Bell Cinema
801 Washington Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11238
801 Washington Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11238
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Those small, independent cinemas really had no choice but to book British or other “foreign” films that had slight or no previous exposure in Brooklyn. The alternative was to show the usual Hollywood mainstream releases at the very end of their runs, when there was virtually no audience left.
Fascinating that specialty films ran in several Brooklyn neighborhoods in theaters like the Bell, the Astor, the St. George.
Here’s an ultra-rare ad for the Bell Cinema, which shared this April, 1952 Brooklyn “exclusive” with the Jewel Theatre (listed at CT as Cinema Kings Highway but closed to postings): View link
THEATRE PROPERTY SOLD IN BROOKLYN; Washington Avenue Building Also Contains Stores
NY Times April 14, 1945
The building at 709-805 Washing Avenue, Brooklyn, containing stores and the motion picture theatre known as the Bell Cinema, has been purchased by the A.B.B. Holding Corporation from the Corporation for the General Council of the Congregational Churches of the United States.
J.F. Lundy….The Crystal Theater is listed on here as the Towne Theater.
/theaters/16932/
In 1937 there was a Crystal Theater listed in the Brooklyn telephone directory located at 327 Washington Avenue in Brooklyn. Does anyone know anything about it being listed under another name in a different time period ?
Actually it was known as the Bell Cinema. It had a very ‘art deco’ marquee – very modern back then. I lived around the corner on Eastern Parkway when they opened it – 1936 or thereabouts sounds about right. Didn’t go too often as a kid unless I was with my parents seeing something they wanted to see. My only vivid memory is seeing Kind Hearts & Coronets while sitting in the balcony – I guess around 1949 or thereabouts.
Alan Taplow