RKO Bushwick Theatre
1396 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
1396 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
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Here are the sppoky photo I promised previously.
I agree. The interior photos are even better. Do you know if there are any available inside photos of the Bushwick Theater aside from the old one that has already been linked to here?
Also interiors of the Ridgewood (current or past), Glenwood, Colonial (current or past), or Monroe Theaters if Warren or anyone else knows of any. Also an exterior or the Monroe or Decatur would also be appreciated.
Heck, just keep all of them coming!
BTW Warren, keep all these photos coming, they are GREAT.
Warren, the congregation that was originally in the RKO Bushwick was in fact the same group that is now in the Loews Gates down the road. I don’t know what the reason was that they left the Bushwick for the Gates. It is interesting what a twist of fate it was though, the Gates is preserved pretty nicely, and well maintained. Interesting had it been the Bushwick instead of the Gates. We all know what happened to the Bushwick after the church left. It died a very slow death for over about 30 years. In perhaps it’s final hour, it was saved, at least it’s exterior for the school that now sits within it’s shell, but it’s grand interior was lost forever. It was totally beyond saving by that point anyway, but at least it wasn’t razed completely.
It’s neighbor the Gates though may not be a theater anymore, but it’s interior is all intact. Churches are perhaps the least destructive post-theater use a theater could have, and most theaters are lucky to have found a church to fill their walls.
Yes I heard they started out at the Bushwick and then moved to the Gates.
This picture of the RKO Bushwick is spooky and a bit out of focus. I have some other pics of this theatre pre 2002, during its' renovation.
Jan 3, 1967 Warner Brothers released “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” on a large neighborhood run. It was mostly RKO houses. In April after it had won the 5 Academy Awards it was re-released to almost the same run of theatres but paired up with “The Oscar” Tony Bennetts one big starring role.
Acorn High School for Social Justice, part of the NYC Department of Education, is housed in the former theatre.
Warren you had me beating my brains out on this one.I kept hearing
Paul Newmans voice.It wasn’t Quo Vadis it had to be The Silver Chalice. Thanks for refreshing a tired old memory.
I don’t know, but I assume it was from the middle of the middle of the balcony. Yes, I agree the balcony seems quite steep!
I wonder if they ever played “Vertigo” in the Bushwick Theater…..
By the way, I can certainly see that ornate “beam” getting in the way of the screen once up a few more rows of seats from where the old photo was taken.
The RKO Bushwick’s interior
The RKO Bushwick’s Interior
Coming from Williamsburg and growing up in Bushwick in the forties
I never saw a movie balcony like the RKO Bushwick.
The RKO Bushwick wasn’t always packed full so the balcony wasn't
really a problem.It was only when they showed a spectacular that
could fill the house that it would bring the balcony problem
to light.The RKO Bushwick was a fine theater.One of ythe best in the
area.
Of course I believe the RKO Bushwick was built as a Vaudeville legit theater, so of course all the seats probably weren’t “good” when the screen was added later. This may be true for many of the old legit thetaers that later showed movies.
I remember lots of feet that looked like Lion Feet.:–)
Also heard voices and couldn’t figure out if the guy on the
right side was talking or the guy on the left.
At least you saw the face of St. Peter crucified upside down !
It’s funny that no one has mentioned the balcony of the RKO
Bushwick.My friends and I went to see Quo Vadis there.The movie
theater was so packed there were only seats at the top of the
balcony.The problem with that was if you were seated in the top
area of the balcony you couldn’t see the whole movie screen.It was
cut off by an overhang.All you could see was the bottom half of the movie.So we all saw the bottom half of the actors and heard their voices.Believe me it was memorable.
http://www.disassociate.com/lost_big_thumb03.html
In the new film THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES the two lead boys travel into Argentina. They go to a town that has a newspaper called the Austral. The building they drive up to is shown in longshot. Believe it or not, it is the same design as this theatre, right to the curved front with the porthole at the bow, near the roof. It is not as high but certainly the same design. Have a look, the fim has been in release for only a few months.
Holy cow, Apollo,
I just read your posting and you mentioned a name that I hadn’t thought about in over 50 years, Cheap Charlies. As a kid I used to go there all the time and buy garbage. I remember the woven finger trap and the drawer with the secret compartment when you put in a penny and it disappeared. Do you remember the pharmacy on Ralph & Putnam? He was my father’s best friend.
Bway: Yes, the lesser of two evils!
Quote:
Brian: That was my exact thought….why get rid of that seal.
The only thing missing from the fasade of the RKO Bushwick is the marquee and that little round window up top. The theater was in complete shambles. In photos I have seen from before the construction began, while it was abandoned, the ornamentation around that little round window were already damaged and gone.
Quote:
*I’m for educating our youth, but why this Lamb theatre!?! *
I agree, but unfortunately the theater was a wreck before the construction began. Years of abandonment and neglect had taken it’s toll. The roof and theater were all open to the elements, and water found it’s way in. The interior was in pretty sorry shape.
I hate to see it gone as a theater, but it was either something like this, or we could be taking photos of an empty lot. This is the lesser of two evils, and at least the exterior was preserved.
I’m for educating our youth, but why this Lamb theatre!?!
Brian: That was my exact thought….why get rid of that seal. Do you know what was on the seal or if there was any wording? After looking at the present day photo it looks like a good job was accomplished in preserving the building, but keeping the seal and perhaps some of the ornate and elaborate exterior design would have been a nice touch!