I have been to Hollywood many times, but only got to see a movie in the Chinese theater once. Each other time I was there, there was never a good movie to see there.
It was so impressive to see the interior of the theater. It has such a glow of the glory days of Hollywood.
I went to this theater about 5 years ago (as the Guiness Museum of course). I don’t remember what if any ornamentation of the interior survive the conversion, if anything.
Does anything of the interior survive? Was it gutted or just covered if it is not visable?
That is beautiful. Is the Hollywood Theater pictured in the photo currently the theater that became the Guiness Book of World Records museum? I remember going to that a few years ago.
Ooops, I’m sory, my fist sentence above should read:
“There is some confusion on when the Evergreen Airdrome stopped operation adjacent to the Evergreen Theater”.
There is some confusion on when the Evergreen Airdrome. We started a whole discussion on it at the Ridgewood Theatre Section (scroll down to August 31).
Anyway, the Evergreen Theater was located at the site that is now where the Banco Popular (Former Chase manhattan Bandk) building, and the C-Town Supermarket is at the intersection of Myrtle, Seneca, and Hancock St.
Actually, the homes to the left of “C-Town” are Standard Matthews Flat 6 Family homes. Most of the Matthew flats were built in Ridgewood in 1914-1919. I’m thinking those tenaments were probably built while the Evergreen building was still standing, as I don’t believe the Evergreen was torn down before 1925, although the property was sold some time in late 1921. They are probably on the site of the Airdrome.
Those Matthew Flat houses were converted into stores on the ground level (at least some of them), but many still retain their original stoops and original railings with posts at the end!
Anyway, I theorize that the Airdrome part of the Evergreen was on the site of those Matthews buildings, and the Evergreen Theater was build to the right of the Airdrome (where the banck and supermarket are now). The Airdrome property was developed sooner than the theater property, so the Matthews 6 family homes were probably built attached to the theater building, probably between 1917 and 1921. Matthews didn’t build that sort of building in Ridgewood later than the early 1920’s, and most were built in the 19teens.
The Chase Manhattan Bank building was built in the late 1920’s, and that is presumably right after the old Evergreen was razed.
The Bank Building is listed as 918 Seneca, the C-Town is listed as 928 Seneca, and the first Matthews building is listed as 930 Seneca. 926 is now a dead address, but falls on the supermarket property – obviously the theater took up a few address numbers.
Peter, I will check into it. I just searched for the photo on my computer, but can’t find it. I may have put the scan on disk and put it somewhere else. If I can’t find the scan, I definitely have the book to look it up in.
Ooops, I posted that before I saw you responded! Can you see the Empire in that photo? Is it the building with the silver roof and the little coupola (sp?)?
Oh, that’s right! The tower in the background of the photo was for the Lexington El! I guess this theater would be visable in some old photos showing that particular turnout. I have to go through some of my photos.
Ah, thanks Peter, (continued from the Ridgewood page). I don’t know why I couldn’t find this earlier.
Anyway, does the building still exist? Was this between Halsey and Gates el stations, or between Gates and Chauncey?
Does the building still exist? I have some photos taken from the J train, and am just wondering if I should look in any of those to see if I can see what the building is now if it still exists.
That is very bizarre. Another conflict is that the Daly you mentioned had it at 1200 seats in 1926 (after when the property was sold in 1921!). The bank was built on the property I believe between 1927 and 1929. Something still doesn’t add up here. I think the Ridgewood Times article this came from may have something confused. Could it be that when they say it was expanded by 1500 seats, that’s when they ADDED the Evergreen theatre next to the Evergreen Airdrome? It makes more sense – you had the Airdrome, the indoor theater expanded that by 1500, the Airdrome was closed, (thus decreasing it), and by 1926 maybe more seats were taken out leaving to 1200.
Was the Empire known by a different name? I can’t find it on the site. I can’t believe that there were so many theaters in both the Myrtle corridor and the Broadway corridor! Any information on the Empire would be appreciated. If it’s not on the site, maybe one of us can add it. Originally, the only theaters I know about on Broadway were the Commodore, the Broadway, and the RKO Bushwick. I eventually discovered the Gates, and now all these little theaters. I had no idea the Monroe and the Empire buildings still stood. I think I need to have a walking tour of Broadway one day when I am in the area!
I am now positive that the VanCortlandt Airdrome was at the Flowerama site. 59-35 Myrtle is accurate, however remember that the area was still in the Brooklyn numbering System when the theater operated. (after all, even 71st Ave hadn’t entered the Queens named system yet, as it was still Van Cortlandt Ave at the time).
The two story stores built adjacent to the Van Cortlandt Airdrome by the same owners are the two story group of stores to the east of Flowerama (the corner of which is the carpet store).
BTW, I added the Evergreen. Hopefully all the great information provided by you, Peter, and Warren will make it to the Evergreen’s section once it is added by the webmasters.
Actually, I’m thinking that the homes to the right of “C-Town” are Standard Matthews Flat 6 Family homes. Most of the Matthew flats were built in Ridgewood in 1910-1918. I’m thinking those tenaments were probably built when the Evergreen building was still standing, as I don’t believe the Evergreen was torn down before 1925, although the property was sold some time in late 1921.
Those Matthew Flat houses were converted into stores on the ground level (at least some of them), but many still retain their original stoops and original railings with posts at the end!
The Bank Building is listed as 918 Seneca, the C-Town is listed as 928 Seneca, and the first Matthews building is listed as 930 Seneca. 926 is now a dead address, but falls on the supermarket property – obviously the theater took up a few address numbers.
It was right at the intersection of Myrtle, Seneca, and Hancock…right where you are thinking.
Where do you think the Van Cortland Airdrome was, where the Flowerama building is now? Or on the other side of 60th, where the Carpet store is now? I believe it is on the Flowerama side of Myrtle.
Warren, The Chase Manhattan Bank building (now Banco Popular) was built in the late 20’s and that is partly on the site of the old Evergreen. A Bohack supermarket (then Associated, Trunz, and now C Town is on the remainder of the property, but that building is not as old as the Chase Bank building.
I have been trying to find out about that theater for uite some time. I will add it to the site.
Thanks Erwin. Your description of it does sound very similar to Fox’s other theater, the Ridgewood. Before it was “multiplexed” into 3 and then 5 theaters, the Ridgewood also was “nothing really special”, but did have a “certain ambience” to it, as you describe the Jamaica, and the Ridgewood also was in need of repairs before it was cut up.
If the Jamaica was already “needing maintenence” in the 50’s, it sadly didn’t have a long life as a viable and well kept theater, probably because of all the competition in the Jamaica area.
Which former elevated station was it located near – Sutphin Blvd or 161st St?
What is on the former site currently if anyone knows? I’m trying to picture where this theater was located before being demolished.
Warren, thanks so much as usual for finding out about the Luxor!
Yes, it is starnge that a theater with the responses such as the ridgewood would be missing “any” information at this point, especially something as basic as the seating capacity. I, like Peter, have been in the Ridgewood countless times, both before and after the chopping it up into a 3plex, and then a 5plex, but have never been in the Jamaica Fox to be able to compare.
I guess the 5 theaters in the Ridgewood could be added up to get how many seats the building has now, but also remember that with the chopping up, seats probably were lost, unless they build the new walls right down existing aisles without ripping out seating in the process. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be any more accurate than choosing either the 1957 or 1926 entrees from the Film Daly.
Lost Memory, yeah, it would be good to put the information on “new” found theaters as theaters on the site, people can add information to the appropriate section as time goes on A name and address for the “new” theaters is enough to add a theater, although the more information the better of course. I have seen many theaters added with minimal information, and either the webmasters catch the changes in the comments for the theater, or you can click somewhere on this site a link that tells you where to send changes. Even if the Ridgewood theater’s section doesn’t gets lost somehow, the information on other theaters may get lost in the shuffle of this huge section.
Yup. I used to live on the “west” side of Forest Ave (or south-i loose my sense of direction there). Anyway, my street still had a name, but the address number was in the Brooklyn numbering sequence. On the other side of Forest, the street remained named, but strangely jumps from 1X-XX to 6X-XX into the Queens numbering system.
I believe the Amphion Theater was a playhouse, not a movie theater (so it wouldn’t be on this site, as that is one of the criteria, that it showed movies at some point, hense many of the legit theaters here – listed if they had a cinema history).
Anyway, I don’t know where it was, but there was a “Amphion Hotel” and club listed at 125 Division Ave. Many clubs may have had a theater attached. I don’t know if this is the same one, or even where Division Ave is in Brooklyn. I believe that Broadway was actually called “Division Ave” originally, because it was the division between Bushwick and Bed-Stuy.
As for the Luxor, I have no idea, but I saw it in a Ridgewood Times Our Neighborhood section as a “popular” theater. It seems endless the amounts of theaters that were in the area.
Peter is correct. This particular area had always been in Queens, however, was served from the Ridgewood Brooklyn post office. I lived not far from this location, and as a child remember the “11227” zip code changed to 11385, actually around the time when they demolished the old Glenwood Theater on Myrtle Ave to build the new Ridgewood-Glendale post office on it’s site.
The section of Ridgewood on the southwest side of Forest Ave has always sort of been confused between Brooklyn and Queens. This is also the reason that all the streets in that particular part of Ridgewood still have their original named streets, as opposed to being brought into the Queens numbering system and being given a “numbered” street. (The reason that we are talking about the Grandview being on “Grandview Ave” as opposed to some “Numbered” street since it’s in Queens.
As for the theater itself I never realized it was a theater at one time, even though the building has a marquee. I have to take a closer look at it next time I pass by. I used to pass by that funeral parlor constantly when I lived in the area, as I believe it is on the corner of Gates Ave and Grandview.
I have been to Hollywood many times, but only got to see a movie in the Chinese theater once. Each other time I was there, there was never a good movie to see there.
It was so impressive to see the interior of the theater. It has such a glow of the glory days of Hollywood.
I went to this theater about 5 years ago (as the Guiness Museum of course). I don’t remember what if any ornamentation of the interior survive the conversion, if anything.
Does anything of the interior survive? Was it gutted or just covered if it is not visable?
That is beautiful. Is the Hollywood Theater pictured in the photo currently the theater that became the Guiness Book of World Records museum? I remember going to that a few years ago.
Ooops, I’m sory, my fist sentence above should read:
“There is some confusion on when the Evergreen Airdrome stopped operation adjacent to the Evergreen Theater”.
There is some confusion on when the Evergreen Airdrome. We started a whole discussion on it at the Ridgewood Theatre Section (scroll down to August 31).
Anyway, the Evergreen Theater was located at the site that is now where the Banco Popular (Former Chase manhattan Bandk) building, and the C-Town Supermarket is at the intersection of Myrtle, Seneca, and Hancock St.
Actually, the homes to the left of “C-Town” are Standard Matthews Flat 6 Family homes. Most of the Matthew flats were built in Ridgewood in 1914-1919. I’m thinking those tenaments were probably built while the Evergreen building was still standing, as I don’t believe the Evergreen was torn down before 1925, although the property was sold some time in late 1921. They are probably on the site of the Airdrome.
Those Matthew Flat houses were converted into stores on the ground level (at least some of them), but many still retain their original stoops and original railings with posts at the end!
Anyway, I theorize that the Airdrome part of the Evergreen was on the site of those Matthews buildings, and the Evergreen Theater was build to the right of the Airdrome (where the banck and supermarket are now). The Airdrome property was developed sooner than the theater property, so the Matthews 6 family homes were probably built attached to the theater building, probably between 1917 and 1921. Matthews didn’t build that sort of building in Ridgewood later than the early 1920’s, and most were built in the 19teens.
The Chase Manhattan Bank building was built in the late 1920’s, and that is presumably right after the old Evergreen was razed.
The Bank Building is listed as 918 Seneca, the C-Town is listed as 928 Seneca, and the first Matthews building is listed as 930 Seneca. 926 is now a dead address, but falls on the supermarket property – obviously the theater took up a few address numbers.
The Evergreen section is up and running, so let’s finish the Evergreen discussion there: /theaters/8026/
Peter, I will check into it. I just searched for the photo on my computer, but can’t find it. I may have put the scan on disk and put it somewhere else. If I can’t find the scan, I definitely have the book to look it up in.
Does the building still exist?
Ooops, I posted that before I saw you responded! Can you see the Empire in that photo? Is it the building with the silver roof and the little coupola (sp?)?
Oh, that’s right! The tower in the background of the photo was for the Lexington El! I guess this theater would be visable in some old photos showing that particular turnout. I have to go through some of my photos.
Ah, thanks Peter, (continued from the Ridgewood page). I don’t know why I couldn’t find this earlier.
Anyway, does the building still exist? Was this between Halsey and Gates el stations, or between Gates and Chauncey?
Does the building still exist? I have some photos taken from the J train, and am just wondering if I should look in any of those to see if I can see what the building is now if it still exists.
That is very bizarre. Another conflict is that the Daly you mentioned had it at 1200 seats in 1926 (after when the property was sold in 1921!). The bank was built on the property I believe between 1927 and 1929. Something still doesn’t add up here. I think the Ridgewood Times article this came from may have something confused. Could it be that when they say it was expanded by 1500 seats, that’s when they ADDED the Evergreen theatre next to the Evergreen Airdrome? It makes more sense – you had the Airdrome, the indoor theater expanded that by 1500, the Airdrome was closed, (thus decreasing it), and by 1926 maybe more seats were taken out leaving to 1200.
Was the Empire known by a different name? I can’t find it on the site. I can’t believe that there were so many theaters in both the Myrtle corridor and the Broadway corridor! Any information on the Empire would be appreciated. If it’s not on the site, maybe one of us can add it. Originally, the only theaters I know about on Broadway were the Commodore, the Broadway, and the RKO Bushwick. I eventually discovered the Gates, and now all these little theaters. I had no idea the Monroe and the Empire buildings still stood. I think I need to have a walking tour of Broadway one day when I am in the area!
I am now positive that the VanCortlandt Airdrome was at the Flowerama site. 59-35 Myrtle is accurate, however remember that the area was still in the Brooklyn numbering System when the theater operated. (after all, even 71st Ave hadn’t entered the Queens named system yet, as it was still Van Cortlandt Ave at the time).
The two story stores built adjacent to the Van Cortlandt Airdrome by the same owners are the two story group of stores to the east of Flowerama (the corner of which is the carpet store).
BTW, I added the Evergreen. Hopefully all the great information provided by you, Peter, and Warren will make it to the Evergreen’s section once it is added by the webmasters.
Actually, I’m thinking that the homes to the right of “C-Town” are Standard Matthews Flat 6 Family homes. Most of the Matthew flats were built in Ridgewood in 1910-1918. I’m thinking those tenaments were probably built when the Evergreen building was still standing, as I don’t believe the Evergreen was torn down before 1925, although the property was sold some time in late 1921.
Those Matthew Flat houses were converted into stores on the ground level (at least some of them), but many still retain their original stoops and original railings with posts at the end!
The Bank Building is listed as 918 Seneca, the C-Town is listed as 928 Seneca, and the first Matthews building is listed as 930 Seneca. 926 is now a dead address, but falls on the supermarket property – obviously the theater took up a few address numbers.
It was right at the intersection of Myrtle, Seneca, and Hancock…right where you are thinking.
Where do you think the Van Cortland Airdrome was, where the Flowerama building is now? Or on the other side of 60th, where the Carpet store is now? I believe it is on the Flowerama side of Myrtle.
Warren, The Chase Manhattan Bank building (now Banco Popular) was built in the late 20’s and that is partly on the site of the old Evergreen. A Bohack supermarket (then Associated, Trunz, and now C Town is on the remainder of the property, but that building is not as old as the Chase Bank building.
I have been trying to find out about that theater for uite some time. I will add it to the site.
Thanks Erwin. Your description of it does sound very similar to Fox’s other theater, the Ridgewood. Before it was “multiplexed” into 3 and then 5 theaters, the Ridgewood also was “nothing really special”, but did have a “certain ambience” to it, as you describe the Jamaica, and the Ridgewood also was in need of repairs before it was cut up.
If the Jamaica was already “needing maintenence” in the 50’s, it sadly didn’t have a long life as a viable and well kept theater, probably because of all the competition in the Jamaica area.
Which former elevated station was it located near – Sutphin Blvd or 161st St?
What is on the former site currently if anyone knows? I’m trying to picture where this theater was located before being demolished.
Warren, thanks so much as usual for finding out about the Luxor!
Yes, it is starnge that a theater with the responses such as the ridgewood would be missing “any” information at this point, especially something as basic as the seating capacity. I, like Peter, have been in the Ridgewood countless times, both before and after the chopping it up into a 3plex, and then a 5plex, but have never been in the Jamaica Fox to be able to compare.
I guess the 5 theaters in the Ridgewood could be added up to get how many seats the building has now, but also remember that with the chopping up, seats probably were lost, unless they build the new walls right down existing aisles without ripping out seating in the process. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be any more accurate than choosing either the 1957 or 1926 entrees from the Film Daly.
Lost Memory, yeah, it would be good to put the information on “new” found theaters as theaters on the site, people can add information to the appropriate section as time goes on A name and address for the “new” theaters is enough to add a theater, although the more information the better of course. I have seen many theaters added with minimal information, and either the webmasters catch the changes in the comments for the theater, or you can click somewhere on this site a link that tells you where to send changes. Even if the Ridgewood theater’s section doesn’t gets lost somehow, the information on other theaters may get lost in the shuffle of this huge section.
Yup. I used to live on the “west” side of Forest Ave (or south-i loose my sense of direction there). Anyway, my street still had a name, but the address number was in the Brooklyn numbering sequence. On the other side of Forest, the street remained named, but strangely jumps from 1X-XX to 6X-XX into the Queens numbering system.
I believe the Amphion Theater was a playhouse, not a movie theater (so it wouldn’t be on this site, as that is one of the criteria, that it showed movies at some point, hense many of the legit theaters here – listed if they had a cinema history).
Anyway, I don’t know where it was, but there was a “Amphion Hotel” and club listed at 125 Division Ave. Many clubs may have had a theater attached. I don’t know if this is the same one, or even where Division Ave is in Brooklyn. I believe that Broadway was actually called “Division Ave” originally, because it was the division between Bushwick and Bed-Stuy.
As for the Luxor, I have no idea, but I saw it in a Ridgewood Times Our Neighborhood section as a “popular” theater. It seems endless the amounts of theaters that were in the area.
Peter is correct. This particular area had always been in Queens, however, was served from the Ridgewood Brooklyn post office. I lived not far from this location, and as a child remember the “11227” zip code changed to 11385, actually around the time when they demolished the old Glenwood Theater on Myrtle Ave to build the new Ridgewood-Glendale post office on it’s site.
The section of Ridgewood on the southwest side of Forest Ave has always sort of been confused between Brooklyn and Queens. This is also the reason that all the streets in that particular part of Ridgewood still have their original named streets, as opposed to being brought into the Queens numbering system and being given a “numbered” street. (The reason that we are talking about the Grandview being on “Grandview Ave” as opposed to some “Numbered” street since it’s in Queens.
As for the theater itself I never realized it was a theater at one time, even though the building has a marquee. I have to take a closer look at it next time I pass by. I used to pass by that funeral parlor constantly when I lived in the area, as I believe it is on the corner of Gates Ave and Grandview.
Does this building still exist, and if it does, does anyone know what it is now?
Apollo, which of the theaters had boxing in them? Was it the Halsey, or one of the other theaters closer to the el?