American Theater
1450 East Avenue,
Bronx,
NY
10462
1450 East Avenue,
Bronx,
NY
10462
11 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Loew's Inc.
Architects: Drew Eberson, John Adolph Emil Eberson
Functions: Retail
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Loew's American Theater
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Feb 1, 2014 — Parkchester community seeks to preserve 74-year-old theater
- Sep 14, 2013 — American Theater to close this weekend
- Jan 16, 2009 — Bow Tie Cinemas to show Inauguration
- Apr 11, 2008 — Bow Tie Cinemas to reopen American Theater
Built in 1939 for the once-thriving Parkchester neighborhood of the Bronx, Loew’s American Theater was opened on December 26, 1940. The American Theater eventually fell on hard times.
After years of neglect, the theater was purchased by Stewart Epstein, who turned the dilapidated movie house into a 1,400-seat multiplex.
The current layout is as follows:
The orchestra level has a dividing wall right down the middle. In each of the two auditoriums, the back quarter has been walled off creating two more, totaling four downstairs. Two seat approximately 380 each; two seat approximately 80 each. The balcony was also twinned - one side seats approximately 250. The other side was divided again creating two auditoriums, each seating 105.
The renovated theater won’t solve the Bronx’s ongoing financial woes, but for now, it has brought the movies back to Parkchester. It was taken over by Bow-Tie Cinemas in April 2008 and further renovations were carried out. It was closed in September 2013 when Bow Tie’s lease ran out and the buildings' owners plan ‘other uses’ rather than movie theatre.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick
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Recent comments (view all 76 comments)
Nice art deco box office. Great selection of films on the marquee. Especially Haunting In Conn. Very great film.
1940 and current day photo as Marshall’s added, courtesy of Al Ponte’s Time Machine – New York Facebook page.
I got to go see The Butler here during the final weeks of operation in August 2013. The theatre was still in very good condition with many of the original architectural details preserved in the lobby. The staff were extremely friendly and courteous. It’s a shame this had to become a Marshall’s just like the Loew’s Oriental did. I am sure there was a great need in the community for yet another clothing store to buy designer discount duds, instead of a movie theatre, yeah right!!!
I went to see a lot of movie in this movie theater back in 2013 the staff were friendly then in mid September the place was shut down and converted into a Marshall store they could kept that movie theater open much longer than closing the movie theater down in parkchester
In late 1950/early 1951 when I was nine years old I saw in the papers that the Loew’s American was showing All About Eve, so I decided to go, hopping on the Westchester Ave. bus from Morrison Ave. to Parkchester, expecting to see all about Eve from the Garden of Eden. Boy was I disappointed! The one scene from the movie that I remembered in later years was Bette Davis standing at the top of the staircase, uttering her classic line as she descended, “Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”
But Wait there more, my older sister saw New Jack City at this movie theater , in 25 years ago , she told me that this theater wasn’t an 7 plex until Stewart Epstein, who turned the dilapidated movie house into a 1,400-seat multiplex in 1995,
luckily it’s wasn’t an modernized AMC Theatres like the AMC 84th Street 6 plex ,Manhattan and AMC Bay Plaza 13 and fresh meadows Queens N.Y. and it was the original 1939 vintage old loews theaters, was still original old movie theater place still had
the original vintage old 1939 ,loews movie theater exit signs, restrooms , walls, balcony, mirrors, box office and finally the doors. but it was operating by Bow Tie Cinemas and they used the 35mm Film projection system
this place didn’t have , IMAX, reclining seats , Prime ,ETX, dine in, Freestyle style soda machine and kiosk tickets machinery and it wasn’t operated by AMC . My older said
This theater was still original old 1939 Loews movie theater. It’s quite interesting that have a experience at this theater since she was a kid in 42 years ago then she snuck in into an R rated movie but my mom she not into bymovies but a least she experienced at this movie theater But unfortunately it was closed down and converting into an Marshall store .
Trust me guys , This vintage historic Loews American theater in Parkchester
Was still an historic vintage old Loews Theater in the Bronx , always be remembered and never be forgotten
Hello fellow movie theater lovers,
I’m doing a project for my photojournalism class at NYU about closed down independent movie theaters in New York. I hope to gain information about people’s past experiences at these movie theaters, recollections of favorite memories or not so great experiences, perhaps economical insight, contacts with owners/managers, etc. On a larger level, I hope my project is able to show the significance of the role that these establishments play in our city and the importance of keeping them afloat.
If anyone would be willing to answer a few questions via email about your personal memories at the theater, please let me know! It could be as simple as recounting a favorite movie you remember seeing back when it was open. I would greatly appreciate your insight.
You can contact me at:
Thanks,
Gabi
I remember taking my younger brother there in the 70s to see the Disney movies all summer long. They had two different Disney movies there each week.
I remembered my mom took me to me to the American theater in Parkchester back in 2000s and they played good movies on the 35mm films projectors those were the days