Hopkinson Theatre

Located at 482 Hopkinson Avenue (today renamed Thomas S. Boyland Street) at the corner of Pitkin Avenue. This legitimate theatre also functioned as a movie house showing many films over the years and there are numerous advertisements for movies playing here. It opened as Howe’s Brownsville Theatre in 1911 and was designed by noted theatre architect Thomas White Lamb. It was renamed M&S Theatre in 1916 and operated under that name until 1917. In 1918 it was renamed Hopkinson Theatre. and operated with that name until 1924.

In 1925 it was renamed Rose Silbert Theatre after the Yiddish actress Rose Silbert. She was one of the three passengers who were killed when the steamer Boston was in a collision with the oil tanker Swift Arrow on July 22, 1924.

In 1927 it was again renamed Hopkinson Theatre and presented plays performed by a stock company. In August 1934 it went over to use as a Yiddish theatre with musical comedy actress Anne Miels engaged to appear in feminine roles opposite Julius Nathanson. In June 1941 it went over to a Yiddish playhouse.

In July 1946 it was taken over by the Amber Realty Corporation and presented American and foreign movies. The theatre was completely redecorated in late-September 1946 and reopened on February 10, 1947 with Gene Tierney in “Laura” & William Eythe in “The House on 92nd Street”.

By August 1952 it was presenting a Yiddish theatre policy with Yiddish movies. The Hopkinson Theatre was closed in 1953.

The details above are taken from the book “The Brooklyn Theatre Index” Volume 1 (2013) by the late theatre historian Cezar Del Valle.

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