This photo was taken near the corner of Tillary looking south down Washington near the corner bowling alley. On the left is the Washington Street entrance to the Alcazar Theatre, which was just renamed from the Columbia Theatre the year before. See the note near the end of this NY Times article. View link
The full theatre was on the corner of Tillary and Adams. It was eventually demolished around 1930 as the Post Office seen here was extended back. The area was redeveloped later as seen in this 1994 NY Times article. View link
Adams Street was massively rebuilt after WWII to improve traffic flow with the building of the BQE. View link
You can see the area in 1907 at the upper center of this Bromley map. View link
Fantastic! I’m now going to make Keeney’s Theatre / Loew’s Melba into one of the longer pieces in my book. Your info has knitted together many loose pieces that I had into a much better story. You are in the NYC area, I assume? I’d love to trade some sources at some point to help each other in our history endeavours.
Here is a link to another pay NY Times article describing the first pre-release adventure movie showing of 1923s “The Bright Shawl”. Director John S. Robertson of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” fame was in the audience at the Rialto Theatre then. View link
Here are some answers on this one: The theatre was built in the late 1870s by Mortimer Hoyt, hence the sometimes name of Hoyt’s Theatre. It was officially called the Rialto Theatre. It closed in the fall of 1959 due to declining attendance associated with the rise of television. An October 24, 1959 NY Times on the history and closing of this theatre (including its time as a movie theater) can be found at this link, but it is normally a pay link. View link
It is a thriving restaurant today in South Norwalk.
Interestingly, this theatre is often thought to be the one where Fanny Brice got her start (Keeney’s Theatre on Fulton Street) around 1905. This location was full of old houses only then. Keeney’s original theatre was the old Criterion Theatre at 966 Fulton Avenue near Grand Avenue which he took over around 1900. Keeney’s first theatre DID show movies later as seen in this 1908 article in the New York Times. View link
Here is a general blurb on the often chided H.R. Jacobs in the NY Times from the 1890s. He was not liked in the papers for his often “in your face” anti-labor tendencies. View link
It seems he took over the lease in 1888 of the rebuilt Conway’s Brooklyn Theatre, which suffered the devastating infamous fire of 1876 taking nearly 300 lives. Here is a Brooklyn Eagle link to the event. View link
The Brooklyn Theatre was located on the south side of Johnson Street between Washington and Adams with the original Clarendon . When Jacobs lease ran out in 1890, the building site was sold to become the new home of the Brooklyn Eagle.
June 3, 1890 Brooklyn Eagle View link View link
March 26, 1890 comments about the Star Theatre on Jay Street being built to fill the demand for theater in the area: View link
With all that said, why did the Brooklyn Eagle have a picture of the building in 1930? I think that Brooklyn Public Library copy was of the theatre before demolition in 1890. The Hotel Clarendon did rebuild on the north side of Johnson Street between Fulton and Washington Streets before the area was annihilated for the Brooklyn Bridge entrance improvements in 1936 and later part of the Cadman Plaza complex. Reviewing these four photos of the 1936 area demolition makes me pretty certain that H.R. Jacobs did not rebuild the Brooklyn Theatre as well. The new Clarendon was much taller and had the cupola which looks nothing like the “1930” Clarendon. View link
My thoughts are that the three year rebuild of the theatre significantly altered it by the time H.R. Jacobs took it over in 1888. There is no mention in the Brooklyn Eagle of the Brooklyn Theatre or H.R. Jacobs in Brooklyn after the demolition in 1890. View link View link
The Montauk Theatre was in fact the theatre moved in the angelfire link above.
Follow the below link to the 1898-99 Ullitz/Hyde map, Pan and Zoom to the upper left and you will see the original Montauk before the Flatbush Extension. View link
Here is the 1907-08 Bromley map after the Flatbush Avenue Extension was bulldozed through. Use the Pan and Zoom feature to zoom in on the lower center and you will see the now “Sagamore Theatre” on 464-470 Hudson Avenue. View link
The start of the move is noted in the NY Times second from the bottom here: View link
The reopening under the name the “Crescent Theatre” is seen here in the Times on the second page right column under “Brooklyn Amusements”. View link
Quite an engineering feat with old technology!
It would be correct to add “Sagamore Theatre” to the “Also known as” list at the top of this entry, although I have little idea how long, if at all, it was known by this name.
There definitely was a Star Theatre at 389 Jay Street. Go to the below link of 389s CofOs and you will see it was there. It was sold off in 1939 and likely demolished until 1954 when it was built as the Fulton Savings Bank. The bank remained until conversion to the present stores in 1999. View link
The ultimate proof is seen here showing the Star in 1930 as a burlesque and vaudeville theater. Use the Pand and Zoom feature and you can see everything. View link
Go to the Brooklyn Eagle site keyword search at View link
Use “Star Theater” “Jay Street” and you will find scads of hits. The best is below telling the whole plan as of 1890. View link
Go here to the New York Times archive and you will find the 1939 article about the Star Theatre going into receivership. You will have to pay to read the full article if interested. View link
Hope this helps! The Star Theatre at 389 Jay Street in Brooklyn should ABSOLUTELY have it’s own entry.
This photo was taken near the corner of Tillary looking south down Washington near the corner bowling alley. On the left is the Washington Street entrance to the Alcazar Theatre, which was just renamed from the Columbia Theatre the year before. See the note near the end of this NY Times article.
View link
The full theatre was on the corner of Tillary and Adams. It was eventually demolished around 1930 as the Post Office seen here was extended back. The area was redeveloped later as seen in this 1994 NY Times article.
View link
Adams Street was massively rebuilt after WWII to improve traffic flow with the building of the BQE.
View link
You can see the area in 1907 at the upper center of this Bromley map.
View link
Hope this helps!
Erik
Excellent! I’ll be in touch soon when I can get focused on the book again as “the day job” is quite busy right now.
Erik
Fantastic! I’m now going to make Keeney’s Theatre / Loew’s Melba into one of the longer pieces in my book. Your info has knitted together many loose pieces that I had into a much better story. You are in the NYC area, I assume? I’d love to trade some sources at some point to help each other in our history endeavours.
Erik
Wow! That is some great, great work Warren! I’m working on a book about the history of Boerum Hill, Brooklyn and your info is tremendously helpful.
Could you repost the below piece as I can’t get the link to open anymore?
Here’s a portion of a 1929 programme:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/134-3436_IMG.jpg
posted by Warren G. Harris on Aug 21, 2005 at 4:52am
Thanks again!
Here is the link to a pay NY Times article about the SoNo in 1980 trying to stay in business while showing various films.
View link
Here is a link to another pay NY Times article describing the first pre-release adventure movie showing of 1923s “The Bright Shawl”. Director John S. Robertson of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” fame was in the audience at the Rialto Theatre then.
View link
It was run by Warner Brothers when a moviehouse.
Here are some answers on this one: The theatre was built in the late 1870s by Mortimer Hoyt, hence the sometimes name of Hoyt’s Theatre. It was officially called the Rialto Theatre. It closed in the fall of 1959 due to declining attendance associated with the rise of television. An October 24, 1959 NY Times on the history and closing of this theatre (including its time as a movie theater) can be found at this link, but it is normally a pay link.
View link
It is a thriving restaurant today in South Norwalk.
Interestingly, this theatre is often thought to be the one where Fanny Brice got her start (Keeney’s Theatre on Fulton Street) around 1905. This location was full of old houses only then. Keeney’s original theatre was the old Criterion Theatre at 966 Fulton Avenue near Grand Avenue which he took over around 1900. Keeney’s first theatre DID show movies later as seen in this 1908 article in the New York Times.
View link
Here is the 1941 link again:
View link
Cheers! I’m writing a book on the history of the brownstone Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn, NY so, this stuff is right up my alley!
Erik
Here is a general blurb on the often chided H.R. Jacobs in the NY Times from the 1890s. He was not liked in the papers for his often “in your face” anti-labor tendencies.
View link
It seems he took over the lease in 1888 of the rebuilt Conway’s Brooklyn Theatre, which suffered the devastating infamous fire of 1876 taking nearly 300 lives. Here is a Brooklyn Eagle link to the event.
View link
The Brooklyn Theatre was located on the south side of Johnson Street between Washington and Adams with the original Clarendon . When Jacobs lease ran out in 1890, the building site was sold to become the new home of the Brooklyn Eagle.
June 3, 1890 Brooklyn Eagle
View link
View link
March 26, 1890 comments about the Star Theatre on Jay Street being built to fill the demand for theater in the area:
View link
With all that said, why did the Brooklyn Eagle have a picture of the building in 1930? I think that Brooklyn Public Library copy was of the theatre before demolition in 1890. The Hotel Clarendon did rebuild on the north side of Johnson Street between Fulton and Washington Streets before the area was annihilated for the Brooklyn Bridge entrance improvements in 1936 and later part of the Cadman Plaza complex. Reviewing these four photos of the 1936 area demolition makes me pretty certain that H.R. Jacobs did not rebuild the Brooklyn Theatre as well. The new Clarendon was much taller and had the cupola which looks nothing like the “1930” Clarendon.
View link
But why doesn’t the “1930” Brooklyn Theatre" look like the photos after the 1876 fire?
http://www.josephhaworth.com/brooklyn_theatre.htm
My thoughts are that the three year rebuild of the theatre significantly altered it by the time H.R. Jacobs took it over in 1888. There is no mention in the Brooklyn Eagle of the Brooklyn Theatre or H.R. Jacobs in Brooklyn after the demolition in 1890.
View link
View link
Erik in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
The Montauk Theatre was in fact the theatre moved in the angelfire link above.
Follow the below link to the 1898-99 Ullitz/Hyde map, Pan and Zoom to the upper left and you will see the original Montauk before the Flatbush Extension.
View link
Here is the 1907-08 Bromley map after the Flatbush Avenue Extension was bulldozed through. Use the Pan and Zoom feature to zoom in on the lower center and you will see the now “Sagamore Theatre” on 464-470 Hudson Avenue.
View link
The start of the move is noted in the NY Times second from the bottom here:
View link
The reopening under the name the “Crescent Theatre” is seen here in the Times on the second page right column under “Brooklyn Amusements”.
View link
Quite an engineering feat with old technology!
It would be correct to add “Sagamore Theatre” to the “Also known as” list at the top of this entry, although I have little idea how long, if at all, it was known by this name.
Erik in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
There definitely was a Star Theatre at 389 Jay Street. Go to the below link of 389s CofOs and you will see it was there. It was sold off in 1939 and likely demolished until 1954 when it was built as the Fulton Savings Bank. The bank remained until conversion to the present stores in 1999.
View link
The ultimate proof is seen here showing the Star in 1930 as a burlesque and vaudeville theater. Use the Pand and Zoom feature and you can see everything.
View link
Go to the Brooklyn Eagle site keyword search at
View link
Use “Star Theater” “Jay Street” and you will find scads of hits. The best is below telling the whole plan as of 1890.
View link
Go here to the New York Times archive and you will find the 1939 article about the Star Theatre going into receivership. You will have to pay to read the full article if interested.
View link
Hope this helps! The Star Theatre at 389 Jay Street in Brooklyn should ABSOLUTELY have it’s own entry.
Erik from Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Photos of the Borough Hall Theatre in 1922 and 1931 can be seen here:
View link