Comet Theater
856 Gates Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
856 Gates Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11221
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I believe this is the site of the old Comet:
View link
That is the correct address as I posted back in August of 2006. The address above should be updated.
The Comet was listed at 852 Gates in the 1940 phone book, but with a different phone number than 1937, GLenmor 2-4800.
There was a Comic Movie House on Gates Avenue just off Reid Avenue when I was a kid.
Saps….Thats the Bijou Cinema.
Is this the same Comet? View link
Thanks J.F. Lundy, 852 Gates Avenue is the correct address. The first c/o that I find for a motion picture theater at 852 Gates Avenue is dated August of 1928. It was an existing building so a theater was most likely already operating here prior to that date. Seating is given as 561. The owner was the 852 Gates Avenue Corp.
There is a listing for the Comet Theater at 852 Gates Avenue in the 1937 Brooklyn phone book. Jefferson 3-5529.
The Comet was demolished to build a large apartment building. Here’s the site of the Comet Theater. The Southeast corner of Gates and Malcom X Blvd:
View link
This theatre was know as the Comet no later than October 1935 (there was slight fire damage reported in the New York Times).
Just to add though….it was far from a small theater! It was pretty palatial, and at least 2000 seats!
I know exactly which theater you mean. That was the Broadway Theater, aka Loews Broadway.
See here for more information:
/theaters/3987/
I am curious to know any info on a theater was located on Broadway and Myrtle in Brooklyn. It was demolished a few years ago after being vacant for many years. I seem to recall that it was known as El Teatro Rio Piedra, a Puerto Rican theater. I went to a christmas show there many years ago, the mid 1070’s. I remember that it was a very small theater.
The Comet theatre doesnt appear in the FDYB until 1940. You are correct in stating that the Comet did open as the United States theatre in 1923.
Orlando…..Thanks for posting the prior names that this theater used. I knew that it opened in the early 20’s but I couldn’t find what the original name was.
Bway……The Tompkins was at 534 Gates ave. and it is listed as a “Negro” theater. I don’t know what years that it was open.
Where on Gates Ave were the Amusu and the Thompkins? I am going to assume that the Tompkins was at Gates and Tompkins.
Are these on the site here yet? If you know anything on these two theaters maybe you could add them. I would, but know nothing about them.
The Amusu and Tompkins Theatres are on Gates Avenue. One I didn’t locate was the Princess at 404 Gates Avenue.
This theatre had several names prior to the Comet. It was known as the United States when it opened in the early 1920’s and then as the New Gates in 1928 (U.S. Gates) even though Loew’s had the name on their building. It had closed for awhile when the Loew’s Gates opened in 1924/5. It was renamed the Comet in the mid to late 1930’s. The building has been demolished but the Amusu and Tompkins Theatres are still standing.
I show a listing of 600 seats for the Comet theatre.
Thanks for the dates. Would you know how many seats this theater had?
The Comet theatre open in 1940 and closed in 1955.