Williamsburg Theatre

279 Broadway,
Brooklyn, NY 11211

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Showing 1 - 25 of 114 comments

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on May 11, 2019 at 11:41 am

A 1959 remodel by architect Ben Schlanger is reflected in photos.

robboehm
robboehm on August 8, 2013 at 2:54 pm

The individual theater entries show demolished when applicable. The demolished is not an option on the general listing pages.

Willburg145
Willburg145 on August 8, 2013 at 9:18 am

The status should show ‘demolished’.

Willburg145
Willburg145 on May 21, 2013 at 4:25 pm

I remember how small the ‘lobby’ was and the concession stand was directly behind the auditorium. This was definitely no palace but I saw ABBY, RUBY, SINBAD movies at this place.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on October 26, 2012 at 4:53 pm

In 1936, original architects Shampan & Shampan returned to the Williamsburg Playhouse to design and oversee a $15,000 renovation, reported in the September 12 issue of The Film Daily. The building was extended to increase seating capacity, the auditorium was reseated, new carpets and drapes were installed, the toilets and lounge were updated, as were lighting and mechanical equipment, and the interior was given modern decorative finishes.

verngrey
verngrey on October 6, 2012 at 10:53 am

ahodara you mentioned Joes luncheonette, was that joes, on lee and hooper? I remember him and his wife, very kind people, my dad would take me there to have a large milkshake at the time for 50cents in the early 70s, got my baseball cards there too heh. God rest his soul. If it was email me at I added a new theater pic, the original artwork from 1914/facade is set for demolition, trying to get it saved for historical purposes. One can only hope.

Bway
Bway on September 21, 2011 at 2:27 am

The Broadway Theater (Lowes Broadway) also had a shortened name on the marquee…. “Bway”….

robboehm
robboehm on September 21, 2011 at 2:01 am

I’ve seen shortened names on ads but never before on a marquee, St. being excepted.

Bway
Bway on June 15, 2010 at 4:20 pm

I still can’t believe the needlessly and deliberately destroyed the Commodore and tore it down. And for what?

johndereszewski
johndereszewski on June 12, 2010 at 1:40 pm

Jayar, it was great to hear the good news about the new movie theater in Williamsburg. (The vacant lot that was once the Commodore is just so depressing.) So I guess that the community that was able to open a bowling alley will now bring back the movies!

The 1947 picture is really terrific and also, at first sight, appears to be even older than it is.

jflundy
jflundy on June 1, 2010 at 5:36 pm

Thanks for the correction William. I had a lot of trouble making out those letters on the marquee.

William
William on June 1, 2010 at 4:12 pm

J.F. Lundy in your last post you stated WasBurg was the currect name. But it’s Wms Burg. The short version of William is Wm, so Wms Burg is Williamsburg. Since I use the short version sometime for my name William.

Jayar1
Jayar1 on June 1, 2010 at 12:29 pm

Dinner and a movie â€" coming soon to Williamsburg

View link

jflundy
jflundy on May 30, 2010 at 3:24 pm

Comparing this photo with 1973 photo posted by Harvey shows that correct name on 1947 marquee to be WasBurg Playhouse W.McBurney as I wrongly projected it to be. That is a photo of the Williamsburg Playhouse in 1947 with a shorthand name on the marquee.

jflundy
jflundy on May 30, 2010 at 1:13 pm

Here is a link to a photo taken on Broadway, August 20, 1947, by Ed Doyle. It shows a movie theater marquee on the right side. The name appears to be W.McBurney Playhouse. Is this the Williamsburg as it was known in 1947 or can some one tells us where this theater was located ?
View link

ahodara
ahodara on January 17, 2010 at 7:41 pm

Hello All. My nam is Alan, and I spent the first five years of my life at 202 Keap St. near the corner of Lee Av. The Joe of Joe’s Luncheonette (louieb’s April 6 post) was my grandfather. I spent many Saturday nights during my younger years putting together the Suday paper, which came delivered in sections. I never attended the theaters mentioned since I was part of the “great migration” of the early ‘60’s. But we didn’t go far…just to the Midwood section of Brooklynâ€"Nostrand and K. I invite you all to go to my blog at ahodara.blogspot.com to read my short story “The Store”-my fictional picture of Joe’s store and life in Williamburgh in the early ‘60’s.

Tantive7
Tantive7 on October 16, 2009 at 5:16 pm

OMG HARVEY..I cannot believe that I’m even seeing this Picture,,This is truly amazing,I wish I could step into This picture,and just walk around the street,I clearly remember The Mirrors on The Wall as you walked in here..I miss this place so much..and this picture was taken in 1973,and I was born in 75…If anyone has more pictures of this place,Please post them up especially from The Inside of The Theater..A million Thank you Harvey!!!!

Harvey
Harvey on April 11, 2009 at 1:09 pm

1973 photo of the Williamsburg here.

Bway
Bway on April 6, 2009 at 3:28 pm

Here’s a Google Street View of the old Williamsburg:

Click here for link. Oddly, it was done at night

michelemarie
michelemarie on March 19, 2009 at 3:59 pm

Dear Tantive7
I remember when that moviehouse began to show Spanish Movies, before the Comodore did..The republic was almost gone by then. So we had downtoun Brooklyn or Greenpoint to go to see a good show..and yes I wish someone would post a pic also, it has been a long time for me also.anniegirl

Tantive7
Tantive7 on March 18, 2009 at 8:10 pm

Will someone please post-up a picture of the theater,It has been so long since I have seen the place,and YES,they did show Spanish Movies there.“Cantinflas Movies” “TOBI” And they showed alot of other movies there too..

michelemarie
michelemarie on March 18, 2009 at 5:32 pm

Dear Lovethetheaters, and what about Stevens Ice Cream next door to the Williamsburgh..all that candy, cartoons, and soft serve Ice Cream afterwards.WOW…anniegirl

Scholes188
Scholes188 on March 17, 2009 at 5:25 pm

when did they start showing Spanish language movies? In the photo the marquee is advertising movies in Spanish.

Goodheart
Goodheart on March 17, 2009 at 5:01 pm

I just about lived at the Williamsburg Theater in the 1940s and 1950s. I believe I paid .14 cents to get in and enjoyed two features, cartoons, a serial and 3 stooges or Our Gang comedy.
Those were the days.

michelemarie
michelemarie on March 17, 2009 at 2:45 pm

Thanks Cypress, looking forward to seeing the old place….anniegirl