Fortway Theatre

The Fortway's architect was Charles Sandblom. It had about 2,300 seats and was the second "atmospheric" theatre in Brooklyn, opening a few weeks after the Universal (later Loew's 46th Street)in 1927. The Fortway was independently owned, but soon taken over by William Fox during his buying spree. After Fox's bankruptcy, the Fortway landed with the Interboro Circuit, which operated it for several decades before closing down and selling its theatres to other companies.

The Fortway Theater was also a two feature house throughout the 70's until 1988 when they also became a multiplex. I remember getting driven there every Sunday in the 70's by my father so my Mom and my sisters would all go see the newest feature. "Jaws 2", "Animal House", "The Shining" and other classics played there to packed houses. After the multiplex came the theater started togo downhill and the seats and decor have almost all gone and fade away. I still go there cause they have some of the films the Alpine can't get.

Here is some information on the seating capacity for each of the Fortway's auditoriums. Theatre 1: 468 seats, Theatre 2: 390 seats, Theatre 3: 388 seats, Theatre 4: 210 seats, Theatre 5: 210 seats.

The Fortway did have originally have an organ. There is a great picture of it in Ben Hall's "The Best Remaining Seats: The Golden Age of the Movie Palace"

On what page of Ben Hall's book does this illustration appear? The index for my copy has no entries for the Fortway Theatre.

Sorry, I forgot I posted a comment here. There is a chapter on theatre organs and their players. It is on a page with quite a few shots of players at the console. The caption reads something to the effect of so and so (I forget the name of the musician) "at the Fortway in Brooklyn. With a pilot's License?". The organ is on it's lift and it appears to be higher up than the orchestra. I will look it up tonight and post it soon

As I recall, the Fortway had an Independent ownership. In the '40s and '50s, it was close to the bottom of the food chain because it got run offs from the Loew's Alpine and RKO Dyker that had funneled through Loew's Bay Ridge and RKO Shore Road before hitting Interboro's Harbor, and then the Fortway (or simultaneously the Stanley westwards on 5th Avenue). To the east, the Marlboro in Boro Park and the College in Flatbush received hand-me-downs at roughly the same time. Before VCR and DVD, they were great places to catch films before they disappeared from the circuit. With the closing of most of the above-named, the Forway survives as a first-run house today. Though I could walk to it as a kid, I had never entered it. Gotta do that before it's too late (for me, not for the Fortway: it's like the bunny energizer that necveer gives out.)

I wonder if the ceilings in the upstairs theaters are still painted dark blue.

The Fortway started out as an "indie" but was acquired by William Fox during his buying rampage in the late 1920s. After Fox went bankrupt, the Fortway landed with the Interboro Circuit, which was owned by the Strausberg family that had been involved in the S&S Circuit (Small & Strausberg). Fox had also purchased the S&S Circuit, but after the Fox bankruptcy, the Strausbergs started a new company known as Interboro. Unfortunately, they had no ties to the major Hollywood companies, so the Interboro theatres were always subsequent runs until the late 1940s, when "clearances" were changed to comply with the Federal anti-trust decree against Loew's, RKO, etcetera.

The ceiling may still be painted blue, but unfortunately because of the drop ceilings in auditoriums number 3 & 4 you can't tell. I believe the Fortway was part of the Golden Theatre chain along with the Alpine in the 1980's before Cineplex Odeon took it over.

This theatre still has many remnants of its former single auditorium days, especially the side walls in auditoriums 2&3, and in the main theatre # 1, the proscenium is still visible along with two female figures on both sides of it. The Forway is the last of a dying breed of once glorious theatres chopped up to show movies in the era of the multimegaplex.

The 2 female figures that you speak of can clearly be seen (one of them anyway) in a photo in the chapter about organs and their players in Ben M Hall's "Best Remaing Seats". The Organ is up on it's lift with a player seated at the console. The lift has it up higher than the orchestra. A tympani and a rack of chimes are visible to the console's left on the orchestra platform.

Thanks Movie Place NYC!
I do have a copy of this book as any theatrefan should, do you know which edition is it that has the photo? I have the original hardcover version. I believe there were three versions published.

I have the paperback version from the late 70's / early 80's. Warren is correct in that there is no listing in the index for the Fortway which as a kid I was surprised at. I have only been to this theater once, in the mid 80's. I do not remember it all that well but I knew that this was the Fortway from the Ben M Hall book.
Are there differences in terms of the photos between editions?

Movie Place NYC,
I went back and checked two editions of Ben Hall's "The Best Remaining Seats" for the photo. In the original hardcover version, the actual photo is on page 191 with the caption on the page before. It reads as follows: George Mantalba at Fortway, Brooklyn, Kilgen (with pilots license?) in the softcover the same photo is on page 187.

You can clearly see the organ console on its lift above the orchestra, right below are chimes and a drum. In the backround is one of the Female figures mentioned in a previous post. You can also see a beautiful curtain with vines on it that must have been for the stage. The Fortway must have been quite a nice showplace in its heyday, glad it's still showing movies.

The fault is in the book's index. The compiler did not list the Fortway Theatre. However, he (or she) did list George Montalba under "O" in the section headed "Organists." Montalba has only one entry, so it will take you straight to the photograph snapped in the Fortway. The theatre's original auditorium was quite striking, but it was a no-frills atmospheric. The "indie" owner probably couldn't afford the exotica usually found in similar theatres by Eberson and Lamb.

Movie Place NYC,
There is absolutely no difference in the Fortway photograph in the two editions of the book that I own. I was supprised the Fortway was not listed in the index as well Warren, but I'm glad the book at least has the photo.
Maybe someone out there knows what the "kilgen" in the caption refers to?

Kilgen was a manufacturer of organs, which were less expensive than those of some of its competitors. Probably the reason why one landed at the Fortway, whose "indie" owners didn't have money to throw around.

Thanks Warren!
Once again you continue to be the authoritative source on all things related to movie theatres! Please keep all those informative posts coming!

I wonder if anything is still left of the Kilgen Organ in the main auditorium of the Fortway. I often see employees going down into the orchestra area duirng the movies here. Perhaps something is still intact. Guess I will have to check it out the next time I see a movie in theatre one.

This is one of the worst multiplex jobs i have seen ,auditorium ceilings painted in high gloss so you see the picture twice. there is something special still about this theater.

Warren and Theatrefan:

Kilgen theatre organs, were often known as Kilgen Wonder Organs in their advertising. They were built by George Kilgen and Sons of Saint Louis, MO. Kilgens were indeed less expensive than Wurlitzers, Kimballs and M.P. Mollers due to their simpler pipe chest construction (and a pain to service). They were also known to purchase pipework from outside sources and did a few other things to cut corners. Kilgen built mostly Church and concert organs. The largest Kilgen organ ever built is up in New York City. It's the organ in Saint Patrick Cathedral rebuilt by a New Jersey firm along with two stunning new consoles (much better than the Kilgen ones). Kilgen's business last up until the 1950's. Talk to most reputable organ servicemen and they will roll their eyes about Kilgen's pipe chest actions and relays.

The largest Kilgen theater organ was in the Picadilly Theater in Chicago. It was a 4 manual, 24 rankers with a Baldwin Grand piano, playable from the console. I don't know what happened to the organ, but the piano is happily with the "Might Mo" (Moller) organ at the Atlanta Fox theater.

I well remember seeing the Fortway picture in Ben Hall's book. As far as anything remaining at the theater, you might become a detective and start looking for long-forgotten organ chambers. It did that once years ago and found two theaters in the NYC area with an intact organ (console and pipes) and another with just the pipes. The one just the pipes was really interesting ... the theater was closed and without electricity. So climbing up to the organ chambers was an adventure, if not dangerous. BTW, this was 30 years ago. Sorry! Both of these organs was built by Midmer-Losh of Merrick, Long Island. Midmer built the largest organ in the world in the Atlantic City Convention Hall.

Thanks for the info Organ-ized, I'll try to see what I find out with some detective work next time I visit the Fortway to see a film there, hopefully I'll be in the main auditorium!

According to the February 28th Issue of the Bay Ridge Courier, The Fortway theatre may close soon. Apparently Massey Knakal Realty has been shopping the property since January 27th, It's asking price is 4.5 million dollars. The 33 x 160 two story theatre will be delivered vacant. Interest in the property so far has ranged from the City of New York wanting to construct a public school, to major big box retailers wanting to branch out to Brooklyn. The property holder will not be renewing its lease with Loews Cineplex which manages the theatre. It looks like the final curtain is imminent for the Fortway as a theatre. I will try to get there before it closes.

Sorry to hear the news always liked this theater has hung on much longer than i would have thought......

This will be good for the ALPINE

ANOTHER old timer saying goodbye.........

It's amazing with the burned out abandoned parts of Brooklyn they have to close another theatre. Brooklyn has lost so many theatres the last couple of years.

For twenty-five years of my young life, I lived within walking distance of the Fortway. But I never went to it. (Q.v. my post of last 7 August--I thought of it as the bunny energizer that never gives out.) It sounds like a great theater that deserves to survive.

A nice old theater that was multiplex like they did in the 70s. Not so pretty but the theater still has a sence of history..One by one there almost all gone in ny.

Another article on the pending closure in the March 5, 2005 Home Reporter and Sunset News, The title reads: "It May Be 'The Last Picture Show' For Fortway if $4.5 Million Asking Price Attracts Developers".

This is really a nice theatre that was chopped up into a multiplex in the 70's and 80's. Three auditoiums on the main floor and two more upstairs in the former balcony. It retains some of its original charm in the downstairs theatres. It's a shame the upstairs theatres have ceiling panels hiding the original atmospheric elements. The Alpine on the other hand has none of its original elements left in any of the seven theatres, it must have been totaly gutted when the subdivision took place in a sad and ugly way.

The Fortway is also in a lot better shape than a lot of the other theatres to close recently in Southern Brooklyn, such as the Oriental, Kingsway & Marboro. The seats are in good condition, carpeting not ripped of stained, walls not crumbling away. This theatre may not have all the bells and whistles associated with newer theatres such as stadium seating, etc. it still was a pretty decent place to catch a flick on a Saturday night.

VERY TRUE

Brooklyn seems headed towards becoming another cinematic wasteland like the Bronx. Unless there are some places that never advertise, the Bronx currently has only four movie "destinations" (I hesitate to call them theatres since they're all multiplexes). With the closing of the Fortway, Brooklyn will have only ten or so.

Theres a few more Im sure that will close soon also. Anybody driven by the Marboro? That too will wind up just another plex.

It wasn't until March of 2004 that the Fortway finally switched over from the old Pacer-Cats system to the much newer Radiant touch screen terminals, they even kept issuing the old Cineplex Odeon tickets for years after the merger with Loews in May of 98. When Loews Cineplex still had their contract with Moviefone, you were not able to pick up your moviefone tickets at the Fortway's Box Office, but you could at the Alpine.

Theatre 3 is currently closed off from showing movies, one of the theatre employees had told me the roof over that auditorium had sprung some leaks and the ceiling tiles had started to fall down on the patrons. I also noticed scaffolding going up against the back wall of the theatre, so perhaps they are doing emergency roof repairs. My guess is they will not be able to find a buyer for this building if the roof is still leaky, they must shore up the leaks if they want to get the 4.5 million asking price.

The Fortway was a fairly nice theater in the mid to late 60s. It featured Roman style columns against the side walls and a domed celing withstars on a blue background. There was also some tile work in the lobby and a fountain-not a drinking one, but a display one. I never saw it work. I remember seeing the Sunshine Boys here in 1976 with a full house, bur I went back several years later when it was "plexed". I went to see ET The Extraterrestial. I know I am going to take a lot of heat for my comment, but I actually HATED this film.I found it to be a pretentious and very saccharine little movie, obviously aimed at a juvenile audience.Never understood all the hype over it. Anyway, I went several times more to see films like Sophies Choice, The Return of the Jedi,Ghostbusters,Die Hard,and others. This plexjob was absolutely awful and now ranks with the Alpine as one of the worst theaters I have ever been to.The theater is onlyn open at nights now, bur they open in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday.I understand it has been sold to a developer, and new housing or a medical center will be built.The unofficial nickname of this theater is the "Fartway".

The last time I was there the floors were a complete mess. I remember seeing the revival of House of Wax in 3-D when I was a kid and being blown away by the paddle-ball scene. Used to go up there every week in the summer too when they had their Disney double features. Other memories include Dog Day Afternoon and Monty Python and The Holy Grail.

Lots of talk here about the organ. There was also a baby grand piano on the right side, in front of the screen. In the early years silent films were shown here. My grandfather was hired to play piano along with the films. When I went as a kid it was 50 cents to get in...cartoons and double feature. The balcony was usually closed. Purple tiles and a scale to weigh yourself for a penny in the men's room. I wonder if the purple tiles are still there. Saw Sinbad, Psycho, The Graduate, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and the Ali-Forman fight live here, as well as countless other movies. Fortway Bowling next door and downstairs in the fifties and early sixties. Last time I passed in the nineties it was a gun club.

It is with great sadness that I inform everyone here that the Cineplex Odeon Fortway Theatre has closed. I spoke with Loews Cineplex directly, they said it's no longer their property and the lease was up so they had to leave. In the final months they only showed movies on weekdays in the evenings and one of the upstairs theatres was closed for repair.

The last films that played here were: The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D, The Honeymooners, The Longest Yard & The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Another Brooklyn movie theatre is nothing but a memory now. Now all that we have is the Alpine and with the pending merger who knows how long that will last?

At least I have all my great memories of seeing great movies at the Fortway. Farwell Fortway, may you Rest In Peace!

Fortway Theatre 1927-2005

Obviously Brooklynites like sitting in the mundane, filthy Sheepshead Bay.

What is to be the fate of the Former Cineplex Odeon Fortway theatre, here is the listing straight from the [url=http://consumeralertsystem.com/cas/zx-hclick.php?hid=32]Massey Knakal website/url], it is as follows:

6720 Fort Hamilton Parkway, Brooklyn, NY (On the Corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway and 68th Street) Under Contract
Commercial Buildings,Special Use,Outer Boroughs
Rent is competitive!!A two story, 33' theatre delivered vacant located on the corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway and 68th Street. The 21,866 SF building is zoned C1-1 overlay of a R5 zone. The FAR is 1.25. This former movie theatre is being converted into first class retail/office space. On-site, underground parking will be provided. The space is available immediately; units from 1,000 to 40,000 square feet are being offered either as shell space or on a build to suite basis. Asking Price: Competitive Rent Representative/s: Timothy D. King

Went by the Fortway tonight, it's gone for sure. The side Marquee signs that read Cineplex Odeon Fortway have been taken down & the front of the marquee where the Cineplex Odeon letters and Fortway name were have been taken off and painted an ugly gray color to obsure the name. The marquee now basically sits blank, it does not even say "CLOSED".

All of the poster cases outside and in the lobby are now empty, as is the mylar sign above the entrance doors that used to give you the name of the films playing and their repective showtimes. The security gates in front of the theatre were rolled up & all the lights were on.

As I walked around the building I saw two men working inside carrying theatre equipment into a car, I guess what ever can be salvaged is going to either the Alpine or Kings Plaza, the only two Loews Cineplex theatres left in Brooklyn. Pretty soon you will never be able to tell the Fortway was ever a Movie Theatre at all. I wonder if the Marquee will be kept in the new design?

Farewell Fortway, Thanks for entertaining generations of Brooklyn movie fans, we will miss you!

Other theatres in the Interboro Ciruit included the Canarsie, Park, Kismet, Bershire, Coliseum, Sumner, State, Harbor, Ritz & the Lincoln as well as the Fortway. The tagline for the Interboro Circuit Brooklyn Theatres was "Always The Best In Entertainment".

This building shows a build date of 1928. If it has new owners, NYC records does not list them yet. As of Feb. 2005 the owner is listed as RKO-Century-Warner Theatres Inc with all bills and statements to be sent to Loews Cineplex Theatres Inc at 711 5th Ave, NY.

6720 Fort Hamilton Parkway, Borough Park, New York 11219

Block & Lot #: 05764 - 0001
Building Class: Multiplex Picture Theatre (J8)
School District: 20 map/schools
City Council District: 43
Police Precinct: 68 (Crime Statistics)
Political Contributions: search
BUILDING CHARACTERISTICS
Zoning R5
Building Size (F x D): 33.50ft x 160.83ft
Lot Size (F x D): -
Building Height: -
Total Gross Area of Building:
Year Built: 1928
Historic District?: No
Corner Lot?: Yes
Has Garage?: No
Number of Floors: 2
# Units: 0
FAR as built: 0.99
Allowable FAR: 1.25

MARKET VALUE1 HISTORY
Jun 01, 2005 $1,580,000
May 01, 2004 $1,530,000
Apr 01, 2003 $1,720,000
Mar 01, 2002 $1,530,000
Feb 01, 2001 $1,720,000
1 Market value obtain from the NYC Department of Finance

lostmemory, where exactly do you get this type of information? I try using the ACRIS & BIS lookup, but I am unable to get such detailed information. By the way in ACRIS I do see that the mortgage was held by RKO Century Warner, I wonder who bought the Fortway?

The Fortway theater is now OFFICIALLY closed. May it rest in peace. Thanks for the memories.

I am totally shocked & saddened to hear of the Fortways closing. I had no idea. As a former resident of Bay Ridge I visited the Fortway frequently. I always preferred it over the Alpine. I can remember seeing Easy Rider for the first time at the Fortway. In fact I remember the theater before it became a mutliplex. They use to show some great horror flicks there back in the 70's. I just hate to hear when a movie theater closes. Very sad. Goodbye old friend.

I emailed Loews Cineplex Entertainment about what exactly had happened to the Fortway Theatre, this is the responce I had gotten back from them:

"Unfortunately, we have returned the theatre back to its landlord. In
the long term, this plan will make our circuit stronger and more profitable."

Always liked this theater !

It always was better to see a flick here than the Alpine. I wonder if it did good business, the final year they only had evening showtimes on weekdays.

There is a March 2005 article about the closing of the Fortway Theater. The name given for the owner of the building is Jeffrey Deneroff with Loews leasing the building from him. The article is in PDF format and you need the Adobe Acrobat reader to view it.
http://www.masseyknakal.com/articles/PDF/Philly%20Suits%20Markets%20Theater,%20bpapers.pdf

The Fortway in the 70's & 80's was run by Golden Theatre Management, Does anyone know when Cinplex Odeon took over the Fortway?

I know Cineplex took over the RKO Century Circuit in September 1986, which gave them control over the now closed Kenmore & Kingsway Theatres.

Also this was one of the few theatres to be equipped for 70mm films in Brooklyn along with the RKO Century Kingsway.

cineplex took this over about 1987

And they got to run it until the 1998 merger with Loews Theatres. This also means Loews Cineplex ran the Fortway Theatre the last seven years of it's Life.

Theaterfan.... Cinema Odeon took over the Fortway in 1992, and it has been downhill ever since.Also, prior to the Cinema Odious...ER, ment Odion, this theater was open in the daytime. It switched to evening shows about 4 tears ago, but wes open for afternoon shows on the weekends and holidays

The Brooklyn Public Library has a picture of the Fortway from 1942, unfortunately it does not come up online, I guess I will have to trek over to Grand Army Plaza for a photocopy.

Where was the bowling alley exactly? All I seem to remember is before the CVS Pharmacy, it was an Associated Supermarket.

Regarding the bowling alley, it was immediately to the right of the Fortway theather. A small door led down a flight of stairs to the alleys. There were only about 10 lanes.

cineplex odeon took over around 1987 as i was the DM for the take over..

Thanks for the info CocoBoy, it must have been nice to have gone bowling before or after watching your movie at the Fortway. In the Real Estate listing the mention underground parking, I guess that will be where the Bowling Alley once was.

I haven't been to Fort Hamilton Parkway in about 15 years. The last time I was there, the bowling alley was a converted into a target range for a gun club.

The Fortway was triplexed in 1979 and Fiveplexed in 1981. Cineplex Odeon did a big renovation when they took over, with the purple walls in the theatres, blue, purple and black carpeting and the blue velvet seats, plus new poster cases everywhere. All these items were very similar to the Worldwide Plaza as I seem to remember. This renovation of the Fortway took place in the late eighties when Garth was spending money on theatres like there was no tomorrow. I guess thats what got Cineplex Odeon into trouble.

I could see one disadvantage to this theatre from a projectionists viewpoint, the projection booths for all of the theatres were separated from each other. It must have been quite a job to get all the projectors going at the begining of all the shows.

Did Cineplex put curtains in here like all the other places they re-did?

No curtains were working as far as I could see, but plenty of neon and not any pink marble, like most of the Manhattan Cineplex's had.

Damn. I had meant to see it before it closed. I NEVER thought they'd close it at the start of the Summer season, which I assume would be profitable in terms of the movies, and school being out. I was there many many times, including before it was a multiplex. I also enjoyed the nearly a mile walk from Third Ave and 74 St, where I am, up to Ft Hamilton Parkway. Saw "Dumb and Dumber" in that big first theater, "Mark of Zorro", "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon", "X-Files", etc. The last one I saw was "I, Robot" in that big first theater. The only problem with the place was upstairs sound leaked into one theater from the other, which could be disconcerting. Spent a lot of time at the Fortway, alone and on dates, over many years. Saw the "Terminattor" films there. I sure will miss it and those long walks home which I enjoyed as I'd think about the film on the way. RIP to a friend. :(

On June 23rd, 2005 Ownership of the Fortway was transferred by Golden Screen Associates. Inc. (Jeffrey W. Denneroff, President) and Forway LLC. The sale price was: $4,085,900. There is a stipulation in the bill of sale that restricts the premises being from being used for commercial exhibition of motion pictures for a period of seventy five years.

Also on June 23rd, 2005 RKO Century Warner Theatres, Inc. (Loews Cineplex) and Golden Screen Associates, Inc. terminated their lease on the Fortway. The original term on the lease ran from September 16th, 1988 to September 15th 2011, with one four year extension option. The Lease on the Alpine Cinema which Golden also owns runs to Sept. 2011 as well.

The Alpine will be gone way before 2011.

>> The Alpine will be gone way before 2011.
posted by RobertR on Jul 15, 2005 at 6:18am <<

You care to explain that?? Business always seem good at the Alpine, and with the Fortway gone it is obvious people who would have gone there will in large part go to the Alpine instead.

If the Alpine ever goes, it will likely be the end of me going to movie theaters. It will be DVDs forever.

Bay Ridge theaters that have closed: Elektra (now Food City); Harbor (now a gym); Dyker (now Radio Shack and Modells); Stanley (a bank);
Bay Ridge (NY Sports Club).

I remember one Christmas in the 80's going to see "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Fortway. What a thrill it was to actually see a musical onscreen again ! True,the Fortway wasn't terrific, but who needs to lose yet ANOTHER Brooklyn theater ? I STILL love to go to the movies. I'm so glad I live near the Pavilion. frankie from Brooklyn

I based it on that one by one everything in Brooklyn is closing. People seem content to go to the inferior Regal Sheepshead Bay.

I went to see Chuck Berry perform at the Fortway years back. He did two shows in one day, and performed his hit of the time " My Ding a Ling " . For added entertainment, a couple of girls stripped and danced on stage.
While we were waiting to get in, there was a rumble in the park across the street. For real, it sounded like someone was getting hurt.

There is a photo taken tonight on the " Bay Ridge Blog "
www.bayridgebrooklyn.blogspot.com

In an earlier post, there is a photo of the Bay Ridge Theater

My only visit to the Fortway was in 1959. My folks shipped me out to my aunt in Brooklyn for a few days. After she had me pick horses and numbers that afternoon, she took me to the Fortway because I loved movies. The film was IMITATION OF LIFE, which the Legency of Decency had claimed unsuitable (if not Condemned) and I feared this 9 year was going to burn in eternal damnation. Never forget it. I asked to go home on the 2nd day.

What was the name of the great Italian restaurant across the street? ELAINE'S comes to mind. j

Theaterfan, who are Golden Screen Assciates?

I think it is disgusting that they ( it is them? ) insisted upon this building not being used for the exhibition of motion pictures for 75 years.

It probably would have made no difference -- DVDs, Video Games, and soon, movies over Internet -- will kill the majority of theaters now open over time -- but it is disgusting to think that so-called businessmen would have such contempt for the community that they would squelch even the remotest possibilty of there being a theater there again.

If the Fortway was kept clean and was run well, it could have prospered for years to come.

I hereby put a fatwa on the old landlord, the new landlord, the new tenant, and the old chain operator, who does not know what they are doing and showed that by the way they ran the Fortway into the ground. May you all rot in hell.

Tom Grommell,

Golden Screen Associates was probably the holding company left over from the old Golden Theatres Circuit (see the Alpine post) that held the titles on the real estate Golden still controlled.

The reason for the 75 year clause is because Golden also owns the Alpine which Loews Cineplex currently leases from them, they would not want a competing chain coming into the neighborhood and taking business away with a newly renovated reopened Fortway Theatre.

The Fortway in its last days was still in much better shape than the Oriental & Kingsway in their final days. It was due to the fact that Cineplex Odeon renovated it when they took over in the 80’s. Even though Cineplex also owned they Kingsway they never spent any money on getting new seats, the ones that were there were in awful shape.

A Kilgen organ Opus 3893 Size 3/9 was installed in the Fortway Theater in 1927. Cost of organ was $11,396.00.

They may turn it into a supermarket, according to a story in this week's Bay News.

Anyone know what happened to the organ? I wonder if the pipes are still there. I have a Kilgen, Opus 3911 3/5 console from the Strand Theatre in Crawfordsville Indiana. The pipes are long gone...

Anyone have interior photos of this theatre from before it was chopped up?

I went by a couple of weeks ago and saw that the side exit doors were open so I peeked inside. The entire interior has been gutted to the bare brick walls, absolutely nothing remains. Everything would most likely have ended up in a dumpster that was carted away.

It's a travesty that the "atmospheric" theatre elements could not be saved, but we have seen the same thing happen in recent years with the Kingsway & Kenmore interior demolitions in Brooklyn.

The Fortway opened in 1927, shortly after the Universal in Boro Park, narrowly missing the title of "Brooklyn's first atmospheric theatre."

Hello everyone. Extremely informative and nostalgic site; a lot of these listings bring tears to the eyes of this born and bred Brooklynite (Crown Heights) now "exiled" in NJ. This is my first posting. I found this on the Massey Knakal real estate website about the Fortway:

6720 Fort Hamilton Parkway, Brooklyn, NY (On the Corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway and 68th Street)
Commercial Buildings,Special Use,Outer Boroughs
A two story, 33' theatre delivered vacant located on the corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway and 68th Street. The 21,866 SF building is zoned C1-1 overlay of a R5 zone. The FAR is 1.25. This former movie theatre is being converted into first class retail/office space. On-site, underground parking will be provided. The space is available immediately; units from 1,000 to 40,000 square feet are being offered either as shell space or on a build to suit basis. Asking Price: Competitive Rent Representative/s: Timothy D. King

http://www.masseyknakal.com/search/search_frame_top.cfm

The Fortway Theatre may become a Public School, here is an article from the NY Daily News that says so:

New York Daily News
Reel hope on class crowds
BY JOTHAM SEDERSTROM
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Monday, October 17th, 2005

A shuttered movie theater and a crumbling turn-of-the-century church could be turned into elementary schools in heavily overcrowded Bay Ridge, say officials.
The Fortway Theater, which closed in June, and the 105-year-old Bay Ridge United Methodist Church are negotiating with the Education Department to house 1,040 elementary students.

"We're the most overcrowded school district in Brooklyn and the second or third most crowded in the City of New York," said City Councilman Vincent Gentile (D-Bay Ridge). "So the need is obvious."

The push for schools comes nine months after the city approved a capital budget plan calling for about 5,100 new classroom seats in School District 20.

The 440-seat school in the movie theater could be open by 2007. Negotiations are ongoing over whether the church will become a school, officials said.

Community Education Council President Carlos Scissura believes the theater could alleviate overcrowding in at least five nearby schools, including Public School 170, where trailers were set up years ago to accommodate an influx of students.

"This would be a godsend," said Scissura, who said new immigrants accounted for most of the school population boom in the past five years.

"They're perfect [sites] because the overcrowding in that part of District 20 is the worst not only in our district but probably all of Brooklyn," added Scissura.

For Sal Friscia, whose 8-year-old son and daughter attend PS 170, the new schools would be a relief: Class size has ballooned to 30 kids.

"It's not that the teachers don't want to do their job, it's that they can't go the extra mile for the two or three kids who need the most help," said Friscia. "You can only fit so much baloney in a 5-pound bag."

The Rev. Bob Emerick of the Bay Ridge United Methodist Church met with school officials earlier this year, but as of now he's still considering several offers, including a proposal to convert the church into senior or mixed housing.

"Right now, we're looking at proposals, and we've been very clear that we can't afford to maintain the property as is," said Emerick. "We haven't committed to anything yet."

Earlier this year, the Fourth Ave. church went up for sale at about $13 million after officials conceded that the crumbling green sandstone facade was beyond repair.

"They're in love with the green stone, but that can't be saved," said Emerick.

440 seat theatre? What happened to the other 1800 seats?

They want to make it a 440 seat Public School, not a Movie Theatre.

The Fortway was one of the less gaudy atmospheric theatres, but still distinctively beautiful. Once it was multiplexed it looked crowded and lost the original ambiance. The building is now guttered out- a shell of what was once a movie theatre. Unfortunately, this is a typical loss of our times. If a building loses productivity, it will be knocked down or altered. Real estate is expensive in New York. Making a profit is most important.

Passed by last week as first time since closing. I noticed that the fire escapes were all removed. It also appears that additional work is in progress as I see some scafolding aroiund the corner.

I am so sad this theatre was closed. I started going there in the sixties with my friends and girlfriends, seeing such classics as "House of Wax" in 3-D and "The Lost World" and have taken my kids there till it closed. If I remember correctly the screen was set on fire during the run of the movie "Woodstock" in 1969 or 1970 (one of the cool legends). The Fortway had the classy white arches on either side on the first floor. There was a working water fountain in the entrance after your ticket was ripped. The seats weren't bad either and I remember sneaking in the side entrances thanks to the Fortway employees who let me in on nights when the theatre was HALF EMPTY. There was even a supposed murder mystery around the rear of the theatre-a woman was supposedly killed and chopped into pieces and left by the rear entrance. Anyone else ever hear of this? It would have been in the 50's or 60's.

Does anyone remember that downstairs, below the Fortway Theater there was a pistol shooting range. I belonged to a gun club that used the range every tuesday night.

PFA

Today's Daily News reports the theatre will become the Great Wall Supermarket featuring Chinese specialty foods. Store will open in the Spring.

On opening day, the Great Wall Supermarket should sponsor free screenings of "The Good Earth" and "Dragon Seed" at the Alpine, which, due to the closing of the Fortway, is now the neighborhood's only cinema.

Excellent, Warren-- both films played at our treasured Loew's Alpine upon their original release. After touring through Loew's Ray Ridge and the RKO Shore Road, they went to the Harbor and then to the Fortway. Last stop after that was the Stanley. Low on the food-chain in those days, the Fortway remained the penultimate survivor of the bunch.
Footnote: the RKO Shore Road itself is entwined with a Chinese destiny. Next door to it (originally east of it, in the mid-fifties moving to a new location a few doors west of it) was a Chinese restaurant named the "Shore Road." The kitchen staff used to take cigarette breaks in the alley and backyard adjacent to the theater. When the RKO theater closed in 1951, part of the space was converted to a catering facility; in later days (the '70s, that space itself became a new chinese restaurant. History runs in cycles. to

I noticed the theater closed last year, when I returned to my old neighborhood for the first time in at least a decade. I live across the street from the Fortway, at the corner of 67th, in a 4th floor apartment. This was in the 60's. My little brother and I went to the movies most Saturday afternoons. They made us sit in the "kids' section" and those cranky "matrons" were always shining their flashlights in our faces! I remember seeing Al Lewis and Murray the K there. (They had actually advertised that all the Munsters would be there, in costume, and only Al Lewis showed up, without costume or makeup.) Everyone in the theater was screaming so loud, that I doubt anyone heard a word either man said. I miss the old neighborhood. My mother worked at the A&P, and I used to go to the candy store (Louie's)directly across from the theater for a chocolate egg cream whenever I could scrape together enough money.

When I passed by the theater in June or July of this year, they already had the sign up for the Chinese market on the marquee, but it hadn't yet opened for business. I also saw an ad in a local paper indicating that the "second floor" was also available for lease.
I used to enjoy visiting this site and reading all the comments, but now it's just sad coming here and being reminded of all these wonderful theaters that are now gone forever (except in our memories).

Here are 2 pics of this theatres ultimate demise I took around last week from my car...
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a253/Brooklyn00/0812071903.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a253/Brooklyn00/0812071903a.jpg

OMG....thanks to VinnyBrooklyn for the pictures. What memories. I don't know how many movies I saw there when I was a kid......and frankcan you are right, it is sad.........love those old movies theeaters.

I believe that downstairs was a bowling alley that you entered thru a doorway to the right of the marquee......I think it was a separate business....very small, but still fun....

Unfortunately not of trace of the Fortway exists in the inside of the former fiveplex, where the Great Wall Supermaket now resides. But as you can tell from VinnyBrooklyn's photos, at least they somewhat preserved the Marquee for the supermarkets sign.

Here's an ultra-rare image of the Fortway's original auditorium. This was the second "atmospheric" to open in the Greater New York area, preceded by the Universal Theatre (later Loew's 46th) in Boro Park. Funded by a major Hollywood studio, the Universal was larger and more ornate than the Fortway, which was built by local interests and eventually taken over by the Interboro circuit: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/fortwayaud.jpg

Great picture.

That photo brings back many memories....to the far right and left of the pillars in the theatre were dark carpeted aisles where you could hide from your parents and later your friends when we were old enough to go by ourselves. I remember stealing a kiss or two from a girlfriend in those dark alleys, too!

How much of the original architecture remained - in the auditorium and throughout the theatre - after the multiplexing and until the Fortway closed in 2005?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm quite sure someone will!) but I remember the side aisles lasted up until the end. The architecture above those aisles was removed (I think) to make room for more theatres upstairs and the staues of "The Ladies" as I called them on each side of the screen were removed as well.

Here's another rare view, showing the area to the right of the stage. Note the railed-off section for musicians. The console of the Kilgen organ is protected by a dustcover. The console was on a lift that could raise it considerably above floor level. A great photo of it being played by Georges Montalba can be found on page 191 in Ben Hall's "The Best Remaining Seats":
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/fortway02.jpg

Hi! I have very, very special memories about the Fortway. I was born in Brooklyn in 1963, and my mom frequently took me there. To this day, I recall seeing YOURS MINE AND OURS with Lucille Ball there - and I *think* MARY POPPINS when it moved to the neighborhood houses.
In 1980, I saw the re-release of MARY there as well. ANd now it's gone!

On May 5, 1993, The Brooklyn Spectator published two pages of Bay Ridge movie palace memories written by Andrew Johnson and John Cocchi.

Here they are:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/2677973948/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/2677160367/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/2677977584/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/2677164793/

Thanks for sharing Al.

Function should be Supermarket. Here is an article about the Great Wall Supermarket.

A slightly over-exposed view of the exterior in 1969 can be seen here: http://www.brooklynpix.com/photoframex1.php?photo=/photo99/T/theater359.jpg&key=THEATERS 359