Ascot Theatre

Yeah it’s gone. My bedroom window faced the theatre when I was a kid and loved watching them change the marquee. This was prior to it becoming a porn house. I also worked there in the summer of 1969 when it was an art theatre. Only problem was the same movie was booked for the whole time I was there! Two months of The Loves of Isadora. Some of the films I saw there were: A Shot in the Dark and The Exorcist. Was so sad when it went porno. My synagogue was literally next door (to the right). I’m guessing that when it became a church the Ascot was forced to close. For a long time after that it was gated up and the marquee said COMING SOON JESUS CHRIST The theatre itself was not used as a church. All of the stores to the left were closed for many years so the auditorium was left unused. At least we still have The Paradise.

Pix please

@Willburg145 on 1/30/16: No clue why they closed the theater but I did a quick search on Google Maps and it looks like the auditorium was turned into retail space which looks to be unoccupied. I live pretty close by to the theater so I’ll probably bike down there some time this week and see what’s up with it.

I added a photo of the Ascot for those who would like to see it.

I’ve seen a relatively recent photo of the Ascot with its (flat) marquee sign still intact. The photo may come from either the great “Forgotten NY” website or the fine “Welcome to Bronx Pictures” website. Block black letters on the marquee read, in two lines: “COMING SOON JESUS CHRIST”. Has the Ascot ever been used as a Church, especially in recent years? That’s not quite the way I remember the old theater….

Referring back to TomG’s comment of 2/19/06, the chain was called J.J. Theatres, Inc. in 1963. Address was 1501 Broadway, NYC, WIsconsin 7-9024. President was Julius Joelson. Max Fried was assistant to president and film buyer. Lou Klein was purchasing agent. Other JJ theaters in 1963 were the Casino, Earl, Kent, Luxor Surrey and 167th Theater in the Bronx and the Hillside Theater in Queens.

Back in the 1950’s I recall that the Ascot was part of a small chain of theaters called “J.J. Bronx.” Other theaters in the chain were the Earl and Luxor (showed same films as RKO’s in the Bronx) and the Jerome, Kent, Surrey and Casino (showed second and third run double bills). These seven theaters were part of the chain for a number of years. Other theaters joined the chain for shorter amounts of time. They included the Mount Eden, Park Plaza (ex-Skouras), Burnside and Fairmount (ex-Loew’s). In the late 1950’s or early 1960’s the Hillside and Willard (ex-Loew’s)in Queens joined the group and the name was changed to “J.J. Theaters.

I visited the Ascot during its final days as a house of porn. I remember it was quite large inside. Who knows but maybe it can be resurrected once the Grand Concourse is rehabilitated. The Paradise has just been reopened. This is a great time to buy a co-op in the area as in a few years it will become a hot neighborhood.

I saw many arts films there as a teen in the 70’s. A vibid memory of seeing the anti war movie, Johnny’s Got His Gun at the Ascot

I believe that the interior is still in tact althoug it closed before I was of legal age to enter since the arthouse became graphically artistic in the 1980’s.