Paramount Theatre (Brooklyn)

Under renovation

The Paramount Theatre is a former movie palace located at 1 University Plaza at the intersection of Flatbush and DeKalb Avenues in downtown Brooklyn, New York. Originally opened in 1928, the building has been owned by Long Island University (LIU) since 1962. Converted for use by LIU as classroom space and a gymnasium, the building retains much of the theater's original decorative detail. Until recently the venue was operated as a 1200-seat multi-purpose arena, formerly home to the Brooklyn Kings basketball team. It is now in the planning stages of a renovation to reopen the theater as a performing arts venue in 2018.

History

Theatre

The Paramount Theatre, built in 1928 by Paramount Pictures, was designed by the Chicago theater architect team Rapp and Rapp. A sister Paramount Theatre was located in Times Square, Manhattan. The rococo-designed theater had 4,084 seats covered in burgundy velvet, with a ceiling painted with clouds. A 60-foot stage curtain was decorated with satin-embroidered pheasants, along with huge chandeliers and fountains with goldfish.

According to anthropology professor Michael Hittman, "while the Brooklyn Paramount is remembered as a popular movie house and early home of rock ‘n’ roll, it is a little known fact that it helped introduce Brooklyn to jazz, with artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis."^[1] Duke Ellington first played at the Paramount in 1931. According to the (Dutch) biography 'De Keizer van het Jiddische Lied' it was in 1943 that singer Leo Fuld introduced the Yiddish music on this stage. In the 1950s, Alan Freed’s rock ‘n’ roll shows played at the theater, with acts including Chuck Berry and Fats Domino. Buddy Holly played a show in September 1957.

When Alan Freed fell victim of the payola scandal, TV host Clay Cole continued the ten-day holiday show tradition, in shows produced by Sid Bernstein. The first, Clay Cole's Christmas Show broke all existing attendance records with a show featuring Ray Charles, Bobby Rydell, Brenda Lee, Neil Sedaka, Johnny Burnett, The Delicates, Kathy Young, Dion, Bobby Vinton, Bo Diddley, Chubby Checker, Bobby Vee and groups, the Drifters, Coasters, Shirelles, and Little Anthony & The Imperials. The last live rock 'n' roll stage show at The Brooklyn Paramount was "Clay Cole's Easter Parade of Stars" headlining Jackie Wilson and an all-star cast.^[2] Then the theatre was shuttered.

The General Manager of the theatre was Eugene Pleshette, father of the actress Suzanne Pleshette.The theater was bought by Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, in 1960 and converted into its current use as a gymnasium for LIU in 1962.

The Wurlitzer organ in the Brooklyn Paramount has 2,000 pipes and 257 stops, and continues to be used at LIU sporting events.

Anthropology/Sociology Professor Dr. Michael Hittman presented an all-day seminar, a one-credit cross-linked course with emphisis on rock 'n' roll on March 27, 2009, at the LIU Brooklyn campus library. Clay Cole was the keynote speaker and hosted panel discussions on the connections between rock 'n' roll and the historic Paramount Theatre. The seminar concluded with a 90-minute doo wop show, with artists.

Sports Venue

In 1962 the Paramount Theatre was converted by Long Island University for various uses. The auditorium was adapted as a gymnasium, now called the Arnold and Marie Schwartz Athletic Center.^[3]

The Brooklyn Paramount building was renamed Metcalfe Hall by LIU after the University's first president, Tristram Walker Metcalfe. (Metcalfe is remembered for his announcement in 1936 that LIU's Blackbirds basketball team had refused to attend Germany's Olympics due to Hitler's discrimination against Jews.)^[4]

The former Paramount was the home of the LIU Blackbirds basketball team until 2005. The Northeast Conference men's basketball tournament was held here three times. Since the Blackbirds moved to the LIU Athletic, Recreation & Wellness Center, the venue has served as an occasional host of Gotham Girls Roller Derby bouts and as the home of the Brooklyn Kings of the now-dormant USBL.

Renovation

In April 2015, LIU announced a 49-year lease of the Paramount to a company controlled by Bruce Ratner and Mikhail Prokhorov, owners of the Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets. An extensive renovation costing about $50 million, overseen by the firm of Hugh Hardy, is planned to convert the auditorium back to a theater for live events. Many of the original Rapp & Rapp architectural details remain and are to be preserved, as is the Wurlitzer organ. The renovation is expected to take two to three years.^[5]

References

↑ "Campus History". Long Island University. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
↑ Clay Cole (2009), Sh-Boom!: The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll (1953-1968), Morgan James Publishing, ISBN 1-60037-638-X
↑ "LIU Facilities". Long Island University Athletics. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
↑ "A World Series warning—about Hitler".
↑ Dunlap, David W. (16 April 2015). "After 50 Years, Reviving the Opulence of a Faded Brooklyn Beauty". New York Times. Retrieved 6 September 2015.

External links

Official website
Cinema Treasures listing
Long Island University
Clay Cole's show at Brooklyn Paramount
Paramount Wurlitzer organ New York Theatre Organ Society
Photo of fans at an Alan Freed concert at the Paramount Theatre Life Magazine, 1955
Photo of a Rock and Roll concert on stage at the Paramount Theatre Life Magazine, 1958
Photo of LIU gymnasium/Paramount Theatre Life Magazine, 1971
Interior photographs Scouting NY, 2013

LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds men's basketball

Venues	Schwartz Athletic Center (1962–2005) Steinberg Wellness Center (2006–present) Barclays Center (2012–present; alternate)

Rivalries	St. Francis Brooklyn

Culture & lore	Point shaving scandal

People	Head coaches

Seasons	1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16

Helms and Premo-Porretta national championships in bold

Sports venues in the New York metropolitan area

Active

The Bronx	Draddy Gymnasium Gaelic Park Rose Hill Gymnasium Van Cortlandt Park Yankee Stadium

Brooklyn	Aviator Sports & Events Center Barclays Center MCU Park Generoso Pope Athletic Complex Schwartz Athletic Center Steinberg Wellness Center

Manhattan	Chelsea Piers Icahn Stadium John McEnroe Tennis Academy Levien Gymnasium Madison Square Garden Wien Stadium Rucker Park Sportime Stadium Fort Washington Avenue Armory

Queens	Aqueduct Racetrack Belson Stadium Carnesecca Arena Citi Field Metropolitan Oval USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Arthur Ashe Stadium Louis Armstrong Stadium Louis Armstrong Gymnasium West Side Tennis Club

Staten Island	Richmond County Bank Ballpark Spiro Sports Center Staten Island Cricket Club

Long Island	Belmont Park Bethpage Ballpark Island Garden James M. Shuart Stadium Mitchel Athletic Complex Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Riverhead Raceway

New Jersey	Arm & Hammer Park Asbury Park Convention Hall Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium Richard J. Codey Arena FirstEnergy Park Freehold Raceway High Point Solutions Stadium Hinchliffe Stadium Jersey City Armory Louis Brown Athletic Center Mennen Arena Meadowlands Sports Complex Meadowlands Racetrack MetLife Stadium Monmouth Park Racetrack Old Bridge Township Raceway Park Princeton University Stadium Prudential Center Red Bull Arena Rothman Center Sun National Bank Center TD Bank Ballpark Wall Township Speedway Yanitelli Center Yogi Berra Stadium Yurcak Field

Westchester	Fleming Field Yonkers Raceway

Rockland	Provident Bank Park Rockland Lake State Park

Defunct

Proposed

In progress

Port Imperial Street Circuit

Never built

Coordinates: 40°41′25″N 73°58′51″W / 40.6903256°N 73.9808956°W / 40.6903256; -73.9808956

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