RKO Bushwick Theatre

MPol,
A lot of the newer Multi -Plex’s in the outer reaches of the city do well, prior to the economic crisis ,such as the Sunrise in Nassau County, which incidentally,was formerly a Drive In.

A few new movie palaces are being built, mostly in the suburbs. As an example, there’s the MUVICO in Rosemont, Illinois.

Moondog. I am sure graffiti may hit the theater sometimes, as with any building, which may have been what happened when the google maps people went by, but its usually removed promptly. I have been by the building as recently as this past November, and there was no graffiti on it, and am by almost monthly, and really never noticed any. That’s not to say it never happens, but is usually removed soon after.
But that all being said, the street view images are great, and I estimate them to be from last Autumn and Summer for most of Bushwick’s streets, and that grafitti is most definitely not there anymore. It seems that some kids had gotten on top of the scafolding there.
But anyway, here’s a ground level photo that I took this past March 27, 2008 of the RKO Bushwick Location. This is AFTER the google street view images were taken, which were taken August-October 2007:

Click Here for March 2008 Image

That’s right on the money, Panzer65. They not only want to raze beautiful old movie palaces and buid condos or stores, but multiplex cinemas as well. (However, I’m not sure of how well multiplexes will do, given the fact that a number of them have piled on debt, etc., )

I think the fact that the Bushwick is being positively used as a school helps ensure that it is well maintained and that any defacement is promptly addressed and corrected. This is a great win – win situation.

Yeah, I have no problem getting out of the car in Bushwick. It’s not the neighborhood it was in the 1980’s, or even the 1990’s.
As for the theater, I have gotten out here many of times, as sometimes when I am in the area, I often grab a quick lunch the McDonalds next to the theater. the condition of the theater is good, it looks just as good on ground level as it does on the upper levels seen here. There’s no graffiti or anything on it, or even near it.
It probably hasn’t looked as good as it does now since the 50’s….but of course, it’s interior is all gone.

Yes, indeed. I know what you mean, but the expression “drive by shooting” has unpleasant connotations in Bushwick, though I appreciate your humor !

Such an act of photography by Bway would be the BEST kind of “drive by shooting” !

Thanks, Warren, for that info.

Bway, that’s a beautiful new image from nycsubway.org ! It almost makes the former RKO Bushwick Theatre look like a Greek temple !

Yes, and the marquee was still there in the Believer’s footage too. You can also get a quick glimpse of some of the interior, which was already in pretty rough shape by 1979 when the film was made. The seats were still there though. They may have also “roughed” the interior up a bit for the scene too. It was a scene where there was a human sacrifice on the stage of the RKO Bushwick, when the cops arrive.

I don’t know if it’s been posted here before, but I have seen that image. I believe that is a photo from after it closed as a theater, but also may be from just after the Pilgrim Church also left the theater after it’s very short use of the building. The Pilgrim Church for some reason left the RKO Bushwick when the Loews Gates Theater became available, and they remain in the Loews Gates to this day, which has been restored. Perhaps they got a better deal on the Loews Gates…who knows….but either way, once they left, it sealed the fate of the RKO Buhwick, which began it’s nearly 3 decade progression into shambles before being gutted and converted to the school it is now around 2003.

I wish there was a photo of the lobby of the Bushwick available somewhere. There are no shortage of exterior photos of the Bushwick on the net, but interior shots are hard to come by.

Thanks Warren, My memory must be poor cause I only remember the single staircase on the right side of the theater looking into the Lobby. More reasonably there were two staircases because they would have given a balanced appearance. I do remember the double staircases in the Loew’s Gates. They were not as high but were also quite grand. As you say the Staircase(s) came from high..at least four stories". Did you enter the staircases from the highest balcony seats in the theater? Oh boy how a plan or a photo could jog my memory.