Walker Theater

The Walker Theatre is located at 6401 18th Ave., and it seated 2276 people.

The Walker theater was opened in 1927 with movies & stage shows. Live shows were dropped when sound films shortly came in. It was
named for the then New York mayor, Jimmy Walker. The WALKER was a very beautiful "atmospheric" theatre. You felt you were in a garden of a chateau. There was a Wurlitzer organ which was restored by an organ society shortly before the theatre was divided into quads. (At first the auditorium and balcony was split into two theatres. Little damage was done to it at that time) United Artists owned the theatre for a while. The stage was occasionally used for shows until the late 1970's. Shallow Junior High School used it for their graduations.

I graduated from Shallow Junior High School at the Walker Theatre in 1970. At the time, we had a G.O. card that enabled us access to all Randforce Theatres in Brooklyn for 50 cents. The card had a list of all the theatres on it. That June of 1970, the double bill at the Walker was "Cactus Flower" and "The Ambushers" which I and a friend saw the day before the graduation excercises. It was a $1.00 house at the time. Fifty cents is what children and G.O. students paid. There was a poster for the reserved seat engagement of "Hello Dolly!" at the N.Y. Rivoli in the lobby. The United Artists takeover of all the Randforce Theatres occured some months later. I do not remember the stars in the ceiling, but it was a beautiful neighborhood theatre.

The multiplexing of the theatre was done in a way as to not destroy any of the walls or ceiling. It was almost like a free standing shell. There was one theatre in the balcony and three downstairs. The two under the balcony were tiny but the other one allowed the walls and arch to be seen. In typical UA fashion they mismanaged this place and just closed it. The Mandys store is only built in the lobby and part of the auditorium, dead center. The entire theatre is there untouched as per the lease with the owner. The marquee remains also. Maybe someday someone will make this a live theatre. By the way in the 70's they played loads of italian shows here with people like Tony Bennett, Al Martino and Connie Francis.

I also graduated from Shallow Junior High in 1970 at the Walker. I remember the movies Orlando describes playing there. It is a shame that these theaters, movie palaces, are all gone now. The Walker was beautiful, just like the movie palaces on Flatbush Avenue, the Loews Kings, and the others. They made movie-going a lot more fun. How sad that such a part of NY history and tradition is going to waste. Maybe some of these theaters could be converted into live community theaters.

The Walker was a beautiful theatre, but NOT in the "atmospheric" style with the auditorium ceiling decorated like the night sky with twinkling stars and floating clouds. To the best of my knowledge, Brooklyn had only three "atmospheric" theatres: Loew's 46th Street (originally known as the Universal), the Fortway, and Loew's Pitkin...United Artists Theatres did not "take over" the Randforce circuit. It was simply an all-encompassing name change for a circuit that had been previously conducting business in different boroughs as Randforce, Skouras, or whatever.

The Walker theatre's ceiling was dark blue, representing the sky. It was in the "atomspheric" stlye as the interior was designed to make you think you were outside. (The Walker was in many ways like a small version of Chicago's Paradise theatre) When I took a private tour of the THE WALKER years ago, I spoke with the caretaker who was there when the theatre opened. He gave me a great deal of information.

I have a photograph of the Walker Theatre's auditorium which shows a highly decorated ceiling with a shallow dome at the center. The photo is in B&W, so it's possible that flat portions of the ceiling between the ornamentation were painted blue to simulate the sky showing through, but this was definitely not a true "atmospheric" theatre. Decorating the side walls at a level with the balcony were rows of simulated arched windows framing painted murals of the Spanish countryside...The architect of the Walker was Charles W. Sandblom, with interior decoration by Vincent Margliotti. The organ was a Wurlitzer H-NP 2/10.

Warren,

I believe the Marboro and Walker were "Cousins" Do you have any info on the Marboro such as the builder etc. I think the Marboro was always movies due to the lack of dressing rooms but I may be wrong. If you have any info on the Marboro, Can you please post it on the Marboro page? Thanks!

-Mark

The sky was blue, but like mentioned no clouds or twinkling stars. When the theatre was multiplexed all of the side arches and murals were restored and relit. Like I mentioned in an earlier post the quad was built like a free standing shell to not ruin the walls or ceiling. I have been told everything is in place and that the present store only occupies the lobby and part of the orchestra. Even the marquee is under the present sign. What a shame it is not being used as a theatre, it's a great busy area. As for The Marlboro it looks like UA is actually going ahead to multiplex it. I dont know how many scrweens, and part of the reason the Midaway turned out as good as it did is that UA sold the building to real estate developer Elias Heskell who did the renovations and UA got the right to operate the theatre.

The Walker theatre may not have been a "true" atomspheric theatre, having a more ornamental and expensive ceiling, but its designer certainly incorporated many elements of Eberson's concept of making the interior of the theatre like an elegant garden. It is interesting to note that The Walker was built in 1927-the same year that the atmospheric Universal & Fortway theatres opened(both not too far from the Walker). In any case, anyone who had the good fortune of actually seeing a a show in this theatre, would probably agree that it was one of the most beautful theatres in Brooklyn.

when a retail space takes over a theater, there's usually no way to tell the place was ever a theater. Not so with the Walker. You can just tell from the marquee and lobby-like interior that it was a beautiful movie palace. It's retained much of its original architecture. Maybe someone will bring a theater back here someday.

by the by, does anyone know when this closed. I seem to remember the changeover happening in the late 80s or early 90s

My only visit to the Walker (I'm from R.I.) was on October 23, 1978 when I went out by subway to see two Italian films that were showing there. The theatre was still single-screen. It seemed a impressive place though a slightly dingy one at the time. For the record the films were "Totosexy" with the popular Italian comic performer Totò and Mario Camerini's "Il Brigante Musolino," about a bandit from Calabria. It starred Amedeo Nazzari and Silvana Mangano.

Gerard--,
molto bene! Yes, there was (is?) an Italian community in that neighborhood that could support an Italo double-bill. The neighborhood also supported a terrific restaurant that had moved in from the Old Bklyn Navy Yard (Navy Street), where Frank Sinatra (and Ava!!) ate in the early '50s. It was named La Palina, and it engineered (heh, heh) great meals before or after the show at the Walker.

I was born in 1960. I live in Florida now, but lived in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn (on 60th Street between 19th & 20th Avenues) from '60-'69. From '69-'88, I lived on Staten Island. I remember seeing movies at The Walker Theatre as a child. For some reason "One Million Years B.C." with Raquel Welch in 1966 stands out. Back then, going to the movies was like a "special event"! I remember the theatre was beautiful & impressive, especially to a kid. I remember walking along 18th Avenue, with my mom often. Stores that stand out in my mind are the toy store "Joyland". Also, "John's Bargain Store" & "Berta's Bargain Store" which would both be equivalent to a dollar store today.

I was born in 1939....and went to PS48 and Shallow Jr High......
and lived at 1945 60th Street between 19th & 20th Ave.....the WALKER
Theater was a big part of my childhood....my parents took me there often and I remember my MOM and Aunts getting FREE PLATES when we went there... I think they were mostly DINNER size.......
The first movie I ever saw without parental supervision was a real hoot....2 boys from my block took me to see "ABBOTT & COSTELLO meet FRANKENSTEIN"....and I was scared out of my wits........it was a real adventure.....after that I went to the movies with just friends often.....and on special occasions my FATHER took me......
I always thought the WALKER was such a beautiful and exciting place to go

I remember back in the 70's traveling up to the Walker on 18th Ave.because they had a midnight showing of the original Night Of The Living Dead.What a scary flick! Anyway,I had forgotten about this theatre,sorry to hear it closed. I'm surprised since 18th Ave. is such a busy shopping area.I also recall they showed a lot of Italian films.

In the 1980's I was lucky enough to actually attend 2 live concerts at the Walker. Helen Reddy came and did a wonderful show and, believe it or not, there was actually a double bill of Kay Starr and Rosemary Clooney ! Right in Brooklyn ! Kay did one of the greatest show-stoppers I've ever seen: a medley of "For The Good Times" and "Help Me Make It Through The Night." What Days ! Frankie

This site mentions Clay Cole doing his Rock & Roll shows at the Walker Theatre.

http://www.brooklyn.net/my_bklyn/my_bklyn_074.html

I don't think that was a rock 'n' roll show Robert. It was most likely an appearance by the Dave Clark 5 hyping their movie "Catch Us if You Can" that was released in the summer of 1965. They also appeared at the RKO Madison that same summer. I saw them at the Madison when they appeared there.

The Walker was one of my favorite theaters growing up. I lived on 18th and 81st so the Walker was within a short distance. Saw my first James Bond movie there (Dr No.) Other films I saw there include:
Goldfinger
Pay or Die
Purple Gang (whatever happened to this film?)
The Great Race
Marriage, Italian Style
Operation Bikini (b-war movie with Tab Hunter, Frankie Avalon and Jim Backus. Ho'ws that for a cast!)
Boy's Night Out
Notorious Landlady (Jack Lemmon film that deserves a DVD release!)

UA booked almost every closed circuit fight into the Walker. They always did huge business there.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/AliVSFrasier.jpg

Saw The Thrilla in Manila there. Ali vs. Frazier. Great fight. I remember the place being very smokey.

My grandparents lived near the Walker. One of my grandfathers card buddies was Jake, the manager of the Walker.From 1965 to 1971, I was able to get into the Walker Free! All I had to do was say the password and the ticket seller would let me{and one guest}in. Once inside, we had run of the th\eater and we could sit wherever we wanted to. Naturally, we always sat in the first row of the loge section of the balcony. It was great! Even when the balcony was closed we sat there. Many were the great- and not too great films I saw here. Since the neighborhood where the Walker was was practically my second home, this is one theater{ along with the Oriental} that I can say I practically grew up at. I have many items to post concerning this theater that I intend to post in the very near future.

Theaterat,

Can't wait to see your collection!

Christmas 1968, check out the size of this print run. In Brooklyn 28 theatres
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/WestSideStory1968re-issue.jpg

There is now a "ANNIE SAYS" and a "Mandees" clothing shop where the Walker once stood. When you enter, there is a slight upwards incline that was left from the original outer lossy, A security guard stands in exactly the same place where the ticket taker once stood. It almost seems like you are entering the theater but, of course you are not. Spoke to a maintenence person and he says that all the decorative work in the theater is covered by false walls and celing panels. Wonder if the shoppers here have any idea of the great theater that once occupied this space?.

As built, the Walker had no seperate entrance from the inner lobby to the orchestra section, but after the theater was renovated in the early 80s, one was added.

Robert R ... Amazing, isn1t it? This show was playing at 28 theaters in Brooklyn in 1968. 37 years later, Brooklyn has exactly 9 theaters left.

Nothing in the Walker was allowed to be destroyed when it was converted to a store. The theatre could be put back together very easily. Blame UA (who else) that this is not a theatre anymore.

New Years Day of 1970 was a mid week holiday, After having dinner at my grandparents house, the adults would play cards or talk in Italian so us kids could not understand them. The Walker had a double feature that week. Playing was "Krakatoa, East of Java" - in reality it is West- and "The devils Brigade". I went with my younger brother because there was not really anything to do. "Krakatoa" was a Jules Verne like adventure of a disparate group of people on a steamer in the area of the volcano and earthquake. It was a good movie that I really enjoyed. The co- feature"The Devil`s Brigade" was a "Dirty Dozwn" type WWII movie that was also entertaining in it1s own right. This show was so good that we went to see it again on a Saturday night a few days later in early 1970.

The Walker Wurlitzer theatre organ (HNP 2/10) was restored in the 1970's or early 80's. Does anyone know what has happened to it?

EDR... I am not sure, but rumors surrounding it claim it was either given- or sold to the Loews Jersey after being in storage somewhere for a few years.

To the best of my knowledge, the theater organ being worked on at Loew's Jersey is the Wonder Morton Organ that was once at the Loew's Paradise in the Bronx. Perhaps someone else has the definitive answer as to what happened to the Walker Wurlitzer.

A 1979 double bill
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/GreaseSaturdayNightFever.jpg

A view of the auditorium before multiplexing:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/133-3328_IMG.jpg

Again warren, thanks for this excellent interior shot of the Walker. You are doing all of us theaterbuffs a great favor! Thank you.

Here's a link to the Brooklyn Library site with a photo of the Walker. Abbott & Costello's "It's Ain't Hay" was the attraction.

The "It Ain't Hay" booking was probably in the spring of 1943. Can anyone make out the title of the second feature? If the Walker played the same combos as the RKO circuit, it should have been "The Young Mr. Pitt," a British-made historical drama, but the Walker's management might have considered it too ponderous to appeal to A&C fans and replaced it with something else.

A lot of people mention the restoration of Loew's Kings, but I think it would be a great idea to try and restore the Walker. It was a beautiful theatre, and it would be more afforadable than many of the other closed movie palaces.. I now live very far from Brooklyn, so I can't get involved in this idea. Perhaps someone living in Brooklyn who has strong feelings for the Walker can get a group together.

The more I hear about the phenomenal costs it would take to restore former movie palaces in Brooklyn, the more convinced I am that the beautiful Walker should someday be considered before more alterations or eventual destruction takes place.

The Walker is 100% intact behind the retail walls. Remember it was all restored when they quaded it and then it was only used for a few years.

I realize that the Walker is 100% intact, as Robert says in the above post. That is why I feel something should be done before years go by and it is too late. This beautiful theatre is a treasure for the boro of Brooklyn. It is something that should be done for future generations. As a performing arts center it could bring back some of the culture Brooklyn has lost. Unlike theatres, it is certainly financially possible.

correction for the above post: Unlike other theatres that are closed, it is certainly finacally possible to restore.

I don't suppose anyone has any pictures of this theater, inside or out? My curiosity has been piqued.

LuisV, See Warren's post of August 14, 2005 for an excellent picture of of the Walker's auditorium before multiplexing.

Thanks ERD, (and Warren!)

It is truly beautiful and exciting to think that is might all still be there. But for how long?

As I said in my Oct.27th, Nov.8th & Nov.9th posts, some interested person or group should take an interest in trying to restore the Walker theatre. It is still intact, covered by a shell, and would be affordable. It is a more practicacle idea than trying to restore theatres in the borough that are too far gone. If I did not live so far now, I certainly would have tried to started something. A theatre like this should be preserved for this & future generations.

As I said in my Oct.27th, Nov.8th & Nov.9th posts, some interested person or group should take an interest in trying to restore the Walker theatre. It is still intact, covered by a shell, and would be affordable. It is a more practicacle idea than trying to restore theatres in the borough that are too far gone. If I did not live so far now, I certainly would have tried to started something. A theatre like this should be preserved for this & future generations.

Yes it was a wonderfull theater. I remember the double features//Midnight movies/Italian movies and live entertainment//Closed circuit TV Ali And Frasier The Balcony...Roosevelt diner Davinci pizza cant remember the name of ice cream place on 18ave 69-70st next to cafe (part of cafe)it was a great place to grow up on the ave.
Also does anyone have any history about the Cotillian terrace 18ave 74-75st. I heard it was a theater with a parking area in basement????

jvc57....The theater that your looking for is the Senate theater which is here:

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/4083

The Walker was a quad when it finally closed in March, 1988. The last movies shown there were "Three Men and a Baby," "Satisfaction," "Shoot to Kill," and "Scavenger," according to an article published in The New York Times on March 30, 1988. By that time, interior demolition had already started. A B&W photo showed a heap of rubble on the auditorium floor.

They only tore the interior walls down that had been constructed for the quading, none of the theatre was ruined.

The Walker building seems to be a good candidate for a theatre restoration in Brooklyn.

All the Koreans taking over 18th Avenue might scare away any possible "developers-theater lovers". But if stars like Debbie Reynolds can play the Bronx and Rita Moreno & Mitzi Gaynor can play Brooklyn College and The Redgraves & Cate Blanchett can play BAM, maybe the Walker is ripe for renaissance !

This would be so easy to put back together as a theatre.

Yes, RobertR, isn't it a wonderful dream ? I just wonder if people in Bensonhurst would support it. I know I'd come there from South Brooklyn all the time. I spoke to Marty Markowitz at the Prospect Park concert last night, and he claims to have a kind of combo public/private plan for the Loew's Kings during his last 3 years. Better than nothing, but it would take a real miracle to pull THAT off ! Meanwhile, we have the Loew's Jersey City to look forward to in the fall !

As I said in my many posts, above, the Walker would be one of the most practical former theatres to restore. It is a project that should be looked into. If I would live in the area, I would have done so already.

The photo of the Walker theater from the Brooklyn Public Library, posted by JohnG409 on Sep 2, 2005 at 3:01pm doesn't seem to be working. Here is a direct link to that photo.

This is not really about the Walker theater. My dad, Erwin Bader taught social studies at Shallow, 1954-1981. Shallow used the Walker for graduation. If you would like to share any memories of him with me I would be thrilled. Thanks.

BROOKLYN CINEMA LOSSES LANDMARK DESIGNATION

NY Times Published: January 25, 1985

"The Board of Estimate yesterday overturned a decision by the City Landmarks Preservation Commission and decided that a 58-year-old movie theater in Brooklyn could undergo major renovation.

The board's unanimous vote will make it possible for a developer to turn the 1,400-seat Walker Theater on 18th Avenue in the Bensonhurst area into a four-screen movie complex.

On Tuesday, the landmarks commission rejected the proposal and stood by an earlier decision to designate the theater as a landmark. If the designation had remained, the theater's interior could not have been changed without the commission's approval.

At the Board of Estimate meeting, the prospective developers, United Artists, said that unless they were allowed to redo the theater, it would remain closed or be demolished".

Two photographs I took of the Walker Theatre in July 2003:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/219248080/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/219248385/

I was told the Walker opened in 1927 by a person who worked there many years ago-not 1929. Perhaps some member knows for sure.

A directory ad in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of March 18th, 1928, shows the Walker presenting the movie, "San Francisco Nights," and vaudeville, so it might easily have opened in 1927. The Walker makes its first appearance in Film Daily Year Books in the 1929 volume, which is perhaps where the incorrect 1929 comes from. If it opened towards the end of 1927, it may have been too late to make the entries for the 1928 volume. You could probably find an exact date for the opening by looking at the Brooklyn Eagle microfilm for 1927. I would start in December and work backwards. It is usually best to look for cinema ads in the Sunday issues, which had the most complete listings for Brooklyn theatres.

P.S. The dates of FDYBs tend to be confusing, as they cover events for the previous year and not the year of publication. For example, the 1930 edition covered 1929, and closed its editorial sections early in 1930 for publication in the spring of that year.

Thanks, Warren for your information.

A 1952 appearance by Buster Crabbe enjoying a renewed popularity when his old serials were being shown on television.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/roomforonemore.jpg

HI all
My uncle was the Manager of the Walker for many years. He has since passed and we now have a book of memoribilia about the Walker. We I was wondering who might be interested in it and where I could send it. Possibly the Brooklyn Museum or do you know of a theater memoribila site or museum? Thanks.

I would suggest donating it to the Brooklyn Public Library or to the Brooklyn Historical Society. You might also consider the Billy Rose Theatre Collection at the Library of the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center, Manhattan, but I think that the scrapbook should stay in Brooklyn as a memorial to your uncle and to the Walker Theatre.

The Mapleton was later called the Colony and is listed at CT under that final name.

Thanks for all the information, Bill. What great memories!

Some recent views of the building can be seen near the end of a new article about Brooklyn's 18th Avenue at www.forgotten-ny.com

Dee Ann I don't know how to contact you but I attendend Shallow JHS from 1956-59 and had your father as a teacher. He was a wonderful man. One of the things I remember was that there was a student who was severly disturbed and your father was the only one who could control him.

I submitted a Comment about the Walker Theater and it was acknowledged on Dec 27, 2007 by ERD. Now I find that the submission has been deleted. Can you explain this? Thank you very much.
Bill Brandt

Here's a rare view of the audtiorium in its last years prior to sub-division. Some of the special color effects still seem to be working:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/walkerdome.jpg

double feature and then hit the Richelieu for a frappe or a black and white soda?

Excellent photo of the auditorium posted by Warren. The proscenium was very beautiful, too. What a shame this theatre didn't eventually become a performing arts center. Public transportation is near by, but no parking lot.

To Jtorriani-Thank you for the comment about my dad, Erwin Bader from Shallow. You can email me at dconigli@sabrenet.net
I would love to hear more.
Thank you!

A B&W photograph taken not long before the Walker's well-preserved auditorium was sub-divided:
http://www.sidedown.org/blog_pics/1442/1442_12.jpg