Trans-Lux Fulton Street
561 Fulton Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11201
561 Fulton Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11201
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The cinema originally opened 76 years ago on October 26th. 1934, as Trans-Lux The Modern Theatre, according to advertising in The New York Times. A blurb described it as “Brooklyn’s First Newsreel Theatre” and “Ultra Modern in Every Detail.” Programs consisted of the lastest newsreels and selected short subjects. Continuous performances started at 10:00am, with the last show at 10:00pm. Admission was 25 cents at all times. The advertised address was Fulton Street & DeKalb Avenue.
This was advertised in The New York Times on 9/12/1936 as the Fulton Trans-Lux, using an address of 561 Fulton Street. Although newsreels were probably still on the bill, they weren’t mentioned in the ad, which displayed only Elisabeth Bergner in “Escape Me Never” as the screen attraction.
Or Duane Reade or Eckerd (which is merging with Rite Aid). It seems that only heavily visited retailers like those can pay the high rents demanded.
How come whenever an old movie theater closes—it INSTANTLY becomes a Rite Aid or CVS ? What’s with that?
The address needs to be changed. The address range is 559-563 Fulton Street. The address given for Rite Aid is 559 Fulton Street.
The Trans-Lux Newsreel Theatre opened in 1934. It had a seating capacity of 487.
Warren;… I believe you are correct in stating it was formed out of retail space.
It became the Fulton Playhouse (possibly around 1936?) and closed in 1938. It reverted back to retail use, which continues today with a Rite-Aid store operating from the building.
Here is a photograph I took in June 2006 of the Trans-Lux Theatre building:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/211219790/
On January 31, 1936, it was reported in one of the Brooklyn newspapers that Trans-Lux was negotiating to lease the theatre to “interests affiliated with the Little Carnegie Playhouse in Manhattan, Henry Siegel, president.” I don’t know if that deal ever went through. Some of the Trans-Lux theatres were conversions of existing retail space. It’s possible that this on Fulton Street was one of those and that the space ended up returning to the retail fold.
Does anyone know anything about this theatre once it stopped showing newsreels?