Prospect Theater in 1914

Concluding our survey of the Brooklyn Public Library's photographs of historic theaters in Park Slope is this great view of the Prospect Theater. The BPL cites 1914 as the date of the photograph:

Prospect Theater, Park Slope, in 1914
photo: Brooklyn Public Library

According to our research, the theater was built in 1914, so this very early image shows the building in its original condition, including domes and cornice, now gone. Also note the handsome street lights progressing up 9th Street.

The theater building extends all the way through the block to 8th Street. The front is now a C-Town supermarket, and the back has been converted to apartments, whose residents enter through the original stage door in 8th Street:

Prospect Theater - 8th Street side

Annals of Espionage: Prospect Theater

According to theater historian Cezar Del Valle, whose fascinating lecture on Brooklyn Motion Picture Theater history we were privileged to hear this evening at the Brooklyn Public Library, Park Slope's Prospect Theater played a bit part in the Cold War, when Alger Hiss was introduced to his Soviet handler in the mezzanine there.

Prospect Theater in 1966
image: Brooklyn Public Library

The only evidence we have found to support this claim appears to have been authored by Mr. Del Valle himself, in a volume of essays entitled The Brooklyn Film, edited by John Manbeck and Robert Singer. Unfortunately the citation lacks a footnote:


Pete Hamill cites the same tale here. Who knows if it is really true, but it is a great story.

UPDATED: Mr. Del Valle provides evidence supporting the account in the comments section. Thank you!