Searched NYT database for detailed information about above posting.
January 30, 1942. Eight storey building at 132-136 W.43rd Street. The Century Circuit Inc. purchased from The Bank for Savings, a building,with tax valuation $350,000.00 dollars, for new executive headquarters. A projection room was planned along with other remodeling.
Around 1940 Century Circuit bought an office building in Manhattan for a HQ. Long time ago, I can’t recall details or if they ever moved in.
Here is another picture taken by Ed Doyle February 8, 1947 of snow storm and Farragut front and rear profile: View link
Comparing this photo with 1973 photo posted by Harvey shows that correct name on 1947 marquee to be WasBurg Playhouse W.McBurney as I wrongly projected it to be. That is a photo of the Williamsburg Playhouse in 1947 with a shorthand name on the marquee.
Here is a photo taken on October 31,1943 by Ed Doyle. Note the work going on to repair trolley track requiring a special piece of temporary track work which allows Car traveling south to “jump over” to northbound track for a short distance so service can continue on Flatbush Avenue Car Line. View link
Here is a link to a photo taken on Broadway, August 20, 1947, by Ed Doyle. It shows a movie theater marquee on the right side. The name appears to be W.McBurney Playhouse. Is this the Williamsburg as it was known in 1947 or can some one tells us where this theater was located ? View link
I have an excellent large format photo showing the back of the Novelty in 1900. It was taken from a building on the south of the Plaza. It shows the Williamsburg Plaza and the trolley stations on it, as well as the clear lettering on the upper back of the “Novelty Theatre”
Hello John. I had originally thought as you , this based on my illusion that the theater in the photograph was nearer to Boro Hall then in fact it was. Nirenstein’s National Realty Maps, Fairchild Air Service Photos taken in the 1930’s, and photos taken from the building on the southeast of Joralemon and Court Sts. (where the old Corn Exchange Bank was located on the first floor), show that the theater in question is beyond Myrtle Avenue, while the Tivoli’s main entrance is south of Myrtle much nearer to the park by Boro Hall. There was actually a second entrance with marquee for the Tivoli on Myrtle Avenue between Adams and point where Fulton curved west and Washington began.an.
It should be noted that Shelter Island and Fire Island are two widely separated islands and very different in character, Fire Island facing the Atlantic Ocean with Shelter Island being between Peconic and Gardener’s Bay. It is reached by ferry from Greenport on the north and Sag Harbor on the south. It was served by movie theaters in these two places for most of the 20th century. Both are listed on CT.
It is possible that Sandblom was the architect of the Rogers in Crown Heights but that Hohauser was the decorative designer for the interior. The article in Boxoffice does stress design detail.
It think it almost impossible that Sandblom was architect for the Broadway Rogers given its age, and the styling and condition at closing.
A thanks to Joe Vogel for bringing up this interesting question.
Hello Joe..
I can’t say for sure, but it looks a lot alike the other Rogers Theater, the one on Rogers Avenue in Crown Heights. I was only there once, back in July 1951, but the shot towards the front of the house looks a very much as I remember it.
It is a mystery. I am still researching the Eagle archive. The other old newspapers probably have information. Does the Greenpoint library branch have bound issues of the Standard Union or any others for this period ?
This is an earlier article from 1900 concerning another proposed theater project. It would appear from the text in both articles, this one and the one above, that no real theaters existed in Greenpoint in this period. View link
This article relating to a new Greenpoint Theatre, far to large to post here, appears in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on page 42 July 27, 1902 issue: View link
I have both the 1896 and 1900 Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac editions.
I just checked both but was unable to find a listing or ad for the Greenpoint Theater. The 1900 edition lists many more theaters but it is possible that the Greenpoint Theater existed but was not listed for 1896, nor in 1900.
It may also be that the name was changed after 1895 or perhaps it was destroyed by fire or some other event. A detailed check of the pages of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper for 1895, 96, 97, 98, and 99 which are available online at the Brooklyn Public Library site may reveal more about this Theater. It would take a lot of time.
The Rose Garden Theater is currently the legal title of this property as per Trust Deed dated October 20, 1999 with James D. LaRosa as owner.
The Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Clarksburg Exponent Telegram has a legal notice announcing the auction of this property on January, 12, 2010 on the steps of the Harrison County Courthouse at 11:00am E.S.T.
A great opportunity for some wealthy individual to acquire, restore and reopen this historic house
A Big Thank You ! to Joe Vogel for posting all the great information on this Theatre in the item above this posting.
The marquee in the above photo lists “Captain Kidd” with Randolph Scott, “Check Your Guns” with Eddie Dean, Cartoon Show, and a Serial. Kids probably paid .20 cents, an adult a quarter.
Here is an early picture that I don’t think has been posted previously. It is from the BrooklynPIX.com web site where you can buy prints of this and other Greenpoint photos. View link
A 1939 World’s Fair Guide lists the Hippodrome Theatre as a being a professional Jai Alai venue, the only one in NYC at the time. How long did it last ?
This location was near all the major Film Exchanges on the West Side and was where the big time action was at the time.
Searched NYT database for detailed information about above posting.
January 30, 1942. Eight storey building at 132-136 W.43rd Street. The Century Circuit Inc. purchased from The Bank for Savings, a building,with tax valuation $350,000.00 dollars, for new executive headquarters. A projection room was planned along with other remodeling.
Around 1940 Century Circuit bought an office building in Manhattan for a HQ. Long time ago, I can’t recall details or if they ever moved in.
Here is another picture taken by Ed Doyle February 8, 1947 of snow storm and Farragut front and rear profile:
View link
Comparing this photo with 1973 photo posted by Harvey shows that correct name on 1947 marquee to be WasBurg Playhouse W.McBurney as I wrongly projected it to be. That is a photo of the Williamsburg Playhouse in 1947 with a shorthand name on the marquee.
Here is a photo taken on October 31,1943 by Ed Doyle. Note the work going on to repair trolley track requiring a special piece of temporary track work which allows Car traveling south to “jump over” to northbound track for a short distance so service can continue on Flatbush Avenue Car Line.
View link
Here is a link to a photo taken on Broadway, August 20, 1947, by Ed Doyle. It shows a movie theater marquee on the right side. The name appears to be W.McBurney Playhouse. Is this the Williamsburg as it was known in 1947 or can some one tells us where this theater was located ?
View link
I have an excellent large format photo showing the back of the Novelty in 1900. It was taken from a building on the south of the Plaza. It shows the Williamsburg Plaza and the trolley stations on it, as well as the clear lettering on the upper back of the “Novelty Theatre”
Excellent map John. It shows everything in question very clearly. Thanks for posting the link.
Hello John. I had originally thought as you , this based on my illusion that the theater in the photograph was nearer to Boro Hall then in fact it was. Nirenstein’s National Realty Maps, Fairchild Air Service Photos taken in the 1930’s, and photos taken from the building on the southeast of Joralemon and Court Sts. (where the old Corn Exchange Bank was located on the first floor), show that the theater in question is beyond Myrtle Avenue, while the Tivoli’s main entrance is south of Myrtle much nearer to the park by Boro Hall. There was actually a second entrance with marquee for the Tivoli on Myrtle Avenue between Adams and point where Fulton curved west and Washington began.an.
It should be noted that Shelter Island and Fire Island are two widely separated islands and very different in character, Fire Island facing the Atlantic Ocean with Shelter Island being between Peconic and Gardener’s Bay. It is reached by ferry from Greenport on the north and Sag Harbor on the south. It was served by movie theaters in these two places for most of the 20th century. Both are listed on CT.
It is possible that Sandblom was the architect of the Rogers in Crown Heights but that Hohauser was the decorative designer for the interior. The article in Boxoffice does stress design detail.
It think it almost impossible that Sandblom was architect for the Broadway Rogers given its age, and the styling and condition at closing.
A thanks to Joe Vogel for bringing up this interesting question.
Hello Joe..
I can’t say for sure, but it looks a lot alike the other Rogers Theater, the one on Rogers Avenue in Crown Heights. I was only there once, back in July 1951, but the shot towards the front of the house looks a very much as I remember it.
It is a mystery. I am still researching the Eagle archive. The other old newspapers probably have information. Does the Greenpoint library branch have bound issues of the Standard Union or any others for this period ?
This is an earlier article from 1900 concerning another proposed theater project. It would appear from the text in both articles, this one and the one above, that no real theaters existed in Greenpoint in this period.
View link
This article relating to a new Greenpoint Theatre, far to large to post here, appears in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on page 42 July 27, 1902 issue:
View link
Thanks John, the link was good. I will mine the pages of the digital Eagle as time permits for other references.
I have both the 1896 and 1900 Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac editions.
I just checked both but was unable to find a listing or ad for the Greenpoint Theater. The 1900 edition lists many more theaters but it is possible that the Greenpoint Theater existed but was not listed for 1896, nor in 1900.
It may also be that the name was changed after 1895 or perhaps it was destroyed by fire or some other event. A detailed check of the pages of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper for 1895, 96, 97, 98, and 99 which are available online at the Brooklyn Public Library site may reveal more about this Theater. It would take a lot of time.
The Rose Garden Theater is currently the legal title of this property as per Trust Deed dated October 20, 1999 with James D. LaRosa as owner.
The Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Clarksburg Exponent Telegram has a legal notice announcing the auction of this property on January, 12, 2010 on the steps of the Harrison County Courthouse at 11:00am E.S.T.
A great opportunity for some wealthy individual to acquire, restore and reopen this historic house
A Big Thank You ! to Joe Vogel for posting all the great information on this Theatre in the item above this posting.
The NYT is selling this 1948 image at their online store:
View link
Image taken in December 1948 during showing of “Joan of Arc”.
The marquee in the above photo lists “Captain Kidd” with Randolph Scott, “Check Your Guns” with Eddie Dean, Cartoon Show, and a Serial. Kids probably paid .20 cents, an adult a quarter.
Here is a 1948 photo:
View link
Here is a photo link to Brooklyn Pix. Can anyone document that this theater was ever operated by Loew’s as suggested by this web site ?
View link
View link
A friend provided this photo link.
Here is an early picture that I don’t think has been posted previously. It is from the BrooklynPIX.com web site where you can buy prints of this and other Greenpoint photos.
View link
A 1939 World’s Fair Guide lists the Hippodrome Theatre as a being a professional Jai Alai venue, the only one in NYC at the time. How long did it last ?