National Theatre
720 Washington Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11238
720 Washington Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11238
1 person
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Brandt Theaters, Fox Circuit
Architects: Charles A. Sandblom
Functions: Daycare Center, Retail
Previous Names: Fox National Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The National Theatre stands on Washington Avenue in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn. It was opened on October 14, 1921. Seating was on a stadium plan, with a raised stepped section at the rear of the orchestra rather then a traditional overhanging balcony. By 1930 it was operated by Fox Theatres as the Fox National Theatre. By 1943 it was operated by Brandt Theatre and closed in 1957. It now houses a supermarket on the ground floor and a day care center upstairs.
Contributed by
philipgoldberg
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
The Loew’s National Theatre seated 2257 people.
The National Theater opened on 14th October 1921 and closed in 1957. The seating capacity given in Film Daily Yearbook’s; 1926 and 1927 edition’s is 1,300. In the 1930 and 1941 edition’s of F.D.Y. seating is given as 1,262. I can’t find the operator in the 1940 edition of F.D.Y. (certainly not Loew’s – was it ever?) but in 1943 it is listed as being operated by Brandt Theaters, same in 1950.
Here is a photograph of the exterior I took in May 2006:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183558877/
I went to the National Theater every Saturday during the early 1940’s. At that time, the first 50 kids got a free comic book, and the admission was 10 cents (that meant you had to find and cash in 5 empty coke bottles during the week in order to have the money).
We learned about the true meaning of inflation, when early in the war the admission went up to 11 cents.
Kids were relegated to the left hand side of the theater, ruled by a brick-house shaped ‘matron’. The matron was the boss, and usually herded the kids together as they came in, so that starting with the seats in the front row, every seat was filled – no one had a choice where to sit, you sat where she told you. If a kid left early, everyone else had to move over to fill the spot, so we were solid kids. Guess the flashlight wielding ‘matron’ felt she was in control and no-one was running loose.
There was no air conditioning – there were two huge pedestal fans up front, which kept the air moving but also made it impossible to hear anything unless you were toward the back. We didn’t really come to hear anyway -more to poke each other and play.
Alan Taplow
There was a theater across the street on the corner to the south of the National on Washington Avenue. I can’t remember the name. It was small, maybe seated 600, on one level. Closed about 1953. Can anyone give a name to it ?
The following info came from: View link
Wurlitzer Organ Company
North Tonawanda, NY â€" Opus 444 (1921)
Electro-pneumatic action
Style 160 (piano console)
2 manuals, 6 ranks, 4 tuned percussion, 17 traps
This organ was shipped on August 12, 1921. It was moved to St. Augustine’s Church in Ossining, NY on February 28, 1934 and was later discarded.
Thanks for the input Lost Memory, but the Bell is too far south, around 800 Washington Avenue. The theater I am thinking of was around 750 Washington at Park Pl.
I’m a Three Stooges Fan Club member, trying to confirm a personal appearance by the “3” Stooges (Moe Larry and Shemp), on a bill with Wee Bonnie Baker, the Barretts and Don Hooton, after an appearance by the A.B. Marcus Revue. The movie “Queen of Burlesque” was also shown. I have a display ad, but no dates (or town shown). Believe it was the Summer of 1946, and may have been Shemp’s first appearance after Curly’s strokes. The National was advertised as air cooled and showed a phone number of JA-7863.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks Frank Reighter
Listed as Fox National in 1930 directory ad displayed here