The Plaza Theatre was a wonderful, independently run neighborhood theatre. I spent my childhood at the Plaza and have many fond memories of it. My Mother, Jean Bruno owned The Plaza in conjunction with a Belgian gentleman named George. My Mother started working at The Plaza as a ticket-taker, well before 1940, as far as I know (possibly 1933). She and George ran The Plaza until she died in 1961. George then decided to retire and he and my Father disposed of its equipment.
Those of you who fondly remember their visits to The Plaza may recall my petite, Mother and her indomitable spirit.
Despite what The Film Daily Yearbook 1940-1955 editions state: The Plaza was not primarily an African American attended theatre for most of its existence. The demographics of theatre attendees reflected the changing demographics of South Jamaica. Up until at least the mid-Fifties, The Plaza was primarily attended by first generation Italian American, Polish American and other first generation Americans and immigrants of European descent, who lived in South Jamaica. As these individuals moved out of Jamaica to the suburbs, African Americans increasingly made up a larger percentage of theatre attendees.
I don’t know what other writers are referring to when they mention the Plaza Boys. My Mother was a no-nonsense person who never tolerated any roughhousing or other disrespectful behavior.
The Plaza Theatre was a wonderful, independently run neighborhood theatre. I spent my childhood at the Plaza and have many fond memories of it. My Mother, Jean Bruno owned The Plaza in conjunction with a Belgian gentleman named George. My Mother started working at The Plaza as a ticket-taker, well before 1940, as far as I know (possibly 1933). She and George ran The Plaza until she died in 1961. George then decided to retire and he and my Father disposed of its equipment.
Those of you who fondly remember their visits to The Plaza may recall my petite, Mother and her indomitable spirit.
Despite what The Film Daily Yearbook 1940-1955 editions state: The Plaza was not primarily an African American attended theatre for most of its existence. The demographics of theatre attendees reflected the changing demographics of South Jamaica. Up until at least the mid-Fifties, The Plaza was primarily attended by first generation Italian American, Polish American and other first generation Americans and immigrants of European descent, who lived in South Jamaica. As these individuals moved out of Jamaica to the suburbs, African Americans increasingly made up a larger percentage of theatre attendees.
I don’t know what other writers are referring to when they mention the Plaza Boys. My Mother was a no-nonsense person who never tolerated any roughhousing or other disrespectful behavior.
I have a picture of The Plaza in its heyday.