Boulevard Theatre

This theatre is now a furniture store and a children's clothing store.

For many years after Loews closed the Boulevard it was operated by an independant who called it The Puerto Rico. They created 2 or 3 theatres in the balcony and kept the huge orchestra as it was. They presented live Spanish shows, I think in collaberation with the Commodore in Brooklyn. Many times they only ran movies in the upstairs cinemas because the main house was so big to heat and air condition.

Thomas W. Lamb designed this Beaux Arts theatre, which first opened on November 1, 1913, with a reported 2,187 seats. Vaudeville was the main attraction until 1917, when movies were given equal billing and a three manual Mollar organ was installed to add to the musical accompaniment. Over the years, much of the Boulevard's ornate auditorium was painted over or draped to make it appear more "modern."

The address for the Boulevard is incorrect. The street's name is Southern Boulevard, not South Boulevard.

The Boulevard was one of several Bronx theatres that Marcus Loew purchased from the Picker family, which is still active in the movie industry today. Eugene Picker had a long association with Loew's Theatres, eventually becoming president (and the last before its takeover by the Tisch brothers). Eugene's son, David Picker, became a studio head and independent producer. David's sister, Jean Picker Firstenberg, is currently CEO of the American Film Institute. Other Picker-built theatres in the Bronx acquired by Loew's were the Spooner and Burland, as well as the Oriental in Brooklyn, according to a recent telephone conversation that I had with David Picker.

To view several recent pics of this grand old theatre building, see my web page at:
http://kraybill.home.mindspring.com/41/41theatres.html

Here is an ad from it's Puerto Rico days.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Coffy.jpg

I'm not sure that this was ever called the Puerto Rico, a name that was used for another Bronx theatre, originally the Forum, at one time. Here are two views of the Boulevard as an Hispanic showcase after Loew's discarded the theatre:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2939_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2942_IMG.jpg

A Moller organ Opus 2439 Size 3/16 was installed in the Boulevard Theater in 1917 at a cost of $6000.00.

Your right! It was never called the Puerto Rico. It kept playing spanish movies as the Boulevard till the early 80's. When it sadly closed. Remember going to see a couple of spanish movies in the mid 70's. And was very impress with how awsome it looked. Sorry to see it closed and turn in to what it is today.

Today's New York Times obituary of comedian Jan Murray, who was born and grew up in the Bronx, mentions the theatre: "When Mr. Murray was a boy, his mother would take him to burlesque shows and to the 25-cent vaudeville performances at Loew's Boulevard Theater. After she became ill and could not leave the house, he would memorize the acts and perform them at her bedside."

The "Also known as" needs to be corrected. The Boulevard was never known as the Puerto Rico. That was another Bronx theatre with the original name of the Forum.

Two photographs I took of of the Boulevard Theatre in June 2005:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/225271610/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/225272318/

Loew's Boulevard can be seen in this photo.

A new link for the Loew's Boulevard photo is here.

Here are new links to images described above on July 28th, 2005:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2939_IMG.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2942_IMG.jpg

Lost Memory's photo posted above on 7/1/08 dates from 1940 as the two features playing are '40 releases. Front of marquee reads as follows (best I can decipher):

FRENCH WITHOUT TEARS with RAY MILAND
MEN WITHOUT SOULS with BARTON MACLANE
PLAY TRIPLE SCREENO TONIGHT 8:45 . CASH

That's not "Lost Memory's photo," though he'd like you to assume so. It belongs to "Back in the Bronx," which has it displayed on their website. Lo Mem merely posted a link.

Thanks Erwin. You have great eyesight.

This is for "Warren". Could you limit your verbal diarrhea to one or two theater listings? Most of the people using this site aren't interested in the idiotic messages that you try to pass off as a comment. Besides, your beginning to bore me.

This was the Boulevard in 1971.

See my photos at http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/22276.html