Kinema Theatre

Raym-Do you remember Kaye’s discount store on Essex and Pitkin, the Men’s Store, Italian Deli and Dry Cleaners on the same store? How about the Brower family. We also went to the City Line on Liberty Avenue?
http://myspace.com/berriman64
I went there to see The Birds also.

The Kinema was the other theater in East New York that I went to when not going to the Biltmore. The Kinema was located on Pitkin Ave. around the corner from JHS 64 which I attended. I would go over to the Kinema each Wednesday when the shows changed and look into the lobby to see what was coming the following week.
Saw many great horror and Sci-fi films at the Kinema, many starring my favorite Vincent Price: The Fly, House of Usher, Pit and the Pendulum, The Raven, etc. Saw many other wonderful films from many of my favorites there: George Pal’s “The Time Machine,” Ray Harryhausen’s “Mysterious Island” and “First Men in the Moon,” the Disney rerelease of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,"in 1963 etc. etc.
On a cold day in January 1963, the G.O. of JHS 64 rented the movie out for a closed showing of Poe’s "The Raven” starring Price, Karloff and Peter Lorre. The next day I read where Boris and Peter Lorre would be making a personal appearance by the Kinema to publicise the film. I begged my father to take me, but since I already saw the film, he took my sister instead. That Saturday night, a massive blizzard hit New York and it took them several hours to get home, despite our living only about 7 or 8 blocks away. I was home at the time watching “Have Gun, Will Travel” and “Gunsmoke"in my nice warm house. Oh well.
The Kinema had numerous Saturday matinees featuring Sci fi or horror films. Like most other theaters it had these bitter, angry old maids known as "matrons” to control the kids. During one rather raucous matinee I can remember one kid flinging his sneaker and hitting the matron right in the head. I wasn’t concerned because they were rather nasty women, I always felt they would have been right at home working in the concentration camps.
The Kinema was not as big as the Biltmore, but I think it might have had a small balcony. I remember on weeknights my mother would go there with he friend, as the theater gave away free dishes.
By the way, does anyone who went to this theater or attended 64, remember a small deli a block away owned by a balding man named Moe?
I still remember his potato knishes which he would slice open with a sharp knife, spray a dollop of mustard in and a ton of salt.I keep trying to recreate his knishes but I’m never quite successful We also loved his watered-dpwn ketchup which we would douse our fries with. Does anyone know what happened to Moe? I remember his place so clearly. There was also a chinese restaurant across the street that was owned for a while by the family of my brother’s friend. In the summer sometimes my father would take me to eat dinner there and we would go across the street to see films like “The Long Ships” or “633 Squadron” there. It was great.
The Kinema, the Biltmore, I practically spent half my childhood in those theaters. What great memories of better times.

anyone remember Sutter Ave. and Dan’s Supermarket across from Cypress Hills projects? There was also a dentist right next to Dan’s. It was Dr. Friedman, I think. Also a luncheonette at corner and dentist was inbetween diner and Dan’s market. sorry, but I’m going crazy with all this nostalgia!

Everyone called it the “Kineema”, with the accent on the second syllable.
It was well loved by everyone.
“What’s playing at the Kineema?"
The Kinema was where you went to see movies.
There was no need to leave the neighborhood.

I love to read about the old East New York. My Mom went to Berriman JHS 64 & lived in East New York. We currently still reside there. I’m 32 Yrs old, I remember passing a vacant 64 coming home in 80’s. I pass the movie theatre everyday on my home from work. It’s still standing but unfortunately it’s still vacant. If there are any reunions for old classmates of 64 I’d love to pass the info on to my mother. She graduated around 65..

do any of the people who hung around at the embassy luncheonette remember a guy named Henny Metzger ?

Hi SunnyLady

No to your question did i attend Berriman. Our family originally came from Glenmore Ave. between Elton St. and Linwood St.In the late 40,s we moved to Cleveland St. between Atlantic Ave.and Fulton St.
Our crowd hung at the Embassy Luncheonette, next door to the Embassy theatre. Attended St.Rita,s then on to F.K.Lane. Lasted there 5 mo. then moved on to E.N.Y.Vocational high. Stayed in Bklyn until married. Then moved to L.I. Been here ever since. Actually quite a few people i know are intewrested in going to the Reunion next year.
How bout you? Still local?

HI Sunnylady, Are you referring to the Reunion that Paula Sorvello
is putting together in Oct. of 2008.? If so this will be quite a blast. Hear there are many people lining up to attend.

Anyone remember when the Kinema Theatre was picketed for the showing of “ The Outlaw” staring Jane Russell . The Nuns and Priests from St.Rita,s formed a picket line outside of the Theatre. This was back in the forties i believe. Us kids were scarred to go in.

The Kinema was my home away from home. I grew up living in the Cypress Hills projects and went to PS 64 from 1954 until I graduated in 1961. I remember paying twenty-six cents admission, which was great since my mother gave me fifty cents, which left twenty-four cents for candy. If I bought the six-cent candies like root beer barrels, Dots, Jujubes, and Good & Plenty, that gave me four treats to last me through two full-length movies, cartoons and a newsreel. Kind of took up a whole day, didn’t it?

Oh who can forget those matrons in the white dresses and white orthopedic shoes? They were like prison guards, weren’t they? The kids used to throw popcorn and candy wrappers at them lol.

I’d love to hear from fellow Brooklynites who went to PS 64 (Berriman Junior High School). There’s going to be a big neighborhood reunion in 2008 for all the schools in East New York. Should be a great time!

Photo of Kinema circa 1938 at http://www.tapeshare.com/Pitkin.html

robbie – would like to email you regarding kinema. Reachable at

Loved going to this Theater as a kid. Saturday matinees in the late 50’s cost 26 cents. Candy Counter was on the right as you entered the theater. The matrons reminded me of the SS. Saw Martin and Lewis movies, 3 Stooge shorts, The East Side Kids, The Delicate Delinquent, April Love and tons of monster movies including Rodan, 20 Million Miles to Earth, House of Wax. I recall they also had dish night for the adults. Once held the distinction of being thrown out of the theater once when the clod I was with started annoying some girls sitting in front of us. The appliance store across the street was where I bought my 45’s.

My friends mother was just talking about all the times she went to this theatre in the 60’s.