Sheepshead Theatre
1722 Sheepshead Bay Road,
Brooklyn,
NY
11235
1722 Sheepshead Bay Road,
Brooklyn,
NY
11235
1 person
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Century Theaters, Rugoff & Becker
Architects: R. Thomas Short
Functions: Furniture Showroom, Gymnasium
Styles: Art Deco
Nearby Theaters
Built by the Century Theaters chain and opened in late-1929 or early-1930. By 1943 and into the early-1950’s it was operated by Rugoff & Becker. The Sheepshead Theatre was closed in 1970.
The theatre now houses a furniture store and a Bally’s health club.
Contributed by
Doug Douglass
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Recent comments (view all 22 comments)
My guess is that it opened sometime in late 1930. In April of ‘31 the theater would still be considered new, but would have been around long enough so that a claim could be made about it’s positive effect on neighboring businesses. Also, consider that this is real estate news. The surge in population in Sheepshead Bay started in 22’ and probably peaked by 26'. Much of the building after that date was commercial. Streets filled with homes built in the 1890s became shopping avenues.
I thought this was a Loew’s theatre at some point before it finished life as a Century. I remember when Loew’s had to divest itself of theatre properties the Sheepshead, Tuxedo and Oceana in Brooklyn and the Prospect and the Plaza reverted to Century. My assumption was all had been Loew’s. In the case of the Prospect, it was built by Century and leased to Loew’s, It would appear from a reference above that this might have also been the case with the Sheepshead.
Tinseltoes, I knew of the swap you mentioned. It just seemed more than coincidental that the Sheepshead came back into the Century circuit at the time some of the divested Loew’s did.
The sheepshead was also the “Roller palace” in the late 70’s – 80"s, part of Brooklyn’s disco culture.
Thomas R. Short was the architect of the Sheepshead Theatre, according to an article in the February 1, 1930, issue of Motion Picture News.
When did it close as a theater?
The Sheepshead Theatre closed as a movie theatre in 1970, approximately 17 years before the UA Movies @ Sheepshead Bay would open for business.
looking at the Sheepshead Theatre..store on the right side was SEYMOURS DRESS SHOP..STORE ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS EMMA’S DINNER..
Uploaded a 1930 Century ad showing the Sheepshead.
It is easily seen from the Belt Parkway.