Leader Theatre
947 Coney Island Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11230
947 Coney Island Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11230
3 people
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Fox Circuit, Island Theater Circuit, Randforce Amusement Corp.
Architects: Harrison G. Wiseman
Functions: Retail
Nearby Theaters
This neighborhood theatre on Coney Island Avenue was once owned by the Island Theater Circuit, the owner of the Kent Theatre (still operating as a triplex) a few blocks away. The Leader Theatre was opened in 1927. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2 manual 10 ranks theatre organ. It was redecorated & remodeled in August 1944. It closed in 1960 and became Leader Lanes bowling alley and a billiard & pool room on the second floor.
Later it became a disco, before the entire building was gutted and subdivided into stores and office space. In 2006 a three story apartment block was built above the theatre.
Contributed by
philipgoldberg
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
Here are two photographs of the Leader Theatre I took in June 2006. Note the new construction which is being built ‘over’ the existing building:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/199487707/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/199487897/
In the 1930 Daily Eagle listing for Fox theatres, posted by Warren on the Alba site, the Leader appears as a Fox house. Did Wm. Fox buy out Birkshire Theatre Corp.?
Here is an anti-trust suit involving the Leader in 1945:
http://tinyurl.com/2belyv
In 1959 the Leader revived the 1927 Al Jolson hit “The Jazz Singer"
View link
The photograph to which a link is posted above by Lost Memory was taken from the corner of Newkirk and Coney Island Avenue, just in front of the schoolyard of P. S. 217, which I attended from 1944 to 1952. I spent many hours in the Leader. There’s a bit of a reminiscence at View link
This is the photo that was posted on 9/8/04. as that link has expired.
http://tinyurl.com/59hw5n
So noted.
I used to bowl there back in the 70s and played bingo at the casa del rey. The marque was still attached to the building so i figured it was once a movie theatre. The 2nd floor was a bar . also there was a great chinese restaurant THE NEW TOY SUN located between the 2 places.
Me and my friends walked along Cony Island Ave from newkirk and ocean ave to Ditmas J.H.S in the area, the area was a divided line of many neighborhoods (tention) and has a great beagle shop in the area (COPS), I know in the bowling lanes were new when we dented them and there was a big video store in that lot in the late 1980’s. But the Kent was established as the Marquee theater so why go there, thats why they closed and remaind closed…
Photo, circa 1940, added to Gallery.