Proctor's Theatre
116 Market Street,
Newark,
NJ
07102
116 Market Street,
Newark,
NJ
07102
5 people
favorited this theater
Opened on November 22, 1915, Proctor’s Palace in downtown Newark was one of the rare “double decker” theatres. Designed by architect John W. Merrow, the eight-story complex had a large 2,300-seat theatre at ground level and a smaller theatre of about 900 seats occupying the top four floors beneath the roof. This fairly narrow building contained only the lobby of the larger theatre, which had its auditorium behind it.
Very little has been reported about the operation of the upstairs theatre, which was apparently seldom used until the early-1960’s, when it was renovated for the presentation of “foreign” films as the Penthouse Cinema.
But the main theatre, with its cavernous two balconies, was always one of Newark’s leaders, first with vaudeville only and eventually taken over by movies exclusively. When all of F.F. Proctor’s theatres were acquired by Radio Keith Orpheum, it became known as RKO Proctor’s. The theatre eventually fell victim to the urban decline of Newark and to RKO’s merger with Stanley-Warner, which operated the nearby and larger Branford Theatre. The new management decided to close Proctor’s Theatre in 1968, and it has been standing more or less derelict ever since.
Hopefully, someone will come to its rescue before it turns into a ruin similar to the ex-RKO Bushwick Theatre in Brooklyn.
Contributed by
Warren G. Harris
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Recent comments (view all 51 comments)
Hi I have some semi good news about this theatre. Today I found out who owns it and the address to write them. I know it is not very much. But I would like to contact them and see if they would like to sell it and if they do maybe the city of Newark can buy it and make it a landmark or we can all take shares and buy it together. But I really feel we can do something with this theatre. We should make a petition as well. What do you all think? Maybe we can all meet with the owner on a set day and discuss it. I also have the number to the ecocomic development department for the city of Newark and maybe they can help us as well. I also found out the Adam’s and the Paramount are both owned by private owners and I have the addresses for contact information. Anyone interested in helping me with doing some kind of action with this theatre please e-mail me. My name is Kris. I know we can restore this theatre to it’s former self together as a team. I am only 31 years old but I have a huge heart and love for old theatres. I live in Staten Island but this theatre is so amazing we cannot let it go.
I am very interested in this and would like to speak with you about it, I have called and called the owners but they are korean and arabic I believe and I think some people have gone in there and made them mad they are not as interested, I am wanting to do a sweeping and comprehensive survey of all the closed theaters in newark.
From the google aerial photos the roof looks in very bad shape. If someone’s going to do something to save the building they better do it soon!
On this day in 1961, the Penthouse Cinema, advertised as “Something New in Newark Atop RKO Proctor’s,” was in its final day of “Carry On Nurse” and “Carry On Sergeant.” Opening the next day were two acclaimed Ingmar Bergman dramas, “Wild Strawberries” and “The Magician,” both shown with the Swedish dialogue dubbed into English.
Here’s a blog posting and some recent pictures of the Proctor’s Theatre
View link
And here’s a blog posting with recent pictures of the Proctor’s Palace Roof Theatre/Penthouse Theatre
View link
Newyork5700 have u gone in the theater and how did u get it ? I might be able to get u in for a few but I need details on how u go in..
I’m constantly amazed at the photographic documentation Matt Lambros has been able to assemble on his website. Are you the photographer, Matt? Your work is fantastic on several levels, not the least of which includes gaining access to the nooks and crannies of these buildings and the impeccable quality of the images. So glad you are sharing these efforts with Cinema Treasures. Terrific job!
Thanks so much Ed! I’m humbled by your high praise. I hope I continue to live up to your kind words in all my future projects.
I just added a two part article on the photo page about the opening of this grand theater.