RKO Proctor's Theatre
116 Market Street,
Newark,
NJ
07102
116 Market Street,
Newark,
NJ
07102
12 people
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Showing 26 - 46 of 46 comments
Fun piece of trivia:
Did you know that LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka’s play A BLACK MASS premiered at Proctor’s Theatre in May, 1966? It was, I suppose, a sort of homecoming for Jones who had had several successes in New York City the previous two years—most notably including DUTCHMAN in 1964.
I remember Proctors from it’s final years as a Full Time Movie House, when I saw the Jerry lewis classic, Whose Minding The Store there, to the time in the early 1970’s when it was used for “Special Events” only, like Boxing Telecasts (in the days before Cable) and school programs.
Proctors, along with downtowns 2 other closed, but still standing movie palaces, The Adams, and the Newark-Paramount are all within a VERY short walk of the new Prudential Center Arena.
Perhaps NOW, one of them can be rescued.
Ken
Plus the Adams theater (formerly the Shubert) sits vacant just around the block. Lots of history at that place, going back to the 20’s. There’s also the Paramount just up Market Street.
Unfortunately, the City sinks all of their arts money into the new Performing Arts Center and neglects the decaying palaces.
Amazing set of theaters in the building based on the photos posted above. Such a shame its just another decaying piece of our history.
..sorry – yes Market street is correct
My father was a postmaster onboard the USS New York in 1945 …. so thought the contact could have been while he was in the Navy
He would be 84 years old
I found among my fathers papers a business card
Peter
Beauty Shoppe
Complete Beauty Service
Permanent Wave Specialist
116 Mark Street Newark, N. J.
Proctor Theatre Buidling
Market 2-6890
on the back is a pencil note 3:00 Call Pete
would this have been during the time the theatre was active ?
Here is a 1987 photo by Michael Putnam:
http://tinyurl.com/2cuw93
Warren, I have added substantially to John William Merrow’s biography at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_Merrow
He was my great-uncle. If it was you who put him up on wikipedia, thanks.
Warren is correct. Those postcards are not the RKO Proctor’s on Market Street.
Another old postcard:
View link
Old postcard:
View link
Here is an ad from when RKO opened the Penthouse cinema upstairs
View link
One of Fred Astaire’s earliest performances was at this theater on
July 23-28 1907.
Small view of the RKO Proctor’s sign in this vintage postcard:
View link
I have some very clear photos of the front and top, with a closeup of the carving at the top and the left-hand mask. When viewed from the side you can see that it definitely was a movie palace. It’s now a sneaker store. Down a bit on Market is the Newark Paramount. The marquee on that theater is still intact, but the lobby houses something else.
Frankly, it’s depressing to walk on Market street. There are so many buildings speaking of former glories that now are just junk.
The architect, John William Merrow, was F. F. Proctor’s nephew. He was born 15 Aug 1874 in New Hampton, New Hampshire, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1897 and attended the architectural course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was employed by Proctor Theatrical Enterprises “supervising the building of numerous theatres in and out of the city, in addition to keeping all of the houses owned by Mr. Proctor up to modern requirements and standards” for about 18 years prior to his death 11 Apr 1927. From “New York Telegraph”, 12 Apr 1927.
Opened in 1905 as Proctor’s Palace Theatre and Proctor’s Palace Roof Theatre.
“Manager Proctor’s Newark venture has proved successful beyond expectation, and from the opening performance the theatre has been filled almost always to capacity. At one of the first performances the crowd was so great that when the doors were opened the inrushing people wrecked the ticket office and the picture frames in the lobby and caused General Manager J. Austin Fynes to issue orders that doors should be opened a half-hour earlier than had been deemed necessary.” From the New York “Mirror”.
“This playhouse is recognized everywhere as having the most fashionable clientele of any vaudeville theatre in America. Favored with a central location and a perfect auditorium, this playhouse holds a unique position on Mr. Proctor’s circuit.” From the souvenir pamphlet, “F. F. Proctor’s Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Jubilee, Celebrated at Poctor’s Fifth Avenue Threatre the Week of April Ninth, Nineteen Hundred and Six”
I have seen it then. I remember looking at the building and it is clear to see that it housed a theater. I might try and get up there and take pictures of the building. The area is ripe for for redevelopment.
How far is this theater from Newark/Penn Station?
Also, does anyone have any information on The Little Theater located on Broad Street?
Warren, it’s been a long time, but I’m pretty sure there was an elevator in the lobby.
When I saw it, the Penthouse was in really bad shape. There was extensive water damage, and this was 25 years ago!
This is a huge theater building, and we were able to do a walk through around 1978. They had many, many levels of dressing rooms, and the place was in bad shape. (Somebody said they had closed it in the late 60’s right after the Newark riots.) When we saw it, there was quite a bit of plaster damage from a leaky roof, and entire sections of the ceiling had collapsed onto the seats. Keep in mind this was nearly 25 years ago. I can only imagine what kind of condition it’s in now.
Up until the early 90’s, the building still had the original marquee, and a huge curved RKO vertical sign at the top of the facade. The vertical was removed and the marquee was covered over when they converted the long entry lobby into retail space.