Walker Theater
6401 18th Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11204
6401 18th Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11204
9 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 81 comments
EDR… I am not sure, but rumors surrounding it claim it was either given- or sold to the Loews Jersey after being in storage somewhere for a few years.
The Walker Wurlitzer theatre organ (HNP 2/10) was restored in the 1970’s or early 80’s. Does anyone know what has happened to it?
New Years Day of 1970 was a mid week holiday, After having dinner at my grandparents house, the adults would play cards or talk in Italian so us kids could not understand them. The Walker had a double feature that week. Playing was “Krakatoa, East of Java” – in reality it is West- and “The devils Brigade”. I went with my younger brother because there was not really anything to do. “Krakatoa” was a Jules Verne like adventure of a disparate group of people on a steamer in the area of the volcano and earthquake. It was a good movie that I really enjoyed. The co- feature"The Devil`s Brigade" was a “Dirty Dozwn” type WWII movie that was also entertaining in it1s own right. This show was so good that we went to see it again on a Saturday night a few days later in early 1970.
Nothing in the Walker was allowed to be destroyed when it was converted to a store. The theatre could be put back together very easily. Blame UA (who else) that this is not a theatre anymore.
Robert R … Amazing, isn1t it? This show was playing at 28 theaters in Brooklyn in 1968. 37 years later, Brooklyn has exactly 9 theaters left.
As built, the Walker had no seperate entrance from the inner lobby to the orchestra section, but after the theater was renovated in the early 80s, one was added.
There is now a “ANNIE SAYS” and a “Mandees” clothing shop where the Walker once stood. When you enter, there is a slight upwards incline that was left from the original outer lossy, A security guard stands in exactly the same place where the ticket taker once stood. It almost seems like you are entering the theater but, of course you are not. Spoke to a maintenence person and he says that all the decorative work in the theater is covered by false walls and celing panels. Wonder if the shoppers here have any idea of the great theater that once occupied this space?.
Christmas 1968, check out the size of this print run. In Brooklyn 28 theatres
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Theaterat,
Can’t wait to see your collection!
My grandparents lived near the Walker. One of my grandfathers card buddies was Jake, the manager of the Walker.From 1965 to 1971, I was able to get into the Walker Free! All I had to do was say the password and the ticket seller would let me{and one guest}in. Once inside, we had run of the th\eater and we could sit wherever we wanted to. Naturally, we always sat in the first row of the loge section of the balcony. It was great! Even when the balcony was closed we sat there. Many were the great- and not too great films I saw here. Since the neighborhood where the Walker was was practically my second home, this is one theater{ along with the Oriental} that I can say I practically grew up at. I have many items to post concerning this theater that I intend to post in the very near future.
Saw The Thrilla in Manila there. Ali vs. Frazier. Great fight. I remember the place being very smokey.
UA booked almost every closed circuit fight into the Walker. They always did huge business there.
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The Walker was one of my favorite theaters growing up. I lived on 18th and 81st so the Walker was within a short distance. Saw my first James Bond movie there (Dr No.) Other films I saw there include:
Goldfinger
Pay or Die
Purple Gang (whatever happened to this film?)
The Great Race
Marriage, Italian Style
Operation Bikini (b-war movie with Tab Hunter, Frankie Avalon and Jim Backus. Ho'ws that for a cast!)
Boy’s Night Out
Notorious Landlady (Jack Lemmon film that deserves a DVD release!)
This site mentions Clay Cole doing his Rock & Roll shows at the Walker Theatre.
http://www.brooklyn.net/my_bklyn/my_bklyn_074.html
In the 1980’s I was lucky enough to actually attend 2 live concerts at the Walker. Helen Reddy came and did a wonderful show and, believe it or not, there was actually a double bill of Kay Starr and Rosemary Clooney ! Right in Brooklyn ! Kay did one of the greatest show-stoppers I’ve ever seen: a medley of “For The Good Times” and “Help Me Make It Through The Night.” What Days ! Frankie
I remember back in the 70’s traveling up to the Walker on 18th Ave.because they had a midnight showing of the original Night Of The Living Dead.What a scary flick! Anyway,I had forgotten about this theatre,sorry to hear it closed. I’m surprised since 18th Ave. is such a busy shopping area.I also recall they showed a lot of Italian films.
I was born in 1939….and went to PS48 and Shallow Jr High……
and lived at 1945 60th Street between 19th & 20th Ave…..the WALKER
Theater was a big part of my childhood….my parents took me there often and I remember my MOM and Aunts getting FREE PLATES when we went there… I think they were mostly DINNER size…….
The first movie I ever saw without parental supervision was a real hoot….2 boys from my block took me to see “ABBOTT & COSTELLO meet FRANKENSTEIN”….and I was scared out of my wits……..it was a real adventure…..after that I went to the movies with just friends often…..and on special occasions my FATHER took me……
I always thought the WALKER was such a beautiful and exciting place to go
I was born in 1960. I live in Florida now, but lived in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn (on 60th Street between 19th & 20th Avenues) from ‘60-'69. From '69-'88, I lived on Staten Island. I remember seeing movies at The Walker Theatre as a child. For some reason “One Million Years B.C.” with Raquel Welch in 1966 stands out. Back then, going to the movies was like a “special event”! I remember the theatre was beautiful & impressive, especially to a kid. I remember walking along 18th Avenue, with my mom often. Stores that stand out in my mind are the toy store “Joyland”. Also, “John’s Bargain Store” & “Berta’s Bargain Store” which would both be equivalent to a dollar store today.
Gerard—,
molto bene! Yes, there was (is?) an Italian community in that neighborhood that could support an Italo double-bill. The neighborhood also supported a terrific restaurant that had moved in from the Old Bklyn Navy Yard (Navy Street), where Frank Sinatra (and Ava!!) ate in the early ‘50s. It was named La Palina, and it engineered (heh, heh) great meals before or after the show at the Walker.
My only visit to the Walker (I’m from R.I.) was on October 23, 1978 when I went out by subway to see two Italian films that were showing there. The theatre was still single-screen. It seemed a impressive place though a slightly dingy one at the time. For the record the films were “Totosexy” with the popular Italian comic performer Totò and Mario Camerini’s “Il Brigante Musolino,” about a bandit from Calabria. It starred Amedeo Nazzari and Silvana Mangano.
by the by, does anyone know when this closed. I seem to remember the changeover happening in the late 80s or early 90s
when a retail space takes over a theater, there’s usually no way to tell the place was ever a theater. Not so with the Walker. You can just tell from the marquee and lobby-like interior that it was a beautiful movie palace. It’s retained much of its original architecture. Maybe someone will bring a theater back here someday.
The Walker theatre may not have been a “true” atomspheric theatre, having a more ornamental and expensive ceiling, but its designer certainly incorporated many elements of Eberson’s concept of making the interior of the theatre like an elegant garden. It is interesting to note that The Walker was built in 1927-the same year that the atmospheric Universal & Fortway theatres opened(both not too far from the Walker). In any case, anyone who had the good fortune of actually seeing a a show in this theatre, would probably agree that it was one of the most beautful theatres in Brooklyn.
The sky was blue, but like mentioned no clouds or twinkling stars. When the theatre was multiplexed all of the side arches and murals were restored and relit. Like I mentioned in an earlier post the quad was built like a free standing shell to not ruin the walls or ceiling. I have been told everything is in place and that the present store only occupies the lobby and part of the orchestra. Even the marquee is under the present sign. What a shame it is not being used as a theatre, it’s a great busy area. As for The Marlboro it looks like UA is actually going ahead to multiplex it. I dont know how many scrweens, and part of the reason the Midaway turned out as good as it did is that UA sold the building to real estate developer Elias Heskell who did the renovations and UA got the right to operate the theatre.
Warren,
I believe the Marboro and Walker were “Cousins” Do you have any info on the Marboro such as the builder etc. I think the Marboro was always movies due to the lack of dressing rooms but I may be wrong. If you have any info on the Marboro, Can you please post it on the Marboro page? Thanks!
-Mark