RKO Keith's Theatre
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
135-35 Northern Boulevard,
Flushing,
NY
11354
44 people
favorited this theater
Once one of the most celebrated movie palaces of New York City, the RKO Keith’s Theatre in the Flushing section of Queens, is only a ghost of its former self.
Opened as the Keith-Albee Theatre on December 25, 1928 with Clara Bow in “Three Week Ends” on the screen and Keith-Albee vaudeville on stage. By the 1970’s, the theatre had been tripled, and as legend has it, in 1986, after almost sixty years of showing movies, the theatre was closed and sold. Soon after, its owner attempted to demolish it before a hearing could be held to decide its fate.
Having already damaged its famous facade and with work commencing to gut the theatre, the demolition was halted by the city. The owner soon forfeited the property, and the damaged and stripped RKO Keith’s Theatre has sat and waited for its final demolition for almost 30 years.
Several plans have come and gone to convert the building into apartments, but it sits to this day.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick, William Gabel
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Recent comments (view all 1,358 comments)
Center Proscenium with damage evident
Developer instructions:
demolish, subdivide and replace with sheetrock
On Tuesday 30 January 1951, Bela “Dracula” Lugosi presented his in person Horror and Magic Stage show at RKO Keiths. Currently I am conducting research on all things Lugosi; if anyone out there actually saw this show and/or has memorabilia (poster, handbill, photos) related to this show, please contact Bill at Thanks in advance for any assistance!
Look at the interior of the Loew’s Kings in Brooklyn and compare it to the shots of the Keith’s. Why is one being refurbished and the other considered a total loss? http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/loew-article-1.1245330
Having been inside both recently – the Kings is in much better shape, and will be much easier to restore. However, I don’t think the Keith’s is beyond repair. I hope that the development falls through and someone comes along to restore the theater.
I somehow missed the fact that the resplendently restored Loew’s Paradise in the Bronx has been bought by a mega church, and construction workers there had already managed to start a fire on Nov. 5 that caused heavy smoke damage. It’s a shame that so few of these stories end in Happily Ever After.
I wonder why the Paradise did not make it as a music venure. They had such grand plans(like the King’s have). Maybe there is just so much money to go around for entertainment. I wonder if this is the same church that wanted to buy the Portage Theater in Chicago and was turned down. They also have the old Loew’s in Brookyln. I believe it was the Metropolitan.
Oft times it’s also building codes and permits that kill projects such as the theatre in Stapleton, Staten Island.
And sometimes it is just poor management.
In the case of the Paradise, it appears to be that the megachurch had megabucks that the owner couldn’t refuse. In the case of the Keith’s (and I suspect in most cases) it is politicians in the pocket of developers.
I am absolutely convinced that there is nothing of
value left in the theatre