Astor Theatre

927 Flatbush Avenue,
Brooklyn, NY 11226

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Brandt Theaters, Cinema Circuit Corp., Trans-Lux Movies Corp.

Architects: Thomas White Lamb

Functions: Retail

Previous Names: Trans-Lux Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Astor Theatre

This very small Flatbush Avenue cinema stood within blocks of the Albermarle Theatre, the Loew’s Kings Theatre, the RKO Kenmore Theatre and the Rialto Theatre. It was opened as the Trans-Lux Theatre in 1933. It became an art house, at one time operated by the Cinema 5 chain and Cinema Circuit Corp.

It closed in 1977, never reopened, and was gutted and retro-fitted for retail space.

Contributed by philipgoldberg

Recent comments (view all 16 comments)

ERD
ERD on December 5, 2005 at 12:33 pm

I often used to go with my Dad when I was very young to the Astor. I remember seeing a British film about a boy piano prodogy who is kidnapped. I am not positive of the title

linhelen
linhelen on December 25, 2006 at 7:05 pm

I adored this place. Saw some of the best American and foreign films there as a child. Remember it well. We used to take two buses from Crown Heights to get there, the only place in the area where films like “La Strada” and “Member of the Wedding” were shown.

doestricher
doestricher on July 10, 2007 at 3:29 pm

As a teenager in the 1970s, I can tell you that Astor was “the place” to see Kung Fu movies along Flatbush Avenue. It also had a few foreign films. If I remember right, the Kenmore and the Lowes Kings got all the big budget, first run movies and the others on Flatbush had to differentiate themselves. The Albemarle was the place to go to see sci-fi, horror and thrillers (it had “Star Wars” all to itself the summer of ‘77). The Rialto focused on comedies, especially teen movies like “Kentucky Fried Movie.”

linhelen
linhelen on December 5, 2007 at 10:04 am

Wonderful photo. Thanks!

TPH
TPH on March 2, 2010 at 4:51 pm

Terrific photos (except for the demolition one of course). Hard to imagine that outside of Manhattan, outer boroughs such as the Bronx & Brooklyn once supported art cinema and foreign films.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on August 6, 2014 at 4:31 pm

Three photos of the Trans-Lux Theatre illustrate this article in the June 1, 1935, issue of Motion Picture Herald.

jinchelsea
jinchelsea on October 4, 2015 at 10:42 am

This was right down the block from Erasmus Hall High School, and played all the foreign (read “adult”) movies of the day when I was a teenager in the 1960s. There was also a kosher pizza place nearby, the first time I ate falafel, as I recall. A small theatre, nothing like the other movie palaces in the area, but charming, and remembered fondly.

robboehm
robboehm on November 24, 2018 at 4:50 pm

Uploaded a picture of the facade as the Trans Lux.

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on November 25, 2018 at 4:29 am

Interior pics from the Motion Picture Herald added in photos

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