Kingsway Theatre

I grew up in that area in the early 1980’s, attended PS 238 and saw countless movies at the Kingsway, a theater which I loved. Among the movies I attended at that theater were Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Rambo, Ghostbusters, Superman II and many others, including such “classics” as Blood Beach and Seems Like Old Times. I recall seeing Staying Alive (with John Travolta) in the rear, separate theater with my day camp during a rainy day.

My friends and I had a great time at the Kingsway because although we were significantly under the minimum age, it was quite easy to “sneak” (I use that term loosely) into a rated R movie.

Yes, now that I think back, I recall the staircase located on each side of the theater and the concession stand on each floor. I remember the bathrooms on opposite sides of the second floor as well. And, I vaguely recall the mural that was previously discussed in this forum. I think there were also arcade games at the entrance, if I remember correctly.

If I’m not mistaken, I recall the separate theater in the rear with a mural as well. I’m not sure. I do recall some paintings on the exterior wall by the fire escape, I think.

It would be great if someone can post some photos of the interior.

An earlier poster also referenced Crawford’s which was a few blocks down along Kings Highway. I know this is not the appropriate forum for this kind of question, but I don’t know where else to go. If I remember correctly, I could have sworn that when I was little kid (in 1977/78, I was 5/6 years old) I had purchased records from Crawfords (no, not Music Factory across the street). Can someone confirm that Crawfords sold records at one time? I recall buying several there, including the themes to Star Wars and Close Encounters, and Lookin' for Love by Johnny Lee.

I grew up in this neighborhood and it was my childhood theater. I admit that I miss the Kingsway. I used to go to the movies a lot more when this theater was opened. Now, we are forced to go to the UA in Sheepshead Bay with all the pre-slutty tweens and slutty teenagers. I believe the last movie I saw at the Kingsway was Titanic. I can remember that we went on a class trip from PS 238 (2 blocks away) to see Schindler’s List. When I got older, I can remember sneaking smokes in the back of all 5 theaters. Ushers would always come by to try to bust me and my friends but the theaters were so big, that we never got caught!

An article in the Hollywood trade papers sparked my memory of the Kingsway. I worked as an usher between 1956-58. It was my first movie industry job. We had lockers and changing rooms in the old vaudville dressing rooms. We wore uniforms of maroon and blue with gold trim, bow ties, plastic collars and shirt fronts. On Friday and Saturday nights, I was assigned to the front of the theatre to “bark”. I would announce in my strongest voice to all of Kings Highway and Coney Island Avenue, the time of the next show and what seats remained available. In the winter, I would wear this incredible navy blue wool cape. It was the time of “Roadshow Engagements”. I would be working the balcony and loge during a matinee performance of “Guys and Dolls”, learning the lyrics and if the house was fairly empty, singing and dancing along. I haven’t been back to the neighborhood for over Fifteen years and felt a twinge of sadness and nostalgia to learn that the old house was gone and with it some of my personal history.
bdwyphil

My favorite memory of the Kingsway (1960’s) was actually the Chinese restaurant next door and their great dish Shrimp Har Kew!

Here is a recent(June 2006) photograph I took of the now much altered Kingsway Theatre:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/190189864/

I never thought CINEPLEX ODEON ever trashed movie houses ,they saved the movie theater industry from years of neglect !

Gee that is unfortunate. I photographed the Kingsway around 1990, while passing through this section of the city. It lent excitement to the corner with it’s flashy facade and marquee. It sounds like it had been thoroughly chopped to pieces already. But I’m sorry they chose to modify the exterior. Other retail conversions have retained the marquee and facade, thereby retaining some of that excitement. Look at how drab that 2004 image is.

Actually, both original Crazy Eddie’s" stores were located a block away. The first real original store was on Kings Highway between Coney Island Avenue and East 12th street, a small hole in the ground. That was an outgrowth of the family business, which was “crawfords” on Kings Highway and east 14th street. Eddie, when he was a kid, grew up on East 10th street between Quentin Road and Avenue P, which was effectively around the corner from both the stores and the Kingsway.

Then, crazy eddie moved into the Coney Island Avenue location, which most people belived (incorrectly) to be the first store – which was directly across the treet from the theater. At one time, this was a TSS (Time Square Store), an old chain. The entire corner had burned down due to a alarm fire in fields brothers, that also took out the TSS. The entire block had to be redeveloped. I remember a drug store chain taking one of the stores on Kings highway and attempted to compete against Kings Pharmacy, which was across the street from the theater on the corner of Kings Highway and CIA. The genevose lost, closed down, and then Kings pharamacy moved into that store, and the old Kings became a bank.

I use to go to this theatre when I lived in Brooklyn as a kid. I don’t think it was the theatre I went to most often because there was a closer theatre in walking to distance to my home on West 5th street. Yet it made an big impression on me. The beautiful murals painted on the front and side walls made this theatre seem larger than life to me. The only movie I can distinctly remember seeing here is the original “Jurassic Park,” though I’m sure I saw many 80’s classics here that just aren’t registering. I remember the theatre was swamped because this was a must see movie event. I also remember a comic store being right near there which I definitely went into prior to this showing at least. Does anyone remember if there was also Crazy Eddie’s across the street or in the immediate area? If I’m not mistaken there was one right by there.

I have many fond memories of the Kingsway from the 40’s. I grew up on east 7th Street around the corner from the Jewel which was our regular Saturday matinee theater. The Kingsway was the “expensive” theater charging us kids as much as 25¢. The Jewel and the Claridge were the bargains ranging anywhere from 11¢ to 15¢ for the kids matinee. The Kingsway often ran Saturday morning “Kiddy Shows” featuring 50 cartoons. In those olden days before TV, this was a real treat and there were huge lines to get in.

My grandma would occasionally take me to a movie there and we sat in
the Loge so that she could smoke. I remember it being very elegant.
There were little lamps on small tables between the seats. They
charged extra to sit there.

Karl B.

correct it should be listed as CENTURY , centurys highest grosser in 50s 60s . Kingsplaza since then ,

When Cineplex Odem took over, they had at least three main theaters left in Brookly: Kingsway, Fortway, and Alpine. This was BEFORE the merger with Lowes. All three theaters had AC issues. The Fortway and Alpine were rennovated at least more than once, if not twice, while the Kingsway never received any renovation. The seats were old and crappy, and the place was going downhill. I spoke to a manager once, and he said that they had big plans for rennovation, but that the theater was a landmark and they were having issues with permits – which I do not believe. Cineplex Odem was also a shit chain, they had this con job with popcorn butter where they asked you if you wanted extra butter (an extra 25 cents) and they kept getting you. If you said that you didn’t want the extra butter, they would put it in anyway (or not) and charge yoyu anyway. BIG SCAM, anbd it was hard to catch it becase unlike the other chains, they charged tax on the purchase instead of showing prices with tax included. This paractice (extra butter) finally ended with the merger with Lowes.

The Kingsway was the Brooklyn outlet for the first Premiere Showcase in 1962.

View link