Avalon Theatre
1720 Kings Highway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11229
1720 Kings Highway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11229
8 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 61 comments
The Avalon did NOT run XXX in its final years. Not even for a short time. I remember driving down Kings Highway from Ocean Parkway many a time, and passing the Cinema (Kings Highway)on my left-hand side, which did have a XXX venue.
Thank-you Warren for the great interior shots! Does anyone else have any photos of the interior? It would be very much appreciated.
Hi Warren,
Thanks for responding.
I know it wasn’t the Cinema Kings Highway. I’m familiar with that theater (at least from the outside) because I had lived in the neighborhood, attended PS 238 down the block, ate at the adjacent Kings Highway Diner millions of times, etc. I’m pretty sure it was the Avalon that showed porn, perhaps for a short time. In fact, I’m embarrased to reveal that I think I can actually remember a name of one of the movies the theater was showing in the early 1980’s: Sex World. I think I remember being shocked when observing that title on the marquee as I was just a little kid at the time. I wish there was a way we can verify this.
I could have sworn that the Avalon showed porn in its final years. I was only a little kid, so I may be wrong or thinking of another theater. Can anyone confirm this?
It did not have a “Wonder Morton.” Those were in the Loews Valencia, the Loews Kings, the Loews 175th St., the Paradise (Bronx), and the Loews Jersey City.
correction,
rite aid not dueane reade…
same difference, like we dont have enough of both!
i was born in 81
*gross
thanks for all the comments
i hear all the wonderful stories about the old cinema… i dont think it is a cvs but rather a duane reade that occupies the avalon with some ridiculous college upstairs…
i just came from my first peak at the old jewel and left after 20 minutes..
the place is cross and the creeps were everywhere..
i went upstairs to see the “regular” films and found they had japense mind numbing story of a killer mutant fish!
anyway, it sucks i always have to head over to manhattan when i want watch a decent movie!
ciao
As a former member of IATSE Local 306 it is sad to admit that due to corruption of the local, and the un-willingness of the International to protect all the local operating locals……..management was able to wipe out the craft of operator……even the city of NY turned it’s head…..one had to have a license to project…..today save for ten plex and up…..18 year old snot noses run the shows….a sad end to a great craft…..I was lucky to have worked all the old barns…I loved it….since the first time my parents took me to the movies at age five…..
The 1972-73 Brooklyn yellow pages has a listing for the Century Theater executive office and then an indented list of Century theaters. They were the Avalon, Brook, College, Elm, Kings Plaza Twin, Kingsway, Marine, Mayfair, Midwood, Nostrand, Oceana, Rialto and Sheepshead. I have the addresses if necessary, but I’m reasonably certain that all these theaters have been well documented on CT.
1930 circa photo showing vertical, interesting base:
http://brooklynpix.com/photo1/M/midwood53.jpg
Elvis was nearing the end of his movie career when his pictures opened as the bottom half of a “B” double bill
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That’s why there is this Cinema Treasures place. Francesca
Francesca, not even the building remains standing on the site of the old Prospect on Flushing’s Main Street. It was cruelly torn down in the late ‘80’s or early '90’s and replaced by a horrendously ugly mixed use building.
I didn’t mean to deny that the photos weren’t the Avalon Theatre BUILDING. I just meant that it no longer was a theatre as far as I could tell. Not Kenroe’s fault—it had been destroyed as a movie house and made into a mini-mall. I must be sentimental, but I remember a nice Avalon marquee and side displays of scenes from the current films. When I went to the Avalon as a child, it was always jam-packed but that was before everyone had TV and I guess people stopped going. Ironically, much later I lived in Flushing and went to the Century’s Prospect there. I think that closed down, too. As did the RKO Keith which set me on this trail. I must be bad luck for movie theatres. Francesca
Two photographs I took in July 2003:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/199086205/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/199086716/
Sorry francesca, but I beg to differ with you, The four photographs I have posted above are most definately the Avalon Theatre building as it looks today in 2006.
Thank you Kenroe for posting those photos but none of them show the actual Avalon Theatre., although there is one photo of the Pearl Theatre in Manhattan where I have a subscription.
I have an old postcard of Kings Highway at 15th Street in the 40’s which shows the Kings Highway Savings Bank and the stores and in the distance the real Avalon Theatre. I even made a color collage of that terrific street. But I have no idea how to post a photo on the internet.. I am on a Mac.
Francesca
Four photographs of the Avalon Theatre I took in July 2006:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/198923862/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/198924217/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/198924655/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/198924917/
I made out with many a girl in the balcony. You could get lost up there. The balcony was so big and the screen seemed so small from the last row .
I remember seeing “The Turning Point” and “Who Is Killing The Great Chefs Of Europe ?” at the Avalon. Kings Highway was great in those days ! Also saw “Sweet Charity” and “Paint Your Wagon” at the Kingsway: big movies & big theaters !
I have some really nice shots of this theater on slides somewhere. When I was graduating from Madison High Shcool in 1974, I took them as part of a senior show I was putting together, which ultimately never came off. Finding them is not going to be easy, but I know they’re here somewhere. I’ll look for them. As for the Avalon, I loved that place. it was big, clean comfortable and had a great screen and sound system. It killed me when it closed, another victim in the dismantlement of the Century Theaters chain.
This was no “Sound of Music"
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I had been to that theater several times in the very early 80’s. Does anyone have interior pictures of the Avalon?
I’ve never been to this theater as far as I know, but I wanted to say reading the comments on this site really makes me long for those “good old days!” Huge elegant theaters, CURTAINS actually opening up to reveal the screen, stucco walls and other decor, and sometimes even a cartoon or Three Stooges short! I even miss the old “pre-dolby” booming sound of these old theaters. I also checked out the Die! Die! My Darling ad, even the ads seemed better back then!
A couple weeks ago I saw Revenge of the Sith at the Empire 25 theater on Times Square. Nice little auditorium (very little), plus they ran this 15 minute reel of promos, live theater ads and actual commercials! God it was like being home watching cable tv. Then the lights went down and I figured the movie would start—no such luck! 10-15 minutes of mind numbing trailers! One or two would be okay, but they seemed to go on forever! Then after the movie ended and the lights went up, I stayed a moment to check my pager for the time, only to have an usherette politely telling me i had to “exit” the theater (like I really want to stay and watch that promo reel again!) Sheesh, hurry everyone out of the theater so the crowd of three can go in for the next “performance.”
You’re right talkinpix, the industry really has lost its sense of showmanship :o(