Kenmore Theatre

I can tell you that the Kenmore began as a single screen house, and had been converted to a four screen multiplex by the time of its closing in 1999.

The RKO Kenmore Theatre is located at 2101 Church Ave..

The former Cineplex Odeon Kemore Quad is in the process of being turned into a Modell's Sporting Goods Store, the inside has totally been gutted of any theatre related items. The marquee of this former movie palace has been stripped of it's neon Kemore lettering, it's been covered up and Modell's signs are now on all three sides. A trully sad sight indeed for this former vaudeville theatre in Flatbush Brooklyn.

The RKO Kenmore, became a quad as early as 1978. One of the last movies to play there when it was one screen, was "Close Encounters".
I remember seeing "Foul PLay" there in the fall of 78, and hearing the music from "Grease" pounding through the wall.
Regardless, it's sad to see it closed, because it was the last surviving movie house in Flatbush, and it was a beauty.

This theatre opened if i'm not mistaken from information i've recently found opened in the late 1920's it was a single screen until the mid to late 70's when it whent straight to a four screen cinema it had decent sound for a single screen to quad conversion but some times in the downstairs cinemas the sound leaked but aside from that had some nice elements to especially when it first reopened as a quad. It declined over the years. it's now opened as a Moddell sporting good store with no sign of this once magnificent moviehouse but the stripped marquee reading Modell's. and more retail space is being made in the areas which housed the screens and front auditorium areas of cinemas 1 and 2 down front.

A circa-1955 view of the Kenmore can be seen here.

The theatre first opened in 1928 as B.F. Keith's Kenmore, and had Eugene DeRosa as architect. The name came from its location opposite Kenmore Terrace. Vaudeville shared the programs with movies until 1932, by which time the theatre had become known as RKO Keith's Kenmore. The theatre's cavernous balcony was famous for side wall murals painted by Willy Pogany, which were similar to the ones done by the artist for the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan...In "the old days," the Kenmore and Loew's Kings were the two leaders of Flatbush, playing their programs ahead of all the other theatres in the area.

The last operating Flatbush Avenue movie palace is now gutted for retail, a Modell's, how sad! I saw "Bullitt", "Bonnie And Clyde", "Take The Money And Run", "Custer Of The West", "Whatever Happened To Aunt Alice?', "The Odd Couple", Jerry Lewis in "Which Way To The Front?". The last thing I saw there was a double feature of "Ben" and "Tales From The Crypt" in 1972/3. The trailer for "Lady Sings The Blues" the next attraction was shown. I took a tour of thr theatre after the Cineplex-Odeon redo in the late '80's or early '90's. C/O did a nine or ten month renovation with the theatre closed all the way through the nine months. They did a great job of the lobby. (I won't talk about the auditorium). Backstage was a storage ares that consisted of old popcorn warmers, hot dog machines and other concession equipment from the RKO days. (They never threw anything out) I'll bet all the relics backstage ended up in a dumpster once "Onex" sold the building for retail. They made sure it would be gutted and never used as a theatre. They should be boycotted. Big "theatre owner" companys don't care about their history, they only know how to celebrate being 100 years old with no regard for their historical past.

What happened to the Willy Pogany murals on the side walls of the balcony? I hope that they weren't destroyed. They were priceless!

The Will Pogany murals were either painted over during the Cineplex Odeon redo in between '89-'91 or after the RKO "quadding" in 1977. They were there in 1973. If they were attached to the walls (fabric-mural) then they were removed for their value again by either of the above. The balcony walls were painted in blue when I saw the theatre over ten years ago. Usually only the main floor of an unused theatre property is gutted for retail with the balcony unseen under false ceilings. This is not the case with the Kenmore. The restored lobby was't even spared as I saw the area hollowed out last May 2003.

I remeber going there with my Mom to see a movie in the early 80's but for the life of me I can't remeber what it was. I do remember here buying me a pack of "Star Wars" trading cards afterword while I read my Fangoria magazine on the bus ride home.

Here is some information on the seating capacity for each of the Kenmore's auditoriums. Theatre 1: 668 seats, Theatre 2: 660 seats, Theatre 3: 550 seats, Theatre 4: 551 seats.

They used to run rock music films at midnight in the mid to late 1970's like
"Rainbow Bridge"(Jimi Hendrix)and "The Song Remains The Same"(Led Zeppelin), I think it was on Friday nights.The last movie I saw there was "History of The World" part 1(Mel Brooks).Afterwords it was Chinese food at Joy King across the street.

The shooting noted in John and Jamal's initial description occurred when a member from one gang sat in a seat previously occupied by a member from a rival gang and was shot to death for doing so prior to a 10 pm, opening night screening of 'Life'. According to an ABC-7 Eyewitness News report the next day, Loews decided to immediately walk away from the property instead of, as originally planned, holding on until their lease ran out at the end of the year.

Does anyone remember the name of the movie theater that was located on Church ave near Nostrand? They used to play blaxplotation films..

THIS WAS A GREAT OLD TIME MOVIE HOUSE ALWAYS OVERSHADOWED BY THE LOEWS KINGS.Even as a quad still nice and cineplex odeon renovation of this theater was great.

Because it was somewhat smaller than the Kings, the Kenmore was much better suited to vaudeville. It lasted several years at the Kenmore, while it was only a matter of months at the Kings. The Kenmore had a balcony that came down close to the stage and gave better views of the performers than at the Kings, which had most of its seats on the ground floor, with a shallow mezzanine at the back and along part of the side walls.

In answer to lopes on Aug 15 the theater on Church near Nostrand was the Granada.

Hey Warren do you have any photos of this theatre especially of it when it was a live venue as well as a movie house or can you tell me where I can find them.

Theatre Historical Society of America has interior photos of the Kenmore when it had a single auditorium. You can contact them at www.historictheatres.org
I don't know of any that are actually displayed on the Internet. You would have to purchase prints or slides from THS.

Orlando, re. corporations "celebrating" 100 years is such a cynical joke, amen to that. And I can't believe this theatre had murals by Will Pogany.... up till now, I only knew his work from a single book I own which he illustrated, Padraic Colum's "The Children of Odin" which is a retelling of Norse myths for "kids", a book I've treasured since my own childhood. The thought that he had murals in a city theatre, in my old borough, and that they are gone makes me nauseous. Oh well... I came upon this page while cross-referencing for theaters designed by Eugene DeRosa, because I've just visited his Lafayette Theater in Suffern, NY for a wonderful Sci-Fi Festival. At least that one is cherished by its current owners. It's still there, and it looks and feels like dream, which takes only some of the sting out of learning of the loss of this one.

Keith's/Kenmore, R.I.P.

The opening date of the Keith's Theater was 17th September 1928, built as a vaudelville theatre for the B.F. Keith Circuit. It went over to a films only policy in 1932.

On the side walls each side of the proscenium arch were a series of three boxes set within a tall arched opening which was draped similar to the proscenium.

The large painted murals by Willy Pogany were set in tall recesses on the side walls from the front to rear of the balcony, possibly four on each sidewall. On a photo I have, it shows two panels, one in the front balcony section which has an elephant ridden by an Indian Raja, the details on the second one, at cross aisle level unfortunately can't be made out.

Kenroe is there any way that I can see those photos.I mean i'm gonna still contact T.H.s for photos but do you have any that you can share.

savage;
I will be away for 4 weeks, so e-mail me mid February (e-mail address on my profile) and I will scan the photo for you. That's if you haven't already purchased it from THS.

I appreciate it Kenroe I will e-mail you in about 4 weeks

I was told by people who worked there that in the end days of the Kenmore, when the concession stand was closed up for the night they had to put razor-wire on it to prevent it from being looted by the patrons exiting from the last show of the evening.

There's a good corporate choice --- razor wire instead of employee presence --- nothing like a cheap roll of razor wire that sets such a great atmosphere --- hmmmm . . .

Wow it was that bad it's a wonder how it out lived the Metropolitan, Rugby, and Duffield that had the same element patronizing them as well and partially led to there demise.

Last time I ever set foot in the Kenmore was in spring of '85 and it was a total piece of shit. This place was so scary to be in I'm surprised it was open for another 14 years. I'm not surprised however about how the NYPD closed this place. When you've got a theatre in a "ghetto" neighborhood with animals that don't know how to behave themselves shooting each other over seats, then it makes total sense to shut the place down for good.

The following is from a 2003 Newsday article:

B’klyn Theater Site Becoming A Modell’s

"NEW YORK, N.Y. - One of Brooklyn’s grand movie palaces, the long-closed RKO Kenmore Theater, will soon be showcasing sneakers. The theater at Flatbush and Church Avenues, once one of Brooklyn’s best-known showcases, is being redeveloped by landlord Solomon Cohen, who owns the Brooklyn-based M&S Bargain Hunter variety store chain. Modell’s Sporting Goods is expected to be the major tenant.

The Kenmore, opened in 1928, was once the property of the Tilyou family, which also owned the Tilyou Theater and Steeplechase Park in Coney Island. It was converted to a four-screen cinema by Cineplex Odeon, now Loews Cineplex Entertainment, in 1988, and shuttered in 1999 after a man was killed and two were injured in a shooting. Loews’ lease on the site expired in December, 1999, and Cohen bought it two years ago.

It’s a very busy commercial street,” said Cohen, who gutted the interior, leveled the floor and constructed a second level. “We saw tremendous potential". Modell’s recently leased half the building’s 40,000 square feet, most of it on the new second floor. The store expected to open in the fall with the Modell’s name on the theater’s marquee. M&S is also negotiating with a drug store chain, Cohen said.

The one-time theater, a block from Erasmus Hall High School, is an attractive retail location. “It’s a densely populated area,” said Barry Fishbach, executive vice president of the Manhattan-based retail space brokerage, Robert K. Futterman & Associates, who along with Futterman colleague David Rosenberg negotiated the Modell’s lease. He said other national retailers, among them Old Navy, Staples, and Bally Total Fitness, have opened nearby".

The Kenmore was in a war zone neighborhood that had shootings daily. The lobby was full of bullet holes and audiences talked right through the movie. The acoustics in the upper cinemas were appaling and the images had such severe keystoning that all ending credits looked like the beginning of STAR WARS. The staff could not stop the locals from jumping the candy counter and taking what they wanted so the mention of razor wire in the post above is not an unreasonable move. The exit corridor had barbed wire yet I personally saw a mother with a baby trying to sneak in by climbing over the wire.

In spite of its glorious past, beautiful chandelier, staircase and coal furnace (in the 90s!)the Kenmore's more recent history involved two employees being shot, riots every time a "Chucky" film opened and a not surprising revolving door of employees. The theatres often sold out at half capacity as customers refused to sit next to strangers.

One 1980's incident involved a naked hooker on crack running through a crowded screen, a guest of the Local 306 projectionist. This place was a bigger than life nightmare and Loews rightfully shut it down as soon as they took over Cineplex Odeon.

Worked there as an usher during the summers while I was a student at Erasmus, around 1960-61. No one has commented on the mezzanine... don't know about the ladies room but the men's room was huge and lavish with dozens (at least) of full-length ivory colored porcelain urinals (sorry, some memories stick).

During that time there were two live appearances I recall... using the stage facilities which still existed from vaudeville days... one was a joint appearance by Peter Lorre and Boris Karloff for some end-of-career grade b stuff (Peter Lorre shook my outstretched hand). The other appearance was by George Raft and I recall was a more elaborate production. He also was a true gentleman and treated everyone with kindness.

Nobody's mentioned the Loge section... at the very front of the balcony, a separate railed off section, they charged extra for it, as an usher I had to constantly check that people sitting there had actually purchased the more expensive tickets...

I remember the security was a short wiry tough guy named Frank, he wore an authentic looking NYPD uniform but without the insignia... there was a hooker who used to frequent the place and perform her services there... an aged brassy redhead who wore a fake leopard jacket... and Frank, instead of kicking her out would call us over to witness the goings on... Years later when I saw a movie at the theater she was still working the place... we called her "Miss Kenmore".

We were the first graduating class of Ditmas JHS and our graduation ceremonies were held at the Kenmore. I think they had some musicians in the orchestra pit (in front of the stage/screen).

Also fondly recall Garfield's Cafeteria across the street... am searching for old photos showing interior or exterior of Garfields, anyone know of any please post a link.

Its a shame that so-called humans can wreak so much terror in a place that is supposed to be "fun" to go to.I really can`t believe the razor and barbed wire at the concession stand and lobby, but I have to believe it really was there. If the Kings ever reopens(And I hope it does} I pray the same events will not take place there.We have come a long way from the innocence of laughing at the matron and throwing Milk Duds to outright murder and shootings, and it is a pathetic state of affairs.

It was a single screen theater at first, which was great. It was multiplexed, which I am glad I did not see. Then finally, the worst, it became a Modells Sporting Goods Store. The Kenmore was great.

Gustavelifting... The Kenmore was a very nice theater until the mid 70s. I only went there a half dozen times and remember it somewhat well. Glad I never went there after it was `plexed. I did not need to risk my life to see a movie!

That was a nice theater, I recall sitting in the balcony with kids from my school and watching 'Finian's Rainbow'. I guess I should be thankful I left Brooklyn in the middle 70s insofar as movie houses. I would not want to see those things multiplexed.

Here is an image of the Kenmore's original auditorium and some of its famous side wall murals:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/c02024b1.jpg

Thanks Warren for that photo in my lifetime i've never experienced this theatre as a single screen.

Thanks Warren for that photo in my lifetime i've never experienced this theatre as a single screen.

Thanks Warren.

Your photo has thrown me into time travel mode like no sci-fi movie ever could. Having "dealt" with Kenmore for many years in the nasty eighties I knew it had a grand past but one single image and the eighties are now gone. This one familiar, yet foreign, image means all the world to me. Thank you and Cinema Treasures for bringing this bullet holed crackhouse back to life. It's the stuff dreams are made of.

Hard to believe "Hamlet" once played here.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Hamletorderform.jpg

Thank you from me as well, Warren, for that photograph. I know you probably won't respond to this compliment, but I'm sure I don't speak alone in stating you're one of the most valued contributors to this site.

From those who attended the Kenmore in the '80s (such as yourself, Al) and the '90s, how many of its original architectural elements remained, post-multiplexing and after becoming a Cineplex Odeon property and do any still exist in its current incarnation as a Modell's Sporting Goods store? I thought I read it had been, at best, mostly gutted, but would be grateful for some confirmation.

A Wurlitzer organ Opus 1908 Style 260 was installed in the Kenmore Theater on 7/17/1928.

"Oceans 11" played here on the RKO neighborhood run in 1960.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/oceans11.jpg

Other than the marquis, is there any sign of the theater? I mean is there anything in that Modell's that hints there was a movie house there?

Here's a photo of the Kenmore in the 50's...Marilyn Monroe on the Marquee:

http://www.davesrailpix.com/nyc/htm/bqt426.htm

To promote his new film "The Ladies Man," Jerry Lewis appeared on stage at this theater on July 13, 1961.

Sorry for the delay on this, br. When I left NY, little work had been done that could damage the Kenmore interior aside from that associated with the thankfully rather cheap quading efforts. The chandelier was intact and most auditorium features were worn but otherwise untouched. The lobby mirror wall was intact and the balcony level trimings were still impressive aside from the occassional bullet hole. Aside from some the corridor dry wall coverings (a Cineplex Odeon norm here and at the Met) which allowed elements behind to remain, the place was quite delicately refurbished. The upstairs lobby ceilings were worn though beautifully intricate but the bathrooms were all beat to death. A massive (and scary) basement and backstage area remained with some dressing rooms. The coal furnace was still being fed by human hands and serviced by a coal shoot from the sidewalk.

I am not sure what damage has been done since, but I can assure you Cineplex Odeon did little harm. For all their faux marble crimes in Manhattan, their Brooklyn conversions were generally reseating and cleaning if only for cost reasons.

According to a report in The New York Times, the Kenmore first opened as a Cineplex Odeon four-screener on May 20, 1988, with a total seating capacity of 2,420. The theatre had closed in 1987 for the sub-division, which retained some of Eugene DeRosa's original Adam-style decor, including the 60-foot wide dome of the auditorium ceiling. The NYT also reported that the Kenmore opened in 1928 with 3,025 seats, and dropped vaudeville from its programs in 1932.

I lived in the neighborhood from '68 to '76, when all those movie theaters were open. I took my 2 kid sisters to see "Airport" at the Kenmore in '70. Heart-breaking to see all the violence & destruction. Last thing I saw there was Lily in "Incredible Shrinking Woman."

This is one photo of the former Kenmore Theater circa 2001 and here is another.

In October of 1981, NYC shows a four screen theater at this address. The seating is given as follows:

Theater#1-662
Theater#2-662
Theater#3-558
Theater#4-558

Total seats=2440

The Kenmore was described as "Amazing in its splendor" in this pre-opening ad from 1928. The movie's star, Rudolph Schildkraut, was then far more famous than his actor-son, Joseph:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/kenopener.jpg

Sometimes, when I look back at history, I think that Cineplex Odeon operation = death for the theatre when Cineplex leaves.

Small wonder that it was known as Cineplex Odious within the industry.

I think your contempt is misplaced.

The Kenmore would have closed in 1988 if Drabinky had not insisted on taking it over and prolonging it's life. Say what you wish about the man and his business sense, he kept theatres going way after they were profitable busineses and the Kenmore rarely broke even.
It often cost more to heat and cool this place than the total box office takings could pay for.

RKO was selling everything. United Artists was not taking over any old houses and Loews and City Cinemas wanted nothing to do with Brooklyn.

Cineplex Odeon was a bad employer, landlord, and an overly agressive operator in many ways, but it was a friend of preservation.

The Kenmore lasted as long as it did thanks to gory violent movies and Drabinky's obsession with market share. Remember, it was Loews who shut it down.

Didn't Cineplex Odeon also come in and take over the Loew's Metropolitan once Loews Theatres didn't want to run it anymore?

Cineplex Odeon ran the Fortway, Kenmore, Kingsway, Metropolitan for many years when no other chain would come near these older houses in Brooklyn.

The Alpine, Kingsway and Kings Plaza were among their most profitable theatres. The Fortway and Kenmore barely broke even and the Metropolitan produced huge losses.

Much of the Kenmore income came from the dubious tenants along Church Street, not the box office. I say dubious because the jeweler barely had any jewels and the bridal shop never paid the rent. The fish store in the corner often had as many cats as fish on the premises.

One area i have to stick up for C.O. was they were a great employer by industry standards ,managers were paid well over other chains as were the concession people.Twice while i was dm the union vote went down to defeat the only non union chain at the time in ny.

District Managers and upper management were certainly better paid than the competition but hourly staff was minumum wage and theatres managers were poorly paid and often disrespected. The union options were outrageously corrupt offers and rightfully rejected by everyone as pensions were being blatantly stolen by the union chiefs. (some were eventually arrested, then reinstated)

The projection union was a series of no shows and the stagehand unions were dead overhead as most employees were too old to find the stage, much less change a light bulb.

The concessions workers unions disappeared after collecting dues and never represented anyone.

Even in the leaner years, Cineplex bonuses were paid only to upper level executives (those mainly responsible for the losses) and lower level employees got screwed out of all raises and bonuses. The rotten apples were mostly Americans based in Toronto.

Longislandmovies, you were not there during the butter topping media scandals. There is a book in that alone about how a company can abuse their customers and employees and get away with it in NY.

Cineplex Odeon was a nightmare employer and a price gauging enterprise that made customers pay for bad leases, corrupt unions, and poor employee relations.

Cineplex was indeed odious, but not for Cinema Treasures purposes.

CINEPLEX ODEON WAS A BEACON OF CINEMA PRESERVATION WHO KEPT CINEMAS GOING LONG PAST THEIR DUE DATES AND AGAINST ALL ODDS. LET'S GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT IS EARNED.

The locally filmed "The Lords of Flatbush" had its world premiere at the RKO Kenmore in May, 1974. A report, as well as a photo of the marquee, can be found in the May 5th, 1974 issue of The New York Times.

The RKO Kenmore can be seen in this circa 1956 photo.

The first clause of the opening sentence of the introduction needs to be corrected. The original name was Keith-Albee Kenmore, not "Keith's Theater." Here's an ad to prove that: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/kenopener.jpg

More about that Mighty WurliTzer Theater Pipe Organ, Opus 1908, a 3 Manual/15 Rank shipped to this theater on July 17, 1928. It next went to Babylon New York. The organ then went to a residence in Erie Pennsylvania. Another Wurlitzer Opus 1961, a 3/11 had been shipped to the Wellmont Theater, Montclair New Jersey on September 29, 1928. It also went to the Erie residence. They both arrived in Erie in 1961 an were "OK". If you know anything about these organs, please email us!

"Gee Dad, it "WAS" a WurliTzer/WurliTzer!"

I never saw the problems you mention Al.These must have come later.
The staff was the highest paid in the country for theaters as were the managers.Two times while i was dm the unions lost the vote to unionize staff.We had very good employee relations.At the time we also had the best theaters in the country and should have charged as such.
Corrupt unions that was not Cineplex Odeons fault.

The one mistake Cineplex had was paying to much as it got theater budgets in hot water.

The Kenmore Theatre! I went to the Kenmore to see "King Kong" in 1976. My brother and I sat in the balcony. The place was huge and the lobby was beautiful, this was just before the theatre was chopped into a multi-plex cinema. In 1980 I went to a few movies there with my sister and friends and the cinemas were so small and the picture and sound was so limited. Memories... :-)

I worked on the Loews side when Cineplex was absorbed and we were amazed at how poorly the theatre managers and assistant managers were paid compared to their counterparts at Loews, at least here in the New York market. The merit raise formula had to be re-worked for those managers to bring them in line with wages at Loews. The service staff was certainly not paid any more than the Loews staff and didn't have the benefits or the incentives that the Loews staff did until they came on board after the merger. To say that they were the highest paid in the country couldn't be true, at least not in my experience.

In 1988 we had a twwenty year old manager at the KENNMORE he was paid 780.00 a week ...That was pret good for 88

One of the major problems in recruiting theatre managers has always been that the work is mostly nights and weekends, including holidays. Many people are unwilling to give up their social lives, especially if the salaries are just equal to or less than "normal" day jobs.

Here are new links to ultra-rare images in my scrapbook:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/kenopener.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/kenmoreaud.jpg

The Wurlitzer organ from the Kenmore Theater is for sale. More information and a photo can be found here.

Warren - could you ever re-post those old pics of the Pogany murals from the Kenmore? The link no longer works and I'm trying to research another mural he did at the back of the lobby of the Eldorado apartment building at 300 Central Park West. Would love to see the Kenmore murals to compare. Thanks so much! And reading these comments has been really interesting and made me wish I could've seen the theater.

On Friday January 26, 1962, the Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly-Joe DeRita) embarked on a three day promotional tour for their latest feature film, THE THREE STOOGES MEET HERCULES. They were accompanied by "The Herculean Giant" (almost 8 foot tall Dave Ballard) and popular DJ Clay Cole, who was one of the stars of the co-feature, TWIST AROUND THE CLOCK.

On Sunday January 28, they appeared at the RKO Kenmore at 4:05 PM.

In this classic ad from November 1933, a legendary star appears to be fondling at least one of her precious assets:http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/rko111933.jpg

Here's a January 1947 view with two WB releases on the marquee: http://www.brooklynpix.com/photoframex1.php?photo=/photo99/T/theater341.jpg&key=THEATERS 341

This is a 1976 photo.

What's the latest on this building? Is it gutted?