New Boro Park Theatre
5102 New Utrecht Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11219
5102 New Utrecht Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11219
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Clarification was needed. Because of the anti-trust law, The Boro Park Theatre was “upgraded” in the late 1940’s. The neighborhood was always as proud of the Boro Park theatre as Loew’s 46th Street.
Loew’s had an arrangement with the RKO chain. The Boro Park showed the same films playing at RKO theatres. The Boro Park was never downgraded. This is coming from a primary source since this was one of my neighborhood theatres that I regularly attended from the 1940’s until its closing. It is my opinion that the theatre was equal to Loew’s 46th Street in looks. It was built in a differentr style- and so it becomes a matter of taste.
Located on 52nd Street & New Utrecht avenue is an old building (now used as a catering hall) that, elder citzens of the area told me many years ago, was once the “first” Boro Park theatre. It was built sometime after the turn of the century.
The handsome Boro Park Theatre was a originally a B.F.Keith theatre before Loew’s bought it. It was built just before or after W.W.I A picture of the facade can be seen in “When Brooklyn Was The World” by Elliot Willensky. Its interior was neo-classic. There were marble box seats on each side of the proscenium with a big lantern type chandlier above them. The auditorium had a dome ceiling and a balcony. The Acoustics & sightlines were excellent. Continous movies were shown after sound films, but there were occasional stage shows.
When the theatre was privately bought in the 1960’s, it began presenting live Yiddish musicals-besides movies. A big dispute arose
with the religous sector, who wanted the theatre closed on their
Sabbath. In retaliation, the owner began to exclusively show “X”
rated films. The theatre shortly closed and was torn down.
I saw a “hard days night” in the BORO PARK in the mid sixites. It was a nice Theater but it palled in comparision to the Lowes on 46 street and New Utrect ave. The Lowes had a wnding mable staircase leading to the rest rooms and the balcony. The lower part of the theater had beautiful woodworking and sculptures ,a huge ceiling and, a thick red curtain that would part when the movie was about to begin. It is now sadly a furniture wharehouse.
The old Loew’s Boro Park Theatre was located at 51st Street and New trecht Ave. and it seated 2346 people.