Sheepshead Theatre

1722 Sheepshead Bay Road,
Brooklyn, NY 11235

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jbltraveler
jbltraveler on November 20, 2024 at 9:40 pm

My late father, Sam Lesiger, worked for Rugoff & Becker throughout the 1950s, until they sold their three Brooklyn theaters in the late 1950s to Century. Compared to the Oceana and Tuxedo, both of which he managed during that same period, the Sheepshead was the largest and most luxurious of the three.

hondo
hondo on March 9, 2022 at 3:05 am

It is easily seen from the Belt Parkway.

robboehm
robboehm on August 29, 2019 at 3:12 am

Uploaded a 1930 Century ad showing the Sheepshead.

twin
twin on July 31, 2015 at 6:57 am

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

theatrefan
theatrefan on March 31, 2015 at 6:30 pm

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

DJM78
DJM78 on March 31, 2015 at 12:38 am

When did it close as a theater?

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on August 20, 2013 at 4:48 am

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

albangin
albangin on July 2, 2011 at 3:29 am

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

robboehm
robboehm on April 29, 2011 at 4:15 am

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.

robboehm
robboehm on April 28, 2011 at 8:39 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.

Lisanne
Lisanne on July 3, 2008 at 8:44 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.

Lisanne
Lisanne on July 2, 2008 at 6:19 am

Yep, that’s what it looked like even in the sixties.

Lisanne
Lisanne on May 9, 2008 at 11:30 pm

According to Brian Merlis, et al, in “Brooklyn’s Gold Coast: the Sheepshead Bay Communities” the theater was known as the Shelton, was built in 1920, and possibly known at some period during the 20s as the Sommer.

Lisanne
Lisanne on May 9, 2008 at 7:49 pm

The Sommer Theater sounds very familiar, but I am unable to find any information on it. I shall check my local history resources to see if anything shows up.

jmanbeck
jmanbeck on May 8, 2008 at 4:15 pm

The Sheepshead Theater was built by A.H. Schwartz in the late 1920s, became a Century property and, on May 15, 1977, opened as Roll-A-Palace. Prior to the Sheepshead, the Shelton Theater at 1648 Sheepshead Bay Road, built in the 1920s, was a vaudeville house owned by a Mr. Brown. The name may have been changed to the Sommer Theater late in the decade.

Lisanne
Lisanne on February 12, 2008 at 7:07 pm

The building as it looks today.

View link

RodgerLodger
RodgerLodger on September 26, 2005 at 10:09 am

I have a memory that in the early ‘50s this theatre went down a nickel to 20 cents for afternoon kids, while the Oceana (Brighton Beach) stayed at 25 cents? Any confirmation of this?

chconnol
chconnol on January 25, 2005 at 3:06 pm

This was one of the nicer Bally’s around. They did not do much to disguise the interior as being once a movie theater so it was kind of surreal. The ceiling was painted a bright blue and you could easily make out the old ornamentation. Where the stage was, they had aerobics classes. The arch was still there and all.

This was back in the early 90’s. I know it’s still a Bally’s but I don’t know how well they’ve maintained the place. I would assume it’s OK because the area is still nice.

The gym was HUGE so the theater itself must’ve been also.

smaniac
smaniac on December 2, 2004 at 3:43 am

smaniac
smaniac on December 2, 2004 at 3:42 am

the floor was made of a poly resin not wood the DJ were on Left an right sides of Rink access, where the candy booth was was a skate shop. smaniac BROOKLYN SKATERS

MikeRadio
MikeRadio on December 5, 2003 at 2:49 am

To elaborate, it became the Sheepshead Bay Roller Palace in the height of the disco era.

I waited online on Sheepshead Bay Road to get into this theatre as a kid.

Once inside, the auditorium was gutted and there was a wood floor for skating. the DJ booth was up a ladder, probably where the projection booth once was.

The skate rental was at the candy counter most likely. And the entrance was in an added part which was newer next to the entrace (or could have been renovated but it was not under where the marquee was).

There was a horrible acoustic echo as the sound bounced all over.

Mike

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg on November 13, 2002 at 7:58 pm

After Century closed the theater, it became a roller rink.