American Theater

I went there yesterday to see Superbad. It was a funny experience. People there were talking to the screens and stuff. The workers there aren’t at their places, but I was overall pleased with the film. The film quality wasn’t that great (all the way to the left of the screen was all blue) but what do you want for 6 bucks. I will definitely go there again.

I visited the American last Saturday night to see ‘Flushed Away’ and was overall impressed with the theatre (the film was pretty good, too). The lobby is in excellent shape, and while the auditorium I was in – the main right orchestra – was a little run-down (slight water damaged on the ceiling, the floor in need of a paint job in spots), and the men’s room stalls didn’t have doors, it’s obvious Stewart Epstein knows he has a valuable and all-too-rare commodity on his hands (a neighborhood movie house) and does the best he can in maintaining it on a presumably limited – at best – profit margin.

Something of interest regarding the exterior…

If you go around the back of the American, there is a big blank wall and on it are several ‘terra-cotta’ statues mounted on it of entertainers (a dancer, a juggler (?), and a few others…if they are still there).

Also, this theater had TWO marquees: the one in the front and, in addition, one in the rear near the above-mentioned wall and statues, which originally highlighted the ‘main attraction’ without actor’s names. As time went on, I think they stopped advertising the ‘main attraction,’ and just put up some generic statement on it, like “Take Your Family To the Movies!” or something like that.

There was also a tunnel adjacent to the theater, going from the back to the front. This was not part of the theater, per se, but it was apparently built to allow access to the tenents of the Parkchester Housing Development who lived in the rear of the theater access to the front without going around the block. Another covenience, like the second marquee, for both the Lowe’s Corporation and the “theater-going public” of Parkchester!

Loew’s American Theater opened in December 1940.

One should also notice the terra cotta sculpture that adorns the facade above the entrance. Most parkchester buildings have some type of terra cotta adornment or statuary above building entrances and near the roof lines.

The current layout is as follows:
The orchestra level has a dividing wall right down the middle. In each of the two auditoriums, the back quarter has been walled off creating two more, totaling four downstairs. Two seat approx 380 each; two seat approx 80 each.
The balcony was also twinned—one side seats approx 250. The other side was divided again creating two auditoriums, each seating 105. The total is seven.
The operation of the American is top-notch. A great place to see a movie!

Thanks for that info, Divinity. At least we can count our blessings that the American is still open for business, what with the loss of so many theatres in the Bronx over the last 10-15 years…

Do any original architectural elements remain in any of the seven auditoriums and what is their layout?

The American now has 7 screens.

i do not want to see the theater close down at all because it has benefit a lot of people in the world but i do hope they renovate it. like i said before it keeps those off the streets. i wish they had more places like american theater to better our community.

He was the same owner of the Utopia, Center and Parsons.

Ive lived in the bronx my whole life and i have seened the changes that the theater has undergone.upon the purchase by mr. epstein the theater has remainded dilapidated. there is a tremedous rodent problem, i have witness poor handling of the food more than once and with the exception of a small few, the staff ( the young ladies behind the stand) are extremely rude! despite all of its flaws it does serve a positive purposes for this neighborhood.it makes me feel good to see these young kids working rather then them being in the street.

i believe it was originally a Loew’s house.