Monroe Theatre

4 Howard Avenue,
Brooklyn, NY 11221

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Showing 26 - 50 of 93 comments

Bway
Bway on April 6, 2008 at 11:23 am

I did some research into this, and this is as far as I could get. The one corner which is a bigger lot recently had condos built on the site. The address is 532 Broadway. This is the lot that has the construction on it in the Local.live image. Next to that is an L-shaped piece of property, which wraps around the condo building and the main part of the property wraps to Lynch St. Youc an see the L shaped property also on the local.live image. it’s address is 27 Lynch St Block 2238 Lot 27, but also is “at the corner of Broadway and Throop, because of the angle that Throop Ave comes in at. (lost memory, perhaps you could look into those two lots with whatever you use to find out about them).
The larger lot, that is vacant, is actually a bunch of smaller lots that had their buildings taken down. None of them large enough for a 1600 seat theater.
The only other prospect would be the school that is on the block bounded by Throop, Walton, Lorimer, and Harrison. It looks like a "newer” school, and is close to the corner of Bway and Throop, that it could have been considered. I guarantee it’s one of those three locations.

Bway
Bway on April 5, 2008 at 4:40 pm

Does anyone know anything about this “Gayety Theater” mentioned? I never heard of this one, and there is no Gayetu Theater listed on this site. (Did it ever show film?). 1600 is a decent sized theater, when did it close, and when was the building torn down? If it did show film, it should be added to the site. I did a local.live search, and the birds eye view doesn’t show any building remaining there that could be a theater. It would have been near the Lorimer St station on the Bway El. Any information about this theater would be appreciated.

Here’s the local.live image of the current location, perhaps it was where that large corner vacant lot is?

View link

jflundy
jflundy on April 5, 2008 at 9:46 am

In 1927, the Brooklyn Eagle lists the Monroe Theater at B'wy and Monroe seating 600, as part of the Keith’s Circut. Teller’s Schubert Theater at B'wy and Howard seating 1800 was run by Teller and Ascher.
The Gayety at Throop and B'wy seating 1600, resident manager Frank Abbott (father of famous son).

Bway
Bway on March 27, 2008 at 12:27 pm

Here’s a current view of the old Monroe Theater location.
The RKO Bushwick’s doors peak at the left, with it’s disticntive cherobs holding the “B” for Bushwick:

Click here to see photo

PKoch
PKoch on October 4, 2007 at 9:27 am

Yes, Bway. The Gates and Empire were closer to Bway-Howard-Monroe than were the Casino and Colonial : it depends how far out you want to go.

There was also the small Pictureland Theatre at Bway and Lafayette Avenue.

Bway
Bway on October 4, 2007 at 9:14 am

And if you throw in all the others nearby, like the Gates, Empire, Casino, Colonial, and the list goes on….that stretch had a HIGE amount of theaters at one time.

PKoch
PKoch on October 4, 2007 at 7:16 am

Thanks, Bway. That area of Bway, Howard Avenue, and Madison and Monroe Sts. is now beginning to seem like the “Forest Hills Movieland” of its day, that is, the Midway, Forest Hills, and Continental 1, 2 and 3 Theaters all within a few blocks of each other at Queens Blvd., Continental Avenue and Austin St.

Bway
Bway on October 3, 2007 at 5:22 pm

I should have said it “was” across the street from where McDonalds is now….it was torn down years ago.

Bway
Bway on October 3, 2007 at 5:21 pm

The Century Theater was right next door to the Monroe Theater, except on Monroe instead of facing Howard. It’s right across the Street from Mc Donalds, and caddycorner across the street to the RKO Bushwick. That’s 4…yes 4 theaters on 4 adjoining lots basically….
Here’s more on the Century Theater….

/theaters/8279/

PKoch
PKoch on October 3, 2007 at 2:44 pm

Bway, where on Monroe Street was the Century Theater ?

Bway
Bway on October 3, 2007 at 2:32 pm

The Century Theater was also right there on Monroe……

PKoch
PKoch on October 3, 2007 at 8:10 am

Interesting thought : The Madison, at 1410 Bway, the RKO Bushwick, at 1396 Bway, and the Monroe, at 4 Howard Avenue, all open and competing within a block of each other.

PKoch
PKoch on October 3, 2007 at 7:16 am

Thanks Lost Memory. I never knew “that” Madison Theater, at 1410 Broadway, even existed, until now.

PKoch
PKoch on October 2, 2007 at 2:24 pm

Interesting, Warren. Howard Place, not Howard Avenue ?

Yes, it could have been the Monroe Theater, or an earlier one that occupied the same site. 4 Howard Avenue is between Monroe and Madison Streets.

Situated on Broadway ? The Bushwick Theater had been on the parcel of land bounded by Broadway, Howard Avenue, and Madison and Monroe Streets, since September 11, 1911, so I doubt it would have been there. Perhaps the Eagle mistakenly referred to the Bushwick Theater as the Madison-Monroe Theater ?

Any more clues from the article, Warren ?

PKoch
PKoch on October 2, 2007 at 11:52 am

You get to watch 15 to 30 minutes of commercials, before the feature goes on, most of them coming attractions, to get you to buy tickets for still more over-priced, over-hyped movies, or high tech products you can’t afford, and are better off without.

arthurmike
arthurmike on October 2, 2007 at 10:47 am

Hi All, I also remember getting the color cards from the GO organization for the Empire Theatre for Saturdays. Of course I gave them out ,so I always went for free,if you know what I mean. Also they always gave you something like ice cream ,colling books or raffles . Not to metion china ware. What do you get today besides the ticket! Nada

arthurmike
arthurmike on October 1, 2007 at 10:09 am

Hi Rose did you know my brother Allan Murphy or his best friend Ronald Green from JHS57?(1955-1958) I also went to PS26 and knew Ritchie Havens during the period of 1954 before they closed the school.Warm Regards would love to hear from you. Mike Murphy

Patsy
Patsy on May 31, 2007 at 1:22 pm

PKoch: Yes, I have no doubt that other folks on this site can and will come up with more information and hopefully PHOTOS!

PKoch
PKoch on May 31, 2007 at 12:05 pm

Well, Patsy, let’s see what the other folks on this site can come up with.

Patsy
Patsy on May 31, 2007 at 11:27 am

I can’t be of much help to you, unfortunately and have no personal memories of these NYC theatres as I didn’t grow up in that part of the Empire State. The theatre that really interests me is the Monroe as I’d love to see/find a photo to show my friend whose late father had the memories and shared them with his son and wife often.

PKoch
PKoch on May 31, 2007 at 10:11 am

Patsy, do YOU have any idea where such photos of the Monroe might be found ?

I did a thing going on 3 years ago, called “Els showing the cinemas”, in which one of the chief fan sites at which one could see images of these old theaters was nycsubway.org (Bway knows what I’m talking about) but, unfortunately, the Monroe was not one of them, or, if it was, I missed the image.

For example, there were images of the Ralph-Rockaway Avenue trolley, in which one could see Loew’s Empire in the distance at Ralph and Lexington Avenues and Bway, also the tower for the old Lex el turnout in the bargain. Or, a block away, looking east on Gates Avenue from Ralph Avenue, a view of Loew’s Gates. Or many images of the Gates Avenue station on the Bway el showing the RKO Bushwick in the distance.

Patsy
Patsy on May 31, 2007 at 7:38 am

I sure hope someone posts exterior and interior photos of the former Monroe. CT member, Lost Memory usually comes through for me so hopefully LM will come through for me on this one, too!

Bway
Bway on May 31, 2007 at 7:33 am

Very interesting!!

Patsy
Patsy on May 31, 2007 at 7:23 am

The status of Lucy’s appearance is unknown, but according to my friend’s late father Lucy was on the Monroe stage.

PKoch
PKoch on May 31, 2007 at 6:13 am

Thanks, Bway and Patsy.