Comments from boerumhill1849

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boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Werba's Brooklyn Theatre on Aug 31, 2008 at 7:54 pm

This photo was taken near the corner of Tillary looking south down Washington near the corner bowling alley. On the left is the Washington Street entrance to the Alcazar Theatre, which was just renamed from the Columbia Theatre the year before. See the note near the end of this NY Times article.
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The full theatre was on the corner of Tillary and Adams. It was eventually demolished around 1930 as the Post Office seen here was extended back. The area was redeveloped later as seen in this 1994 NY Times article.
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Adams Street was massively rebuilt after WWII to improve traffic flow with the building of the BQE.
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You can see the area in 1907 at the upper center of this Bromley map.
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Hope this helps!

Erik

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Loew's Melba Theatre on Jul 23, 2008 at 9:00 am

Excellent! I’ll be in touch soon when I can get focused on the book again as “the day job” is quite busy right now.

Erik

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Loew's Melba Theatre on Jul 23, 2008 at 8:42 am

Fantastic! I’m now going to make Keeney’s Theatre / Loew’s Melba into one of the longer pieces in my book. Your info has knitted together many loose pieces that I had into a much better story. You are in the NYC area, I assume? I’d love to trade some sources at some point to help each other in our history endeavours.

Erik

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Loew's Melba Theatre on Jul 23, 2008 at 8:23 am

Wow! That is some great, great work Warren! I’m working on a book about the history of Boerum Hill, Brooklyn and your info is tremendously helpful.

Could you repost the below piece as I can’t get the link to open anymore?
Here’s a portion of a 1929 programme:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/134-3436_IMG.jpg
posted by Warren G. Harris on Aug 21, 2005 at 4:52am

Thanks again!

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about SoNo Cinema on Jul 16, 2008 at 1:08 pm

Here is the link to a pay NY Times article about the SoNo in 1980 trying to stay in business while showing various films.
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boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Rialto Theatre on Jul 15, 2008 at 11:50 am

Here is a link to another pay NY Times article describing the first pre-release adventure movie showing of 1923s “The Bright Shawl”. Director John S. Robertson of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” fame was in the audience at the Rialto Theatre then.
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boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Rialto Theatre on Jul 15, 2008 at 10:17 am

It was run by Warner Brothers when a moviehouse.

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Rialto Theatre on Jul 15, 2008 at 10:15 am

Here are some answers on this one: The theatre was built in the late 1870s by Mortimer Hoyt, hence the sometimes name of Hoyt’s Theatre. It was officially called the Rialto Theatre. It closed in the fall of 1959 due to declining attendance associated with the rise of television. An October 24, 1959 NY Times on the history and closing of this theatre (including its time as a movie theater) can be found at this link, but it is normally a pay link.
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It is a thriving restaurant today in South Norwalk.

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Loew's Melba Theatre on Jul 11, 2008 at 9:25 am

Interestingly, this theatre is often thought to be the one where Fanny Brice got her start (Keeney’s Theatre on Fulton Street) around 1905. This location was full of old houses only then. Keeney’s original theatre was the old Criterion Theatre at 966 Fulton Avenue near Grand Avenue which he took over around 1900. Keeney’s first theatre DID show movies later as seen in this 1908 article in the New York Times.
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boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Loew's Melba Theatre on Jun 3, 2008 at 7:47 pm

Here is the 1941 link again:
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boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Werba's Brooklyn Theatre on Jun 3, 2008 at 7:35 pm

Cheers! I’m writing a book on the history of the brownstone Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn, NY so, this stuff is right up my alley!

Erik

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Werba's Brooklyn Theatre on Jun 3, 2008 at 11:06 am

Here is a general blurb on the often chided H.R. Jacobs in the NY Times from the 1890s. He was not liked in the papers for his often “in your face” anti-labor tendencies.
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It seems he took over the lease in 1888 of the rebuilt Conway’s Brooklyn Theatre, which suffered the devastating infamous fire of 1876 taking nearly 300 lives. Here is a Brooklyn Eagle link to the event.
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The Brooklyn Theatre was located on the south side of Johnson Street between Washington and Adams with the original Clarendon . When Jacobs lease ran out in 1890, the building site was sold to become the new home of the Brooklyn Eagle.
June 3, 1890 Brooklyn Eagle
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March 26, 1890 comments about the Star Theatre on Jay Street being built to fill the demand for theater in the area:
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With all that said, why did the Brooklyn Eagle have a picture of the building in 1930? I think that Brooklyn Public Library copy was of the theatre before demolition in 1890. The Hotel Clarendon did rebuild on the north side of Johnson Street between Fulton and Washington Streets before the area was annihilated for the Brooklyn Bridge entrance improvements in 1936 and later part of the Cadman Plaza complex. Reviewing these four photos of the 1936 area demolition makes me pretty certain that H.R. Jacobs did not rebuild the Brooklyn Theatre as well. The new Clarendon was much taller and had the cupola which looks nothing like the “1930” Clarendon.
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But why doesn’t the “1930” Brooklyn Theatre" look like the photos after the 1876 fire?
http://www.josephhaworth.com/brooklyn_theatre.htm

My thoughts are that the three year rebuild of the theatre significantly altered it by the time H.R. Jacobs took it over in 1888. There is no mention in the Brooklyn Eagle of the Brooklyn Theatre or H.R. Jacobs in Brooklyn after the demolition in 1890.
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Erik in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Werba's Brooklyn Theatre on Jun 3, 2008 at 6:18 am

The Montauk Theatre was in fact the theatre moved in the angelfire link above.

Follow the below link to the 1898-99 Ullitz/Hyde map, Pan and Zoom to the upper left and you will see the original Montauk before the Flatbush Extension.
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Here is the 1907-08 Bromley map after the Flatbush Avenue Extension was bulldozed through. Use the Pan and Zoom feature to zoom in on the lower center and you will see the now “Sagamore Theatre” on 464-470 Hudson Avenue.
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The start of the move is noted in the NY Times second from the bottom here:
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The reopening under the name the “Crescent Theatre” is seen here in the Times on the second page right column under “Brooklyn Amusements”.
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Quite an engineering feat with old technology!

It would be correct to add “Sagamore Theatre” to the “Also known as” list at the top of this entry, although I have little idea how long, if at all, it was known by this name.

Erik in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Starr Theater on May 29, 2008 at 12:31 am

There definitely was a Star Theatre at 389 Jay Street. Go to the below link of 389s CofOs and you will see it was there. It was sold off in 1939 and likely demolished until 1954 when it was built as the Fulton Savings Bank. The bank remained until conversion to the present stores in 1999.
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The ultimate proof is seen here showing the Star in 1930 as a burlesque and vaudeville theater. Use the Pand and Zoom feature and you can see everything.
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Go to the Brooklyn Eagle site keyword search at
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Use “Star Theater” “Jay Street” and you will find scads of hits. The best is below telling the whole plan as of 1890.
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Go here to the New York Times archive and you will find the 1939 article about the Star Theatre going into receivership. You will have to pay to read the full article if interested.
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Hope this helps! The Star Theatre at 389 Jay Street in Brooklyn should ABSOLUTELY have it’s own entry.

Erik from Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

boerumhill1849
boerumhill1849 commented about Cinart Theatre on Apr 2, 2008 at 10:12 pm

Photos of the Borough Hall Theatre in 1922 and 1931 can be seen here:

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