Boulevard Theatre
1032 Southern Boulevard,
Bronx,
NY
10459
1032 Southern Boulevard,
Bronx,
NY
10459
4 people
favorited this theater
Showing all 23 comments
As of 7/15/11 nothing occupies the space. It is an empty shell with forlorn signs on the windows “to let”,
On this night only in 1948, Loew’s Boulevard presented “All Jewish Vodvil” on stage, with Irving Grossman as headliner. On screen was the current B&W double bill of Paramount’s Bob Hope comedy, “Where There’s Life,” and the Republic oater, “The Fabulous Texan.” In that era, the Boulevard’s films were two weeks behind Loew’s Paradise, the circuit’s exclusive leader for the Bronx.
A couple of recent photos of the spruced-up facade of the Boulevard Theatre can be seen at the very end of this new article about Westchester Avenue: View link
See my photos at http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/22276.html
This was the Boulevard in 1971.
Thanks Erwin. You have great eyesight.
Lost Memory’s photo posted above on 7/1/08 dates from 1940 as the two features playing are ‘40 releases. Front of marquee reads as follows (best I can decipher):
FRENCH WITHOUT TEARS with RAY MILAND
MEN WITHOUT SOULS with BARTON MACLANE
PLAY TRIPLE SCREENO TONIGHT 8:45 . CASH
Here are new links to images described above on July 28th, 2005:
View link
View link
A new link for the Loew’s Boulevard photo is here.
Loew’s Boulevard can be seen in this photo.
Two photographs I took of of the Boulevard Theatre in June 2005:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/225271610/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/225272318/
The “Also known as” needs to be corrected. The Boulevard was never known as the Puerto Rico. That was another Bronx theatre with the original name of the Forum.
Today’s New York Times obituary of comedian Jan Murray, who was born and grew up in the Bronx, mentions the theatre: “When Mr. Murray was a boy, his mother would take him to burlesque shows and to the 25-cent vaudeville performances at Loew’s Boulevard Theater. After she became ill and could not leave the house, he would memorize the acts and perform them at her bedside.”
Your right! It was never called the Puerto Rico. It kept playing spanish movies as the Boulevard till the early 80’s. When it sadly closed. Remember going to see a couple of spanish movies in the mid 70’s. And was very impress with how awsome it looked. Sorry to see it closed and turn in to what it is today.
A Moller organ Opus 2439 Size 3/16 was installed in the Boulevard Theater in 1917 at a cost of $6000.00.
I’m not sure that this was ever called the Puerto Rico, a name that was used for another Bronx theatre, originally the Forum, at one time. Here are two views of the Boulevard as an Hispanic showcase after Loew’s discarded the theatre:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2939_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2942_IMG.jpg
Here is an ad from it’s Puerto Rico days.
View link
To view several recent pics of this grand old theatre building, see my web page at:
View link
The Boulevard was one of several Bronx theatres that Marcus Loew purchased from the Picker family, which is still active in the movie industry today. Eugene Picker had a long association with Loew’s Theatres, eventually becoming president (and the last before its takeover by the Tisch brothers). Eugene’s son, David Picker, became a studio head and independent producer. David’s sister, Jean Picker Firstenberg, is currently CEO of the American Film Institute. Other Picker-built theatres in the Bronx acquired by Loew’s were the Spooner and Burland, as well as the Oriental in Brooklyn, according to a recent telephone conversation that I had with David Picker.
The address for the Boulevard is incorrect. The street’s name is Southern Boulevard, not South Boulevard.
Thomas W. Lamb designed this Beaux Arts theatre, which first opened on November 1, 1913, with a reported 2,187 seats. Vaudeville was the main attraction until 1917, when movies were given equal billing and a three manual Mollar organ was installed to add to the musical accompaniment. Over the years, much of the Boulevard’s ornate auditorium was painted over or draped to make it appear more “modern.”
For many years after Loews closed the Boulevard it was operated by an independant who called it The Puerto Rico. They created 2 or 3 theatres in the balcony and kept the huge orchestra as it was. They presented live Spanish shows, I think in collaberation with the Commodore in Brooklyn. Many times they only ran movies in the upstairs cinemas because the main house was so big to heat and air condition.
This theatre is now a furniture store and a children’s clothing store.