Roosevelt Theatre

2497 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard,
New York, NY 10030

Unfavorite No one has favorited this theater yet

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Meyer & Schneider, RKO

Architects: Charles Goodman

Functions: Supermarket

Previous Names: RKO Roosevelt Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Roosevelt Theatre

The Roosevelt Theatre opened in c.1920 and is located on the corner of 7th Avenue and W. 145th Street. In the center of the facade there is a bust relief of Theodore Roosevelt.

By 1927 this movie theatre was operated by the Meyer & Schnieder circuit who also operated the Odeon Theatre located close-by on W. 145th Street and the Douglas Theatre on Lennox Avenue. It was at the Roosevelt Theatre that Thomas ‘Fats’ Waller won an amateur night contest playing James P. Johnson’s “Carolina Shout”.

The Roosevelt Theatre was listed in Film Daily Yearbooks for 1930-1933 as being a ‘Negro’ theatre catering to African-American audiences. It was taken over by RKO on August 25, 1937, but by 1940 to 1955 it had reverted back to being an African-American theatre.

It closed in 1978, and is currently in use as a Pioneer Supermarket.

Contributed by KenRoe

Recent comments (view all 9 comments)

RobertR
RobertR on September 26, 2006 at 4:54 pm

It was still open in 1971 showing one of MGM’s Family Matinee’s.
View link

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on November 14, 2008 at 8:52 pm

Small item from the NYT dated 10/12/63:

A movie projectionist was shot and robbed yesterday in the projection booth of Roosevelt Theater, Seventh Avenue, the police reported today.

RobertR
RobertR on April 17, 2009 at 2:06 pm

Check out the odd vertical with the arrows…..did it once say RKO?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on February 12, 2010 at 7:50 pm

The architect was Charles Goodman.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on February 28, 2010 at 6:44 pm

Stopped showing films in 1976.

Chancellor
Chancellor on March 10, 2012 at 1:59 pm

No, actually the theater closed in 1978. The last picture I saw there was the Bill Cosby Sidney Potier 1977 film, ‘A Piece Of The Action’.

iatse311
iatse311 on December 29, 2018 at 9:23 pm

not a great shot but here is 1940 tax photo http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/s/1e4m6v

You must login before making a comment.

New Comment

Subscribe Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.