Loew's Gates Theatre
1340 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
1340 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 89 comments
Just posted another out of the tax photos. Left side Broadway
The photo with “The Pawnbroker” on the marquee shows the Gates Avenue side of the building, not the main entrance on Broadway. The marquee and poster cases on Gates Avenue were “just for show,” with doors that were exits from the auditorium. Photo linked here
Actually, most of the theater other than the entrance is not located on Broadway. In fact, the Gates once featured a separate entrance situated around the corner – I believe on Gates Ave. A large portion of the old Bushwick RKO, on the other hand, did front on Broadway. This might have been a reason why it closed first, though property values on Broadway were plummeting during the 1960’s and 70’s.
True, John. One full photo of the theater shows “The Pawnbroker” which was a big hit in the 1960s. What I also found interesting in this photo is that the entire theater is on Broadway. Generally, only the entrance would be on the main street and the auditorium in the back. Full Broadway frontage would cost a lot more taxwise than just a small entrance.
While the photo currently at the top of the page does document the fact that the Gates did, at times, show XXX adult fare, I believe this was only done occasionally and that the Gates showed mostly regular fare until the 1977 blackout closed it down for good.
This one opened on November 21, 1921. The feature film was “Alias Ladyfingers” with Bert Lytell.
Since this is a large and prosperous church – and they certainly need the space to serve their parish – I would not expect them to move anytime soon – unless, of course, they want to make a fast bundle.
I wonder how long the church will keep the building in light of the present development
Photos at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pilgrim_Church,_formerly_Loew%27s_Gates_Theatre
I sent an email to Pilgrim Church asking if I can tape some photographs.
Nice photo Brad.
Click here for an exterior view of the Loew’s Gates Theatre in 1930.
A small picture of the stage area here http://www.pilgrimfatherchurch.org/home
It looks like it was once a really fantastic movie/performance theatre. Another one bites the dust. (sigh). Too bad.
I must go to the church and try and take some pictures. It’s too bad the marquee and ticket booth were not retained. I once walked by and was able to peer through a glass door. The auditorium is intact. The church has done a great job.
I guess the problem with the Madison was that the local community just could not support two movie theaters by the late 1970’s. It was either the Madison or the Ridgewood and the latter, which I believe by that time had become a more economical multi-plex, won out.
Also, even if the blackout had not occurred, I doubt very much that the Gates would have survived for more than a few additional years. If anything, it was surprising that it lasted as long as it did.
John, I have heard that too, that the 1977 Blackout, and following riots was the end for the Gates, as Broadway was destroyed. Intererstingly, while the Madison also closed soon after, it’s location was never heavily damaged like the Gates area was. Myrtle wasn’t destroyed near Wyckoff.
Thanks Al and John,Thats the point I was trying to make too.Now that we have that out of the way!By the way John the Kung Fu movies did nothing in the Nashville theatre market,but I can see how it could be different somewhere else.We did nothing on the “PORNS” as they are called now or “KUNG FU” flicks either.First run stuff always did better,but you have to put something on the screen.
As I noted in an earlier post, the Gates was never an exclusively porn theater, though it did clearly occasionally sink to that level. It also hosted a number of Kung Fu pictures as it strove to keep afloat during the very trying 1970’s. (As the late Sam Horwitz, a former City Councilman and longtime movie theater manager, once told me, Kung Fu films were the salvation for many inner-city movie houses during that era.) But the 1977 blackout was the knockout punch for the Gates – and the Madison as well.
Loews not only played X-rated films, they were the first to introduce independent X-rated films to a major first-run market by opening “WITHOUT A STITCH” at the Manhattan State and Orpheum Theatres in 1970 to huge grosses, much to the chagrin of Jack Valenti, who called Loews management irresponsible. The Loews Orpheum/Cine then opened numerous x-rated films in the early seventies.
“The Sensual Male” and “Sexually Liberated Female” had a double feature twelve theatre break in February 1972. Released by mini-majors New World and Aquarius, Loews was hardly above showing them. The Gates was still advertised as a Loews during 1972 and Loews Georgetown also played several X titles during these years.
X-rated films did not become truly graphic until after “DEEP THROAT” was released that summer.
Tinseltoes,this photo was July 1968?Maybe.One would have to find out when Loews left this theatre for sure,even if Loews leased the theatre to someone else I believe that they would have removed the signage,but I could be wrong.Now that I think about it they did leave the marquee and upright on the Loews Commodore after they left and the new operator just spray painted over the letters,and they hung that Fillmore East banner over the vertical,any thing is possible I quess. This theatre must have been in a bad part of town at least at that time by your posts.
No Tinseltoes,I am not, I have seen that on my page and some others on C.T. sites. And Bway I agree why those movies were rated X.Also that the same photo that is posted in an earlier post on this page.
Somehow, the movie advertised on the marquee in this photo would leave no question as to the reason this movie was “rated X”:
View link
Thanks John, Mike read a post on somepage about Loews having a no X rated policy,I have talked about it before,or a non porn policy, I do not remember even calling it “Porn” back then it was just an'X' RATED MOVIE.A movie can be rated “x” for many reasons not including SEX.We did not show any “SNUFF MOVIES” that were Rated X.And anyway they were better than the KUNG FU" Crap we used to show every now and then to have something on the screen.
Tisloeas, that was exactly the point that I was trying to make. There may have been a few – or maybe more than a few – porn days at the Gates, but it basically functioned as a regular theater until its demise just after the 1977 blackout.