RKO Proctor's 125th Street Theatre
112 E. 125th Street,
Harlem,
New York,
NY
10035
112 E. 125th Street,
Harlem,
New York,
NY
10035
1 person
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 26 comments found
Thanks, Al. Know that location well from my travels in and around the area.
Thank you, Ed. I understand the post now.
By the way, I also thank you for teaching me how to hyperlink!
On a personal note, I think you would ‘need’ to see this: I don’t know how to buffer it. It hurts too much.
http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2012/02/inside-elk.html
Al’s postcard image from February 21, 2010, of the RKO Proctor’s 125th Street states the location as “West of Seventh Avenue.” Actually, the vintage postcard shows the Keith’s & Proctor’s 125th Street. This may have been the opera house that iatse311 found reference to in the Museum of City of New York site he linked to on July 21, 2010.
Here’s an active version to the link WelcometoHarlem posted earlier today. The reference to the Columbus Theatre at this address is near the bottom of page 2 in the right hand column. That AKA has already been noted on this page by CT.
The theater at the address was the Columbus Theater build by Oscar I in 1890. Information on it can be found http://www.npclibrary.org/db/bb_files/00-HAMILTON-THEATER.pdf
Where is the theatre in the Google Maps view? I see a bank, which was always a bank. Perhaps the “corrector” mistook it for a theatre?
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references to proctors opera house 125th St. Near 8th Avenue
???
Nice postcard veiw.
This closed in late 1953 after a run of “So Big” and “The Moonlighter”.
The RKO Proctor’s 125th street on a postcard view here:
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Does anyone know anything about the Harlem Orpheum inside the Majestic Hall building? I have found no signs of it ever showing movies nor Vaudeville but it sure looks like it should have.
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AlAlvarez—Sorry to say, no. On West 125th St. I recall the Loew’s Victoria & the Harlem (Opera House), and the Appollo.
obmarshall
The address listed in the introduction is incorrect. Proctor’s was situated at 112 East 125th Street, which is on the east side of Harlem. The address displayed here is not only incorrect, but also on the west side of Harlem, a considerable walking distance from 112 East 125th Street…On second thought, perhaps it’s the name of the theatre and not the address that’s incorrect? The seating capacity suggests a much smaller theatre than Proctor’s 125th St. Perhaps this is really intended to be a listing for the Sunset Theatre, which was situated at 316 West 125th Street? But if this listing is changed to Sunset Theatre, will there still be a listing for Proctor’s?
Bob, do you remember the Sunset?
I grew up in the neighborhood in the late 40’s & 50’s & “Procter’s” as it was referred to was a first rate & run RKO theater with two balconies & a stage. It was part of the East 125th Street theater district. Mid-50s it closed & became a church: “Lawson’s Auditorium” on a new marquee. Directly opposite the RKO, was a one-level plain auditorium called The Grand (“Air Cooled”)which got the 2nd run of the Loew’s circuit. A block East stood the Triboro, where the likes of Sophie Tucker played there nearly a century ago in Vaudeville. It later (when open) was a burlesque house, road shows of the “Passion Play,” Spanish films, Italian films & “3 features plus” grind house. A few blocks away on 2nd Ave & 124th St. was a very small single level movie house called “The Palace,” which changed its double features 4 times a week, and had the best serials on Saturday afternoons.
Oh Warren…
The address and seating capacity in the introduction are incorrect. Proctor’s 125th Street was at 112 East 125th Street and had 1,680 seats. The address and seating capacity in the introduction above are for the Sunset Theatre, which at present does not have a listing at Cinema Treasures. When I posted about Proctor’s 125th Street on 3/29/04, I apparently responded to the theatre’s name and did not notice that William Gabel had included an incorrect address.
My 1934 Film Daily shows the Sunset at 316 W 125th street
and the 125th street at 112 E. 125th Street.
If this was indeed the 112 site, it was previously known as the Miner’s and the Columbia before its movie days.
ah thanks Warren
The West End is listed here. The name is two words, not one. I posted an exterior photo not too long ago.
Does anyone know what theatre Westend 125 is? I can’t find it listed on here?
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A Wurlitzer organ Opus 1456 Style H 3M was installed in the Proctor’s 125th Street Theater on 9/21/1926.
June 1906 news story from the Brooklyn Standard Union
“Harley H. FORSYTH, 24 years old, of the Hotel Morganthal, Park avenue and 125th street, Manhattan, employed as assistant treasurer at Proctor’s 125th Street Theater, and said to be a scion of an old Vermont family, was held in $1,000 to-day, in the Centre street court, Manhattan, on a charge of grand larceny.
FORSYTH is alleged to have stolen $400 in cash and 500 tickets. Detectives said he had a wardrobe fit for a prince and had been living far above his means”.
This was RKO Proctor’s 125th Street, once one of the top theatres in Harlem. Built as a playhouse by Oscar Hammerstein with John B. McElfatrick as architect, it first opened with Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” on October 11, 1890. In 1899, Hammerstein sold the theatre to F.F. Proctor, who switched the policy to vaudeville, adding films to the programs in 1908. Due to the Proctor’s connection, the 125th Street eventually became an RKO movie house, finally closing circa 1960. It later became a church, with most of the original auditorium still intact. In 1985, a fire broke out in the 125th Street facade and severely damaged the entire building. It was finally declared a safety hazard and demolished in 1987.
The Sunset Theatre was located at 316 W. 125th Street and it seated 598 seats.