Rio Piedras Theatre

912 Broadway,
Brooklyn, NY 11206

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robboehm
robboehm on March 30, 2017 at 9:54 pm

Willburg145 – Ask and it shall be given unto you. Uploaded a photo showing the marquee of the Rio Piedras. I found it on a site called Scouting New York which documents locations of films then and now. The film in question for this was the French Connection.

Willburg145
Willburg145 on March 30, 2017 at 2:46 am

Somewhere out there are pictures of the theatre when it Rio Piedras, Spanish language programing in the 70’s

Jayar1
Jayar1 on June 16, 2010 at 11:04 pm

Built for Leo Teller, the architect was J. B. McElfatrick. It opened March 21, 1904 with “Babes in Toyland.” Drama critic Robert Grau, in 1909, referred to the Broadway as “the best suburban theatre in America.” You can catch a glimpse of it, as the Rio Piedras, in “The French Connection." 

View link

johndereszewski
johndereszewski on May 18, 2010 at 5:07 am

A very interesting page – and a wonderful picture, albeit the fact that, as previously noted, the elevated train line mysteriously disappears from the scene.

If I had not stumbled across this picture when viewing some of Jayar’s photos on the Bushwick RKO page, I would never have learned about this fascinating theater. Since I usually search theaters by zip code, the fact that it is not indicated at the top of the page means that I never found the Broadway during my previous searches. To address this, I hope that management will add the Broadway’s zip code – 11206 – to this page.

Bway
Bway on April 2, 2009 at 11:45 pm

What year did the Broadway close?

WalterH
WalterH on July 27, 2008 at 5:58 pm

I was only in the Broadway Theater once, and don’t really remember too much about it, other than the fact that it was quite fancy. I think it must have been some time in the 40’s, and I agree it was a showplace.
I do however remember a lot about it from the outside. I lived over on Pilling St as a kid, and I would often go shopping with my mother on Knickerbocker Ave. We would take the Jamaica train to the Myrtle and Broadway elevated station, and get off and take the Myrtle El to Knickerbocker Ave. I remember always looking at the Broadway Theater as it towered above the station. So many memories. This was not far from the Rogers Theater down the street, which I also remember seeing the marquee from passing trains. But the two didn’t compare.
One of the first DVD’s I bought was the movie “Ghost”, because it was filmed in the neighborhood, and you can see this theater in that movie. I am 82 now, and a big fan of old movies. I know isn’t exactly an old movie, but for nostalgia, my daughter bought it for me. My daughter has slowly been helping me build my DVD collection.

So glad to have found this site.

If anyone has any memories to share, my email is

Bway
Bway on June 22, 2008 at 7:02 pm

I remember when the Broadway was torn down in 1998. The last wall to remain up was the procenium arch and stage area. I still remember looking at the theater’s inside, and that wall, out in the sunshine. it was all in clear view from the Myrtle-Bway subway station platform. It was a surreal sight to behold to say the least. I only wish I had my camera with me that day.
Chris

sasheegm
sasheegm on June 20, 2008 at 3:10 am

Saw a number of flms there from the 1940s through the 1950s—-It was a great showplace——Joe From Florida

Astyanax
Astyanax on June 20, 2008 at 2:53 am

Because of the BMT Jamaica Line El tracks overhead you could not appreciate the impressive architectural features of the theater building highlighted in the postcard drawing. Of course the later addition of the Loew’s marquee also distrupted the building view. Saw the Conqueror there with a miscast John Wayne, & Susan Hayward as the love interest (although even back then I knew that there was no attraction between them). I got to appreciate the theater’s impressive details while bored by the feature. Alexander the Great with Richard Burton did a better job of holding my interest.

Scholes188
Scholes188 on June 19, 2008 at 11:09 pm

I recall an article in the NY Daily News about this theater, which by then was a sorry sight. The theater was way beyond its prime. It was a sad site.
The article was about the theater’s dilapidated condition. It had become a haven for drug dealers, homeless, and other assorted characters. The politician made it clear that there was no way the theater would be renovated, which the communited was hoping for.

Bway
Bway on June 19, 2008 at 6:59 pm

WOW, another phenominal photo! Thanks for the “BWAY” photo!

Scholes188
Scholes188 on June 18, 2008 at 4:45 pm

Thanks for the great picture.
Did this theater ever show porn? The titles, With Desires in my Fingers (roughly transalated from Spanish) seems odd.

Bway
Bway on March 27, 2008 at 7:59 pm

Joe, a lot of the old buildings in that location do still exist, so it’s highly likely their old homes may still be standing. The neighborhood is also improving quite a lot lately.

sasheegm
sasheegm on March 27, 2008 at 7:42 pm

I moved to Long Island in 1959 and only went back occasionally to take my Mother to Moore Street to buy Material as she was a dressmaker———-In the 60s I recall walking up to Broadway and looking at the old Rogers all boarded up with windows smashed and a poster in the small lobby blowing in the wind of a Durango Kid movie which used to be shown there almost every Saturday in the late 40s and early 50s———-It was sad for me indeed——-Take care JoeB

Goodheart
Goodheart on March 27, 2008 at 7:22 pm

Joe, the Kismet Theatre was located at DeKalb and Marcy Avenues in Brooklyn and showed three movies a week. The Kismet closed in 1962 and is now a church.
I don’t recall the re-opening of the Broadway Theater. I left the neighborhood in 1958.

Joe B.

sasheegm
sasheegm on March 27, 2008 at 6:32 pm

No Joe…..I don’t remember the Kismet as I seldom went past Stockton & Broadway up that way since I lived on Willoughy between Central & Evergreen in the other direction———-My Mother grew up on Marcy ave near Troop in the 1920s———Her Father was a fish peddler in the area who would cover most of Williamsburg——-He passed away in 1948 when I was seven years old——-Do you remember when they closed the Broadway to refurbish it in the 50s————When it was re-opened it looked like it was brand new…………………..My Mother used to take me there as a kid to see all of the MGM musicals in Color——-and when I left I had a number 5 Excedrin headache as I much prefered the old Rogers with their westerns & action flicks——Joe From Florida

Goodheart
Goodheart on March 27, 2008 at 6:18 pm

Joe, although I lived there during the 1950s I don’t recall the Cosentino family. I lived down hill from the Broadway Theater between Tompkins Ave. and Throop Ave.
Do you recall the Kismet Theater which was about 5 blocks from me?

Joe B.

sasheegm
sasheegm on March 27, 2008 at 5:35 pm

Hi JoeB——Maybe you remember my Cousins——The Cosentino Family who lived on Stockton from the 1920s through the 1950s———They also went to the Broadway too——Just a ¼ of a block walk———Joe From Florida

sasheegm
sasheegm on March 27, 2008 at 5:32 pm

Hello Bway: My Aunt, Uncle and Cousins grew up on Stockton Street, two houses down from the Broadway in the 1920s through the 1950s……………………I would imagine that all of those old tenements have been torn down as they were quite old——-but needles to say, they would frequent the Broadway quite often———-I remember when they remodeled the Loew’s Broadway in the 1950s———all new carpeting was added as well as modern toilets, and a refreshment counter——It was a beautiful theater, and one of the last films I saw there was “Tarantula”——-scared the hell out of me when Leo G Carrol turned quickly towards the audience with his face all distorted——lol——-fun times & great memories——-Joe From Florida

Goodheart
Goodheart on March 27, 2008 at 5:27 pm

Bway, thanks for the photo. I use to live at 178 Stockton St. and attended the Broadway Theater in my youth. Good memories.
It broke my heart when the theater was demolished.

Thanks,
Joe B.

Bway
Bway on March 27, 2008 at 5:18 pm

Here’s a photo of the old Loews Broadway Theater site I took yesterday. It appears that they recently put up construction barricades on the site, so it appears they will be building something there soon. This is stockton St looking towards Broadway. The theater was once on the right:

Click here for photo

Willburg145
Willburg145 on November 7, 2007 at 8:37 pm

Did they ever show porn at this theater? Did porn ever play in any of the theaters that were located on Broadway in Brooklyn?

Bill Huelbig
Bill Huelbig on October 25, 2007 at 2:35 pm

Thanks, Warren. It could’ve been Staten Island. This was in the days before the Verrazano Bridge went up, but there must have been some other way to get there.

Bill Huelbig
Bill Huelbig on October 25, 2007 at 12:32 pm

Thanks, Warren and Lost Memory. This is all based on a lost memory of mine: in 1960 when I was 5 years old, my family was caught in a brutal rain/wind storm on the Belt Parkway, going from Canarsie to Hoboken NJ. I thought I remembered passing a drive-in that night which was showing “I Passed for White”. Must’ve gotten my memory wires crossed somewhere.