
Are we going to resort to name calling now fella? Perhaps it is time to invoke the new rules and give you a leave of absence from this website. As for being rude isn’t this more a case of the pot calling the kettle black? You are the most rude and obnoxious member of this great community called Cinema Treasures. Perhaps with time I can rise to the occasion and be as rude as you. For now I consider myself an amateur at rudeness compared to you.
Make me an xtra large weenie warmer fella and keep the dinky one for yourself. Perhaps making weenie warmers should be your new vocation.
What does NYC mean fella? Could it be an abbreviation for New York City? When you write ‘all’ do I understand that to mean every single theatre without exception? Is this a factual statement or perhaps it is conjecture on your part? We need to differentiate between the two so no misunderstandings will arise from your comment. If your stating an opinion that should be indicated in your comment. We should be concise and clear in our comments to avoid confusion. Don’t you agree fella?
Sad that by 1966 the Fox was playing a second run double bill that was also playing all over town.
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Dear Brooklyn Jim Hi Anniegirl here my e-mail address is Give me a holla and I will write you back. I jst taped North to Alaska with John Wayne and Stewart Granger and of coarse Fabian and others such as Ernie Kovaks and Cappucine. Anniegirl
The Theatre Historical Society of America is offering a neat Brooklyn Fox anniversary booklet on Ebay through 9/17. Starting bid is only $8. The link is long. Hope it takes.
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If that URL fails for any reason, just search “Brooklyn Fox Theatre” on their internal engine.
“ij” is “irajoel” who is a spamer advertising his wares on other theatre pages here. Unfortunately, he is not interested in enriching our knowledge of this theatre or any other; merely getting our money into his pocket. There may be a place for yet more advertising, but this isn’t it. Pity there isn’t a ‘Spam Deleter’ on this site! And, NO, just because something makes money for someone doesn’t mean its ‘holy and just.’ Please go and foul the waters somewhere else.
Unfortunately I only went to the Fox maybe twice that I recall. Once to see the Eddy Duchin Story I was nine. And then in 1959 I think to see It Happened To Jane. The trouble with the Fox was that it was off the beaten trail. The Albee, Met & Paramount were practically in a straight line.
I’m putting up nice movie material that relate to movie theatres including souvenir programs. check it out
http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n94/irajoel/
you can also visit my own website
www.cinemagebooks.com
to view more material.
RE the Fox Wurlitzer: it was neither a “Crawford” nor “Fox” Special. The factory designated these instruments only as “Special”. The Style would not have been named “Fox”, as the first one was designed for Paramount, and Crawford himself publicly stated that the only organ he designed was the Publix #1. Additionally, I believe it is accurate to state that the Brooklyn instrument was of 37 ranks, one additional Celeste being added and, therefore, the largest. The organ was broken up for parts (I know the people who took it out) and the only portion in the residence in Washington is the console (there could be a few stray parts). The rest is scattered about the country.
Fascinating information about the Brooklyn Fox Theatre. The Brooklyn Fox Theatre Organ is at our home in Washington State. It continues to be a wonderful instrument — www.wurlitzermanor.com
I missed out on thos days as well. Being born in 1956. I do remember the building before Con Ed built it’s office on the site. I do however recall Mays, EJ Korvettes (eight Jewish Korean veterans), McCrorys as well as A&S. I used to love A&S’s elevators. They were all manualy operated and the operators were never more then and inch off on landing. I still order cheese cakes from Jr’s now and then. One of the few places standing. To add to that the Dime Savings bank building at Fulton and Dekalb.
Melders – Organ-ized is, in fact, correct. According to David L. Junchen on page 157 of what was to be the third volume of his massive Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, just published by the American Theatre Organ Society as “The Wurlitzer Pipe Organ – An Illustrated History”: “[The New York Paramount] organ was the first four-manual, thirty-six rank organ, the largest of all Wurlitzer models, later called Fox Specials by the factory since the four subsequent examples built in 1928 all went to Fox theatres.” He goes on to quote Crawford himself as saying he did not design the Paramount organ but only specified that certain ranks be included: “Someone at the Wurlitzer factory made up the specifications. Contrary to common belief, I did not specify that the organ was to have such ranks as the Musette, the French Horn, the Dulciana and some of the other ranks that were included. These ranks, the entire stoplist as a matter of fact, would have been hard to improve upon. The final result was very satisfying to me.”
I had the dubious honour of being part of the volunteer crew that removed the Brooklyn Fox organ in the winter and spring of 1971. The slave console was still there, too. Organ-ized was almost correct about those – the pistons between the manuals all worked, too, through the same setterboards as the main console. But all the stop tabs were dummies, just for show. It was a huge undertaking to lower all that pipework and over-scale percussions from the proscenium chambers, and not much easier to get it all out of the side chambers, either!
Les, I am aware of the story about the creation of the “Crawford Special”. I posted this because organized had been arguing with people on other theater boards over the name. I have never seen the name “Fox Special” applied to these organs. I believe that your telling of how the organ got the name “Crawford Special” is the correct story. I think that the name later fooled people into thinking Crawford designed the organ.
I attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn from 1952-56. I used to go to the Fox with my girlfriend on most Friday evenings before taking the LIRR out to the Island. Being an art student I remember seeing a large painting of a seascape hanging in one of the hallways. It was of a wave rolling into the shore with the sunlight shining through it. Does anyone remember that painting? If so it would help to verify that it was indeed in the Fox in Brooklyn and not my memory playing tricks on me.
Thanks,
Jerry L.
Look at this ad for “Hard Days Night” on Premiere Showcase. How could the Fox fill all those seats anymore when it opened all over the place?
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On Oct 14, 2004 ‘melders’ wrote: ‘The organ at the Fox is known as the “Crawford Special” not the “Fox Special”.’ Sorry to say this is totally incorrect, as verified by an interview with Jesse Crawford himself who denies designing the organ, but admits suggesting the inclusion of several of the ranks. This ‘urban legend’ of the Fox organs being ‘Crawford Specials’ no doubt comes from the fame Jesse acquired from playing the prototype of the Fox model at the New York Paramount. Jesse Crawford did not design the WurliTzer 4/36 models any more than B.B. King designed his famous guitar ‘Lucille’. In both cases the musicians made the instrument famous. Mr. Crawford DID design the Publix I, a four manual 20 rank organ of which a significantly larger number were built for the Publix chain of theaters. These were a far more ‘cost conscious’ design, but were magnificant instruments in their own right, despite the fact that none of them originally contained a Posthorn rank.
LES KNOLL
Bill;
That would be a part of Cultural and Rock and Roll History that should be shared. Go for it, man, go for it! That from a guy who loves old theater and oldie gold.