RKO Bushwick Theatre
1396 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
1396 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
12 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 465 comments found
In reviewing my last message, I noted a mistake. Specifically, I wished to reference the RIDGEWOOD – not the Bushwick – as a theater whose facade did not architectually match the Bushwick’s. Sorry.
Unfortunately, when I returned from my vacation, I found a response to my “landmark the RKO Bushwick” request in my mailbox. Specifically, the Landmarks Commission noted that, since the building is “too significantly altered to meet the criteria for designation” it will not be recommended for designation.
Given the Commission’s interest in designating other – and frankly less imposing – facades such as the Bushwick and the Shore, I was more than a bit perplexed by this decision.
If anyone wishes to take up the torch on this issue, I would certainly welcome your interest.
Good point, Astyanax ! Thanks.
Thanks John for spearheading this effort. It would mean a l;ot for a neighborhood that is in the process of rebuilding to have a landmark designation for this site.
Thanks, John D and WilliamMcQuade !
Get your elected polticians to take a stand now. Get them behind you. It will help a lot & speed up the process.
Peter, I actually put the ball in motion and, earlier today, submitted a “Request for Evaluation” for the landmarking of the old Bushwick’s facade to the Landmarks Commission. This will probably trigger an investigation of this site for its “landmarks-worthiness”.
My request did specifically reference this page. However, any of you may wish to reinforce my proposal by also writing to the Commission in support. You should send your correspondence to:
Ms. Mary Beth Betts
Director of Research
Landmarks Preservation Commission
1 Centre Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10007
This will probably be the start of a VERY long process; but at least it will be a start!
When I hear anything from the Commission on this, I will certainly let you know.
I agree, John D, let’s do it. I probably won’t be able to help much, though.
In terms of comic book superhero clichees :
THIS IS A JOB FOR NATIVE FOREST HILLER !!!!
(Here he comes to save the day !!!!!)
Peter, great to hear from you.
Although it should definitely be a landmark, since it wonderfully reflects the best of theaters created a century ago, the old RKO Bushwick has never been so designated. Since the Landmarks Commission has exhibited a recent interest in noting such gems, this is clearly the time to move on this issue.
So, let’s do it.
John D., I like your modest proposal very much, as well as your allusion to the work of the same name by Jonathan Swift. I thought the exterior of the Bushwick had already been landmarked.
Tinseltoes, thanks for your reminder of the 62-year anniversary of “Chamber Of Horrors”, live on stage at the RKO Bushwick.
It’s ironic in retrospect, for two reasons :
1) the real life “chamber of horrors” that the RKO Bushwick deteriorated into after it was abandoned in 1970 or so, and
2) the filming of “The Believers” at the RKO Bushwick in 1987, which was about the cult of Santeria, and a human sacrifice on the stage of the RKO Bushwick.
Given the fact that its exterior remains not only generally intact but beautifully restored, serious thought should be given to its being declared a landmark by the NYC Landmarks Commission. Since, as demonstrated by the recent landmarking of the Ridgewood, Canal and Shore Theatres' facades, the Commission is clearly interested in this topic – and since, if anything, the Bushwick’s facade compares favorably to that of the recent designees – this appears to be a very “doable” venture. Finally, as the Bushwick’s interior has been thoroughly gutted, exterior designation should be a rather uncomplicated affair that will provide no apparent reason for anyone – especially the owner – to oppose it. In other words, this can be a real “win-win” situation.
So, what do you think about this modest proposal?
I was in it many years ago when it was basically abandoned. It had virtually no lobby but the theater itself was quite nice.
TT, that must have been a fun night. By the way, do you know who the “real Dracula” was? Was it a known actor or just an impersonator?
Sixty-two years ago last night (4/7), the RKO Bushwick presented on stage, for one performance only at 8:30pm, “Chamber of Horrors,” with Dracula in person. This was a free bonus to the new screen program that had opened that day of two WB releases, the Technicolor musical “One Sunday Afternoon,” starring Dennis Morgan, Dorothy Malone, and Janis Paige, and the B&W melodrama “Whiplash,” with Dane Clark, Alexis Smith, and Zachary Scott.
Thanks Bway for mentioning this.
I never noticed the cherobs were missing on the west side of the building. They are still present on the Bway side. They are surely gone forever, as they were still there in old photos of the theater when it was in shambles in the 90’s. I did however look at a photo I took of the building in 2003 from the Gates platform, and they were already gone.
Great article, John D. “Montrose Morris” was on the June 27 2010 Bushwick walking tour. I spoke to her about the Loews Gates, Monroe, Century / Shubert and RKO Bushwick Theatres at the end of the tour before heading off on my own to the B-52 bus to Ridgewood.
I first knew The Brownstoner as a magazine in fall 1977 when I was a student at Cooper Union, from one of my profs, Jean LeMee, who lived in a Brooklyn brownstone at the time.
I like the simile in the article of the RKO Bushwick as a ship. Very apt and clever !
Thanks, John D.
The attached article, which includes a number of comments, about the Bushwick was recently posted in the Brownstoner blog.
Hope you enjoy it – and hope the link works.
View link
Apparently no one took pictures of the former Loews Gates and RKO Bushwick theatres at the end of the tour, but I did mention them.
Thanks, Tinseltoes.
Photos and a video of Forgotten New York’s recent walking tour of Bushwick can be found here, but I didn’t spot any theatre sites among them: http://forgotten-ny.com/tour41/tour41.page.html
Thanks for letting us know, Bway !
That porthole has been covered over since it was renovated. Looking at photos from the theater in the 60’s and 70’s, the porthole window was damaged back in the theater days already.
I walked by the RKO Bushwick yesterday afternoon (Sunday June 27 2010) at about 4:30 PM after attending Kevin Walsh’s Forgotten NY walking tour of Bushwick. There was scaffolding on the ground floor on the Bway side, and the big round porthole on the rounded corner near the roof appeared damaged, filled in, or covered over.