Loew's Valencia Theatre
165-11 Jamaica Avenue,
Jamaica,
NY
11432
165-11 Jamaica Avenue,
Jamaica,
NY
11432
30 people
favorited this theater
Located in the Jamaica section of Queens. Opened on January 12, 1929 with Monte Blue in “White Shadows in the South Seas” plus vaudeville on stage. The Loew’s Valencia Theatre was the first of the five Loew’s ‘Wonder’ Theatre’s to open. It was equipped with a Robert Morton ‘Wonder’ organ of 4 Manuals / 23 Ranks.
The auditorium is in Atmospheric style, decorated in a mix of Spanish Colonial and pre-Columbian styles. Seating was provided for 3,554 in orchestra and balcony levels.
Early in 1935, stage shows were dropped and replaced by double features. Until the 1960’s, the Loew’s Valencia Theatre was the most successful movie theatre in Queens, due partly to its location in Jamaica, then the shopping hub of Queens and Long Island, and because programms were shown at least a week ahead of all other theatres in the borough. It closed as a movie theatre in May 1977 with the movie “The Greatest”, and has since served as the Tabernacle of Prayer for All People church.
The Robert Morton ‘Wonder’ organ has found a new home in the Balbao Theatre, San Diego, California, where in 2008 it was installed and refurbished at a cost of $1 million. It debuted at the Balbao Theatre in February 2009.
The Loew’s Valencia Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Contributed by
Jason R, Bryan Krefft, Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 670 comments)
Sixty-two years ago today, Loew’s Valencia opened a week’s engagement of MGM’s B&W “Command Decision,” starring Clark Gable, Van Johnson, and Walter Pidgeon, and the Monogram B&W programmer, “Henry the Rainmaker,” both exclusive first-run for Queens. The same conditions had prevailed the previous week with Paramount’s Technicolor “Whispering Smith,” with Alan Ladd, and Paramount’s B&W “My Own True Love,” which had now moved on to an exclusive-for-Queens week at Loew’s Triboro in Astoria.
Thanks again Tinesletoes!
Marcus Loew was born on this date in 1870.
At least one patron committed suicide at Loew’s Valencia during its cinema history. On April 2nd, 1943, a 70-year-old widow from Bellaire, Queens, killed herself with a pistol in the downstairs ladies' lounge. Apparently, no one heard the shot. The body was discovered by two young women when they went down to the lounge around 5:00pm. The Jamaica police traced ownership of the gun to the victim’s son, who said that his mother had been despondent since the death of her husband two years ago. The Valencia was then in the second day of a week’s engagement of “The Crystal Ball” (Paulette Goodard-Ray Milland) and “Silver Queen” (Priscilla Lane-George Brent).
The address ribbon at the top of the introduction has one “Jamaica” too many. The first is all that’s needed. Doesn’t anyone in authority ever proofread these listings?
That suicide-committing patron was my grandmother (the gun owner was my dad). I was told that she’d shot herself in the Loge. Tinseltoes, what is the source of your information?
“lynnjav,” I’m sorry to hear of your personal connection to the tragedy. It was reported in the press at the time, but I don’t recall which paper. But I’m sure it was correct about the downstairs “lounge,” which was two flights of stairs below ground level. The “loge” was the plush section of seats at the front of the balcony. If a gun had gone off in the loge, it would have been heard immediately all over the auditorium. If I can find the news report, I’ll send it to you.
The tragedy was reported in The New York Times of April 3rd, 1943, page 17, and gave a specific name and address for both the victim and her son. A copy can be obtained by e-mailing .
Click here for an exterior view of the Loew’s Valencia Theatre in 1930.
The address ribbon across the top of the listing has one Jamaica too many. It should read “New York>Jamaica>Loew’s Valencia Theatre.” Also, the list of nearby theatres should include the Merrick Theatre. The Main Street Cinemas could be deleted because it’s in Flushing, not Jamaica.