Hollywood Theatre
98 Avenue A,
New York,
NY
10009
98 Avenue A,
New York,
NY
10009
8 people
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Showing 26 - 50 of 51 comments
This theater was built by the M & S chain. It was known as the Hollywood Theater right from the opening. The M & S chain also owned the Commodore Theater before it was taken over by Loew’s (probably the same deal).
Warren G Harris: how can I get a print of that picture?
Current picture of the East Farms Supermarket formerly known as The Hollywood Theatre. Http://www.seanrichards.com/100-aveA.jpg
We got the same problem about getting inside the auditorium last November for our photographic project…
Does anybody have any contact info for this place? I’m trying to get a video project off the ground starting with this former theater. The management are okay people, but not very cooperative. The funny thing is that I spontaneously dropped by there last summer and just asked the manger on duty if I could go up and have a look at the old theater space. He thought about it for a sec and just let me up, no problem. I wandered around there uninterrupted for almost a half hour. When I came back a month or so later with my project idea I thought I would get the same kind of access, but they got very uptight. I have been in there one or two times over the last 6th months and even brought in my lap top to show them some of my previous work and an old photo of the theater. No dice, but the manager went as far as giving me a very generic corporate name of his landlord as a contact which so far is nowhere to be found on the web. Any help would be appreciated. I just want to get in there with a video camera for an hour, maybe 2 hours tops. Thanks!!!
I have submitted a separate entry for the Avenue A theatre at 51 Avenue A and 4th Street.
I cannot find any evidence that this Hollywood Theatre (98 Avenue A)was ever known as the Avenue A theatre nor have I seen any posts here alleging that is was. It was perhaps simply called the Loew’s Avenue A by locals but that name should probably not be listed as an aka.
Hi.
I was inside the theater a couple of weeks ago, and my impression was that the ornamentation (style and material) would suggest that the theater dates from a much earlier date than 1926 which is right in the middle of the golden age of movie theater construction. Also, the stage is quite small although the the proscenium is quite tall. It just doesn’t all make sense.
Is it possible that the theater re-opened as the Hollywood in 1926 but was the Avenue A from a much earlier date?
We went to the theater two weeks ago and the manager didn’t allow us to get inside the auditorium used as storage as seen on the pictures above. Is anybody has any informations or contact that could help us getting inside ?
Loew’s Hollywood was located on Ave A just south of 7th Ave. Here’s a photo dated 1937.
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Going back to my post of April 19, 2006, there was an Avenue A theatre on 51 Avenue A already showing movies by 1918 and still going in 1923. I propose either there were two Avenue A theatres or the Hollywood and the Avenue A were not the same.
One has been able to walk up Avenue A on certain nights and get a pretty good glimpse of the what’s left of interior of this theatre by checking the fire escape doors, which seem to be permanently open now.
If Possible could Ken Row and Al Alverez give me a call on – I am after a couple of photos from Kens massive archive and some info from Al
Many thanks
I don’t think this is the same theatre as the Avenue A. That location advertised as “51 Avenue A” on 3rd street.
Hey Rollinrck!!
Great photos of the interior. I have lived in this neighborhood for about 13 years and only a few years back it after walking past and patronizing the deli that used to be the Loews Hollywood, it suddenly dawned on me that the building was an old theater. How the HELL did you get in there?? Was it as simple as asking the owners? Please do tell as I would love to get in there myself. Now if we can only unearth some photos of the exterior as it was back then, that would be REALLY cool.
Wow another treasure going to hell. I know the used to be many theatres down on the Lower East Side but ithis was one i never knew about. Those interior pics made me feel like taking a header off the balcony. Sometimes when I search through this site and see some theatres that were closed before my time as well as in my time that sit there shuttered and rotting away or converted to some Asian fruit stand or a CVS it really hurts me. My former home away from home was demolished by the A-holes of NYU. The former NY Academy of Music. I spent about 7 years working there in the 70’s and now it’s gone forever. How many other beautiful structures are going by the way of the wreckers ball or just plain abandoned?
The site today:
The marquee is gone and the lobby is pretty scary, but it is still in one piece.
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I’m amazed, nice work. The phots look North.
Thanks Rollingrck, they are great photos considering the low light. Looks like it was quite an ornate interior for a neighborhood theatre.
I’m not much of a photographer, especially in low light but –
BEHOLD THE INTERIOR OF THE HOLLYWOOD THEATRE!!
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This theatre opened in 1926 when a Kimbell organ was installed. Seating was provided for 695 on the 1st floor, 204 in loges and a balcony for 404.
It came under the management of RKO from September 1934.
The Hollywood Theatre closed around 1959, maybe earlier as it is not listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1957 edition.
Sorry, that seating capacity should be 1,303 in 1930, the Hollywood Theatre mid-town on Broadway had a 1,800 seating capacity.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook;1930 edition as the Hollywood Theatre with a seating capacity given as 1,800.
Was this an end of the run house?
I have read mentions of a “Bijou Theatre” at 193 Ave B.
Just found the page for Leow’s Avenue B – but I’m pretty sure the one I remember from 1968-69 was around 12th or 13th street, on the east side of Ave B, and I don’t remember it being particularly old or grand. It was just up from the roachy, reeking Pioneer supermarket with its broken red plastic letters proclaiming “where the elite buy their meat”.