Loew's Warwick Theatre

The Warwick Theatre, which had about 1,500 seats, first opened in 1913 as a conversion of the old Comedy Theatre, with the entrance moved around the corner from Fulton Street to 134 Jerome Street. The name came from another street in the neighborhood. In 1916, Marcus Loew acquired the Warwick as part of his circuit's expansion into Brooklyn. Due to its location in a mainly residential area, Loew's Warwick was never very successful, and as Loew's built bigger and better situated theatres in Brooklyn, the Warwick fell to the bottom of the list, presenting double features at the very end of their circuit run. Circa 1949-50, when Loew's started to "divest" some of its theatres to comply with the federal anti-trust decree against it, the Warwick was one of the first to go. I don't know what happened to it after that, but I doubt that it continued as a movie house due to its unprofitable history. I believe that it is now demolished...To the best of my knowledge, the Warwick was never operated by RKO. I suggest that the heading of this listing be changed to Loew's Warwick. Someone in recalling the Warwick probably got the circuits confused.

I grew up around the corner from the Warwick. It was in it's last days but I can still remember going to "dish night" with my grandmother. When it closed, the neighborhhod kids found a way in and made it a playground for years. Back in 37' my Mother's friend was hired to dress up like Dorothy and was driven around the neighbood to promote the opening of Wizard Of Oz. It was a charming story that could have only happened then and there. I would love to know if anyone remembers The Warwick and and details of it's run as my neighborhood theatre.. RobbieDupree

The only thing I know about the Warwick's original run of "The Wizard of Oz" is that it was in 1939, not 1937. The movie had its New York premiere engagement on Broadway at the Capitol Theatre in August, 1939, and then moved on to the Loew's circuit, probably landing at the Warwick in September or even October, since the Warwick was at the bottom end of the Loew's play-off system.

Thanks Warren, Robbie

Two cousins of mine who had lived nearby on Arlington Ave. were Warwick "regulars" during the 1940s. The theater was bordered on Fulton St. by Warwick St. and Jerome Ave., under the shadow of the BMT Jamaica (or #15) El.

After the Warwick was no longer a theater, Bohack's Supermarket took over and occupied the site. Bohack's, like A&P, had become a serious threat to mom 'n' pop groceries in densely-populated residential areas such as the East New York section. As late as the summer of 1963, for example, price wars were common between Bohack's and Landro's Italian-American grocery located diagonally across the street, and a quart of milk could be had for the ridiculously low price of 3 or 4 cents.

Today, the same Warwick site is occupied by a shabby-looking C-Town Supermercado and is heavily patronized by many of the hispanic folks now living on and around Fulton St. and Atlantic Ave.

Was the Warwick demolished to make way for Bohack's, or was the theatre gutted and converted into a supermarket? I'm not quite sure from your report.

It was demolished, but uncertain of the exact year in the early 1950s. The "newer" building (now 50+ years old) occupied by Bohack's and its successors is a low, single-story structure and would never have been conducive for even a local movie bistro to function with any degree of style or comfort.

An afterthought: The outline design of Bohack's is made with blocks of concrete. Back in the '50s, it was probably the least expensive way to build.

Here's a 1947 exterior view. Please note that the entrance was on a residential side street. It was originally on Fulton Street, but Loew's moved it when it took over the theatre, possibly to create retail space that it could collect rent from, but I'm only guessing.
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/lowarwick.jpg

Good work and F-A-S-T, Warren! And that architecture in your pic is extremely typical of its period, nothing like the concrete and cinder block I'd described.

And robbie dupree, regarding your 5/24 post about dish night, you must run - not walk - to your favorite library to snag a copy of Jean Shepherd's book, "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash," and read the story entitled "Leopold Doppler and the Great Orpheum Gravy Boat Riot." You will laugh until you wheeze and the tears roll. "I guarantee it." - Broadway Joe Namath, January, 1969

This building was demolished for a Bohack as BrooklynJim has already mentioned. A c/o was issued to a New building in December of 1958 for a super market at this address.

Thanks for the tip Brooklyn Jim, I will get a copy asap.
Also, Thanks to Warren- what a great photo of The Warwick. It is the only one I have ever seen.

The Bohack came a long time after the Warwick was closed . I remember it being several years while the theatre sat idle and falling apart. Robbie

For those wanting to see more pix of the area and read some
more stories about the theater, I invite you to my site
dedicated to East New York:

http://www.tapeshare.com/Jerome.html

What a stunning shot of the old Warwick under the shadow of the el! Your whole site looks great, tapeshare, and I must explore it further when time permits. (Am also familiar with the books of Brian Merlis.) Many thanks for sharing this magnificent time trip with us!

You're quite welcome BrooklynJim. Drop me a line at tapeshare@yahoo.com if you want to share some memories. My father lived across from the Warwick Theater on the south side of Fulton.
The theater was not air conditioned, so they often kept the side
doors open for ventilation. Neighboring houses could actually see
the screen from their homes, no sound of course.

While looking through a movie book it dawned on me that the last movie I saw at The Warwick was King of the Khyber Rifles . Looks like it was 1953. I was a little kid but I remember the movie very well. Probably not that interesting to most, but it placed it in time for me. Robbie

While looking through a movie book it dawned on me that the last movie I saw at The Warwick was King of the Khyber Rifles . Looks like it was 1953. I was a little kid but I remember the movie very well. Probably not that interesting to most, but it placed it in time for me. Robbie

Welcome back Robbie! You raise an interesting question; what
year did the theater close? We know it was closed down for several years before the building was demolished but does anyone know the closing date? By the way the grandson of "Pinkys", the drugstore
across the street contacted me and in some of the photos he sent me
the Warwick is visible across the street. They have been added to my website.

"King of the Khyber Rifles" had its premiere release in December, 1963, which means that it wouldn't have arrived at Loew's Warwick until the first or second quarter of 1964. The Warwick was at the very bottom of the pecking order of the Loew's houses. The programs were at the end of their circut runs. The Warwick did split weeks of programs that had originated on both the Loew's and RKO circuits. "King of the Khyber Rifles" was a 20th-Fox release and had run on the RKO circuit. The Warwick was one of the few Loew's houses that ran it.

Thanks Warren, I assume you meant "1953" and "1954"? Do you own any of those Film Theater Yearbooks circa 1930? I'm trying to investigate
something.

Khyber Rifles was released in 1953.

Yes, I did indeed mean 1953 and 1954. Sorry for the typing error. And yes, I do own Film Daily Year Books for all years from 1925 through 1970 (final volume of the series).

I am researching Hale Bowling Lanes, which sat at 3118-20
Fulton Street (southeast corner of Fulton and Hale Ave.) The
original CO for the building was issued in 1926 for a 555 seat
theater. The 1929 Plat maps also show the location as a theater.
It became a bowling alley in the 1930s but I have no history of any
theater and was wondering if it was listed in the Yearbook. Thanks-

If you want to email me offline I can be reached at tapeshare@yahoo.com

I found a newspaper ad from January, 1924 that shows the Warwick as one of five Loew's theatres in Brooklyn that played both vaudeville and movies, with a complete program change twice a week. During the week of January 7th, the vaudeville at the Warwick had a bonus "amateur frolics," giving talented locals a chance to prove what they could do in numbers staged by Victor Hyde.
P.S., "tapeshare," I've just seen your query and will try to answer it as soon as possible.

A 600-seat Norwood Theatre is listed for 3118 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, in the 1927 FDYB. The Norwood is no longer listed by the time of the 1932 volume, which suggests that it was the theatre converted into a bowling alley.

In September, 1918, Loew's Warwick claimed to have "The Largest Theatre Pipe Organ in Brooklyn." Advertising barely mentioned that in addition to movies, the Warwick also presented "High Class Vaudeville" on every program:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/warwick18.jpg

Many thanks Warren. I forgot to add I discovered a New York Times
article dated Sept. 24, 1958. During demolition of the building
the wall facing Fulton Street collapsed and disrupted El service
for several hours. So now we know the date the building came down.

Here are new links to previously posted images:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/lowarwick.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/warwick18.jpg

Hello gents, not sure where to post this but I am continuing my research on the East New York area and am trying to find information on a number of theaters missing from this site. If anyone has information from the old theater guides that would help. Here's the list:

Euclid Theater (Euclid and Pitkin)
Unknown name (southwest corner , Cleveland and Pitkin, the
structure is still standing)
Premiere Theater (Sutter Avenue near Hinsdale)
New Blake Theater (Southwest corner Schenck and Blake)
Unknown name (3386 Fulton, south side between Autumn/Hemlock)

Feel free to contact directly at tapeshare@yahoo.com

Rick Gomes
The East New York Project

I believe that the Premiere Theatre is listed here as the Premier Theatre. Others might be listed under different names. Have you used the search engine?...If structure is still standing at southwest corner of Cleveland and Pitkin, what is the specific address (#, and would street be considered Cleveland or Pitkin)?

Yes, I did use the search engine but I may have missed the
Premier. On the Pitkin/Cleveland, I believe the address is
2386 Pitkin (the entrance faced Pitkin), but because so
many buildings have been demolished over there the addresses
can be thrown off. This building was converted to a mattress
factory in 1935 so it may have only served as a silent theater.

Thanks Warren

1927 trade directories list a 500-seat Cleveland Theatre for 2386 Pitkin Avenue...I suspect that Euclid was the final name for a theatre previously known as Elite. As the Elite, it was reported in 1927 to have 600 seats and situated at 2707 Pitkin Avenue. In July, 1936, several newspapers reported that Robert Soffer had purchased the Euclid Theatre, at 2705 Pitkin Avenue, and intended to run it as a playhouse with a resident acting company for most of the year and a cinema during the summer. I don't know if that ever happened, but by the time of the 1941 Directory of Motion Picture Theatres, the 550-seat Euclid is described as closed. In that case, the Euclid's address was given as 2701 Pitkin Avenue. Despite the variances in numbering, I believe that the Elite and Euclid were the same theatre.

Great stuff Warren, much appreciated. I have seen a picture of the
Euclid dated October 1940 ( "Ma, He's Making Eyes" was on the marquee) so it must have been on its last legs at that time. The buildings were cleared for a shopping center and parking so the addresses and tax lots have changed.

In late 1937, the Warwick underwent a $50,000 renovation and was "transformed into an up-to-date, modern cinema palace. New seats--new wide-angle screen--new lounge rooms--new carpets." But the claim "EVERYTHING NEW BUT THE NAME!" wasn't 100% true. The Warwick's policy remained the same, with programs that were at the very end of their routings on the Loew's circuit: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/warwick1237.jpg

This ad from 9/28/1944 shows the lowly (no pun intended) status of the Warwick on the Loew's circuit. The Warwick is listed at the bottom right corner of the ad, and was showing a double feature ("Mr Winkle Goes to War" & "Kansas City Kitty") that started its circuit run about a month before. Sometimes, the Warwick would be left out of ads if space was tight. The Warwick was usually the last stand of movies on the Loew's circuit: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/losociety.jpg

Intersting history,thanks Warren