Albemarle Theatre

Of course, if the name here were properly spelled it would be: 'Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses' (the name is a plural possessive). The Witnesses have remodeled many theatres around the country, including the former BLISS in Greenpoint (Woodside, Long Island) NY and the former STANLEY in Jersey City, NJ., among others. This entry should really be under its theatre name: ALBERMARLE since that is how those interested in it will look for it, or at least cross-index it under that name.

I think it was part of the Century chain, then Fox Eastern and then Mann and finally Cineplex Odeon. Its projection booth was below the balcony. It was the last theater to remain open on a strip that contained the Loew's Kings, the Rialto, the Patio and the Ascot (which I was told was a small theater with rear-projection).

The Albemarle Theatre is located at 973 Flatbush Ave. and it seated 2656 people.

This theatre was opened around 1919 and closed around the summer or fall of 1985. and was a single screen cinema all of it's life as a cinema it now as before mentioned operates as a church and has since 1986. there is a site that shows current photos of the interior and it looks as if much of the interior is still in tact of couse except for the screen. and probably the projection booth which was housed under the balcony.

Please spell this correctly because it didn't turn up on a search.

Saps! the spelling is definatley correct it doesn't turn up in your search then you have to look for it by chain that of which is R.K.O. CENTURY THEATRES. Or look it up under single screen cinemas which may be a broader search but the spelling is definatley correct!

Saps, there appears to be something wrong with the search engine. I also tried searching the Albemarle with the correct spelling and had the same experience that you did. I finally did a search of "Brooklyn" and the Albemarle turned up on that list.

The spelling of this theatre has been corrected. You should be able to find it on the search engine now.

I toured this theatre in the summer of 2002 with the Theatre Historical Society Conclave. It has been beautifully restored by the Jehovah's Witnesses, who were very hospitable and served us a buffet in the abovementioned banquet room upstairs, which has likewise been restored. The abovementioned Stanley in Jersey City has also been restored by members of the denomination, and is stunning. In the case of the Stanley, the original marquee of copper, with stained glass nameplates at the corners, has been restored.

Gary, is there anything from the theatre that they kept i've only been to this theatre once as a moviehouse and the banquet hall once and i'm dying to see the restoration. do you have any idea when they'll have anothe theatre walk or do you have any more information on the interior of this theatre.

The public is welcome to attend whenever a service is being held. You should be able to find the full schedule on the Inernet, under Assembly Halls of the Jehovah's Witnesses...Built by the Barr Brothers and partner John Manheimer, the theatre was designed in a modern adaptation of French Empire style, with Carlson & Wiseman as architects. The large lobby was two stories high, and graced by an oil portrait of the theatre's namesake, the first Earl of Albemarle, painted by William Dodge. The upstairs Albemarle Ballroom actually opened before the theatre, the latter in March, 1920 with vaudeville as the main attraction. It switched to movies exclusively in 1925.

Thanks for the information Warren, I've only been to this theatre once but it was at an age were I could only go when acompanied with an adult. When I was old enough to go by myself the theatre closed down. but it along with the Kenmore up the street remained two of my most favorites in Brooklyn.

I'm definatley going to try to arrange something to get inside to glance at it.

The Albemarle and an even more beautiful Flatbush theatre, the Patio, fell victim to the Loew's-RKO strangehold on film distribution in the "old days." Loew's Kings and the RKO Kenmore got their programs ahead of the rest of Flatsbush, so the Albemarle, Patio, and all the other theatres in the area had to settle for showing them two or more weeks later, by which time many people had already seen them.

Warren where exactly was the Patio located.

The Patio has a listing at this website. The most expensive and luxurious theatre ever built by the Century Circuit, it was situated at 574 Flatbush Avenue (the Albemarle is at 973 Flatbush Avenue).

Savage, FYI...
http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6167/

I've researched this theatre more and i'd like to update my listing on this theatre I originally said it shutdown in 83 but it actually shut down in late 1984 almost 85 and one of the last screenings was "Friday the 13th IV the Final Chapter" .

I am fascinated by all of these comments as it was my grandfather, Max Barr, who built the Albemarle Theatre in 1919 with the help of his family and friends. The "Barr Brothers" referred to were actually Max's sons, Jerome (my father) and Bernard Barr who carried on the Albemarle tradition and dealt with Century Theatres which strangled the theatre's ability to show first run films. It was a sad day for our family when that magnificent building - scarred as it was by fire - morphed into something else. I am heartened to hear how well the current owners have taken care of the amazing building and I hope to see the restoration for myself.

mbs 8-4-04

I attended movies at the Albermarle many times in 40's and early 5o's. I don't remember projection being under balcony. There was not enough clearance. I saw "Charlie McCarthy Detective" at a special Saturday morning matinee paid for by a local appliance store which sent passes to all the schools. I think it was 'Sunset Stores" or maybe "Mad Dog Tyson". Feature was shown with 7 cartoons and a Boy Scouts of America short in 16mm. They had a non union projectionist set up his own projector under the balcony on top of some boards over a couple of seats to throw the 16mm short up on the big screen. Used a long, long extension cord. I was sitting behind it to left. The main show followed the short and a short pitch from the merchant.

Another such matinee featured "Wake Island" and cartoons but no 16mm stuff.

Hey marges, I would love to hear your memories of this theatre and more about that fire that caused it to be shuttered. Do you have photos. I would love to hear or see it this was one of my most favorite cinemas in Brooklyn I would love to here from you.

It wasn't Century Theatres "which strangled the theatre's ability to show first run films." Blame it on Loew's and RKO (allied in Brooklyn with Randforce), which dominated the market in those days. Century had to settle for booking the Albemarle as subequent-run to the Flatbush leaders, the Loew's Kings and RKO Kenmore. The Patio, another beautiful Century theatre in Flatbush, suffered the same fate and ended up being demolished to make way for an apartment house. At least the Albemarle is still with us and magnficently maintained as a church which is still very close to the original decor.

A recent view of the Albemarle can be seen here:
http://www.disassociate.com/theatre_myrtle.jpg

Sorry to be so long in responding to Warren. Century Theatre's stranglehold over Albemarle theatre was most evident in the court decision to award Albemarle Theatre a considerable sum in their suit against Century theatres.

hey marges welcome back. Could you please give any more info from your memory on this theatre, I mean Warren has a wealth of knowledge and is extremley reliable. But your family ran this theatre surely you have many more memories that you can share with us.

A recent view of the auditorium of the Albemarle can be seen here.

Currently owned by a subsidiary of The Watchtower, the building has a market value of $7.2 million, according to NYC property records.

I do remember the Albemarle, even though I don't remember what films I saw there. However, I asked about this on the Loew's Kings site, and, if you don't mind, I would like to ask it here. There is a committee formed to restore the rival Loew's Kings (page 1360 on this site). Would anyone on this site who hasn't been to the Kings be interested in the revival?

WHOOPS, I meant the Kings site, chances are you have also been to the Kings

In 1977 the Albemarle was a Mann Theatre
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Orca.jpg

Apparently the area premiere of "Help!" was held here in August 1965:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/cinerama2.jpg

This ad is from the defunct newspaper the New York Journal-American.

Here is an area directory of theaters from the Aug. 11, 1965 issue of the New York Journal-American. Considering most of the titles on view here, the concept of the "summer movie" had not yet taken hold.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/directory3.jpg

I remember occasionally going to the Albermarle in the late 1940's, 50's & 60's. It was an attractive theatre that was well maintained.

I passed this on Sunday biking from Jacob Riis Park to Park Slope. There was a theater further up on the right that I'm trying to locate on there but the Brooklyn section is huge. It reminded me of Loew's Paradise and it had "Showcase Cinemas" over the doors and the building was enormous. To the left is a Sports Authority? There was a street fair in front for 7 blocks and some locals said it was just bought.

Forget it, I found it.

if I remember correctly....there was either another theatre called the rivoli or the hall on top of the theatre was named that...........

did see movies up and down flatbush av in the 40'ies to the sixties...

hueyD <cybernetiks@yahoo.com>
PS: ANY ONE KNOW IF A TROOPS 42 BOY SCOUTS STILL IS IN EXISTENCE...HAVE 2 OL MEMBERS THAT RECENLY FOUND ON LINE...IT WAS
localed on beverly rd near ocean av...met on thursday nites and had a camp in bear mt called spruce lake lodge>>>>>
tkx. folks

In 1969 the Albemarle is listed as a Fox Eastern theatre
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/BostonStrangler.jpg

In 1968 when I got out of the army, Flatbush Avenue was like the Times Square of Brooklyn: movie theaters, restaurants, book stores,record stores,ice cream parlors, and Macy's. I was living in a furnished room (!) on Marlborough Road. How well I remember walking over to the Albemarle to see Bette Davis in "The Anniversary." I also went down the street to the Loew's Kings to see Kim Novak in "The Legend of Lylah Clare." Imagine having FIVE movie theaters within walking distance of each other !

frankie

not sure how to go to the tread section ......

i just got a autoresponse from theatretreasure that I got a response to my 9/06/05 request above...was it you or how do I find it.....

thanks for helping this novice
hueydevelin or 160 martensestreetFlatbush in 1950'ies

Both Flatbush and DeKalb areas of Brooklyn were nice little "Broadway" theatre districts-espcially as I remember them in the 1940's and 50's when I was a child. There were also so many beautiful neighborhood theatres in Brooklyn then. Now they are mostly all gone- the results of a continually progressing technological society that lacks enough historical sentimentally.

erd: do you know how to go to the tread section so that can see who commented about my sept05 request....
tkx
hueyD

I worked at the Albermarle for about three months in 1969. It was a spectacular theater. I was living in Flatbush in a building where my aunt lived - I was in NY trying to be an actor. If I remember correctly, the apartment building was on East 29th St. (does that sound right?) - we got off the subway at Newkirk, and there was a great pizza parlor right there. In any case, when I worked there, some of the movies I definitely remember being shown were Once Upon A Time In The West (I saw it as many times as I could - it hadn't yet been cut by Paramount - they removed about twenty-three minutes after the first run), Can Hieronymous Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness, Night Of The Following Day, and Daddy's Gone a Hunting. Can't remember any others, although I'm sure there were a couple.

I attended Erasmus Hall High School just a block or two east of the Albermarle in the late 1960s, and saw many movies there. Frankie is very correct -- on Friday and Saturday nights, the five or six blocks of Flatbush Ave. between Church Ave. and Cortelyou Rd. were thronged with people. In addition to the Albermarle and the Loew's Kings, there was the RKO Kenmore on Church off Flatbush, a small art theater (whose name escapes me) on the same block as Erasmus Hall, and a theater on the corner of Flatbush and Cortelyou. My first job ever was assembling the Sunday newspapers (NY Times, Daily News and World-Journal-Tribune) that were delivered between 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. in front of the Albermarle Theater; when the movie ended, we sold lots of papers to the patrons heading home, or to a local coffee shop.

I thnk the art theater was the Astor; I believe the one at Cortelyou was the Rialto. Though both pre-dated me by decades.

That's right, saps ! I saw "Romeo & Juliet" at the Astor and "Mame" at the Rialto. Hey, savage ! How come Warren didn't destroy you for misspelling "definitely" ? Consider yourself lucky !

A patriotic wartime (1942) image with a peculiar arrangement of lettering on the marquee:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/albemarle.jpg

I am suprised and delighted to have found this website. I have a special place in my heart for The Albermarle Theatre, as my father, James Bradley, was the manager there from 1965 until 1972. Our family even moved from the Bronx to Brooklyn because of his job. My father took great pride in his job and was very dedicated to making "his" theatre the very best it could be. He even won quite a few awards given in the industry at the time for his performance as manager. Sadly, he is no longer with us, but I know it would make him very happy to know how fondly people remember The Albermarle.

Laura - your Dad's name was mentioned so often in my home...my Dad was Jerry Barr and my uncle was Bernie Barr, the owners of Albemarle. They really admired your Dad...

Marjorie (Barr) Spector

A 1950s view of the Century's Albemarle marquee and vertical sign. The vertical of Loew's Kings can be seen at extreme right...The movies at the Albemarle are Universal re-issues, and "Fury At Sea" is a new title for the original "This Woman Is Mine."
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/centalbe.jpg

Considering the uniqueness of this theater and the obvious care that went into it's construction and maintenance, did the Barr family build other theaters in the area?

No, they did not...

I graduated from Lafayette High School,in Brooklyn,in 1967.The graduating class numbered approximately 1500 students!(I think the entire student population was close to 6000!!) The school auditorium could not accomodate 1500 students and 2 guests per graduate. So graduation ceremonies were held on a weekday morning at,you guessed it, The Albemare.

The "NEW" Albemarle in 1965
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/?action=view¤t=cinerama2.jpg

Robert - did the Beatles actually play live at the Albemarle? As the granddaughter of the builder - and daughter of the man who ran the theatre - I don 't remember this...

The Beatles never performed "live" at the Albemarle. The ad is for their second movie, "Help!," which was released by United Artists.

my name is gracelyn johnston crispyn i was born in brooklyn in 1943 my family lived on linwood st near the entrance to highland park.
my father george bruce johnston (friends called him bruce) was born march 16,1912. he was a movie buff,he went to erasmus hall high school, and would take off many days to visit and hang out at one of the 4-5 local theaters.he lived at 51 or 54 stratford rd. and spent many hours compiling a scrap book of movie stars. the book was a green marble and white compositions school note book.i still have the book ,the pages are in ex. cond. he cut out all the current stars pasted them on the lined pages and wpuld write captions , star name picture,ect.
i have given a lot of background in hopes of anyone reading this might know of my father or my grandfather william b. johnston, he owned one of the first plumbing and heating stores in brooklyn, along with several other properties in the area, one being the albemarle theater. the plumbing store was located at 9 gates ave.
my family moved to l.i. when i was 8yrs old i didnt visit much but remember talking to my dad about brooklyn his growing up his love for the movies and the amt. of time he had spent at the theater his father had owned.
if anyone has any info to share with me re: my father,or grandfather i would appreciate it.
thankyou grace crispyn

Hi Grace - The Albemarle Theatre on Flatbush Ave was built by my grandfather, Max Barr in 1918, and remained in the family until the mid-80's when my father and uncle sold it to a church. it was never owned by anyone else. Perhaps your father had an interest in another property. (The Albemarle was managed by some theatre chains through the 40's and 50's but it was always owned by the Barr family - which owned most of that block,right up to - but not including - the Macy's on the corner). Marge (Barr) Spector

The year given for this photo is 1969.

This was a nice theater and I went there on many occassions. But my only specific memory was my father taking myself, my sister and several friends to see "Goldfinger" there. The excitement created by the release of that third Bond film is still memorable today. (It would be repeated the following year with "Thunderball," which we saw a few theaters done on Flatbush Avenue at the Rialto.)