Kingsway Theatre

the architect was R Thomas Short

The Kingsway opened on April 27, 1921, it was first twinned in the seventies eventually becoming a fiveplex by 1984. Originally part of the Long Island Century circuit which later merged with RKO and then was taken over by Cineplex Odeon in 1986. The Kingsway was closed by Loews Cineplex in January 2001. It is currently slated to become a Walgreens Drug Store and a health club.

Location: SW corner of Kings Highway and Coney Island Avenue.

I recently drove past the old theater and noticed that large squares have been cut through the outer walls on the Coney Island side and the Kings Highway front. My guess is that the new tenant wants lots of natural sunlight.

This former theater is now a Walgreens drug store. Sad transformation.

Theatre number 5 was located in the former stagehouse of this Brooklyn Movie Palace.

The Kingsway was the first theatre, or at least the first I remember, in Brooklyn that was TWINNED.

I lived a few blocks from the theatre on Ocean Parkway. I remember the first movie to play in "theatre 2" upstairs was Mel Brooks' Silent Movie.

The Kingsway's main auditorium always had a FABULOUS curtain. It was lit from the bottom in such a way that it looked like it had these deep circles, and it went up instead of opening side to side, like most did.

Since this was the first to be twinned, they really didn't know how to make a new theatre, without the no longer needed ammeneties of a classic vaudville theatre. That being the case, the second floor, which was the balcony and housed theatre 2 had it's own stage and curtain (although a very plain curtain) even though these things were not needed any more.

Later, the theatre was turned into a TRIPLEX, by dividing the lower auditorium into 2, and then a QUAD by divinding the upper auditoriums into 2.

Eventually, they took the "backstage" area, and made it into Theatre 5.. with it's own entrance and Marquee on Coney Island Avenue. You had to walk around the side to get in.

Even though theatre 5 was an add on, it was very plush, and even had a balcony of it's own.

As a child, a friend and me used to get in "for free" by telling the ticket taker we wanted tos ee the manager, whose office was to the left of the entrance doors. He would point us in, and we would dart up the stairs to see a movie.

This theatre was owned as far as I can remember by Century, which later became ALMI CENTURY, and then ALMI CENTURY WARNER.... then it became RKO CENTURY and finally was purchased by Cineplex Odeon.

At the end, this theatre was only open for 3 shows in the afternoon and evening.

There was a fantastic mural on the wall of this theatre which portrayed old time Brooklyn. The theatre also was "competing" with the Oceana for being the biggest. While this theatre grew in screen size, other Century theatres left the scene including the Avalon farther up Kings Highway, and the Mayfair on Avenue U off COney Island Avenue. As a kid, I remmeber thinking they would TWIN all the other theatres and we would have lots of screens all over... but they didn't.. they just closed them down.

I miss the Kingsway... it was the theatre of my youth. It had this unique theater smell when you walked in. I wish I know they would close so I could have seen one more movie... at the end I am sure it was dumpy like most became... but another drug store (especially with one right accorss the street) is more dumpy in my book!

Mike

The Last time i was at the Kingsway was in the early 90's it was a Satuday night and people were actually drinking and smoking in there.It was in theatre 5 which was as noted around the corner from the other entrance so i guess they didint really keep an eye on things there. I only went there a couple of times but every time was for the most part a negative experience.

I went to see Jacobs Ladder there it was summertime, there was a probelm with the A/C which cut off before the previews and it quickly became paked and about 100 degrees inside. The sound cut on and off and about 30 min into the movie i left and asked for my money back .

There was ALWAYS a problem with the AC here, but it was charming nonetheless. Upstairs there was a concession stand that must have been used at one time, but was no longer used by the time I was there seeing films. RKO Kingsway was scary as security was not tight, particularly by the bathroon. Nice murals on the side, lovely balcony entrance (for show; not for use). A real loss to the neighborhood.

So much could have been done with this theatre, not everyone who lives in Brooklyn wants to go to The Sheepsead Bay. On the weekend the exit is backed up onto the Belt Parkway.

The upstairs consession standf was rarely used... Only on weekends years ago when they had very full house...

The please was a dump at the end, but mos tplaces that are not kept up become that.... It would have been a great theatre to save and keep.

Brooklyn's first "twinned" theatre!

Michael if only you saw the area this theatre was in you might re-think your ignorant and uneducated comment.

I'm sorry to see this theatre remembered as the RKO Kingsway when it was built and first operated by A.H. Schwartz, whose Century Circuit ran it for most of its life. The RKO name became attached in its last years due to a corporate merger involving RKO, Stanley-Warner, Century and others.

Ron,

I see the area all the time... I grew up there and am back through there once a month. it is a fine area.

And, YOU are the ignorant and uneducated person on here. People can type whatever they like here, and if you have a problem you should explore some professional help choices, and not attack people on a message board that you do not know.

You obviously have some sort of strange problem so please keep it to yourself.

Warren,

I will always remember it as the CENTURY Kingsway....

I also rem,ember the CENTURY Avalon, and Mayfair.... which others were DCentury theatres in Brooklyn at that time???

During the mid 40's the Century Theatres in Brooklyn were: Albemarie, Avalon, College, Elm, Farragut, Kingsway, Linden, Marine, Mayfair, Midwood, Nostrand, Parkside, Patio, Quentin, Rialto, Tivoli, Triangle, Vogue.

You forgot the Oceana and Sheapshead Theatres.

From the financial standpoint, Century was one of the most mysterious theatre circuits. It was often wondered where Century got the money to build so many theatres in Brookyn, Queens and Long Island, most of which were subsequent-run situations. Nicholas Schenck, chairman of Loew's Inc., was rumored to be a "silent partner." RKO Theatres (long before the eventual merger with Century and other circuits) was also said to own a substantial interest.

Does anyone remember the old brand in Ny "Red Carpet Theatres" and also "Blue Ribbon Theatres"?

If so, which theatres carried those names.. I only vaguley remember comemrcials ending with "Now playing at a Red Carpet Theatre near you."

What other brands were there back then.... and is Loews not owned by Sony any more?

Those names started with "Premiere Showcase," which United Artists coined for the New York area premiere of "Road to Hong Kong" in 1962. After that, other distributors tried copying the idea and name, but UA claimed exclusive rights to "Premiere Showcase" and its rivals finally had to switch to using other names. Whatever the name, the theatres in that group often changed with each new movie. A theatre could be "Red Carpet" one week, and "Blue Ribbon" two weeks later. "Premiere Showcase" was designed to break the longheld New York area dominance of the Loew's and RKO circuits, so none of their theatres were included for the first few years. However, as more distributors started forming their own showcases, Loew's and RKO eventually suffered product shortages and had to let their theatres become part of "Showcases."

Wow... Warren you are a wealth of knowledge....


Can I ask you.. what is the history of the Goldens chain? I worked at the Oceana for awhile... (I know we are on the Knigsway site)

Mike

I can't believe this theater finally closed. When I lived on West 13th street we would go there all the time to see the movies. The last movie I saw there was "The Haunting"in 1999 (which was a major dissapointment). But I saw "Spice World" there and I saw "Titanic" there and I saw "Wild Things" there. I also saw "Hoffa" there with Lisa when I was going to Brooklyn College. Sad news indeed.

Here is some information on the seating capacity for each of the Kingsway's auditoriums. Theatre 1: 433 seats, Theatre 2: 429 seats, Theatre 3: 315 seats, Theatre 4: 550 seats, Theatre 5: 450 seats.

Here is a quick Kingsway update: There is now a Jennifer Convertibles/Leather Store in the former backstage-stagehouse area of the Kingsway, directly behind the Walgreen's Drug Store. Someone is also working on building something in the former upstairs theatre part as well, sheetrock walls are being put in.

THE KINGSWAY IN TH E 90S WAS THE STEPCHILD OF RKO / CINEPLEX ODEON THERE BOX OFFICE # WERE NEVER WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN . A nice local theater.Theater 5 was a strange set up but was the nicest in the theater.

This place was never kept up properly, with the right management it could still be open. Not everyone in Brooklyn is a fan of the Sheepsead Bay.

Mike Radio: Remember the small Triangle and the independent Jewel bet. E.7th & 8th on Kings Highway?

This was not the first theatre to be twinned in Brooklyn. Prior to this was the Benson, Rugby, Beverly (by Golden) and the Alpine (by Loew's). Century was a bit slow at twinning their propeties. The Rugby was done in 1974 and the Benson a year earlier. The Beverly was done in 1975-6 and didn't last to long after the twinning.

this was a very nice theatre as a twin I saw "Star Wars" as a kid only 8 or 9 yrs. young this theatre was breathtaken. I could only Imagine it during the single screen days. I saw it in the downstairs auditorium. I've went to this theatre quite a few times it wasn't that bad a pretty cool nieghborhood theatre in fact if it were still open I'd still go there even though I live in Jersey. They could've done a lot with this theatre if anything this couldv'e been an arthouse.

i dont ever see this as an art house not the crowed.

I remember when they first started to empty out the area where the entrance to back stage was. They emptied out tons of old costumes, probably from the old vaudville days. Sadly, all those garments when directly into a dumpster. Its a crime, when this sort of thing happens. Its like finding a time capsule, and just destroying it, and not realizing what it could reveal about our own self...

the kingsway was at its peak in the 1940s
crowds would line around the block to see ;make mine music'
'the best years of our lives;' 'a stolen life' 'laura; ;state fair;
'song of the south''dragonwyck' 'up in arms; 'walk in the sun'
the kingsway of the 40s featured mostly warner brothers and twentieth century fox films
benbonus@yahoo.com
albertpeckman

The Kingsway was reportedly the top grossing theatre of the Century Circuit prior to the end of World War II. Because of that, it was permitted to play day-and-date with the RKO and Randforce theatres in Brooklyn that were first-run for their neighborhoods. That limited the Kingsway to Warner Bros., 20th-Fox, RKO and some Universal product, since Loew's had an exclusive on MGM, Paramount, United Artists, Columbia and some Universal.

Touro College now occupies the entire second floor space, where the balcony and bathrooms used to be in the former RKO Century Kingsway Theatre. It looks like the entire building is now fully occupied, it's a shame we don't have a theatre to go to anymore.

Mike...
The Kingsway first made into a quad in '82 when the backstage area waa made into a theatre with "Annie" being the first movie shown in that auditorium then turned fiveplex in '84 just in time for the release of "Ghostbusters".

Ok Sorry I am wrong about thw twinning. I was about 7 back then, and just remembered the theatre was closed for renovations (said that on the marquee) and then it reopened, and all I remember is that SILENT MOVIE with Mel Brooks was the first feature to play upstairs in theatre 2.

I am too young to remember the triangle.. heard about it though.

I remember thinking how great it was when the theatre was twinned because I thought they would do the same to the Mayfair and Avalon. Avalon is a drugstore now. Mayfair was torn down to make a McDonalds.

I saw EARTHQUAKE IN SENSORROUND at the Mayfair.

Me and friends used to sneak into the Kingsway by saying we wanted to see the manager, so they'd show us to the manager's door right next to the entrance, then we would dart up the stairs to a movie.

bad kids.

Dear all;} Mike mentioned some posts up about a mural on old Brooklyn that hung at the Kingsway. Does anyone remember anything about that mural? We are searching for a mural that once was at Brooklyn's Borough Hall and are curious if it could be the same.

Thanks to all!

Leonard

The following is a New York Times — March 17, 2002 story on this theater:

"Opening night at the Kingsway Theater, April 27, 1921, featured speeches by local civic leaders, vaudeville acts and some songs performed by Mabel McKinley, a niece of the former President William McKinley, according to The Brooklyn Daily Eagle.

The once-majestic theater - at he bustling southwest corner of Coney Island Avenue and Kings Highway in Brooklyn - is now being converted into two floors of retail space with 18,000 square feet on each floor.

The Kingsway, which cost $250,000 to build, quietly closed as a five theater multiplex in early 2001 after being swept up in a sale of unprofitable theaters by its last owner, the Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation.

"The Kingsway couldn't stand the test of time," said Mindy Tucker, a spokeswoman for Loews, which closed more than 100 theaters in the last few years. Loews filed for bankruptcy protection in February 2001.

Robert K. Futterman & Associates is the leasing agent. A Walgreen's drugstore is to open in 10,235 square feet of ground floor space by August, and a national health club is negotiating for 10,000 square feet on the floor above.

"The very best corner location is our ideal," said Carol Hivey, a spokeswoman for the Walgreen Company, the drugstores parent, which now opens a new store on the average of every 17 hours nationwide.

The numbers of potential customers, in cars, on foot and even pushing strollers, made the location attractive to retailers. "There is immense amount of car traffic on Coney Island Avenue, and Kings Highway is a carriage street with a lot of foot traffic," said Jack Dushey, owner of Jenel Management which in a partnership bough the site for $5 million in January 2001.

"I was very shocked when they closed the theater down," added Mr. Dushey, who grew up nearby and recalled seeing a safari movie in 3-D there in the 1950's.

The Art Deco marquee came down last November and was scrapped because it could not be integrated into the new exterior.

"Most of the facade is going to be masonry piers and glass arches," said John Schimenti, whose architecture firm in Lynbrook, N.Y., is handling the $2.5 million conversion.

The original theater, seating 2,219, was designed by R. Thomas Short for A.H. Schwartz and the estate of Henry Miller, and had an Austin Company pipe organ with three keyboards according to an index card tucked away in the archives of Theater Historical Society of America in Elmhurst, III". -Rosalie R. Raomsky

The Kingsway was originally part of the Century Circuit, which included the following Brooklyn Theatres: Avalon, Patio, Midwood, Mayfair, Marine, Albermarle, Farragut, Nostrand, Rialto, Elm, College, Triangle, Vouge, Parkside & Quentin.

The Kingsway was the Brooklyn outlet for the first Premiere Showcase in 1962.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/RoadtoHongKong.jpg

This was a great place to see the big musicals. I saw "Sweet Charity" and "Paint Your Wagon" here. frankie from Brooklyn

When Cineplex Odem took over, they had at least three main theaters left in Brookly: Kingsway, Fortway, and Alpine. This was BEFORE the merger with Lowes. All three theaters had AC issues. The Fortway and Alpine were rennovated at least more than once, if not twice, while the Kingsway never received any renovation. The seats were old and crappy, and the place was going downhill. I spoke to a manager once, and he said that they had big plans for rennovation, but that the theater was a landmark and they were having issues with permits - which I do not believe. Cineplex Odem was also a shit chain, they had this con job with popcorn butter where they asked you if you wanted extra butter (an extra 25 cents) and they kept getting you. If you said that you didn't want the extra butter, they would put it in anyway (or not) and charge yoyu anyway. BIG SCAM, anbd it was hard to catch it becase unlike the other chains, they charged tax on the purchase instead of showing prices with tax included. This paractice (extra butter) finally ended with the merger with Lowes.

Maurice Sendak, the 78 year old author of classic children's books relates in an article in today's, 8/02/05 Daily News how poor he was living in a terrible neighborhood and the only fun he had was at the Kingsway Theatre where he would watch a double feature and a cartoon usually a Mickey Mouse. This inspired him to draw his own cartoons and later became the artist and illustrator of books like "Wher the Wild Things Are" and "In the Night Kitchen". Pity, the commercial speace there today leaves little to the imagination.

This theatre deserves to have Century's Kingsway in its other names. In fact, it was Century's Kingsway for the better part of its life, and the circuit's Brooklyn flagship and highest grosser. RKO only became involved when Century merged with RKO-Stanley Warner.

correct it should be listed as CENTURY , centurys highest grosser in 50s 60s . Kingsplaza since then ,

I wonder why they let this theatre go to hell, it was a busy theatre in a busy area?

Here is a late 90's photo of the Kingsway Theater.

An Austin organ Opus 958 Size 3/17 was installed in the Kingsway Theater in 1920 at a cost of $10,250 with echo.

I have many fond memories of the Kingsway from the 40's. I grew up on east 7th Street around the corner from the Jewel which was our regular Saturday matinee theater. The Kingsway was the "expensive" theater charging us kids as much as 25¢. The Jewel and the Claridge were the bargains ranging anywhere from 11¢ to 15¢ for the kids matinee. The Kingsway often ran Saturday morning "Kiddy Shows" featuring 50 cartoons. In those olden days before TV, this was a real treat and there were huge lines to get in.

My grandma would occasionally take me to a movie there and we sat in
the Loge so that she could smoke. I remember it being very elegant.
There were little lamps on small tables between the seats. They
charged extra to sit there.

Karl B.

The Kingsway theatre brings back many memories, but fast moving changes in technology are making movie theatres something from another era. At least with awareness, there are some theatres that have been (and hopefully others that will be) saved. It is important for our young and future generation to have a chance to see these beautiful buildings.

I use to go to this theatre when I lived in Brooklyn as a kid. I don't think it was the theatre I went to most often because there was a closer theatre in walking to distance to my home on West 5th street. Yet it made an big impression on me. The beautiful murals painted on the front and side walls made this theatre seem larger than life to me. The only movie I can distinctly remember seeing here is the original "Jurassic Park," though I'm sure I saw many 80's classics here that just aren't registering. I remember the theatre was swamped because this was a must see movie event. I also remember a comic store being right near there which I definitely went into prior to this showing at least. Does anyone remember if there was also Crazy Eddie's across the street or in the immediate area? If I'm not mistaken there was one right by there.

The original "Crazy Eddie's" store was located about a block from the Kingsway theatre.

Actually, both original Crazy Eddie's" stores were located a block away. The first real original store was on Kings Highway between Coney Island Avenue and East 12th street, a small hole in the ground. That was an outgrowth of the family business, which was "crawfords" on Kings Highway and east 14th street. Eddie, when he was a kid, grew up on East 10th street between Quentin Road and Avenue P, which was effectively around the corner from both the stores and the Kingsway.

Then, crazy eddie moved into the Coney Island Avenue location, which most people belived (incorrectly) to be the first store - which was directly across the treet from the theater. At one time, this was a TSS (Time Square Store), an old chain. The entire corner had burned down due to a alarm fire in fields brothers, that also took out the TSS. The entire block had to be redeveloped. I remember a drug store chain taking one of the stores on Kings highway and attempted to compete against Kings Pharmacy, which was across the street from the theater on the corner of Kings Highway and CIA. The genevose lost, closed down, and then Kings pharamacy moved into that store, and the old Kings became a bank.

I was in the Kingsway when it was a single screen and later when it was divided. Not for nothing but whenever i see or hear the name Cineplex Odeon I want to puke. This is a Canadian based company that ripped off the American public. I remember years back when i was in Montreal Canada I went to see a movie and it cost me $5 Canadian which at the time was about $3.75 US...That same movie at an Odeon showing in NYC was $8. why the $4.25 cent difference for the same movie? Seem like before the C/O Loews merger CO was always the first to start a price increase. They started the others followed.

This is a 2004 photo of this former theater building.

This is an updated link for a photo of the Kingsway Theater that I posted last August.

Gee that is unfortunate. I photographed the Kingsway around 1990, while passing through this section of the city. It lent excitement to the corner with it's flashy facade and marquee. It sounds like it had been thoroughly chopped to pieces already. But I'm sorry they chose to modify the exterior. Other retail conversions have retained the marquee and facade, thereby retaining some of that excitement. Look at how drab that 2004 image is.

You know it's a shame that NY doesn't treasure it's historic theaters at all. I remember going to this theater in the early 80's-90's when it was still part of the RKO century chain. I can frankly say they keep it in good shape and intact. Cineplex Odeon has a reputation for trashing these glorious movie houses. I remember seeing Clue, Cocoon, Karate Kid II, Nightmare on Elmstreet III,IV, and V. She will be missed.

I never thought CINEPLEX ODEON ever trashed movie houses ,they saved the movie theater industry from years of neglect !

I agree with longislandmovies. Cineplex Odeon helped theatres that were falling apart stay open for years by spending big money remodelling and keeping them up. The Kingsway had a rough going in it's last few years because it was always being groomed for demolition and replacement by a purpose built multiplex, a event that never occured.

Although I have no particular love for Garth Drabinsky. He gave a new lease on life to the Metropolitan, Kenmore, Fortway, Alpine, Metro Twin, Regency, Olympia, Carnegie Hall, Waverly, Art Greenwich, Manhattan Twin, and Warner (Rialto) just when they were past their sell-by date and when no other chains were investing in non-multiplex buildings.

Here is a recent(June 2006) photograph I took of the now much altered Kingsway Theatre:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/190189864/

That is so wrong.

Not normally one to lament the passing of a neighborhood theatre.

But this was a terrible rehab job. Drab. Uninspired. No respect for history.

My favorite memory of the Kingsway (1960's) was actually the Chinese restaurant next door and their great dish Shrimp Har Kew!

Garth was always good to me but i could see that crazy mind working all the time.

An article in the Hollywood trade papers sparked my memory of the Kingsway. I worked as an usher between 1956-58. It was my first movie industry job. We had lockers and changing rooms in the old vaudville dressing rooms. We wore uniforms of maroon and blue with gold trim, bow ties, plastic collars and shirt fronts. On Friday and Saturday nights, I was assigned to the front of the theatre to "bark". I would announce in my strongest voice to all of Kings Highway and Coney Island Avenue, the time of the next show and what seats remained available. In the winter, I would wear this incredible navy blue wool cape. It was the time of "Roadshow Engagements". I would be working the balcony and loge during a matinee performance of "Guys and Dolls", learning the lyrics and if the house was fairly empty, singing and dancing along. I haven't been back to the neighborhood for over Fifteen years and felt a twinge of sadness and nostalgia to learn that the old house was gone and with it some of my personal history.
bdwyphil

yea that picture of the redone kingsway building is tough to look at....in the late 80s and early 90s this theatre was admittedly a bit scary but in the best kinda scary old movie theatre kinda way...it had the fire escape type exit up high on the side of the building whcih was always the most fun way to exit, it had the cool old chandeliers, and with that extra theatre on the side you sometimes had to buy your concessions in the front lobby and then go back outside and walk down the street to get into that part of the theatre...big fun on a stormy night carrying your big bucket of popcorn down that block in the rain or snow

I grew up in this neighborhood and it was my childhood theater. I admit that I miss the Kingsway. I used to go to the movies a lot more when this theater was opened. Now, we are forced to go to the UA in Sheepshead Bay with all the pre-slutty tweens and slutty teenagers. I believe the last movie I saw at the Kingsway was Titanic. I can remember that we went on a class trip from PS 238 (2 blocks away) to see Schindler's List. When I got older, I can remember sneaking smokes in the back of all 5 theaters. Ushers would always come by to try to bust me and my friends but the theaters were so big, that we never got caught!

What a thrill it was to go down this road.
Like BdwyPhil, I too worked there in the late 70's, early 80's as an usher, I 'barked', was 'head usher' and had the time of my life there. Someone who commented about seeing "old costumes" from the backstage area being tossed into dumpsters is talking out of their tukkus- there were no 'old costumes' anywhere in that theatre- I was there through two renovations and personally combed every inch of that theatre from backstage to the projection booth. A shame was the loss of the Western Electric 300B tube amplifiers and remote controlled pipe organ that we actually got to work and drunkenly played after closing at night.
It had drums, cymbals and brass pieces throughout the auditorium. We had so much fun there, I wouldn't even know where to begin to share the many stories. We worked at The Avalon, The Walker, The Brook, The Midwood, The Duffield (downtown)- nothing but good times. Like the world itself, the charm, the beauty, the history and fun just sort of evaporate. The Kingsway was a great place to grow up.

I grew up in that area in the early 1980's, attended PS 238 and saw countless movies at the Kingsway, a theater which I loved. Among the movies I attended at that theater were Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Rambo, Ghostbusters, Superman II and many others, including such "classics" as Blood Beach and Seems Like Old Times. I recall seeing Staying Alive (with John Travolta) in the rear, separate theater with my day camp during a rainy day.

My friends and I had a great time at the Kingsway because although we were significantly under the minimum age, it was quite easy to "sneak" (I use that term loosely) into a rated R movie.

Yes, now that I think back, I recall the staircase located on each side of the theater and the concession stand on each floor. I remember the bathrooms on opposite sides of the second floor as well. And, I vaguely recall the mural that was previously discussed in this forum. I think there were also arcade games at the entrance, if I remember correctly.

If I'm not mistaken, I recall the separate theater in the rear with a mural as well. I'm not sure. I do recall some paintings on the exterior wall by the fire escape, I think.

It would be great if someone can post some photos of the interior.

An earlier poster also referenced Crawford's which was a few blocks down along Kings Highway. I know this is not the appropriate forum for this kind of question, but I don't know where else to go. If I remember correctly, I could have sworn that when I was little kid (in 1977/78, I was 5/6 years old) I had purchased records from Crawfords (no, not Music Factory across the street). Can someone confirm that Crawfords sold records at one time? I recall buying several there, including the themes to Star Wars and Close Encounters, and Lookin' for Love by Johnny Lee.

I was about 14 at the time you mentioned and remember shopping at Crawfords. Could have sworn it was a houseware type store -- I remember they had curtains, linens, pots and pans, etc.

Crawfords did sell records in the 1960s-70s as well as housewares and eventually electronics by "Crazy Eddie" before he became known as Crazy Eddie on Kings Highway between Coney Island Avenue & E. 12th St. Directly across Kings Highway from Crawfords there was a sporting goods store that also sold records called Byhoffs.

Crawford's was a men's clothing chain throughout the NY Metropolitan area. They had a store on the corner of Kings Highway & East 14th St. Right after WW2, when things got better, the building was totally remodeled and enlarged. Crawford Clothes had the corner store. I was fascinated by the balcony inside and always wanted to go up there but I never did as my dad didn't buy there. The 2nd store from the corner was Raphan's Carpets. The Crawford's remodel was very high end. When the store went out of business, the new store used the Crawford name because the neon sign outside was large, expensive and almost new. Of course the type of stuff sold in the store changed completely. I grew up on East 7th & Quentin.
Karl B.

Sonny- Thanks for confirming that Crawfords did sell records in the 1970's. At least I now know that I'm not crazy (or am I?).

Thanks!

What a shame this one closed. The sheer size of some of the houses in brooklyn was magnificent. At least it wasnt demolished totally or sit rotting like the Poor Kings. My memory was going to see i think it was born on the 4th of july? and we couldnt all agree on what to see and one guy said lets see it there and we couldnt figure out why he wanted to go here when there were other theatres closer & better time and parking. We go in and we sit down and my friend says ill sit on the end, then he goes im going to get popcorn before the movie starts. We never saw him again till almost the end of the movie. He snuck into one of the other movies to see kickboxer. that was his plan all along. we laughed at that for years. so cool that you could go see like 5 movies if you were slick.

The Kingsway was only a moderately-sized theatre for Brooklyn. There were some with more than 3,000 seats, and two with more than 4,000.

Me and a friend got thrown out of the Kingsway Theatre while watching a showing of "King of the Khyber rifles" starring Tyrone power and Terry Moore. We were a couple of seven-year-olds and we did throw popcorn at the screen.

Luckily, a man came up to us outside the theater and got us new tickets.He said he was sitting nearby us and didn't think we did anything so terrible.

The Kingsway was truly a magnificent theater. Inside the theater, was like being in a magical land.

Okay, so how did two 7-year-olds get into the Kingsway in the first place? Well, never underestimate a couple of kids from Brooklyn; one a New York Giants fan,and the other a Brooklyn dodger.

OverCertified wrote on Jan 16, 2006: "Then, crazy eddie moved into the Coney Island Avenue location, which most people belived (incorrectly) to be the first store - which was directly across the street from the theater"

I remember that store. I remember when they first opened that store on coney Island avenue. I couldnt have cared less about the grand opening, but my mother heard that they were giving away free stuff (caps, t shirts, etc), so she sent me to grab what I could. A guy was standing on top of a van, with boxes of the freebies, encouraging the enormous crowd to yell "CRAZY EDDIE! CRAZY EDDIE!", after which he would throw some stuff to the crowd. Me, being a little kid, couldnt get anything because I was surrounded by fully grown adults who were much taller than me and managed to grab everything in mid air, long before they could get anywhere within reach of my hands. I came home empty handed.

I also remember the Kingsway. From 1975-1981, I lived only a couple blocks away. I remember seeing a Pink Panther movie (cant recall which one) there and in the lobby they were selling plastic pink panther dolls, which my father bought one for me and one for my sister. I also recall seeing the Goldie Hawn movie Private Benjamin there. And "Who is killing the great chefs of Europe", and, after I had moved away, seeing Purple Rain there ( a couple of female teens were harassing me, so I moved up to the balcony to get away from them). I also recall one time, when the movie let out from upstairs, one guy came out of the crowd coming down the stairs, and promptly ran to sneak in to see one of the other movies that was playing downstairs (Kramer vs. Kramer)

One time, I went with a friend to see a movie there (cant recall what movie we wanted to see) which was playing in one of the theaters upstairs, and the old lady usherette refused to allow us and the other theater patrons to go up. She made us all wait in the lobby for a while. I cant recall the reason why. Was it filled to capacity upstairs? Was the first showing not yet over? In any case, me and my friend passed the time waiting to be allowed upstairs by occasionally glancing through the glass window in the door that led to another theater where a movie was being shown.

We didnt stand there with our noses pressed up against the glass, and watched the movie in its entirety. No, all we did was give an occasional glance from where we stood. A second here, a second there. And my friend bought himself a tub of popcorn from the conecession stand

Finally the usherette let the crowd go upstairs, except for my friend and I. She stopped us, and told us that we had already watched a movie, and insisted that we now leave the theater. She kicked us out. No refund either. My friend and I went to my house, and my mother saw that we were home too early and asked what happened. I told her the whole thing, and she led us back to the theater where she spoke to the manager who promptly let us back in to see the movie we paid to see.

I remember seeing some movies Kingsway pre and post multiplexing. One of the things that used to happen back in the 60's were some of the local High School graduation commencments. Does anyone have any recent pictures of what it looks like now?

East Coast Rocker, this picture was posted back on 2006:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/190189864/

Apparently it's a Walgreens on the first floor and on the second floor is Touro College. Doing a google search confirms that both the Walgreens and Touro college are still there now in 2008.

I've also done a street view on google maps. I lived only a couple blocks away (on East 12 street) from the Kingsway. My family moved into the neighborhood in 1975. We moved away in Feb. 1981 when I was just 12 years old. Damn, but its nice to look at my old neighborhood, and see what it looks like today. Brings back alot of nostalgic memories. My old apartment (a two family apartment house brownstone) is still there, and hardly changed. A few cosmetic changes were made. For example, a metal fence has replaced a low brick wall. The tree and rose bushes on the front lawn has been removed. Other than that, its still the same. The houses on either side has also not changed. Though, I wonder if my old place still has masses of cockroaches and a couple of mice still infesting the place.

It was always a very poor area, so its no wonder that very few, if any, cosmetic changes were made over the years. I guess the residents and property owners cant afford to make real changes to their places on that street.

The neighborhood I eventually moved away to, was a little more upper class. People in my new neighborhood had money. They owned their own homes, either owned their own businesses, or were very high up on the ladder for the businesses they worked for. I lived there for almost 15 years before moving away again to a new place. Looking at that old neighborhood of mine, that one has changed ALOT since I moved. I hardly recognize the old place I once lived in as well as the houses on either side, not to mention the rest of the neighborhood! :-) There, the residents have the money to completely renovate their homes inside and out.

As of right now other then the movies at Sheepshead bay and Kings Plaza I would have no idea where one would go to see a movie in Brooklyn Although I have read that the Ridgewood is open again but only on weekends. It was one of those places where you don't know if it is in Brooklyn or Queens on Myrtle Avenue.

Yeah, ALOT of the old movie theaters in Brooklyn have long since closed. The Midwood is closed, The Nostrand is closed, the Marboro, the Kingsway, etc., etc.

However, according to this website, the Kent (on Coney Island Avenue, near the corner of Avenue H) is still open. Apparently its known for showing Woody Allen films. I saw the Woody Allen film "Zelig" there somewhere around the early 80s, among a couple other films. When I went there, it seemed to be run by a family. The Kent looked kind of run down and didnt seem to sell many tickets. And the location of the theater didnt seem to be a good one. So at the time I thought it wouldnt be long before the Kent went out of business. Shows what I know, as the Kent has so far outlasted the Midwood and the Kingsway, among many other theaters.

bmovies seems to have status issues, that aside, it wasn't a 'very poor' neighborhood and there aren't any brownstones on 12th St or in the general vicinity. I guess it's a matter of perception.

"bmovies seems to have status issues,"

What are status issues? If thats anything like calling me a liar, I don't appreciate it. (Someone from Brooklyn went to College, and it wasnt me)

"that aside, it wasn't a 'very poor' neighborhood"

It sure as hell was. I was poor, my downstairs neighbors were poor, my family, and the downstairs neighbors were welfare cases. Alot of the people in the apartment buildings near the corners were poor (one family down the block I recall I was friends with. They had mattresses on the floor, no beds. Very little furniture. Even we welfare cases had more furniture. And as for toys for their kids, I dug into my toy collection so that they could have some. Over time they would add some furniture here and there to their apartment). The kids around the corner were poor, etc. Alot of people on the block were struggling by. There were some homeowners (with single family homes) on the block, but most people were renters. Not all, but alot of people on my street didnt have much money, if any at all.

I do not know what's the financial makeup of the neighborhood today, but back then it was POOR, we were POOR. The fact that this was the recession era 70s didnt help either.

"and there aren't any brownstones on 12th St or in the general vicinity."

The hell there isnt. My home was indeed a brownstone. Well, I COULD be wrong in describing it as a brownstone, but when I was living there, thats how I heard the adults (my mother, her friends, etc) refer to it.

Here's a description of a brownstone:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownstone

Here's a pic of my old place (the one in the center) on East 12 street:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/lowbridge/12street.jpg

Here's a close up:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/lowbridge/12street2.jpg

The cement strip between the first and second floor is where the terrace used to be. The window on the left was where the doorway to the terrace was, but obviously it was replaced with a window. I was still living there when the landlord had the terrace demolished. I never heard the reason why he did it, but my best guess is that he did it for safety reasons. The terrace was made of cement, and the posts supporting it was made of wood, which was rotting away. I assume that he thought it was cheaper to have the terrace removed than to have the support posts replaced.

Under the support posts was a low brick wall (kind of like the one right next door dividing the two porches), now replaced by that metal fence on the front porch. When we moved out, the terrace was gone, but the low brick wall was still there.

It also STILL has the same old wooden doors in the entranceway (I heard someone once claim that those doors were around 100 years old. I kind of doubt that, but they sure did look it)

Is that or isnt that a brownstone? And if it isnt a brownstone, then what the hell kind of building can it be called? Or are you going, "I'll be damned. A brownstone on East 12 street!"

Here's another small part of the neighborhood, the corner of East 12th street and Quentin road. It's now a dance studio, but it used to be, IIRC, a nightclub/disco.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/lowbridge/dancestudio3.jpg

I used to play handball against its wall on the East 12 street side. Even the graffiti looks familiar. (could it be that they never cleaned up the graffiti after 30 years?)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/lowbridge/dancestudio4.jpg

This location, east 12 street between Quentin and Kings Highway, of the EB Games store, used to be a Mens clothing store (I do not recall the name of it):

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/lowbridge/ebgames2a.jpg

In the old clothing store, John Travolta made a personal appearance, either that or he was just shopping for clothes. This was around the time when his tv series Welcome Back Kotter was still on the air. I do not recall if this was before, during, or after his movie Saturday Night Fever came out. In any case, despite his superstar status, never having watched Welcome Back Kotter, I really didnt know or care who he was, but the rest of the neighborhood seemed to be intrigued. The front of the store was mobbed. People were even climbing up on the traffic light to get a better look into the store.

Parked across the street on 12th near the corner of Quentin, right across from the nightclub, was a fancy white Cadillac (I THINK it was a Cadillac, a Cadillac El Dorado). I was told that this was John Travolta's car, but strangely, no one really bothered to come near it even though it wasnt guarded. Being a poor neighborhood, this kind of fancy car was never seen before parked on our street that I can recall. It was a convertible, the top was down, and in the front passenger seat was a large pink panther doll wearing big giant sunglasses. Attached to the trunk of the car were various cartoon character magnets. Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, Daffy Duck, etc. One of the kids in the neighborhood dared me to steal some of the magnets. But I didnt have the guts. Imagine what those magnets would get on ebay these days? "Magnets stolen from John Travolta's car 30 something years ago!".

Months afterward, every so often when I would pass by the front entrance of the clothing store, I would look in and see an autographed photo of John Travolta hanging inside.

The neighborhood on East 12 street hasn't changed much over the years.

Lastly, the school I went to from 2nd to 5th grade, PS 238:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/lowbridge/ps238.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/lowbridge/ps238a.jpg

Those two photos show the East 9th side. I know that the front entrance is on East 8th, but alot of us kids entered and exited the building on the East 9th side. In all the years I went to that school, I hardly recall entering or leaving the building through the East 8th side. So my memories are basically on the East 9th side.

PS: The location of my old apartment (we lived on the second floor of the BROWNSTONE), is East 12 street, between Avenue P and Quentin Road

By the way Broadwaychris, you write: "Like BdwyPhil, I too worked there in the late 70's, early 80's as an usher, I 'barked', was 'head usher' and had the time of my life there. Someone who commented about seeing "old costumes" from the backstage area being tossed into dumpsters is talking out of their tukkus- there were no 'old costumes' anywhere in that theatre"

Could it be that was because the "old costumes" had been thrown out long before you first began working there? After all, you mention working there in the late 70s-early 80s, and the guy who claimed to have thrown out old costumes didnt give a date as to when he worked there. The theater opened in 1921, a time when they, among other movie theaters, showed live vaudeville acts as well as movies.

What I'm curious about is what kind of vaudeville acts appeared at the Kingsway (any famous ones like Fanny Brice, WC Fields, the Marx Brothers, Ed Wynn, etc), and when the Kingsway stopped having live vaudeville acts altogether, and just showed movies.

I grew up around the corner from bmovies on E. 13th St. between Ave. P & Kings Highway in a 6 story apt. house. I lived there from 1948 - 1975. The neighborhood was well kept and all the homes (mostly 1 family) all clean and well taken care of. This did not look like a poor neighborhood at all. I also went to P.S. 238 from K - 8th grade from 1952 - 1960. Then to James Madison H.S. I remember at P.S. 238 you would hang out in the schoolyard until a whistle blew & then you had to line up by class. There were 2 big yards. One for boys on the north end and one for girls on the south side. These were for the older grades. The younger grades were in a smaller middle yard between the other two.
I remember there was a real small park called Sgt. Joyce Kilmer Square at the intersection of Kings Highway, Quentin Rd. and E. 12th St. On the corner of that square was a RExall Drug Store. Right down Kings Highway was the original Crazy Eddie Store and across Kings Highway from Crazy Eddie was the best bakery in the world: Ebingers!
E. 12th St. did not have brownstones in the same sense as in Manhattan or Brooklyn Heights. These were 1 family attached homes made of brick with steps & porches. On the corner of E. 12th St. and Ave. P was a Jewish Center where I would go to play Bingo with my mother when I was around 14. We used to play punchball & stickball on E. 13th St. There was a stupid tree that hung over the infield area that the ball would always get caught up in.
The Kingsway Theatre was on the SW corner of Kings Highway & Coney Island Avenue. My friends and I used to go on Saturdays. All shows were double features. We would come in at anytime and leave when we got to the part that we came in on. Kids were $.35, but it got hiked to $.50 for a Disney feature. There were really mean matrons that kept the kids seated in one section and ran up & down the aisle with their flashlights keeping us quiet. I graduated in the theatre from P.S 238 in 1960. There was a good chinese restaurant a few doors down.
I could keep going, but I'll stop here. Ask me about anything else if you're interested. It was fun!

"The neighborhood was well kept and all the homes (mostly 1 family) all clean and well taken care of. This did not look like a poor neighborhood at all."

I recall East 13th street. :-) I had friends (and bullies) living there. True it didnt LOOK poor. Just average. Indeed some people there seemed to be doing better than on my street. I do recall a mix of single family homes and apartment buildings.

I also recall the little grocery store there on East 13th. I also remember a synagogue on East 13th (this is different from the Jewish center on Ave. P and 12th). I recall right next door to the synagogue was an old private house. That old house it seemed was not occupied by anyone. As the years passed, it would deteriorate and no one would come and repair it. Inside the first floor of the house, you could see inside somewhat, and there was nothing but cardboard boxes piled high, but obviously filled with something. Due to its creepy loook and feel, that house gained the reputation as the neighborhood "haunted house" (not because it was actually haunted, but because thats how kids are).

Eventually, that old house burned down to the ground. I personally watched the firefighters fight that fire. As the firefighters battled the blaze, I remember one of the neighborhood bullies giving some guy his version of events on how he discovered the fire and the guy was writing it all down in his little notebook (no doubt the guy was a police or fire investigator). I overheard the bully tell this guy how as he was playing ball, his ball went over into the driveway of the house, he went to retrieve it, and saw that the house was burning, so he went and called the fire department.

His version of events completely struck me as a bunch of BS. As I've NEVER known this kid to play ball. And what kind of game with a ball, he never specified (basketball, football, baseball, stickball, handball?). Plus, he used the word "ball" so damn much. "I was playing ball, my ball went over, I went to get my ball", etc. Which made ME suspicious. I assumed that he was the one who set the fire. I wondered if the investigator was buying that kids story. Anyways, doing a google street view on that property lot reveals that its now occupied by a apartment house of 6 apartments (3x3).


"I also went to P.S. 238 from K - 8th grade from 1952 - 1960. Then to James Madison H.S. I remember at P.S. 238 you would hang out in the schoolyard until a whistle blew & then you had to line up by class. There were 2 big yards. One for boys on the north end and one for girls on the south side. These were for the older grades. The younger grades were in a smaller middle yard between the other two."

Now that brings back a memory! I didnt go to 238 for that long. Just from grades 2-5. But when I went there, they were still doing that: made us hang out in the schoolyard untill the whistle blew, and then lining up by class. I do not recall which yard was for which classes, but I do recall that by the time I went to 238, they werent segregating us by boys and girls anymore. The girls in our class were in our line with us.

I recall one classmate, I was in the same class with him from 2-5, all those years. We never spoke one word to each other all those years. Not out of animosity, but because we just never got together.

In the 5th grade, our teacher mentioned, in an offhand comment, that this kid was in the tv show Sesame Street. All us kids stared at him as if he had a second head growing out of his shoulder. I had watched Sesame Street from time to time, but didnt remember him. That afternoon, after school had let out, I went straight home and turned on Sesame Street. About 15-30 minutes had passed and sure enough, there he was with his little brother runinng around in a taped segment. I couldnt believe that I had watched Sesame Street all that time, and had been classmates with this kid all those years, but didnt notice the similarity between him and one of the kids on that show up untill now. On subsequent shows I watched as he appeared in other segments of the program.

"I remember there was a real small park called Sgt. Joyce Kilmer Square at the intersection of Kings Highway, Quentin Rd. and E. 12th St."

Yep, that small park was there when I was a kid, and, going by gogle street view, its still there today.

"E. 12th St. did not have brownstones in the same sense as in Manhattan or Brooklyn Heights."

Okay, my place was a Brooklyn type brownstone. :-)

"These were 1 family attached homes made of brick with steps & porches."

Again, here is my old place:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/lowbridge/12street2.jpg

This is not a one family house. This is a 2 family apartment house. The same with the places on either side. (I ought to know, I've seen them from the inside as well as the outside, as I made friends with the people who lived in them).

Here is how its listed on NYC property website:

Building Class: B1 - Two-family dwelling

Construction Type: Brick
Year Built: 1910
Exterior Wall: Masonry

According to that site, the current worth of that property is 676 thousand. It certainly doesnt look like its worth that much and I wonder IF it still is infested with cockroaches.

"On the corner of E. 12th St. and Ave. P was a Jewish Center where I would go to play Bingo with my mother"

The Jewish center I remember. I went inside all of a couple of times. I mostly played outside it. We kids loved the front steps, which sometimes we wouldnt bother going up or down. We pretty much would try to lift ourselves up, or climbed down from, the landing, without using the steps.

I was in Troop 442 of the Boy Scouts which met in that Jewish Center.
Any other of you guys around?
Karl B.

For fear of reprising what appears to be an avalanche of misdirected psychological projection, I'm hesitant to answer Mr. bmovie again, however, that building found here... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/lowbridge/12street2.jpg is not a brownstone by any stretch. Not a "Limestone" either.
Now, I'm sure the guy who was kind enough to host this lovely site didn't go through all that trouble to have his site serve as a vehicle for blustery, spam-like ramblings and I won't help you continue to litter the joint up. So, I say so long, enjoy the pictures in your head and again, there weren't any "Brownstones" in that neighborhood.
Buh-bye

It's a brownstone. Aside from the fact that the outer layer of the building isnt clad in brownstone material, the rest fits the description of a brownstone. (never heard of a limestone building)

I don't know why my last post in here seems to be missing.

Once again I say who cares what type house it is. It's just a building where people live. I am not asking for world peace just a little CT peace for 2009. I think most if not all of us are adults and there is no need to have a pissing contest of a bunch of bricks.


Happy New Year to all in 2009

I just discovered this site by accident, but a good accident. The Kingsway brings back so many memories. I used to live on E. 7th Street between Ave. R and Ave. S, so it was real close. After whatever movie we saw, we would go to Quickway Pizza on E. 10th and Kings Highway. I remember seeing Dr. No and From Russia With Love on a rainy Saturday. I also remember seeing a movie I shouldn't have seen with my younger cousin. The movie was Boy Did I Get The Wrong Number, with Bob Hope and Elke Summer (sigh). I was 11 and she was 8, and our parents warned me not to see that movie, there were movies more suitable for us. Well, we went anyway and I got in a lot of trouble, but for an 11 year old boy to see Elke Summer in a bath, not nude of course, it was worth it!!

I just discovered this site by accident, but a good accident. The Kingsway brings back so many memories. I used to live on E. 7th Street between Ave. R and Ave. S, so it was real close. After whatever movie we saw, we would go to Quickway Pizza on E. 10th and Kings Highway. I remember seeing Dr. No and From Russia With Love on a rainy Saturday. I also remember seeing a movie I shouldn't have seen with my younger cousin. The movie was Boy Did I Get The Wrong Number, with Bob Hope and Elke Summer (sigh). I was 11 and she was 8, and our parents warned me not to see that movie, there were movies more suitable for us. Well, we went anyway and I got in a lot of trouble, but for an 11 year old boy to see Elke Summer in a bath, not nude of course, it was worth it!!

I was just back in the old neighborhood after many years. The only word I can use to describe it is stifling! Wall to wall cars, people, houses & stores. I rode down my old block of E. 13th Street between Kings Highway & Avenue P and was so bothered. It had changed so much for the worst. All the private homes that used to have grassy front yards are gone or changed. Every home is built out to the sidewalk or have driveways where the green yards used to be. The quietness is gone and crowdedness is everywhere. Kings Highway has become a crowded bustling street of schlock shopping. I can't imagine that I used to live there and liked it. I couldn't even get out of my car to walk around. No parking anywhere! The old Kingsway Theatre is a Walgreens. Even my old favorite: Mrs. Stahls Knishes in Brighton Beach is gone for a SUBWAY shop! I guess the good old days really are the good old days.

Just to put an end to Brownstone limestone dispute. Lets just call it what it should be called. A ROW house.

Oh no not Mrs Stahls. They were the last of a dying breed. I sometimes used to walk from where I lived in Luna Park on W 8st to get knishes. Could it be that they moved to another location? I seem to recall a while back that the property owner was looking to put another building in it's place. I saw something on www.Coneyisland.com that Mrs Stahls may have been sold and turned in to a pizza place. The original owners must have been feeling the pinch of the area being overun by the russians. I lived in the Coney Island ,Brighton Beach area most of my life and it makes you wonder if you are going to need a passport to be there. he last time I was upp in the area in 2004 the Luna Park Housing Complex was about 95% Russian occupied including the current board of directors. Even the area where the former Kingsway was is a mix of Russian and Asian.

"Just to put an end to Brownstone limestone dispute. Lets just call it what it should be called. A ROW house."

Sounds fair. I'll accept that (maybe...I'll mull it over with my attorneys) ;-) Sorry about all the confusion, but everyone, all the adults, around me at the time refered to it as a brownstone, and what does a little kid (and even as a grown adult) know about architecture? But I just dont like it when my memories are being trampled on and practically being called a liar by you know who about my own neigborhood. I mean, for goodness sakes, I lived there.

"All the private homes that used to have grassy front yards are gone or changed. Every home is built out to the sidewalk or have driveways where the green yards used to be."

Yeah, using google street view, I can see that. :-) Although I lived around the corner on 12th street, I often came around to 13th for one reason or another (the synagogue is still there, but the old grocery store has been replaced with a beauty supply store). And you're right. Where there were once front lawns/yards, are now driveways.

I'm not surprised about the homes being built out all the way to the sidewalk. I read an article about homes being built today. According to it, what with todays technology (cable tv, sattelite tv, tivo and DVD players, home computers, video games, etc), the homes of today have become more like community centers. Whereas homes used to be built primarily to provide shelter, evidently today theyre built more to provide room and comfort. So theyre going to make use of every inch of the property to build on.

I do wonder if the kids who today live around the areas of 12th and 13th streets, if they ever go out and play with their friends on the sidewalk or in each others backyard as often as we used to do, if at all. Like I pointed out before, what with all the new technology (cable tv, DVD players, home computers, video games, etc), kids today tend to stay indoors alot. Back in the 1970s, the only thing that I had to keep me indoors was a 25 inch color tv (no cable). I watched alot of stuff on tv, but other than that, I was playing outside in all sorts of weather (with the exception of rain).

Hey B I empathize with you aboiut what has happened to the area. Between all the modern gadgets keeping kids in the house more then they were 30-40 years agao and all the junk added in the food we eat you wonder why we are becoming a nation of overweight people. I remember looking forward to getting together with friends on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and going to the local movie houses. Most of the times it wasn't so much as what movie playing but more like how to pay for one on a student discount trying to sneak the rest of us in for free. In the single sreen theatres it wasa real no brainer because you didn't have to guess which door you had to be at because any door got you in to the same show.

With all the modern gadgets it's no wonder the movie houses are hurting. I just recently took on a subscription for Net-Flix. Why spend $10 to go out to see a flick when you know that the latest first runs will either be on DVD or On-Demand PPV within a few weeks to a few months after release. I don't have a big screen HDTV but it sure looks and sounds good on my PC.

Most theatres still have matinees but you still get ripped off at the consession stands. Anyway who wants to watch a movie where a whole bunch of kids are sitting there texting all of their friens and the illumination of the cell phone screens.
Anywaysthe movies industy was always about making money but just like sports most of todays actors are being WAY over paid.

Todays kids are way better off then most of us were when we were kids. I wonder where some of us would be or doing if we had all this technology back then.

Like you ECR, my kids grew up in the surrounding neighborhood and their fondest memories from the 80's is "playing on the block". In Midwood, the Century theaters including the Midwood, the Elm, the Nostrand, the Avalon, the Mayfair, along with the Kingsway, and the Kent (not a Century house) had a devoted following of kids and adults and were a safe destination within the immediate neighborhood. These theaters helped define the neighborhood and afforded residents the chance to come together.

It may be no accident that Crazy Eddie's home entertainment empire started across the street from the Kingsway but as you point out the rise in technology has led to the closure of the above theaters except for the Kent. As a result movie viewing has become an isolative experience, separate from any audience interaction. Most playdates now involve indoor activities and most front yard (few remaining) activities or just hanging out on the stoop are no longer in evidence.

Movie going, as opposed to movie viewing, as a social phenommena no longer exists.

Ah yes you brought up the all mighty word here. "Stoops". I wonder how many kids today would even know what they are. I recall many hours playing stoop ball, Stick ball and all other sorts of street games we no longer see today.

I was on another site in here earlier and someone posted a detailed list of movies that had played there from around 1970 till it closed in late 2007. What amazed me was this was a single screen 70MM theatre. How it went from first run films playing for weeks on end to 1 week.

Catch 22- 18 weeks
12/26/73 … THE EXORCIST (26 weeks)
12/05/84 … BEVERLY HILLS COP (16 weeks, Dolby Stereo)

I wonder if anyone has a listing of showings at the Kingsway prior to and after the spit ups.

Here's the cover of a four-page programme for the week beginning Monday, June 6th, 1921. The films were: "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," June 6-7; "Made in Heaven," June 8; "The Truth About Husbands," June 9-10; and "Proxies," June 11-12. Each feature was accompanied by a newsreel and short subjects, with "live" music provided throughout by the Kingsway Concert Orchestra, under the direction of Joseph Cacioppo. Matinees were held daily, with continous performances on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. A special note in the programme said: "This theatre, with every seat occupied, can be emptied in less than 3 minutes. To avoid panic, choose the nearest exit now, and, in emergency, walk (do not run) to that exit."
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/kingsway621.jpg

The Kingsway Theater at 946 Kings Highway was listed as a B.F. Keith's Theater in the 1924 Brooklyn Eagle Almanac.

The year given for these photos of the RKO Century, which should be an aka name is 1986.

Photo1

Photo2

Photo3

The Kingsway also had a smaller marquee on another side of the building. RKO Century was just the name of the operating company. The theatre was now known as the RKO Century Kingsway as the result of a corporate merger:
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=rko+century&catpagesize=25&ProductID=30641