Meserole Theatre
723 Manhattan Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11222
723 Manhattan Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11222
11 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 212 comments
Greetings Warren. Maybe the CT admin could determine what happened to your post.
But as far as the magnified size of photos from linked-to sites, you may want to try going directly to the “brooklynpix” site via your search feature. Then click on the “Theaters 1” link in the margin. (That’s where the Meserole pic is.)
My WebTV is probably the oldest, non-computer server still going.
And often if I just search for a site directly, instead of clicking on an embedded link, I’m able to reach the site in a different size. Not always. But I have a “Resize Page” key if it’s the wrong size.
There’s two wonderful photos of the Meserole on the brooklynpix.com website. One historic, and one in later years:
View link
View link
That' right Bway..Thanks for the info. My daughter who is a computer wiz says you are right..Anniegirl
Mine still go to my normal mail. All you have to is click “not junk”, and most email programs will ask if you want to put that email address on your “safe list”, and that should fix the problem.
Wow, Bway, almost like, and even “better” than, the RKO Madison.
It’s sort of ironic, as I believe as a store, the balcony is still intact upstairs, with the seats still in it!
Earlier today, I stumbled over the Meserole’s 1922 certificate of occupancy. It permits a 1,990 capacity. This confirms both what Warren and I previously noted that the real capacity of this theater was far higher than the far lower number – 1200 – provided in the title. Specifically, the lower number specifies the functioal capacity that existed in the theater’s waning days when the balcony was no longer used. This confirms another finding regarding the Greenpoint RKO, where the 100 or so difference in c of o versus announced capacity probably reflected the functional loss of the small second balcony, which was never used during that theater’s last decade of existence.
Dear Warren, I made a copy of the advertising to show to my husband and we watch TCM when a good old movie is playing. Since he was raised in Astoria, he will remember the Triboro….Thanks for the info..anniegirl
Thanks, Warren. That’s good to know.
Thank you for all the condolences. Butch, will email you back in 48 hours. Peter K., could you email me back at – need a favor. Anyone with any knowledge of my uncle, Brian Sosnowski please email me directly. Appreciation To All! Ron
Brian Sosnowski was my teacher in the 1969-1970 academic year, and a good one.
Yes, Brother Brian, the first five books of the Old Testament are the pentateuch, not the pentitude, as I once mis-heard and mis-spelled it.
Dear Ron,
I did not know Brian, however I offer my condolences to you and your family….anniegirl
Ron Wheeler, I’m sorry to read of Brian Sosnowski’s tragic death. He was my 9th grade religion teacher at St. Francis Prep. I offer you my condolences.
Do you still contact the Brown Sisters Dolly and Teresa and their younger brother Bubba, By the way Henry Schwenk married Paulette Godlewski who was my best friend. Henry graduated 8th grade with my sister Mary Anderson in Transfiguration School on Marcy Ave and Hooper Street in Williamsburg. I was one of Paulette’s bridesmaids. Her sister was her maid of honor. They lived on Noble Street Do you keep in contact, if so could you give them my e-mail address and we can communicate with each other. I would love to contact Paulette and Henry again, we have lost touch for many years now. My e-mail address is Thanks Butch. Anniegirl
I practically grew up in McCarren park. hung out in the pool for many years. I knew the Brown sisters & Zowie. The name Schwenk rings a current day bell. My daughters in-laws have a friend with that name. Their name is Vintis (from the South Side).
Dear Butchofthepoint,
Did you ever hang out in McCarren Park..A few of my friends were Eddie Dzierowski. He lived on Loimer Street between Wythe and Bedford right across from the park..I also hung out with Bubba Brown who’s sisters were Dolly and Teresa Brown..They lived on Bedford on the North Side.. Paulette Godlewski (now Schwenk) married to my Sister Mary’s friend Henry. Zowie( can’t remember his last mame. The Dietz Sisters Donna and Tina, they also lived on Bedford on the North Side..We all hung out in and around the park in the 60’s. I was going to e-mail you but decided to write to you instead on this thread. By the way Warren’s picks of the Meserole are fantastic..A true treasured memory of the Meserold Theater. anniegirl
Ron Wheeler
My email is
Ron Wheeler
I knew Brian when we hung out on Leonard St. behind St. Anthonys.
We were a group know as the COUSINS. Sorry to hear of his passing.
Hello All,
I was doing an internet search on Brian Sosnowski and it led me to this sight. My name is Ron and I am his nephew. I’d like to start a chat concerning him or head out to the Point to talk further…to anyone that knew him. I’m sorry to say that he was killed by a drunk driver in Bayville out here on the Island back in 1983. He left a wife and 4 children…yes, he left the brotherhood. Please post!!!
Dear Warren, When I hung out with friends on Loimer Street, where the loading dock is on the left is where we sat a many a afternoon into the night….What good times we had on that block and of coarse going to the mezzie on Friday nights when a good movie was playing….anniegirl
This theater still has “seats” as the balcony’s seats are still up there, lol!!!
Since the numbers that Warren cited were generated by the theater’s managers, I guess the 1,200 figure represents the number of seats that were actually used – and reported as capacity – in the Meserole’s waning days of operation, when the balcony was not open. The Building Dept’s public assembly capacity data for the Meserole – if it is available – could provide more official confirmation for these conjectures.
The one thing I do know is that no independent factor, such as the reduction of capacity due to fire damage or building renovation, had anything to do with this. This distinguishes the Meserole from the Graham Theater, where a damaging fire that occurred in the 1930’s provided powerful circumstantial evidence for the capacity reduction that occurred at about that time.
Well of course if that is the case, Warren is correct, as the seating capacity should show the seating in the entire theater, not just the lower level, but the orchestra level plus the balcony. I don’t know why it changed by 20 or seats over the years on either side of 2000 from 1926 to 1945 to 1957, but I would agree that 2000 would be close enough, either that or the original number which would be 2006 using the year 1926’s capacity, or the most recent available which would be in 1956 showing 2016.
Warren, it could be that the Meserole had a first floor capacity of 1,200, wirh the balance situated in the balcony, which was both quite large and rarely used. While the balcony could once have served as the Smoking Section, by my time, smoking was allowed in the 10 or so rear rows on the right side of the lower floor. In any event, I could easily imagine 1,200 seats on the first floor – but probably not very much more.
Hope this is helpful.
During the late 40s and early 50s as kids we went to the Meserole almost every Saturday during school summer vacation. (PS 126) Most times we got the admission fee by snagging coins through the subway gratings along Manhattan Ave. We would stick a wad of gum on the end of a Good Humor Popsicle stick attached to a ball of string and lower it through the grating atop a coin and carefully hoist it back up through the grating and into our pockets. On good days, we gathered enough coins to even buy candy and soda as well as to see many a memorable matinee!