Sun Theatre
637 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11206
637 Broadway,
Brooklyn,
NY
11206
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During the 1950’s midweek programing consisted of Spanish language films primarily mariachi westerns and lurid melodramas. Weekends reverted to late run English language features.
I remember as a young kid during WW2 going to the Sun for a dime and seeing two features, news, cartoon and previews. Also gave you a ticket with a number. This carried on to a race on the screen with many prizes. To this day I don’t remember anyone winning a thing. Must have been a gimmick to get you into the theater.
Thanks so much for the picture LM. Given that this entire community has long disappeared, it is always fascinating to see how things used to be.
I guess the photo was shot at the northeast intersection of Leonard Street and Broadway. It seems that the photographer just missed catching a piece of the Broadway El within the photo’s frame.
Ed, this was all part of the Lindsay-Bushwick Urban Renewal Project, which transformed huge portions of this community from the 1960’s through the early 1970’s. The portion of the project that affected the Sun’s site occurred toward the beginning of that period.
According to Lost Memory’s uploaded Sanborn map image, and based on the opening description of the Sun Theatre having been located on Broadway at Varet Street, the movie house would have stood where the gated entrance to the Food Bazarre parking lot is now located. That would be just a bit to the left of the current Google Street View location, directly across from the nothern terminus of Gerry Street, which ends there in a T-intersection. Seems that the demolition of the Sun, along with the construction of the supermarket and parking lot (which serves the adjacent Lindsay Park Houses), involved the demapping of that section of Varet Street that ran between Manhattan Ave and Broadway. As a result, the corner, where the Sun occupied, is no longer in existence.
The Brooklyn Theatre Index contains some useful information that adds to our knowledge to this old movie house. ….. FIRST, it opened in 1912 as the GOLD – not the COLD! – Theatre and carried that name until 1920. It was named after its proprietor, a Mr. M. Gold. …… SECOND, the architect listed is the firm of Shampton & Shampton and, based on contemporary descriptions,the Gold was a pretty ornate place. The initial capacity was listed as 920. …… THIRD, the Gold became the Gem in 1921, with a listed capacity of 1,000; a Kilgen organ was installed there in 1927. …… FOURTH, the name was finally changed to the Sun in 1930. As a result of alterations that occurred at that time, capacity dropped to 762; I guess that one of the two balcanies were prebably eliminated. ….. FIFTH, the Sun finally closed in 1959. As this was about the time that the urban renewal project that produced the Lindsay Park development began, this date makes sense. The site of the old Sun now lies within the boundaries of this huge development. Hope this fills in a few blanks.
That movie was the “Little Rascals” in which the kids were confronted by a African Native Cannible whom the kid’s called “Uncle George.” Everytime the kids would call him Uncle George, the native would point to them and say: ‘Yum, Yum, Eat Um Up.“ The Sun featured Spanish speaking movies from time to time because it was located in a predominantly Latino area in which there was a Spanish gang called the "Ellery Bops.”
Bringing back a lot of memories. As a child – lived at 670 Broadway and remember going to The Sun – to see 3 Stooges serials – and there was a mummy saying “yum, yum eatem up” somewhere in there. Seem to recall there was a balcony that played it’s part creaking and squeaking. At Broadway & Flushing was the Alba – with the attendant clapping if someone dropped a dish on dish night. The Rogers was a little further up Broadway and a way up Graham Avenue were two movies – one of which was appropriately, The Graham.
Regards to all
Barry
The theater had probably been closed by the time that the surrounding buildings were torn down in the mid-60’s in the name of urban renewal for the construction of the Lindsay Park housing eyesore that continues to cast a blight on the neighborhood.
Addition:
By the way the Sun theater is listed in the Theatres section in my 1955 Brooklyn phone book at 637 Broadway in Brooklyn. And the phone number was EVergreen 4-9203, so it was still open during that year.
JoeB
I remember going to the neighborhood Sun theater, under the El, in the 1950s. At that time it was run down. I recall seeing a double bill of 2 Universal-International films “Girls in the Night” and “City Across the River”, which in my opinion were very good.
They also showed previews of Spanish speaking pictures which would be shown at alernate times during the week.
Those were the days.
JoeB
The American Motion Picture Directory 1914 – 1915 lists this as the Cold Theatre.
In the Film Daily Yearbook;1926 edition it is listed as the Gem Theatre, 637-9 Broadway with a seating capacity of 1,000, same in the 1927 edition.
It is the Sun Theatre in the 1930 edition of Film Daily Yearbook.
I’m not sure about a Gem Theater.I do know that in 1944 it was the
Sun Theater.
Nice little old movie house.I remember it being near Manhattan Ave.
I saw Red Skelton there for the first time.He appeared in “The
Fuller Brush Man."
They would show westerns with the likes of Tex Ritter,Gene Autry,
Randolph Scott,etc.
A local movie house I attended in the forties.
I guess every web site must have its share of playful trolls. They can’t all be accommodated at LiveJournal!
Thanks lost memeory, Astyanaax and myself are indeed two different people. I accept no imitators, and limit the number of a’s in my name to three.
Get a life.
Actually, Astyanaax, anyone can post on this page at anytime (within our terms of use agreeement — no profanity, etc.). Just because someone has posted to this page does not give them dominion over it.
While we appreciate your contributions very much, please remember that this site is a tool for all of us to use, not just a theater’s initial contributor. If you or anyone has any questions about our policy, please email me. Thanks. :)
Now back to the show…
To the best of my knowledge anyone can post in any theatre base on this website. No one owns exclusive rights to a theatre just because they added it here.
As for the Sun Theatre I show no listing for it after 1955 which should be the approximate year of its closing.
Get with the program Astyanaax. Lostmemory is right. We all contribute here when we have information to share.
The Film Daily Yearbook 1930 gives a seating capacity of 762.