Marine Theater

I show the address for the Marine Theatre as 1956 Flatbush,Brooklyn, NY.

A photo of a marquee of a Marine Theatre can be found at www.gettyimages.com The photo is numbered 50527426. I can't swear that it's the Brooklyn Marine, but I think so.

Hi Warren,
I tried to access the photo, but the number didn't work. What search words did you use?
Thanks--

On page 97 of "This Fabulous Century 1950-1960" (Time Life Books, 1970) there is a photo of the Marine marquee.
Wording on the marquee:

FREE TO PUBLIC
KEFAUVER T V
SENATE CRIME HEARINGS

Caption: A New York moive theater drops its regular Hollywood fare to pick up television's political spectacular, the Kefauver hearings.


Sounds all too familiar: Oliver North, OJ Simpson, Michael Jackson ...

The Marine had 2,146 seats, according to the 1954 Film Daily Year Book.

Here's a sample proof of the Kefauver photo. I suspect that the Marine was equipped with large-screen projection TV, and used it in this case to fill the house and sell lots of candy, popcorn, and whatever:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/50704815.jpg

Century's Marine Theatre was a great place to see a movie. I have great memories of the Theatre from the 60s and 70s. I remember seeing THE SOUND OF MUSIC, DISNEY's THE JUNGLE BOOK, HOUSE OF WAX in 3D, KLUTE, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, THE FRENCH CONNECTION,
TOM THUMB, and so many others! The theatre is now a bank and a carpet store. Its very sad.

The architect listed on city records for this theater building is R. Short.

Architect R. Thomas Short and interior decorator William Rau did most of the Century theatres built prior to World War II. Among the numerous others were the Patio in Brooklyn, and the Merrick, Bliss, and Prospect in Queens.

Thanks for giving the middle name for R. Short. I couldn't make out the signature. He signed his name R. Thos. Short.

An Austin organ Opus 1454 Size 3/10 was installed in the Marine Theater in 1926. Cost of organ was $12,500.

The Marine had the exclusive Brooklyn showing of "The Sound of Music". It ran there for 6 months.

Hey Lost, Warren, BrooklynJim, PKoch... ANYONE... I have two images that show detail of a battered theater marquee in Brooklyn and I'd like some help trying to identify it:

Always Air Conditioned
The Best in Entertainment

The photographer is Matt Weber who has a number of great images of NYC street scenes at his website www.urbanphotos.com. He was kind enough to share some photos with me, but doesn't recall precisely which theater it was he captured here. The photo was taken some time in the '80's and he told me it was "deep in Brooklyn, possibly Flatbush Ave". Not a whole lot of help, but I plan on spreading this message around and seeing if anyone can make a direct hit!

Thanks, guys...

I can't see enough of the building to even guess. But I suspect that it must have been long closed by the time the photo was taken in the 1980s.

I believe the building that housed the Rugby Theater still stands. If the exterior hasn't been altered, those "decorative circles" might still exist. Anyone that lives or works near Utica Avenue feel like taking some photos? Just for fun Ed, why not post a local.live.com aerial view for 823 Utica Avenue and see how close you can zoom in. I doubt that we will be able to see those "decorative circles" but it won't cost anything to try.

The Rugby premises are currently occupied by "Bobby's Department Store." Perhaps one of our Brooklyn residents could visit to see if any of the front facade resembles that seen in the photographs of the mystery marquee.

I went to the Marine Theater about every Saturday from
1942 to 1948, and also attended the school around the
corner, St. Thomas Aquinas (and later, for a year, Midwood
High School). (I was also a Brooklyn Eagle boy with a
100-paper route from Avenue U to King's Highway.)


Is there anyone out there who remembers the Marine Theater
from those days?

I posted the following on the Brook Theater page:

Wow! What memories this site brings back. I was a regular at both the Brook and Marine theaters from 1953 to 1958. I believe admission was a quarter back then. The balcony was a great place to make out with the girls. Many of my friends worked at both theaters. We all hung out at the dinette (don't remember the name) next to the Marine when I was 15 & 16. They had juke boxes on the tables. I loved the knishes at the Coronet deli. Another favorite hangout was the candy store on the corner of Flatlands and Flatbush Ave. and I dated a girl who lived in the apartment building next door to the Brook. I graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas, (Brother Armel) class of January 1955. Hard to believe they’ve shut it down. I still have the class graduation photo album and the names of all my classmates. If you would like a copy or any other information e-mail me at Netaddict3@lycos.com
posted by Netaddict on Feb 9, 2006 at 7:50pm

This article relates to purchase of the land upon which the Marine was constructed:
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0B15F7395F17738DDDA10994DC405B848EF1D3&scp=108&sq=Flatbush&st=p

Hi JF

I knew a Dan Lundy when I lived in Bay Ridge on 64th St. between 4th and 5th Avenues during the late 40's and early 50's. Are you related by any chance?

The light-colored facade of the Marine Theatre can be seen at the left of this 1949 photo, with "The Window" on the marquee: http://www.brooklynpix.com/photoframex1.php?photo=/photo1/F/flatlands01.jpg&key=FLATLANDS 01

Here is the Marine in 1965.