Benson Twins
2007-2009 86th Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11214
2007-2009 86th Street,
Brooklyn,
NY
11214
7 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 88 comments
Please update, total seats 988
Opened March 1st, 1922 per this article:
Benson theatre opening Thu, Mar 2, 1922 – 10 · The Standard Union (Brooklyn, New York) · Newspapers.com
I am interested in the magazine that is all about the movie theater industry…I am interested in some Brooklyn, NY theaters like the Williamsburg and Commodore.
I use to live in Bensonhurst from 1944 to 1951 and I remember going to the Benson to see Cinderella. They use to give out dishes to the women!! Such good memories!! I lived on 84th Street. There use to be trees on that street and now there is nothing.
Bway, do you mean interior or exterior? The last time I was inside the Benson was in the early 80s, and there wasn’t much that was historically significant left in the interior.
Above the entrance to the drug store there is still some ornamentaion near the top of the building. Nothing remains inside.
Does anyone know if any of the theater ornamentation survives in this theater as the drug store, or is it all covered over/removed?
1975 Twin PG pictures on one side,X-rated on the other,No place for a child.
As a teenager I only went to the Benson once. My cousin from Bay Ridge and
his friends thought we could get a few laughs out of ‘Night of the Living Dead’.
It scared the#*@$ out of us! We were unimpressed with the theater. I lived in
Dyker Heights so I was more used to the RKO Dyker. My cousin was more
used to the Loew’s Alpine. We were spoiled and lucky to go into downtown
often to the Brooklyn Paramount (with parents), the Fox and the RKO Albee.
Don’t get me started on Radio City, either. The Loew’s Oriental made the
Benson look like a bare-bones, slipshod mistake!
Would love to see an entire coffee table book of 86th street from the 50’s through the 80’s !
I’d really love to see a photo of the Benson from the 70s or 80s. I remember seeing Return of the Jedi, Grease, Superman, Goonies, Karate Kid and countless other flicks there. I’d love to see any old pics of 86st. Thanks for this site. It’s like the closest thing to a time machine and I am very grateful for all of you who left a comment with your wonderful memories. Best of luck n health to you all.
Why?
C'mon folks! Lets dig up some vintage photos of the Benson !
Sal P., you just reminded me. Back in the summer of 1977 I saw Jaws for the first time ever, during it’s re-release at the Benson. I still love that movie.
Sadly, the only known photo of the Benson Twin, is a screen-shot from the title sequence from…..“Saturday Night Fever” ! The marquee reads “Network” which was released November, 1976 or thereabouts.
The Twin 2, is illegable , but the word “love” may hint at an Adult “X” show?
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The benson was an institution in bensonhurst. Despite the foul odors in the bathroom and the nasty lady with the flashlight,I had some great memories there. I saw Superman, The Deep, Return of the Jedi, Jaws, and countless other ones. It was hard to sneak into the other movie though, unlike the loews or Marboro which was really easy. It was so sad to see these theaters close down.
I am mentioned in Larry Kings book as well as his discription of the Benson.Larry and I grew up together in Bensonhurst, his surname was not King, but thats show business !
As a teenager in the late 40’s I went to the Benson every Saturday from 1PM until I wanted to leave. I saw two movies, a chapter and Movietone News over and over again.
There was a male usher who played basketball for Lafayette High School who repremanded me for having my arm around a girls shoulder during the movies. He said and I quote, “Get your arm off her Tyrone"
Tyrone Power was an actor in the film industry.
There was the Manhattan Savings Bank on the corner and Hy Tulip across the street. Those were the days I shall never forget!
http://snackbar-confidential.blogspot.com/
Benson 2 PORN Theater Ad from 1975. Does anyone know exactly when they STOPPED showing porn?
My grandparents lived around the corner. I recall my Grandmother asking my parents , “What’s the difference between "X” and “XXX” ? “ . LOL. I was never inside there but I love reading all this memories. I remember when in summer of 1976 "Squirm” was playing there. Wish someone had a nice clear photo of the front. I loved buying comic books and Mad magazines from that tiny newsstand to the left of the Benson all through the 1970’s. Oh boy has that neighborhood CHANGED!
Larry King mentioned this theater in an interview published in the LA Times today. Apparently a police officer took him to the theater when he was eight after the officer told him King’s father had died of a heart attack at work.
Sure. First it was a bowling alley then it was changed to a gun club. all the years I lived in that neighborhood I never went in there though.
Being that Seabeacher mentioned the Fortway. Does anyone remember that downstairs, below the Fortway Theater there was a pistol shooting range. I belonged to a gun club that used the range every tuesday night.
Ed…There are a lot of things I associate with movie memories (besides hardware stores!)especially FOOD. The Zion Deli (kosher of course) was around the corner from the Dyker. White Castle was near the Harbor. The pizzeria next to the Fortway was fabulous. And so on…if no one minds this post I’ll try to limit my food ramblings in the future.
Ah SeaBeacher… wandering a bit off topic to take a stroll down memory lane has been a topic of much debate on these pages! I happen to think that such musings – provided they don’t go too far astray – often provide good color and a nice sociological context within which folks who didn’t live in the area or attend a local theater might better appreciate the experiences shared by folks who were patrons. There are plenty of folks who share that philosophy – but beware those who might wag their figurative fingers and admonish you to stick to the facts and dates of legitimate theater research! Then tell them to go play in traffic! Heh heh… just kidding, naturally. I don’t want anyone run down by a bus.