Court Theatre
375 Smith Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11231
375 Smith Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11231
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Small theatre located on Smith Street at 3rd Street. Joseph Gibbons opened an Annette Theatre in 1913. It was not listed in the 1914-1915 edition of American Motion Picture Directory, so may have been a live theatre. The Court Theatre was opened around 1922. A Robert Morton organ was installed in 1923. It was closed in 1929, but in January 1931 architect John Busch made plans to enlarge the space at the back of the screen to accomodate speakers when sound equipment was installed. This seems to have been a short lived venture, as the Court Theatre was closed later in 1931.
Currently operating as an auto repair garage, yet the building still looks very much like an old movie theater. Plans to close the auto repair garage were announced in January 2019. The building will be demolished to build apartments.
Contributed by
Philip Goldberg
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
Two photographs of the former Court Theatre that I took in June 2006:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/1891431062/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/1890609831/
Hey Ken… Did you poke your head inside for a peek, to see if any interior elements remain in the auto shop?
The Lee brothers are the operators of the auto-repair shop. I met up with a couple of Asian gentlemen who allowed access to the building. From what I remember, there was only a little trace of decorative detail and I think I remember the remains of an original light fitting still hanging. It’s worth asking if you can take a look if you are around the area.
Never new this building had been a movie theater until today! I lived on 2nd place from 1948 until 1957. During all that time this building was an auto service station. I used to play stick ball in front of the “power house” accross the street from this building. I hit quite a few “spaldings” on to its roof.
New York Public Library Digital Collections has a P.L. Sperr photo of the building —and adjoining buildings — taken in 1932. If you zoom the photo on the NYPL website you can see the “COURT” on the vertical sign, as well as an advertisement for the New Brighton Theatre on the building.
Court Theatre 1932
The Court Theater of Carroll Gardens: From Showing Films to Repairing Cars Feb 27, 2018 https://www.brownstoner.com/architecture/brooklyn-architecture-375-smith-street-court-theater-carroll-gardens/
After Years Of Planning, It’s Official: Lee Brothers To Close Auto Body Shop On Smith Street To Make Way For Residential Apartments Jan 23, 2018 https://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2018/01/after-years-of-planning-its-official.html