Alhambra Theatre
783 Knickerbocker Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11207
783 Knickerbocker Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11207
1 person
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 110 comments
Bway, perhaps the original Bushwick – Ridgewood border, which may have also been the Brooklyn-Queens border (it is now) was a straight line from the days before streets had been built or even laid out there. Yes, the present border is close to the Alhambra, diagonally a block away, to the northeast, at Irving Avenue and Eldert Street.
By the way, the ad says that the Alhambra had 2200 seats, however, the opening stats says it only had 1660. Perhaps it should be changed?
The Ridgewood-Bushwick border was original a straight line cutting right through the streets there, as opposed to the zig-zag pattern they have now. I don’t know exactly when they zig-zagged the border as opposed the straight line though. Even so, the Alahmbra is only about two blocks out of Ridgewood now, perhaps when it was a straight line, the border was even closer to Halsey and Knickerbocker.
Ward and Glynne ran the Alhambra if I am not mistaken, the same circuit that ran the ornate Patchogue Theater in Patchogue.
I wish there were some available interior historic photos of the Alhambra available online somewhere.
Thanks, Warren. I wonder why, too, especially when the Alhambra was not really in Ridgewood.
Thanks, Bway !
The Alhambra was converted to a safeway Supermarket in 1966.
The Alhambra building shines at the top of this photo overlooking Irving Square Park. The building has had windows punched into it’s sides at some point. I don’t know what it is currently used as, but the exterior is well maintained. It’s vaudeville days origins are apparant as it’s large stage area is evident at the back end of the building:
View link
It seems to me it closed before 1954, because we spent a lot of time at the Madison, the Ridgewood, the Bushwick and the Gates. Since I lived on Central and Eldert it sure would have been closer to get to the Alhambra at 14 than those others. But sometimes my memory fails me.
Hi, I remember going to daycare in that building in the late 80’s and last time I checked, about 3 years ago, it still was operating as a daycare center.
I know Gene Evans from the 1957 or so monster movie, “The Giant Behemoth”, directed by Eugene Lourie. He also directed “Beast From 20,000 Fathoms” and “Gorgo”.
I has surmised that it was TV that did in many of these smaller neighborhood type movie theaters.
The Alhambra closed about 1954. The reason cited for its demise on a sign in the box office was the televison. I saw a movie there before it closed – Steel Helmet staring Gene Evans. That was a long time ago, but as I recall it was a grand old theater.
Reading your comments makes me feel ‘negelected’ as far as moving going is concerned. I was born in 1966 and lived briefly on Wythe Avenue then moved to 297 Maujer Street, between Waterbury and Morgan. When we moved to the neighborhood they were just starting to raze many of the buildings, including St. Catherine’s Hospital (sttod at the corner of Bushwick and Grand Street). There were about 4 theaters in the neighborhood. There was one on Grand Street, btwn Graham and Humbolt which became a porn theater in the 1970’s. There was the Rainbow on Graham Avenue, btwn Messerole and Montrose. And there was a larger theater up Grand Street that is now a gas station. The only movie theaters I remember going to were the Williamsburg (now a 99 cent store) and the recently shuttered Commodore.
Unfortunately, the Grove has been demolished, and new homes now sit on the sitee.
The Grove and Luxor are future incarnations of the Wilson Theatre which had three names. The Woodrow and Tip Top were early film houses that were out of business by the early 1940’s.
BushwickBuddy :
The Imperial was on the northwest corner of Halsey Street and Saratoga Avenue, on the “Bed Sty” or southwest side of Broadway. It is now the Metropolitan Baptist Church. I think Bway posted a link to a recent photo of it on the Imperial’s page on this site.
The Luxor was on the northeast side of Central Avenue about 5/8 of the way from Woodbine to Madison Street. Again, Bway has posted a link to a recent photo of it on the Luxor’s page on this site.
My dad remembers it as being across Central Avenue from his Uncle “Doc” Atsert’s (sp ?) optical shop at Central and Putnam Avenues.
Sorry I haven’t posted yet at Brooklyn Friends, but I appreciate the frequent e-mail reminders, and so I know it’s there.
The Tompkins and Amusu are on the same block (Gates Avenue)diagonally from each other near Tompkins Avenue. (Neither building sits on a corner.) The Ideal at 151 Knickerbocker Avenue was a silent film house in a three story building. It is next door to a two story warehouse (same address) Between the first and second floor, there is some Hebrew inscription in the facade brickwork from its' use as a Yeshiva (I think) after its' silent movie days came to an end in 1928. Its' hard to believe a small space served as a nickelodeon.
Orlando – it was quite interesting reading about the Alhambra as it is today. I haven’t been back to the neighborhood since 1965 when my parents moved to Glendale. In 1964 when we returned from Germany it was already on the downslope and we decided to keep the good menories. I spent many a day in the Alhambra in the 1940’s with my mother who went to get her give-away of china or silverware. It turned into a grocery store and as far as I know stayed that until it closed forever. Where on Halsey was the Imperial – I lived on Central between Eldert and Covert and don’t remember it unless it was on the otherside of Broadway which was Bed Sty and we never went there. It’s funny my address was 565 Central Ave but I don’t remember a theater on Central at all. I do remember the Grove on Wilson and remember when it became a grocery store. I’m so glad there are people interested in the history of my old stomping grounds.
BushwickBuddy
Orlando, where were the Tompkins and Amusu on Gates, and the Ideal on Knickerbocker?
I did a similar “cinematreasure hunt” a few weeks ago, and posted the photos in the individual theater’s sections on this site.
See Luxor, Imperial, Rivoli, Starr, and most of the other theater sections.
Was the Ideal known as a different name? Because I did a few on Knickerbocker.
I was at the former Alhambra Theatre last Sunday. When photographing the exterior, a car approached and two “foriegners” jumped out of the car and asked what I was doing. I told them that I was a theatre historian and photograph former theatres as a hobby. They said no more, hopped in the car and drove away. I wonder what occupies this building at this time, there are no signs on the facade or any indications of what goes on within. I’m under the suspicion that very little remains within but am curious as to what remains and goes on in this building. On this same Sunday, I came across the following theatre buildings… the former 1920’s IDEAL Theatre on Knickerbocker Avenue, both IMPERIAL Theatres (one on Halsey, one on Irving Ave.), RIVOLI on Myrtle (still with theatre seats), the TOMPKINS and AMUSU on Gates Ave. The STARR’s auditorium walls are still visible from across the street behind the Associated Food Stores redo of the demolished storefronts and theatre entrance. There were many theatres in this area. P.S. The CENTRAL Theatre building is still standing at 431 Central Ave. This became the Luxor and another name. The three theatres on Wilson Avenue have bit the dust.
Hi all – I’ve seen my name mentioned several times during this post and would like to invite anyone interested to the website I created for my Brooklyn/Bushwick friends. There are lots of pictures and most of us went to PS 106, PS 113, PS 85, Bushwick HS, FK Lane, 14 Holy Martys, St Martin of Tours and St Barbara’s. We also went to Irving Square Presbyterian Church for scouts and youth activities as well as church and also to Bushwick Methodist, and the above named catholic churches. If you’d like an invitation please e-mail me at with your e-mail address and I will send an invitation.
BushwickBuddy
This theater was also known as the Ward & Glynne Alhambra Theater. It was one of their Vaudeville houses.
See the Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts and the Bay Shore (incorrectly listed as Bayshore here) for more information on Ward & Glynne.
earlier than that groundstar. My older sister took me there in late 40s and I used to go there with friends in mid 50s
My Aunt lived at 810 Knickerbocker till the mid or late 60s
Across the street from what was then Dinnt Cronins bar
wdhvnjhn – What year did you go for your banana split? I was the “Soda Jerk” there – not for the orginal owners who lived upstairs but for the people who took it over and ran in in the ‘60. I work their from 1960 til 1964 – usually every night and most saturday afternoons and I opened the place every Sunday morning – big coffee, roll and newspaper crown on Sundays after church my name is “Pete” and I lived at 800 Knickerbocker.
I also liked to go across the street for a banana split in the ice cream parlor
Thanks cjdv for the great information. Do you know of any historic photos online somewhere of the theater?
Bushwick Audrey, on a similar note, I was at Central and Cornelia a few weeks ago, and the entire blocks there at that intersection have been completely razed and brand new homes are being built.
The Brooklyn Eagle, for Sunday, Feb. 10th 1918, has an ad in the theatre section for the opening of the Alhambra and an article in Real Estate for “Ridgewood’s new $250,000 theatre”. The architects are listed as Carlson & Wiseman. A frieze along the exterior illustrated “discovery” and “war” (this is 1918). While the interior was decorated in “red, ivory & gold”. Designed for motion pictures and vaudeville, the stage was “fully capable of large dramatic and musical attractions”. According to The Eagle, Marcus Loew presented his Brooklyn stock company, the Alhambra Players at the theatre beginning in 1921. The company was suddenly pulled in 1925 “due to lack of community support”. At first the theatre was announced closed but it did continue on as a movie house. The actual closing date is usually given as 1951.
In April 1923 there was an open call for the chorus of “Linger Longer Letty” at the Alhambra. The impression given by the Brooklyn Eagle is that the women who tried out and those who were chosen were local people. If there is any interest I will post the names of the women selected(in case your grandmother once talked of playing the Alhambra).