Comments from philipgoldberg

Showing 126 - 136 of 136 comments

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about Marcy Theatre on Oct 24, 2002 at 7:40 am

This theater was near Broadway on Marcy Avenue in Williamsburg. My wife and her grandmother used to go there in the 60s to see movies.

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about RKO Orpheum Theatre on Oct 24, 2002 at 7:39 am

This theater stood a block east of Flatbush Avenue on Fulton Street, diagonally across from the Stand and the Majestic. Now it’s a parking lot for the BAM Harvey Theater (formerly the Majestic).

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about Loew's Oriental Theatre on Oct 24, 2002 at 7:36 am

It had a grand lobby with a sculpted dragon in the ceiling. unfortunately parking was at a premium in the area, and without a parking lot, Sony Theaters scrapped plans to convert it into a multi-screen theater. It’s closing marked the end of the Loew’s era of theaters in Brooklyn…for now, at least.

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about Kings Theatre on Oct 24, 2002 at 7:32 am

The Kings was one of the five Loews Wonder Theaters (175th Street, Valencia, Pitkin, and 72nd Street were the other four). It had a small shelf balcony and a grand lobby with a curving staircase. At one time there was even a basketball court in the basement for the staff. A scene from “Sophie’s Choice” was filmed in the theater but unfortunately wound up on the cutting room floor.

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about Albemarle Theatre on Oct 24, 2002 at 7:29 am

I think it was part of the Century chain, then Fox Eastern and then Mann and finally Cineplex Odeon. Its projection booth was below the balcony. It was the last theater to remain open on a strip that contained the Loew’s Kings, the Rialto, the Patio and the Ascot (which I was told was a small theater with rear-projection).

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about Coliseum Cinemas on Oct 24, 2002 at 7:24 am

This theater was once part of the RKO chain. It was closed with the orchestra section gutted and converted into retail, while the loge and balcony where carved into first two, then four small screens. Dolby was never added to any of these screens, and from what i have heard there were often problems with the projection and air conditioning. Sometime in late June, these theaters closed and have remained so since.

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about Flatbush Pavilion on Oct 23, 2002 at 2:51 pm

was built by silent film funnyman John Bunny, who also built the now-closed Nova. Throughout its history, it was an indoor mini-golf course, a XXX house called the Plaza and then it was revived as a first-run house called the Plaza and then the Plaza twin before being sold to the owner of the Pavillion Theater. To my knowledge it is the oldest operating movie theater in NYC.

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about Bay Ridge Theatre on Oct 23, 2002 at 2:25 pm

after its run as a movie theater, it was home of boxing matches for a short time. it also housed, and my still, a bingo hall in the rear of the building.

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about Avalon Theatre on Oct 23, 2002 at 2:23 pm

the theater’s last movie was Raging Bull, and was one of the many theaters that once populated Kings Highway or were just off Kings Highway, like the Kingsway, the Jewel, the Highway, the Nostrand, and the Marine.

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about RKO Albee Theatre on Oct 23, 2002 at 2:21 pm

the site is now home of the Galleria, a troubled multi-level shopping mall.

philipgoldberg
philipgoldberg commented about Grand Central Theatre on Oct 23, 2002 at 2:17 pm

the site is now home of a wine store, and if you go inside you can see—fully restored—the star-filled arched ceiling of the theater’s lobby.