Premier Theatre
509 Sutter Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11207
509 Sutter Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11207
6 people
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Loew's Inc., United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.
Architects: Charles A. Sandblom
Previous Names: Loew's Premier Theatre
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The Premier Theatre stood on Sutter Avenue at Hinsdale Street. Built as an independent by the Pioneer Amusement Company in 1921, the building also contained six stores, a restaurant and a ballroom. In 1922 a Moller 3 manual, 11 rank theatre organ was installed. The Premier Theatre was opened March 22, 1923. It was part of the Loew’s chain, when they took over on August 30, 1926.
From 1963 it was a United Artists house, and it came up for a last gasp of air in the late-1970’s as an independently run theatre, before closing its movie-showing doors in 1977.
Contributed by
philipgoldberg
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Recent comments (view all 28 comments)
Dear Harold……Thats interesting. I’ve been getting an average of 20 e-mails a day. Did I give the right address…..It is:
Try again………Leo Weinstein
Per various comment above, the status should be changed to demolished.
A great shot from a Jerry Lewis personal appearance tour
My father grew up in Brownsville, Brooklyn and he used to take me to many of the theaters in the area. However I think we went to the Loews Premier the most. I remember it being a very nice theater with a fountain and wishing-well as you left the outer-lobby to enter the theater.I remember the Loews Metropolitan as also having a fountain/wishing-well. I was a nice lavish theater (although not as lavish as the Loews Pitkin.) For some reason I mostly remember seeing films there starring Glenn Ford: “Cimarron,” “Pocketful of Miracles” and a comedy called “It Started with a Kiss,” also starring Debbie Reynolds. For years, I used to see this theater,already closed, as the L train passed the Sutter Avenue station. Since I gave up on the L train many years ago, even before I moved to Staten Island, I would assume the Premier is no longer there. It was a wonderful theater though.
I did go there a few times but the most memorable time was to see the Fania release of “Our Latin Thing” in the early 1970s. I did work above the Premier in the Neighborhood Youth Corps at 505 Sutter Ave and also volunteer there. It was a program under Council Against Poverty under the guidelines of the Community Development Corporation. I also was Chairman of the Youth Advisory Council. Mr. Mario Perez was the Adult advisor. Ednydia Irrizary was the Secreatary. Mr Fletcher and Mrs Odoms were coordinators and I think Mr. Bowman was the Director. We would walk there from Essex Street. ENY Model Cities was on Hinsdale Street near Belmont Avenue. My friend David Riquelme’s father worked there.
This was a beautiful theater in the ‘50s and early 60’s with a marble staircase, red velvet carpeting and extravagant chandeliers—-and that was just to get up to the main level. Too bad, the link above to the rare inside photo is no longer operative. The outside photo shows to the left of the marquee, the luncheonette/candy store where we would load up on sunflower seeds and Milk Duds, much cheaper than the movie candy stand which was located under the gorgeous chandeliers amid all the lush carpeting. I also remember the sweeping curtains that covered the screen.
It seems Samschoe that many theaters had “competition” from the mom and pop stores near them. When we (friends) would go to a theater, Cityline, Premier, Kinema, CrossBay, Ridgewood, Madison, etc that come to mind, we would stock up on the goodies before going in of course sometime we just bought the PopCorn in the movies. My the Kinema we had Moe’s great knishes! The last show I went there for was to see Fania All-star’s “Our Latin Thing” The place looked a little frayed and worn down. But the place was packed.
Grand opening was March 22, 1923 by Samuel Lesselbaum.
I lived around the corner on Hinsdale St. I used to ride my tricycle around the lobby. Harry the usher also let me inside to see the fish swimming in the fountain. First movie I saw was a western. The only scene I remember is a huge prairie fire. Then again I was sitting in the front row with my Uncle Jack. This was probably 1955 or 1956.
Grand opening ad as Loew’s Premier posted.