Astor Theatre
927 Flatbush Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
927 Flatbush Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
1 person
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This very small Flatbush Avenue cinema stood within blocks of the Albermarle, the Kings, the Kenmore and the Rialto. It was an art house, at one time operated by the Cinema 5 chain and Cinema Circuit Corp., and was originally a Trans-Lux theater when it opened in 1933.
It closed in 1977, never reopened, and was gutted and retro-fitted for retail space.
Contributed by
philipgoldberg
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
Headers for the Astor Theatre need changing;
aka: Trans-Lux Theatre
Screens: 1
Architect: Thomas W. Lamb
The Trans-Lux opened in 1933 and it closed as the Astor in 1977.
In this 1943 photo you can see the Astor Theater on the left hand side of the photo. I can’t read much of the marquee but I think on the lower right of the marquee it reads Betty Grable.
I often used to go with my Dad when I was very young to the Astor. I remember seeing a British film about a boy piano prodogy who is kidnapped. I am not positive of the title
I adored this place. Saw some of the best American and foreign films there as a child. Remember it well. We used to take two buses from Crown Heights to get there, the only place in the area where films like “La Strada” and “Member of the Wedding” were shown.
As a teenager in the 1970s, I can tell you that Astor was “the place” to see Kung Fu movies along Flatbush Avenue. It also had a few foreign films. If I remember right, the Kenmore and the Lowes Kings got all the big budget, first run movies and the others on Flatbush had to differentiate themselves. The Albemarle was the place to go to see sci-fi, horror and thrillers (it had “Star Wars” all to itself the summer of ‘77). The Rialto focused on comedies, especially teen movies like “Kentucky Fried Movie.”
The Astor’s marquee and a portion of the vertical sign can be seen in the background of this 1969 view of Norman Mailer campaigning on Flatbush Avenue for a nomination in the next Mayoral election. The Astor was showing Paramount’s “If,” described on the marquee as “An Exciting Miracle.” A message at the bottom says “Save Free TV.” At the time, exhibitors were fighting the arrival of cable reception, which would put the equivalent of a pay box in every home: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/flatastor69.jpg
Wonderful photo. Thanks!
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Terrific photos (except for the demolition one of course). Hard to imagine that outside of Manhattan, outer boroughs such as the Bronx & Brooklyn once supported art cinema and foreign films.
Nice photos.