Happy Hour Theatre
234 Columbia Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11231
234 Columbia Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11231
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Additional Info
Operated by: Liggett-Florin Booking Service
Architects: Edward W. Kleinert, Albert C. Kunzi
Nearby Theaters
This small neighborhood theater stood at 234 Columbia Street in the Columbia Heights section of Brooklyn (not far from the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway). There was a movie theatre operating at this address in 1910-1911. It was replaced by the Happy Hour Theatre in 1915, designed by architect Albert Kunzi. A Robert Morton theatre organ was installed in 1926, when it was redesigned by architect Edward W. Kleinert.
By 1950, the Happy Hour Theatre was operated by Liggett-Florin Booking Service. It was closed in 1966, and demolished in 1972.
Contributed by
philipgoldberg
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
The Happy Hour Theatre seated 599 people.
The location is currently an apartment complex
My mother, who was born in 1925, told me lots of wonderful stories about going to the Happy Hour when she was a girl. I believe it was closed by the time I was born – 1956. It intersected Union Street. It was in an heavily Italian (Gallo) neighborhood which had street carts selling fruits, vegetables, etc. up and down the street like you saw in “The Godfather” on Union Street. When I was a little girl, it was closed by had an open air fruit and vegetable market in front of where the main entrance used to be. There was a tiny candy store name “Izzy’s” that sold Orzata next door to the Happy Hour. Anybody remeber this? I am 49 years old.
The happy Hour was owned by a man named Charlie, who also ran the camera. His wife sold the tickets. The matron was Sadie Marie, my next door neighbor. Charlie also at one time owned the Luna which was two blocks down Columbia st. between Union and Sackett st.The building is still there, however it was converted into a John’s Bargain store at one point. It is now, not being used.Charlie also owned the Lido on Court St., which is now the Cobble Hill Theatre. The Happy Hour ceased operations about 1975 and was demolished around 1981.As a child on Saturday afternoons you could see two full lenght features and 25 cartoons for 25 cents.Those were the days.Ralph Tyrone Scarfogliero
The Happy Hour Theater.
I could remember every Friday night my mother would take us to the happy hour. I could remember for ten cent you get to see several cartoons then the coming attractions plus two movies all for ten cent. After the movie was over they gave out dishes or glasses to the people in the theater on the way out. Charley the owner of the movie would be at the doors collecting tickets in one hand and a cigar in his other hand. There were five of us two boys and three girls of which my mother manage to take all of us to the movie. At that time they were showing a lot of Tony Curtis movies, Abbott and Costello and war movies. We were poor and couldn’t afford to buy candy but my mother manages to bring in sandwiches. Charley the owner had two cats in the theater of which he own and they would smell the meatball sandwiches my mother made for us. They would be crying to have a taste of the meatball. Yes, those were the day when ten cent meant a lot you be lucky to buy gum for that now. The happy hour will always be in my mind and heart until I die,
Anyone interested in seeing shots of the old Happy Hour theater we remember as kids should rent the 1968 movie Brotherhood staring Kirk Douglas as a mafia don. There are excellent shots of the fruit stand, Union Street, Columbia Street, and the surrounding RED HOOK (what the heck is Columbia Heights?) neighborhood.
Fred Saez
I lived a few blocks from the happy hour begining in 1972 and I think the theatre had alredy been closed by then.
Charlie was my great uncle and he did not own the Lido. My great grandfather owned the Paras Court. I am not sure if he owned the Luna or not.
Happy Hour Theater Charles Zingale .
It was in an heavily Italian (Gallo) neighborhood. What does Gallo mean ?