Elm Theatre
1617 Avenue M,
Brooklyn,
NY
11230
1617 Avenue M,
Brooklyn,
NY
11230
2 people
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Opened January 22nd, 1937. Grand opening ad already posted.
This theatre closed in 1972 and was a foreign film house that usually played with the Astor Theatre on Flatbush Avenue. It did not play “XXX” films but the usual current “X” films that today would pass for PG-13, LOL, OK maybe “R”. Films like “Performance”, “The Devils” and the like were rated “X” more for morals than nudity. Others like “Inga”, “Coming Apart”, the Russ Meyer films, “Carmen Baby”, “I, A Woman” were big hits and 80% of theatres played them though it didn’t make the theatres playing them “XXX” theatres. A “XXX” theatre only showed those type of movies like the Brooklyn Cinart and a few others in the early 1970’s. The porno craze started with “Deep Throat” and “The Devil In Miss Jones” in 1973 by which time the Elm was closed.
Small grand opening uploaded in the photo section for this cinema.
From Boxoffice magazine, January 1938:
New York-Changes effected in managerial personnel of the Century Circuit follow:
Herman Pitt has been transferred from the Rialto to the Elm, Brooklyn. Arthur Novak changes places with Pitt. Moe Weiss has gone from the Strand, Rockville Center, L.I., to the Franklin, Franklin Square, L.I.
Howard Weiss, formerly assistant manager of the Fantasy, Rockville Center, has been put in charge of the Plaza, Freeport, L.I. Jack Keith is now managing the Sunnyside, Sunnyside, L.I. Ben Mindlin has gone from assistant at the Valley Stream, Valley Stream, L.I. to manager of the Bellrose, Bellrose, L.I.
“The Producers”, “City Lights”, and “A Man For All Seasons”.
And Bonaparte’s restaurant.
I took two photos of the Elm last May.
The Lobby entrance, which doesn’t look all that different than it did when last used as a theater.
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And the marque
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Two photographs I took of the Elm Theatre in June 2006:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/199112344/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/199112718/
I saw my first movie – “Rebecca” – at the Elm when I was about 4 or 5. It had an upstairs lounge furnished in art-deco (purple sofas, oval mirrors, bronze lighting fixtures). During the years I attented PS 199, I spent many Saturday afternoons there watching two full feature films, the news of the week, several cartoons and a couple of trailers (about 4 ½ hours of viewing), all for the price of a quarter. I have a distinct memory of kissing my first girlfriend – in the childrens' section!
I have a charming memory of the Elm. When I got out of the army in ‘68, I reunited with a grade school friend of mine, and we went to this cozy little jewel of an art theater to see “Juliet of the Spirits” which we both enjoyed. Right in Brooklyn ! Imagine ! frankie from Brooklyn
In 1959 this was a Randforce house.
Sorry, the East 16th side was where the screen wall was located. The marquee was refaced, but originally had a curve to it.
The theatre seated closer to 800 people. and the stairs at the Ave. M entrance lead down to the auditorium. The black marble on the lower facade is the same as the Kingsway and the Century terazzo floor (the company’s black/white speckle used in all thier theatres) can still be seen). The former balcny is an employee’s lunchroom. It is an Emigrant Bank office after years as the Prudential Bank. The theatre’s original brickwork is behind a bank modernization (or Century’s for that). An rear exit door was enlarged at the theatre’s back screen wall for an entrance on the E. 17th Street side. Please make corrections to seating and add the circuit name. Thank You.
It was never a triple X theatre.
The address of the Elm Theatre is 1617 Avenue M, during the 50’s it seated 952 people.