Shore Theatre
1301 Surf Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11224
1301 Surf Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11224
15 people
favorited this theater
Showing 126 - 150 of 165 comments
It looks like a nice house, judging by those interior pictures above. But it is nothing special. Hopefully the auditorium can be used again. But it wouldn’t be the end of the world if it was tastefully reused for another purpose.
Is the interior of the theatre still intact? Are there any future plans for this theatre?
Warren, thanks for the two pix you posted of the interior of my most favored place when I was growing up. My father, Pasuale (nee Patsy) worked at the Loew’s Coney Island for almost 30 years as their general handyman. I probably spent all of my formative years attending every Saturday. On Tuesday evenings, after doing my home work, I’d go to the Loew’s and see a double feature and the vaudeville show. Always the same seat – third row aisle, stage left. I can still smell the Nathan’s hot dogs and fries. Thanks again.
Warren- Are the two photos you posted of the Shore’s interior the ones that are in “American Theatres of Today” or did you find them somewhere else?
1971 the Shore was playing X
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The Siamese sisters mentioned earlier on in the list of comments had their lives told again recently in the failed Broadway musical “Sideshow” October 16, 1997 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre and ran 91 performances. Music was by Henry Krieger and Lyrics by Bill Russell. It starred Alice Ripley and Emily Skinner as the sisters.
I live in California, but I still have family who living in Brooklyn. I attended a neighborhood reunion at Gargiullo’s Restaurant in Coney Island a few years ago. At that time there was talk about making Coney into another Atlantic City. It appeared that funding was no big problem, but the current gambling statutes would have to be amended. I really hope it happens. I took a tour of my old neighborhood and I was shocked how it had deteriorated. Very sad. At least Nathans still has the best hotdogs.
Right— The coming attractions were always a great part of the show.
Warren — thanks for the recall of “The Tender Years” with Joe E. Brown, likely the reason my dad agreed to forego the Coney Island rides to see a movie with that comic actor. I remember that the coming attraction at the Tilyou was for “The Woman in White,” based on Wilkie Collins’s novel, an apparently overheated film that would have appealed to my toddling sensibilities. When it came to our local RKO nabe the following week, we didn’t see it, much to my disappointment.
FYI The thousands of pin holes are there for a reason. They let the sound pass through from the speakers which are in back of the screen.
John D. Projectionist Local 306 NYC
No gambeling :(
If your dad didn’t take the tip money, my grandad likely slipped it into your dad’s pocket when unawares—he did things like that. And the Tilyou: yes, that theater caught my eye at The Oyland, too. Once on an outing there with my parents, I drove them crazy about going to see a movie at the Tilyou instead of wasting time on the Whip and the Loop-the-Loop. I remember we saw “The Iron Curtain” there, so it must have been Summer in the same ‘48.
Hi BoxOfficeBill, Not sure if it was my dear father who showed you around, although it sounds like something he would do. I just kinda doubt he would have taken any money. His name was Pasquale, but most called him Patsy. You’re quite right about the huge screen. I also was amazed that you could see the movie while standing behind the screen. Upon close inspection, while no movie was playing, you could actually see the thousands of pin sized holes in the white screen fabric. The stage door entrance was indeed on Stillwell Avenue adjacent to a sporting goods shop. Anyway, regarding the theatre personnel, they were like family and most worked at Loews for many years. On my father’s 25th anniversary, he was given a party and presented with a small lapel pin depicting Leo the Lion in which whose eyes were imbetted two small diamonds. Unfotunately the pin was misplaced many years ago. Not exactly sure how MGM and Loews were affiliated. I remember the A pictures showed by Loews were from MGM and Paramount. I believe the Tilyou Theatre at Surf and 19th street had the exclusive showing for 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. pictures.
Di Caprio (sorry for the above misspelling—my Italian got in the way) was the weak link in that film — shoudda been a young Sean Penn. Or my grandpa.
Hi BoxOfficeBill, no offense, this is just my opinion, but I thought “Gangs of New York” was one of the most horrible, dull, and worthless films I’ve ever seen. Please again, no offense. I’m sure you loved your Grandfather, and I’ve never met him. My comment is strictly about the movie and not about your family.
Frankie O— It must have been your dad who performed a random act of kindness to me when I was six years old. My grandfather, a character out of “The Gangs of New York” (since ‘02 I’ve been bragging that his father, my great-grandfather, was Leonardo da Caprio), brought me on an outing to Coney Island (or, “The Oyland,” as we called it in B'klyn). It must have been late Spring '48, since I recall seeing a poster for “I Remember Mama” as we passed the RKO Dyker on the bus. Upon exiting the bus at Stillwell and Surf Aves, we passed by the stage door of Loew’s CI. It was open and ready to receive stage sets that stood on the street. Small-fry theater-addict that I was, I pulled da Caprio, Jr., to the door and onwards into the dark. The movie was playing, and the custodian/electrician (Frankie O, Sr.?) invited us further, but not too much further, to survey the space. It was my first time on a stage, and I was amazed at the tangle of ropes and cables, flats and braces, gauze and padding, that contributed to what, in reality, must have been fairly minimal vaudeville sets. I was also amazed that the movie projected through the screen, which was clearly not the opaque sheet that I had assumed movie screens to be. Your dad (?) explained some principles of stage effects to us, and after a few minutes my grandfather tipped him (that’s how you got along in old NY, or at least how he did) and took me on my way. I have no recollection whatsoever of the rest of that day, but for the past half-century and more I’ve had flashbacks of standing on the CI stage as a defining moment and point-of-no-return in my addiction to theater buildings.
A few gays ago, a friend advised me of this page devoted to the Loews Coney Island Theatre. I was born and raised in Coney Island
during the late 30’s to the late 50s and I have a wonderful close history with the Loews. My father was its custodian/electrician for decades and I took advantage of his affiliation. While growing up, I attended all kiddie shows and Saturday matinees. But my great enjoyment was attending the Tuesday night double feature and vaudeville shows. My permenantly reserved seat was on the aisle, third row, stage right. The movies were B pictures from Republic Studios, but the live acts were a thrill and a precurser to the Ed Sullivan and Milton Berle TV shows. This incredible theatre played host to the greatest vaudeville and clean burlesque acts. Acts like Gallagher & Sheen, Peg Leg Bates, Pat Rooney, Sr., The Boswell Sisters and dozens of singers, comics, jugglers, and novelty acts. My father found me, usually asleep, right after the curtain came down and we’d walk home to 2841 West 22nd Street. I never paid to get in. However, during my high school years at Lincoln, I reciprocated to the Loews by making it my business to carry the heavy film cans from the lobby to the projection booth high above the balcony. For some strange reason, the cans holding MGM musicals always seem to be the heaviest. Frankly, I’m glad I wasn’t around to see that beautiful theatre spiral downward to a porno house. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a Michael Eisner type came along and renovated the great lady as Eisner did for the Amsterdam Theatre on 42nd Street?
Anything ever rumored to be going in here? Since the area is improving it might do some business.
TO: cjdv. A great report! Do you suppose that the Siamese Twins, —Violet and Daisy Hilton — were perhaps the great-grandparents of Nicky and Paris Hilton?
According to various newspapers of the period, some 18 “stage, screen, radio, cabaret and newest celebrities” were brought from Manhattan to the Shelburne Hotel for dancing and then to the opening of Loew’s Coney Island. The Brooklyn Citizen (June 18, 1925) reported “the crowd gathered in front of the theatre was so great that a special cordon of police was necessary to keep the surging mass back from the entrance”. The paper also enjoyed “the impromptu show stage by Neils Granlund (N.T.G of W.H.N.). Motion Pictures Today (June 27, 1925) was not amused—criticizing both Granlund and Johnny Hines for "smut patter” .
The papers also state “the new theatre will present pictures exclusively except for the week of June 22, when the Siamese Twins, Violet and Daisy Hilton will be introduced as an extra attraction”. This quote must have been taken from the same press release since it appears in several papers. At that time, the Hiltons were enjoying a certain popularity as a novelty musical act in vaudeville. Jazz playing Siamese twins may have been a novelty elsewhere but not at Coney Island. Motion Pictures Today (June 27, 1925) reporting that “the big Siamese Twins draw isn’t drawing”, adding that appearing at the Island’s various side shows that week was a “boy with an elephant’s ear” and a “girl with three legs”.
The ‘headers’ for the Shore Theatre need changing as follows;
Architectural Style: French Renaissance
Chain: Loew's
Architectural Firm: Reilly & Hall
Opened as Loew’s Coney Island Theater on 17th June 1925 with the movie “The Sporting Venus” starring Blanche Sweet & Ronald Colman. Film stars Ben Lyon and Mae Bush attended the opening.
A week after opening, an attraction on the stage was The Hilton Sisters-a pair of Siamese Twins who were born joined together.
The Sinatra rumor is just that, A rumor. When gambling was proposed for Coney Island, Rumors were everywhere. Mr. Sinatra visited Coney Island one day in the late 60’s / early 70’s and all of a sudden, He owned or wanted to own this building and that building. At no point did Frank Sinatra own this or any other building in Coney Island. It is not an opinion, It’s a fact.
Hey! Rob! Glad that you are interested. I’m a person who respects Sinatra as well… Yes! My father first told me before he passed away. My family is from Coney, there are some things that only the origanal locals would know…
Be well…
I am a huge Sinatra fan and have never heard this?
I don’t have the details just yet, but I will get them…