New Venus Theater

When I was a kid in the 50’s, we used to drive down Prospect Avenue,and I could SWEAR there was a poster on the theater for Julie London in “Nabonga” !!!

Four photographs I took in June 2006 of the New Venus Theater. Unfortunately, due to the time of year, the building (which is currently unused and for lease or sale) is partially obscured by untrimmed trees and bushes:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/211143349/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/211143951/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/211144986/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/211145549/

No, dear inmate, we’re not related, except by our bittersweet longing for an era which has passed us by. I never got into the New Venus, or the Eden, or the Minerva, or the Paradise, although I still live near them all. I think my Dad took me to the 16th Street to see Charlie Chaplin eat his shoe, but after that I moved on to the Prospect, the Globe, the Avon, and the Sanders. At least I can still go to the former Sanders, now the Pavilion. Nice to meet you, inmate ! (Lost Memory ???)

Does anyone have any pictures from when it was a theatre? We lived across the street from that building for about 10 years in the 60’s and 70’s. It was the american legion then, and my father was a member. My brother and I would play in that building almost everyday, we loved it there ! The building was so cool, it had a coatcheck room, a lobby with a bar, a walk-in freezer, a large hall with a stage, upstairs was the projection room, a small office and large room that had 2 pool tables in it. The bar and staircase was wonderful dark wood. Even as a child I remember feeling at that time in the 60’s that this building was old fashioned and grand. It was my favorite place to be ! Not only did we get to play in there most days, we went to several events there and threw some of our own parties there. I’ll check my old black and white pics to see if I have any of the inside of the building. If anyone has any pics from when its was a theatre or when it was the american legion (or even elks hall) I would love to see them ! I did see the pics posted here. I was so, so sad to hear that it got torn down, I feel like my childhood playground got destroyed ! Living in another state since the late 70’s I can kick myself for not getting back to brooklyn for a visit before it go torn down ! Any additional pics would be greatly appreciated.

I spoke to “The Sheriff of Windsor Terrace” recently and asked him about this theater. He told me that the older residents of the neighborhood remember it well. They told him it was nicknamed the “The Bed Bug” and/or “The Itch”.