I saw workmen bringing in some materials through a door which is the left side of the exterior entrance. There was one outer lobby postercase in poor condition and the cement work under the area over the boxoffice (demolished) that was quite intact but in cement form and unpainted. Work is about to start here soon.
The tours are not worth the price and travel. New management have no idea of the neighborhood or the “history of the Loew’s Kings”. They only discuss the renovation of the KIngs Theatre. The tours are also very short. Instead of the tour, come and see a show and view the theatre at the same time. It’s the best way. Beleive me, I know!
Interior demolition continues, a worker told me historic ledgers from Loew’s, marquee letters, seats (aisle standards from balcony were trashed into the dumpsters behind the building. NYCB permits show full demolition, however new photos of facade show a vertical sign saying Hotel Victoria (nice). A man walking by cried and I asked if he was OK. He said his mother brought him to the Loew’s Victoria in the 1950’s and he was sad that it was being demolished. Very, very sad! The hotel could have been built between 2nd & 3rd Avenue where a empty Pathmark sits. Who’s running the show, “Big pockets” who don’t care about history! The Victoria should have been saved on this three theatre block. It Could have beeb “the Kings” of Harlem.
The Sound Of Movies commenced at 2 PM as the Star Wars was to presented at the former Loew’s Kings. This is the first movies presented since August 30, 1977 when the theatre closed. Yes, 39 years later (shy three weeks). I was in heaven as I sat center balcony and saw all three films. This once in a lifetime event is not likely to be repeated as films are not on the Kings menu. Where were all you people who shouted to save the Kings and now that it’s open never showed up?
Yes, until it sold the theatre and office building to LIU. Then LIU leased the theatre back to Paramount Picture subsidiaries. In 1962, the leaseback expired and even though Paramount wanted to extend the lease, LIU needed the theatre for a gymnasium and then turned the lobby to a lunchroom and the downstairs for student uses. But who knew then that 54 years later, after all the theatre only lasted only 34 years. Long Live the New Paramount and thanks to effort back then when LIU management took care not to destroy the entire place. Good foresight on their account. That’s why the theatre
portion is as intact as it is.
P.S. The exact seating of the Kings Theatre is 3,398 seats. 905 in the mezzanine and 2493 on the main floor.
When LOEW’S reseated the orchestra in the 1950’s the extended leg room and the seating in the orchestre went down. Now however, at 3,398… the orchestra seat have been returned close to the same seating, the mezzanine lost some 50 seats or so. I counted all the seats in all the sections (16 of them) while I worked those various sections … so they are ACCURATE!. For the 3,676 in 1929 to the 3,398 in 2016, only 278 seats were lost.
The pipe organ will never be installed as the contractors have heating and air-conditioning ducts running up and down the chambers of the original pipes. The people who have offered it back to the theatre (ACE) were told by someone at ACE that they would display the organ console in the lobby, but the offering party declined. It was all (in working condition) or not at all. That’s a real shame, but then MOVIES are not part of the Kings current menu.
The Star Wars Films are not going to be shown here or elsewhere.
The Wurlitzer Pipe Organ never left the building since it closed in 1962. It has been used at Baseketball Games and at many other occasins as the 50th Anniversary of the Rock ‘n’ Roll shows of the 1950’s with Murray the “K” some years back and several black and white silent films. It still rises on lifts in its' original space.
Are you sure it was demolished, I remember going into a store (Liquor)at the address with some friends which was the lobby. There was a larger building in the back behind the storefronts that ran the lenght of 4 storefronts. My friends said that was the auditorium of the Victory (Who knows?) It was not accessible but was a story high from the store fronts. You would enter through the liquor store walk to back and turn left to enter auditorium.
To me, Clearview ruined the Zeigfeld with their “Cablevision Free Tuesdays”. This ruined a lot of their locations. But Dolan of Cablevision forged with this to help his cable business. He didn’t care about the theatres. When you’re giving out free tix on Tuesday, who is going to PAY for it. Even though the people didn'y pay, Cablevision had to give (Pay)the film companies the minimum seat admission price. So they lost the customers that might have patronized the theatre all through the week, and giving the theatre free to all on Tuesdays. Would you pay on Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, or Sat., when you can go in free on Tuesday? Think about it.
I was there on opening day (Reserved Seats) and the last day and many times in between in my theatre career.
Cablevision didn't waste any time taking out the chandeliers, the Reade's Zeigfeld Museum and everything else that they could carry the next day. I'm quite sure none of the momentos of the theatre where donated to a museum. They took them out to sell, auction off and whatever. Maybe one of the chandeliers is now hanging in one of the Dolan's residences. We all know Cablevision is not a poor company, it could have kept the theatre open for prestige, but they are not about that. They are money-suckers.
Thank you to the former Walter Reade Organization for the Zeigfeld Theatre.
The former theatre is NOT being demolished nor has the building been sold. I was lucky today to meet the owner and he said a lot of the historical elements will be saved and incorporated into the structure once it is converted to stores on the main floor and apartments. The grand staircase was sold as were the plaster fountain at stage right. I was also allowed to take photos of the main entance (with exposed poster cases for the first time!) and of other details in the auditorium. (92 pictures in all) for prosperity and for
the owner. When he left, he told me that I would be the last person allowed into the building. It still felt grand with all original floor tilework intact and without all the furniture. Some orchestra seats were covered over. The building turned 88 years old October 9th of this year and I turn 59 at 10:42 PM tonight. What a wonderful gift to see this building once more and the exterior on New Utrecht Avenue will remain intact.
P.S. Someone bought all the marquee letters two weeks ago and someone has bought all the remaining plaster work to save. As the owner said, “It’s only plaster.”
The furniture store is moving to another location and let'’s see what happens to the building. I did a familiar photo shoot twice 1n the 1990’s and in 2001. I also was in the building and just asked for a view and got it. The furniture store owner gave his card. The 2nd time was with some out of town friends and NY THSA director. Everybody was amazed. The roof in the projection booth was wet from rain so the entire roof is not really protecting the existing plaster. The building is 88 years old in October and I doubt after 1970, the same time movies ceased the roof hasn’t been touched. Brandt’s operated the theatre from Loew’s in 1966 and it closed late 1969. My JHS school bus passed the theatre every school day from 1967-70 and it closed by then. The Boro Park went from movies to XXX in 1968. I remember the movie “Boom” playing here and then Adult films.
I don’t want to predict that a condo building of some sort may occupy the site, but it might be likely. For restoration to a theatre highly unlikely due to the neighborhood and its' proximity to the Kings.
Century’s Marine was closed in 1972 and torn down weeks after its' closing. “Groundstar Conspiracy” was one of the last pictures on the double bill. The bank on the block needed more parking. 2 side stores still exist as a redone lobby entrance.
To Jim Cassedy, I enjoyed the photos tremendously, thank you for posting. My e-mail is . Drop me an e-mail, I go to San Francisco very often and maybe we can hook up and share a few memories. I remember the split breaks on Sat., and Sun.? too when we’d go back to your apt for the rest of the afternoon.
I painted that red which replaced a large poster case. Jim your date was right. I loved that lobby. A lot like Greenport. Heavy glass doors seperated the candy stand from the rear orchestra. UA being cheap, cose the color
red. The light on the right was over the only poster case outside. I believe there was no poster in this case as it had no lock or hasp or anything. the light on the
left was emanating from the manager’s office behinh the box office.
I believe I was on the left, the second was Scott an usher who was better suited for this job. The third person on the right was an usher, give me time and I will recall. This is when Almi took over from UA and the pole Scott is holding went to the 5 Almi theatres which had numerous ceiling lights out. How are you Jim. I’m at the Kings in Brooklyn.
A very funny story here. The staircae exit which led to the parking lot had a drainage pipe which was outside this door. My first night there, a double feature “Smokey and the Bandit” & “"Airport ‘77” for 78
cents. During the showing of “Airport'77” while the plane hits the water and starts sinking, a terrential downfall of rain hit (and someone turned the drain pipe
outside toward the exit door) and the rain spewed in through that door and filled the orchestra and the rows you are seeing were underwater. (Just as the plane went underwater, so did the theatre. They audience clapped and the show went on without disruption). People were saying it was the best visual effects they’d seen in a theatre. For those who had cars in the back parking lot,
they waded in their shorts and short dresses through the water to the parking lot exit and just took off their shoes. At the time it was not so funny, but now it is absolutely hilarious!! Ha! Ha! Ha!
This theatre is actually located in Woodbury, just slightly east of Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway. By the way the building of the Westbury multiplex had nothing to do in the closing of the Cinema 150. (In 1976-7 when I worked the Syosset, we referred to the theatre as the D-150) The landlord didn’t renew the lease of the Cinema D-150 leading to its' closing. Two one time superior buildings destroyed in the greed of the almighty dollar.
Olympus cameras and other businesses were also lost in the lease turmoil. But, I got the enjoyment of working at both of theatres and being a loyal patron of the D-150 until it closed.
Just a brief note, the building has been refaced with a tan-beige color and the top and awning was replaced by the same in a darker brown color and a new storefront sign. Happy 90th Birthday, Granada Theatre. We will both survive to see you 100!. My best memories are of you.
Mike, I assume you meant petty and not pretty. As for deleting comments, that won’t happen because the truth is the truth. Some newspapers get all the stories wrong and tell you what you want to hear. If you really believe Marty Markowitz saved the Kings, think again!
I saw workmen bringing in some materials through a door which is the left side of the exterior entrance. There was one outer lobby postercase in poor condition and the cement work under the area over the boxoffice (demolished) that was quite intact but in cement form and unpainted. Work is about to start here soon.
The two murals have been pulvarized. Demo inside first, then outside.
The tours are not worth the price and travel. New management have no idea of the neighborhood or the “history of the Loew’s Kings”. They only discuss the renovation of the KIngs Theatre. The tours are also very short. Instead of the tour, come and see a show and view the theatre at the same time. It’s the best way. Beleive me, I know!
The screen for Star Wars was 30' wide and 17' tall. As a kid I remember it as 36' wide and 20' tall. Yet, it looked great.
Interior demolition continues, a worker told me historic ledgers from Loew’s, marquee letters, seats (aisle standards from balcony were trashed into the dumpsters behind the building. NYCB permits show full demolition, however new photos of facade show a vertical sign saying Hotel Victoria (nice). A man walking by cried and I asked if he was OK. He said his mother brought him to the Loew’s Victoria in the 1950’s and he was sad that it was being demolished. Very, very sad! The hotel could have been built between 2nd & 3rd Avenue where a empty Pathmark sits. Who’s running the show, “Big pockets” who don’t care about history! The Victoria should have been saved on this three theatre block. It Could have beeb “the Kings” of Harlem.
The Sound Of Movies commenced at 2 PM as the Star Wars was to presented at the former Loew’s Kings. This is the first movies presented since August 30, 1977 when the theatre closed. Yes, 39 years later (shy three weeks). I was in heaven as I sat center balcony and saw all three films. This once in a lifetime event is not likely to be repeated as films are not on the Kings menu. Where were all you people who shouted to save the Kings and now that it’s open never showed up?
Wonderful photo, “Thank You Very Much” wish THSA would do the same.
Yes, until it sold the theatre and office building to LIU. Then LIU leased the theatre back to Paramount Picture subsidiaries. In 1962, the leaseback expired and even though Paramount wanted to extend the lease, LIU needed the theatre for a gymnasium and then turned the lobby to a lunchroom and the downstairs for student uses. But who knew then that 54 years later, after all the theatre only lasted only 34 years. Long Live the New Paramount and thanks to effort back then when LIU management took care not to destroy the entire place. Good foresight on their account. That’s why the theatre
portion is as intact as it is.
P.S. The exact seating of the Kings Theatre is 3,398 seats. 905 in the mezzanine and 2493 on the main floor. When LOEW’S reseated the orchestra in the 1950’s the extended leg room and the seating in the orchestre went down. Now however, at 3,398… the orchestra seat have been returned close to the same seating, the mezzanine lost some 50 seats or so. I counted all the seats in all the sections (16 of them) while I worked those various sections … so they are ACCURATE!. For the 3,676 in 1929 to the 3,398 in 2016, only 278 seats were lost.
The pipe organ will never be installed as the contractors have heating and air-conditioning ducts running up and down the chambers of the original pipes. The people who have offered it back to the theatre (ACE) were told by someone at ACE that they would display the organ console in the lobby, but the offering party declined. It was all (in working condition) or not at all. That’s a real shame, but then MOVIES are not part of the Kings current menu. The Star Wars Films are not going to be shown here or elsewhere.
The Wurlitzer Pipe Organ never left the building since it closed in 1962. It has been used at Baseketball Games and at many other occasins as the 50th Anniversary of the Rock ‘n’ Roll shows of the 1950’s with Murray the “K” some years back and several black and white silent films. It still rises on lifts in its' original space.
Are you sure it was demolished, I remember going into a store (Liquor)at the address with some friends which was the lobby. There was a larger building in the back behind the storefronts that ran the lenght of 4 storefronts. My friends said that was the auditorium of the Victory (Who knows?) It was not accessible but was a story high from the store fronts. You would enter through the liquor store walk to back and turn left to enter auditorium.
This is the Brooklyn Strand, not the NY Strand.
To me, Clearview ruined the Zeigfeld with their “Cablevision Free Tuesdays”. This ruined a lot of their locations. But Dolan of Cablevision forged with this to help his cable business. He didn’t care about the theatres. When you’re giving out free tix on Tuesday, who is going to PAY for it. Even though the people didn'y pay, Cablevision had to give (Pay)the film companies the minimum seat admission price. So they lost the customers that might have patronized the theatre all through the week, and giving the theatre free to all on Tuesdays. Would you pay on Sun, Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, or Sat., when you can go in free on Tuesday? Think about it. I was there on opening day (Reserved Seats) and the last day and many times in between in my theatre career.
The former theatre is NOT being demolished nor has the building been sold. I was lucky today to meet the owner and he said a lot of the historical elements will be saved and incorporated into the structure once it is converted to stores on the main floor and apartments. The grand staircase was sold as were the plaster fountain at stage right. I was also allowed to take photos of the main entance (with exposed poster cases for the first time!) and of other details in the auditorium. (92 pictures in all) for prosperity and for the owner. When he left, he told me that I would be the last person allowed into the building. It still felt grand with all original floor tilework intact and without all the furniture. Some orchestra seats were covered over. The building turned 88 years old October 9th of this year and I turn 59 at 10:42 PM tonight. What a wonderful gift to see this building once more and the exterior on New Utrecht Avenue will remain intact.
P.S. Someone bought all the marquee letters two weeks ago and someone has bought all the remaining plaster work to save. As the owner said, “It’s only plaster.”
The furniture store is moving to another location and let'’s see what happens to the building. I did a familiar photo shoot twice 1n the 1990’s and in 2001. I also was in the building and just asked for a view and got it. The furniture store owner gave his card. The 2nd time was with some out of town friends and NY THSA director. Everybody was amazed. The roof in the projection booth was wet from rain so the entire roof is not really protecting the existing plaster. The building is 88 years old in October and I doubt after 1970, the same time movies ceased the roof hasn’t been touched. Brandt’s operated the theatre from Loew’s in 1966 and it closed late 1969. My JHS school bus passed the theatre every school day from 1967-70 and it closed by then. The Boro Park went from movies to XXX in 1968. I remember the movie “Boom” playing here and then Adult films. I don’t want to predict that a condo building of some sort may occupy the site, but it might be likely. For restoration to a theatre highly unlikely due to the neighborhood and its' proximity to the Kings.
Century’s Marine was closed in 1972 and torn down weeks after its' closing. “Groundstar Conspiracy” was one of the last pictures on the double bill. The bank on the block needed more parking. 2 side stores still exist as a redone lobby entrance.
To Jim Cassedy, I enjoyed the photos tremendously, thank you for posting. My e-mail is . Drop me an e-mail, I go to San Francisco very often and maybe we can hook up and share a few memories. I remember the split breaks on Sat., and Sun.? too when we’d go back to your apt for the rest of the afternoon.
I painted that red which replaced a large poster case. Jim your date was right. I loved that lobby. A lot like Greenport. Heavy glass doors seperated the candy stand from the rear orchestra. UA being cheap, cose the color red. The light on the right was over the only poster case outside. I believe there was no poster in this case as it had no lock or hasp or anything. the light on the left was emanating from the manager’s office behinh the box office.
Great Projectionist! Cared about presentation, dimming of lights, opening and closing of curtains. A class act!
I believe I was on the left, the second was Scott an usher who was better suited for this job. The third person on the right was an usher, give me time and I will recall. This is when Almi took over from UA and the pole Scott is holding went to the 5 Almi theatres which had numerous ceiling lights out. How are you Jim. I’m at the Kings in Brooklyn. A very funny story here. The staircae exit which led to the parking lot had a drainage pipe which was outside this door. My first night there, a double feature “Smokey and the Bandit” & “"Airport ‘77” for 78 cents. During the showing of “Airport'77” while the plane hits the water and starts sinking, a terrential downfall of rain hit (and someone turned the drain pipe outside toward the exit door) and the rain spewed in through that door and filled the orchestra and the rows you are seeing were underwater. (Just as the plane went underwater, so did the theatre. They audience clapped and the show went on without disruption). People were saying it was the best visual effects they’d seen in a theatre. For those who had cars in the back parking lot, they waded in their shorts and short dresses through the water to the parking lot exit and just took off their shoes. At the time it was not so funny, but now it is absolutely hilarious!! Ha! Ha! Ha!
This theatre is actually located in Woodbury, just slightly east of Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway. By the way the building of the Westbury multiplex had nothing to do in the closing of the Cinema 150. (In 1976-7 when I worked the Syosset, we referred to the theatre as the D-150) The landlord didn’t renew the lease of the Cinema D-150 leading to its' closing. Two one time superior buildings destroyed in the greed of the almighty dollar. Olympus cameras and other businesses were also lost in the lease turmoil. But, I got the enjoyment of working at both of theatres and being a loyal patron of the D-150 until it closed.
Just a brief note, the building has been refaced with a tan-beige color and the top and awning was replaced by the same in a darker brown color and a new storefront sign. Happy 90th Birthday, Granada Theatre. We will both survive to see you 100!. My best memories are of you.
Mike, I assume you meant petty and not pretty. As for deleting comments, that won’t happen because the truth is the truth. Some newspapers get all the stories wrong and tell you what you want to hear. If you really believe Marty Markowitz saved the Kings, think again!
JamesD,
My credentials speak for themselves and I certainly don’t have to prove anything to you. What I said is exactly T R U E!