RKO International 70
41 Albany Street,
New Brunswick,
NJ
08901
41 Albany Street,
New Brunswick,
NJ
08901
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wow-this was someone’s “dream” grind-house !
I remember my mom taking me to see “Gone With the Wind” for my first time. I believe it was at the International, because the only other theatre we went to, the Rivoli, I remember as showing mainly/only Disney films. I loved the curtain opening automatically, slowly, majestically at the beginning of the film, and loved their short intro to the main feature: “RKO International” (with picture of Medieval trumpeters) followed by “Feature Presentation” (with picture of a motion picture film reel moving). I can still hear the music background that went to this in my head and wish I had a copy of this intro! Thanks to those who provided the links to the old photos!
And another, somewhat older:
View link
A picture of the Albany:
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Beautiful photo can be found in the book “Urban Landscapes A New Jersey Portrait” by George A. Tice
The photo is from February 1974. That Man Bolt and High Plains Drifter are the features. The theatre’s marquee reads “The New International Cinema”
The “before” picture of the same block:
View link
The Albany is the fourth building (including one empty lot) from the left of the building with the prominent windows (near the clover leaf) and behind the huge parking lot.
lm
thanks for this great site.
This photo pretty much sums it up:
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The Albany was located on the N (upper) side of Albany street which is the west – east road (left to right)in the photo. From your first posted photo, the Albany appears a few stores to the left of the one building left standing with the very prominent windows. J&J demolished the Albany along with the Rivoli which was located West (left) of the towers under construction where there are cars parked near the intersection of George Street. I believe that this parking lot has been turned into more scenic gardens today to cover up a parking deck.
If this theater was also known as the RKO Albany Theater, then there are old photos here and here.
Should be updated with single screen, demolished, address at 41 Albany Street, other name – RKO Albany and 1030 seats.
I posted there about the same time you made this post. ESP?
Call off the search party. :) The other RKO International 70 is listed on here as the Capitol Theater:
/theaters/11940/
Thanks for the post. I read “41” Albany street in your ad, which matches the address in my 6/12/05 post. I’ll do some research on the Trenton theater.
Hard to believe they once played Richard Burton’s Electronovision version of “Hamlet” 2 a day. The reason I bring this up is look at this ad, it seems there were two theatres called RKO International 70. This one at 45 Albany Street and another in Trenton located at 18 South Brean Street. It’s such an unusual name for a theatre and two of them really seems odd. Anyone have any idea?
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When those movies were playing at this theater, the audience was mostly African American.
A fact which needs to be remembered here, is by 1970, the demographics of New Brunswick, as well as many cities in NJ, ,had changed dramatically. The theater, by that time, reflected the tastes of its customers. Albany street, by the mid 70’s, was a very run down area. That area today bears NO resemblence to that time period.
Wow – not exactly Academy Award material. Looks like a “B” theater to me.
Thanks for the post.
TC….I also found this theater listed as the International Theater located on Albany St. A list of movies that played there from June 12, 1974 to May 13, 1975 were:
6/12-18 THE ARENA + SWEET SWEETBACK’S BADASSSS SONG
6/19-25 THE BLACK SIX + MAN CALLED SLEDGE
6/26-7/2 HANDS OF DEATH + MELODY JONES
7/3-9 BLACK VOODOO EXORCIST + SCREAM BLOODY MURDER
7/10-16 TRUCK TURNER Co-feature (not known)
7/17-23 TOUGH + DOBERMAN GANG
7/24-30 BLACK EYE + EMPEROR OF THE NORTH
7/31-8/6 RETURN OF THE DRAGON + CHINESE HERCULES
8/7-13 GOLDEN NEEDLES + BARON BLOOD
8/21-27 THREE THE HARD WAY + FEARLESS FIGHTERS
8/28-9/3 EDUCATION OF SONNY CARSON + SUPERFLY, T.N.T.
9/4-10 BLACK GODFATHER + AFRICA BLOOD & GUTS (AFRICA ADDIO)
9/11-l7 TOGETHER BROTHERS + LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE
9/18-24 POLICE WOMEN + KUNG FU MAMA
9/25-10/1 SAVAGE SISTERS + KARATE KILLER
10/2-8 UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT + CHINESE PROFESSIONALS
10/9-15 BLACK SAMSON + BLOOD ON THE SUN
10/16-22 CLAUDINE + BLIND MAN
10/23-29 CAGED HEAT + WOMEN IN CAGES
10/30-11/4 TONG FATHER + FORCED TO FIGHT
11/5-12 STING OF DRAGON MASTERS + ATTACK OF KING FU GIRLS
11/13-19 NIGHT OF THE STRANGLER + WOMEN AND BLOODY TERROR + NIGHT OF BLOODY HORROR
11/20-26 LAST DAYS OF MAN ON EARTH + FANTASTIC PLANET
11/27-12/3 GREEN HORNET + BUSTING
12/4-10 TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE + MAD MOVIE MAKERS
12/11-18 THE FAMILY + BIG BAD MAMA
12/19-24 AMAZING GRACE + HICKEY & BOGGS
12/25-30 AMAZING GRACE Co-feature (not known)
12/31-1/7 BLACK DRAGON + SHAFT IN AFRICA
1/8-14 THE KLANSMAN + THUNDERFIST
1/15-21 TRIAL OF BILLY JACK + HAMMER OF GOD
1/22-28 MACON COUNTY LINE + DILLINGER
1/29-2/4 TAKING OF PELHAM 123 + DUEL OF IRON FISTS
2/5-11 BLACK HOOKER + TRICK BABY
2/12-18 ABBY + FOXY BROWN
2/19-25 ABBY + FOXY BROWN
2/26-¾ BOSS NIGGER + INVISIBLE FISTS
3/5-11 THE DRAGON DIES HARD + THREE THE HARD WAY
3/12-18 WOMAN HUNT + CASTLE OF FU MANCHU
3/19-25 STREET FIGHTER + HONG KONG CAT
3/26-4/1 T.N.T. JACKSON + QUEEN BOXER
4/2-8 ENTER THE DRAGON + FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH
4/9-15 BLACK GESTAPO + TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE
4/16-22 DRAGON SQUAD + BLOOD FINGERS
4/23-29 BLACK CONNECTION + SHANGHAI KILLERS
4/30-5/6 STUD BROWN + BLACK GODFATHER
5/7-13 REVOLT OF THE DRAGON + THAT MAN BOLT
I have 4 theatre seats, the curtain motor, and a piece of the screen from this theatre! These items were used in my basement movie theatre which I built around 1976.
A 1936 photo can be seen on page 117 of the Arcadia Publishing book “New Brunswick”.
Caption states that this theatre was renamed the International Theatre in 1972 but sadly DEMOLISHED in 1978. Located on Albany Street at the foot of the Albany Steet Bridge.
I think that this theatre may have also been known as the “RKO Albany”, which is listed at 41 Albany Street in the 1951 FDY. This maps fairly close to the bridge.
I found this theatre listed in a block ad from 1971.
In the 1951 FDY, RKO operated 3 theaters: the State (listed on CT), the Rivoli and the Albany.