Sheepshead Theatre

1722 Sheepshead Bay Road,
Brooklyn, NY 11235

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Century Theaters, Rugoff & Becker

Architects: R. Thomas Short

Functions: Furniture Showroom, Gymnasium

Styles: Art Deco

Nearby Theaters

Proscenium stage and ladies cosmetics room in the Sheepshead Theatre, Brooklyn, New York in 1929

Built by the Century Theaters chain and opened in late-1929 or early-1930. By 1943 and into the early-1950’s it was operated by Rugoff & Becker. The Sheepshead Theatre was closed in 1970.

The theatre now houses a furniture store and a Bally’s health club.

Contributed by Doug Douglass

Recent comments (view all 22 comments)

Lisanne
Lisanne on July 3, 2008 at 2:44 am

My guess is that it opened sometime in late 1930. In April of ‘31 the theater would still be considered new, but would have been around long enough so that a claim could be made about it’s positive effect on neighboring businesses. Also, consider that this is real estate news. The surge in population in Sheepshead Bay started in 22’ and probably peaked by 26'. Much of the building after that date was commercial. Streets filled with homes built in the 1890s became shopping avenues.

robboehm
robboehm on April 28, 2011 at 2:39 pm

I thought this was a Loew’s theatre at some point before it finished life as a Century. I remember when Loew’s had to divest itself of theatre properties the Sheepshead, Tuxedo and Oceana in Brooklyn and the Prospect and the Plaza reverted to Century. My assumption was all had been Loew’s. In the case of the Prospect, it was built by Century and leased to Loew’s, It would appear from a reference above that this might have also been the case with the Sheepshead.

robboehm
robboehm on April 28, 2011 at 10:15 pm

Tinseltoes, I knew of the swap you mentioned. It just seemed more than coincidental that the Sheepshead came back into the Century circuit at the time some of the divested Loew’s did.

albangin
albangin on July 1, 2011 at 9:29 pm

The sheepshead was also the “Roller palace” in the late 70’s – 80"s, part of Brooklyn’s disco culture.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on August 19, 2013 at 10:48 pm

Thomas R. Short was the architect of the Sheepshead Theatre, according to an article in the February 1, 1930, issue of Motion Picture News.

DJM78
DJM78 on March 30, 2015 at 6:38 pm

When did it close as a theater?

theatrefan
theatrefan on March 31, 2015 at 12:30 pm

The Sheepshead Theatre closed as a movie theatre in 1970, approximately 17 years before the UA Movies @ Sheepshead Bay would open for business.

twin
twin on July 31, 2015 at 12:57 am

looking at the Sheepshead Theatre..store on the right side was SEYMOURS DRESS SHOP..STORE ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS EMMA’S DINNER..

robboehm
robboehm on August 28, 2019 at 9:12 pm

Uploaded a 1930 Century ad showing the Sheepshead.

hondo
hondo on March 8, 2022 at 9:05 pm

It is easily seen from the Belt Parkway.

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