De-Luxe Theatre
2001 Bath Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11214
2001 Bath Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11214
5 people
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Additional Info
Functions: Beauty Salon, Housing
Previous Names: Montauk Theatre, Bay Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Opened as the Montauk Theatre in 1914 (it is listed in the 1914-1915 edition of American Motion Picture Directory as being located on Bath Beach, Brooklyn).
In 1928 it was re-named the Bay Theatre and in the mid-1930’s was re-named the De-Luxe Theatre.
It finally closed in the mid-1990’s after screening XXX rated adult porn movies for the last 10 or so years of its life.
Contributed by
philipgoldberg
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Recent comments (view all 74 comments)
I remember when it was a porn theatre. That was long before internet porn and during what some people call the golden age of porn. Whatever that means. A few blocks down was Toys n Things. Great toy store. I got some great WWF figures there.
When I moved to Brooklyn, the only legit film I ever saw there was Cold Turkey. Shortly after that the theatre turned to porn. Being divorced, porn was a good release for me.This was the days way before computers. The theatre rapily became a home for straight, Bi and gay men.Sex acts were openly performed in the seats, back or bathrooms.It got to a point where the candy counter was removed and a mini theater was put up showing only gay porn loops. So you had straight and gay films running all the time. A table was put between where free coffee was served.I surprise the theatre stayed open for as long as it did without the cops closing it down. Somebody was being paid off.
Here’s a NYC Tax photo of the old DeLux in the final days of it’s life as an XXX movie…. Click here for photo
Bway, can you add that pic to the photo section?
For informational purposes, I found mention of a New Montauk elsewhere. However it never showed movies. But the theater it was to replace has a fascinating history since it was actually moved in one piece. See elsewhere on CT
I used to go her when I was 6 in 1940. Saturday was kids day and I saw a new western once a week. I went there for many years until we moved to California in 1948. My parents went there when second run movies were playing. I’ll never forget the Deluxe, it was only about six blocks from my home.
I was a projectionist at a porn theatre in NJ thru most of the 1980’s. I use to get film prints from here. I knew the owner . He owned many of the porn theatres in the area. The Deluxe in Brooklyn. The Globe in the Bronx. The Polk in Queens. Cinema 9 in Sayreville NJ. The Sayrewoods in Old Bridge NJ where I worked. The Harem on 42nd St. The Montauk in Passaic NJ. The films would just move around each week from one theatre to the next.
Uploaded a tax photo of the De-Luxe in the day.
The description should be changed to closing in the mid-1990’s not mid-1980’s. I distinctly remember seeing an article on the closing in our local paper (The Bay News) circa 94/95 about it’s shut down. Also there was a NYC law passed in 1995 that prohibited adult businesses operating within 500 feet of a school and since PS 200 was located about a block away the writing was on the wall for the De-Luxe Theatre.
Living in Brooklyn, in the mid 70’s the Deluxe was known as the the place to go and get off. Stright or gay it didn’t matter you got what you came for. No matter what time of the day it was the place always had a nice crowd.With the computer world we live in now, that type of venue sadly will never happen again.