Aster Theater
246 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11211
246 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11211
1 person
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The Aster Theater was located in the shadow of the Broadway El near the Marcy Avenue station in Williamsburg. This theater underwent numerous name changes.
It opened as the Plaza in 1919. It became the New Broadway in 1924, and shortly after, the Broadway (not to be confused with Loew’s Broadway at Myrtle and Broadway).
In the 30’s it became the Square Theater, and in the 40’s, the Aster.
The Aster closed in the 1950’s.
Contributed by
Bway Chris
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Recent comments (view all 26 comments)
I showed my pic’s of Brooklyn Memories to my daughter’s Wedding guests and the pic’s of the Aster Theater. They are in their late 70’s and they remember the Aster Theater next to the Concord Cafeteria and the Bowling Alley upstairs. Great Memeories shared by all. Anniegirl
Louieb – could the theater that you were referring to on Apr. 5th have been the Folly? There is a listing for it on CT with the address of 15 Debevoise St. This would have placed it within sight of the Broadway/Flushing Ave. intersection and the elevated station, one short block away.
Dear Astyanax. No I only remember the Alba and the Graham. Debovoise Street was in that neighborhood of those theaters. The Alba was a Spanish Moviehouse. The Graham was further down Graham Ave and Grand Street. Anniegirl
Here is a recent(June 2006) photograph I took of the Plaza/New Broadway/Square/Aster Theater:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/187630477/
That theater must have had a very low ceiling!
The actual auditorium is at the rear of the two shop units and I believe runs parallel to Broadway. It can’t be seen from the angle I took the photograph. It is about the same height as the entrance block which is currently the restaurant.
I believe the configuration of the theatre was…enter through the foyer and then turn left into the auditorium. The projection booth would be in a raised room at the end of the foyer.
I do not remember this movie. It was gone by the time I was a kid growing up in Williamsburgh in the 50’s. I do remember the Concord Cafeteria and the Bowling Alley next door and the Coat Store that was next to the Cafeteria. I am sure many of my Aunt’s friends would remember the Aster Theater. Anniegirl.
Listed as the Square Theater in the 1940 Brooklyn yellow pages. Phone number was EVergrn 4-7834.
I have seen 8mm movies of the last day of operation of the Utica-Reid carline in early 1951 and the Aster marquee can be seen in the background of a shot of a Car turning, but it is not clear enough to see if it still was open or not.
At least the lobby portion of the Aster appears to be a chinese restaurant. I don’t know what the auditorium is today:
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