Palestine Theater

Who located this theater? I've been asking about it under the Academy of Music. In the late 1960's it still existed as a movie theater. Does anyone know when it closed?

With this name, did it show films (or live shows) of primarily Jewish interest?

Ron,

I don,t remember the exact movies I saw there, but I know it did not have the first run movies that the big movie chains had. I also remember especially the 15 part serials of Batman, Superman , Dick Tracy that many other movie theaters in the area showed, especially in the late 1940's. On the Lower East Side you had the Ave B, American Movie, Palestine, Loews Delancy, and the Apollo.

If this is the theater I recall, it was very close to the Williamsburg Bridge and informally called the "Clinton Street Theater". It was small and off to the east of the Loew's Delancy and Ratner's bakery shop.

I think you’re mistaken. The theater you must be thinking of is the Apollo Theater, which was just south of the Williamsburg Bridge on Clinton Street. It was right next to a police station, and closed
either in the late 1940’s or the early 1950’s. It is listed on this Website.

The Palestine on Clinton Street just a few steps South off Houston Street had a name change in the early 1960's, it became the Winston. It was still around during the 1970's.

A c/o dated September of 1926 was issued for a 1219 seat theater at this address. Architects name on the certificate is Eugene DeRosa.

My memory must be playing tricks on me: I remember the Palestine Movie being on Second Avenue. i went there often in 1953-54 to see double features, mostly black and white 30's and 40's classics (never first runs).

CORRECTION: I meant Avenue B (NOT Second Avenue)

The Palestine used an advertising address of Clinton Street near Houston. Here is a 1940 paper programme that would have been four pages when folded. The first image shows the title page at right. The movies were a mix of fairly recent and oldies:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/pal01.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/pal02.jpg

Cool, Warren!
This brought me back.
I could have sworn it was on Avenue B, but the facts speak louder (and clearer) than memories.

Despite its name, the Palestine was a mainstream movie house, but Yiddish films were probably shown there from time to time. The Palestine was one of four cinemas on the Lower East Side that were built around the same time in the 1920s and originally operated by Harry Blunderman and Charles Stemer. The others were the Mecca, Apollo (later leased to Loew's), and the Ruby. I believe that all have listings at Cinema Treasures...What is the evidence for the later name of Winston? The theatre is still listed as Palestine in the 1957 Film Daily Year Book, which was the last of those annuals to carry names and addresses of New York City cinemas. It seems possible that the name was changed to distance the theatre from political and religious debate over the partitioning of the so-called "Holy Land."

Into the 60's the Palestine was renamed the Winston.

Perhaps in honor of Winston Churchill, who played a major role in the partition of Palestine?

The NYT had the theater in the wrong borough in this July 1951 article:

2 BANDITS ROB THEATRE; Brooklyn Telegraph Office Also Held Up by Lone Raider

Two armed men held up the manager of the Palestine Theatre, 11 Clinton Street, Brooklyn, yesterday afternoon, bound and gagged him and got $377 from the office safe.

I went to the Palestine/Winston when I grew up on the Lower East Side. They played a lot of sci-fi movies, such as 'War of the World" w/Gene Barry & "When Worlds Collide" by George Pal. On the corner of Houston & Clinton, there was a lunchonette, where we got lime rickeys and pretzels.