Midwood Theater
Bedford and Flatbush Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
Bedford and Flatbush Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11226
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During the transition from nickleodeons to screen projection, movies began to be shown on screen in the nickleodeons, in small stores, in lodge halls, in the open air at night and as an added attraction in vaudeville theaters.
The first dedicated movie theaters were usually small and not too comfortable or elegant. They soon disappeared with the appearance of larger, more comfortable new theaters with a more polished presentation, whether these were new construction or conversion of legit and vaudeville houses.
The original Midwood Theater in Brooklyn was one such movie theater that had a short life. It was located at the junction of Bedford Avenue and Flatbush Avenue with Foster Avenue. This would be in the Flatbush section of Brookyn but close on the border of Midwood Terrace or Midwood section. The boundaries of these entities were vague and shifting over time as real estate developers came up with marketing names in the old towns of Flatlands and Flatbush. As this Midwood Theater was located on the northeast of this junction it was in Flatbush. If it was southward on Flatbush Avenue to northside of “The Junction” of Flatbush and Nostrand Avenues it would still be in Flatbush. Southwest on Bedford Avenue it would be in Midwood Terrace.
It opened circa 1911 and its audience began to flow to the new, larger, plush Rialto a few blocks north on Flatbush Avenue and Cortelyou Road when it opened circa 1915/1916. The new Farragut Theater, a few blocks south on Flatbush Avenue Avenue killed it upon opening in 1919. The new Farragut replaced the old Farragut Hall, a wooden building used for public meetings, receptions, etc. before starting to show movies on a regular basis in 1911.
The Midwood building became the Flatbush Chevrolet dealership show room and garage in 1920.
A new Midwood theater of modern design was then built on Avenue J in the heart of the Midwood section. It is featured on this site.
Contributed by
J.F. Lundy
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Recent comments (view all 1 comments)
In the Brooklyn Eagle Newspaper edition dated 7th November 1915, this Midwood Theatre is listed as operating as the Midwout Theater under new management and with an entire change of policy. (Midwout is the old Dutch spelling for Midwood meaning middle of the wood). The location is given as Foster, Bedford and Flatbush Avenues.
The last sentence on the opening text for this theatre is incorrect as the other Midwood Theatre located at 1953 Avenue J was already advertising in the Brooklyn Eagle in November 1915. It originally opened in 1913 and was later enlarged to the current building which is seen today.