Echo Theater

The Echo theater building has been razed.
I drove by yesterday, and the site is now occupied by new two family homes that probably date back to the 90's. The entire blocks on the cross streets (Moore and the one to the west) have been razed to build these homes.

Anyone have any more information about the Echo theater?

Either this address no longer exists or it's the wrong address. I submitted this theater and thats the address that I found for it at that time. I did find that the Echo theater was operating in 1926. I don't know when it opened though.

I made an on-site visit of this site today and can report the following.

368 Bushwick is located accross the street from what Bway suggests. Specifically, the Echo was situated right down the block from the Bushwick Public Library (340 Bushwick) and near the intersection of Bushwick Ave. and Morell St. Along with Morell St., it is now included within the confines of the Bushwick-Hylan housing project, which was constructed around 1950.

Given the Echo's demise in the 1940's, this scenario makes sense.

Thanks John!

This had to be a pretty small theater. Any more information on it?

I'm not sure where to place this post, but since the Echo would have been its closest cinematic neighbor, I will enter it here.

In reading Eugene Armbruster's history of Brooklyn's Eastern District, I stumbled upon a reference to a movie theater that was situated at the southwest corner of Bushwick and Flushing Avenues. A gas station now graces this location. I have not, however, been able to find any reference to a movie theater on this site anywhere in Cinema Treasures. Since Armbruster is a very reputable source, I believe such a theater did exist. It's location at the intersection of two busy streets also reinforces this view.

So my question: Does anyone have any evidence to confirm the existence of a movie theater at this location? Since Armbruster wrote this portion of the book in the 1920's, this is probably the time frame that needs to be explored. Also, the pertinent address would lie in the 800's for Flushing and the early 400's for Bushwick. Both would be even numbers. But, beyond that, I can't offer any more clues.

Please help resolve this issue.

The only theater that I can think of that is anywhere close to that location would be the Alba and I doubt that's the theater that your looking for. You'll have to search through all of the Brooklyn theaters to see if it is listed here. A zip code search probably won't be of much help because some theater listings are missing a zip code.

And while I'm here, the Echo is still listed in 1945 with 560 seats.

I did the zip code search for 11206 and 11237 for this theater and came up blank. So I guess I will have to do a borough search.

Thanks for thr capacity data for the Echo.

Well LM, after combing through ALL of the Brooklyn sites in Cinema Treasures, I have still come up empty on my search for the phantom movie house at the southwest corner of Bushwick and Flushing. So I guess I will have to look further. Any other leads will be most appreciated.

The borough search was not totally futile, since I did stumble over a few big surprises. The most notable one was the Republic Theatre in Williamsburg, a huge movie house that I never thought ever existed. The fact that its 11211 zip code was not attached to its CT page was a major oversight and a systemic problem that, I hope, the site manager will attempt to address in a more comprehensive way.

I lokked through some Film Daily Yearbooks and didn't find any other theaters located on either Bushwick or Flushing Avenue. Some of the theaters listed in the older Film Daily give no address or location. This could remain a mystery for awhile.

I was able to review the Department of Building's data regarding this site. While I retrieved some very useful information, that I will share, no "smoking gun" revelation of a movie house appeared. Specifically:

1. The movie theater - assuming there was one - was situated at either 460 - 462 Bushwick Avenue or 860 - 866 Flushing Ave.

2. The Block Number of this site is Brooklyn Block 3138 and Lot Number 32.

3. The earliest on-line action was a variance that, in 1946, permitted the applicant to establish a gas station here. What was here before was not noted, but may have been the old theater. Unfortunately, no earlier action is on line. Thus, while we can imply the existence of an earlier movie presence, no firm evidence exists - unless one has the time to examine the Department of Building's hard copy archive.

4. Several actions, occurring in the 1903 - 1913 era, indicate that a use not inconsistent with a movie house received permission to do business here. Unfortunately, we have no on-line access to these records.

So that is what I have been able to come up with. Hopefully, we will be able to come up with some paydirt here - or maybe not.

Are there any available photo links of the Echo?

Regarding above comments about a theatre located on Bushwick Avenue and Flushing Avenue, in the 1914-1915 edition of American Motion Picture Directory, there is a listing for a G & M Theatre, Bushwick Avenue and Flushing. No other details are given.

Also in the same edition of A.M.P.D. is listed Sunset Theatre, Bushwick corner Flushing.

Thanks so much Ken. At least this gives me something to run with and validates the fact that a movie house once graced this location. Since this was a major intersection, I am surprised that the record of this theater' existence is so thin.

If there was a theater at Bushwick & Flushing Aves. it was long gone by the 1950s as the gas station was at that location by that decade.

Hector, do you remember anything about the old Echo? Was it situated right next to the library or across he street from what had once been Morell St? I guess is that this must have been a pretty active intersection before it was decimated by the construction of Bushwick-Hylan Houses.

Since the certificate of occupancy to establish the gas station at Bushwick and Flushing was granted in the early 1940's, I agree that the movie situated at that location had certainly disappeared well before the 1950's. It probably did not even make it into the talking picture era.

Ken, do you think we have enough to enter the G&M/Sunset as a new site? If you believe we do, please enter it, since I am not very sure as to how to do it. Please rely on any of the information I included above in fleshing out the site description.

Thanks.

John; I have added the G & M Theatre http://cinematreasures.org/theater/30517/

John - The Echo was long gone before my time. A distant relative, now in his 80's was born on Morell St. Will check with him as to the location of the theater.

Ken, thanks so much for both your quick response and the acknowledgement.