Gold Theater
176 Sands Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11201
176 Sands Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11201
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The Gold Theatre site is now situated within the confines of the Farragut Public Housing Project. This was – and remains – a pretty gritty neighborhood, though one which is situated in close proximity to Brooklyn Heights and the (now) up and coming DUMBO and Vinnneger Hill neighborhoods …. Except for identifying a William Winters as the theater’s architect, providing a 1927 – 1953 operating period and confirming the identity of the Kilgen organ the Brooklyn Theatre Index offers no additional information about the Gold.
I have 2 dish sets that my grandmother collected from the Gold Theater back in the 40’s. One has a farm scene on it and the other is red glass with cut flower petals. Do you have any information about them?
I recall going past the Gold on a Flushing Avenue Trolley Bus around 1950-51. That is a great photo shown above but it does not look much like the theatre I saw. That vertical was not there and as I recall there was a Candy Store or Luncheonette store front built into the corner of the building. There was a marquee that looked like it was from the 30’s that i think wrapped around the corner of the building on both Sand and Gold. Perhaps Kilt can comment on this
the Gold Theater in Brooklyn on Sand and Gold Sts was owned and operated by my Dad, first with a partner and then independently. He closed it in 1954 (maybe a little earlier) because the theater was to demolished for construction of the Bklyn/Queens Expressway. I worked in the theater as a kid. The corporate name was Mimi Amusement Corp, named for me. It was in a rough neighborhood, one that parents today would be unlikely to let their kids roam. We walked from the Myrtle Ave subway stop and after closing walked to the bank in Bklyn Heights to make the nightly deposit. Admission to the show was .14 for children, .20 for adults. Sailors from the nearby navy yard would pay their admission with a $100 bill. their addmission with
The photo suggests that the Gold Theatre originally had substantially more than 544 seats. The capacity might have been reduced when the theatre fell into decline. The Gold also looks too ancient for a 1926-27 construction date. That might have been the year when it was renovated with a reduced seating capacity. A Gold Theatre was reported to be operating in Brooklyn at least as early as 1914.
Nice vintage shot Tinseltoes.
There was a Gold Theatre showing movies in Brooklyn in 1914, according to a press clipping that I found in the NYPL. No address was given, but Shampan & Shampan were credited as architects of the Gold, which apparently had opened recently. The 1927 date might be for a renovation of that Gold Theatre.
he Gold Theater had a Kilgen organ, Opus 4039 installed in 1928 at a cost of $2642.50.
Well, 176 and 178 Sands St would have been the same building. I believe that this property is now the park/playground.
Opening date is usually given as 1927 but it may have opened in 26. The FDYB for 1927, 1929, and 1931 give the address as 178 Sands. The 1947 FDYB gives 176 Sands Street. It closed in 1953 and was demolished.
Thanks for the info Ken. Does the FDYB give the address for this theater? I’m trying to find what replaced the Gold theater. Either an apartment building is on this site today or a park/playground. One of those two expanded into 176 Sands Street but I can’t figure out which one it is.
The Film Daily Yearbook’s 1930, 1941 give a seating capacity of 544. The 1943 edition of F.D.Y. has a capacity given as 548.
It is not listed in the 1950 F.D.Y.