Reels of Brookline’s rich cinema history

This 1928 photograph depicts the Boulevard Theater, which was refurbished by Warner Bros. in 1937. It is the second building from the right. Photo courtesy of Brookline Connection.

By: Claire Murray

Before Netflix and Internet streaming, local cinemas provided small-town entertainment. In the early 1900s, Brookline Boulevard boasted two movie houses: the Brookline Theater and the Boulevard Theater. The theaters sat just one block from each other, sharing an equal flow of audiences — a testament to Pittsburgh’s rich film history.

The theaters projected vintage, silent films through their early years until Warner Brothers Studios galvanized Pittsburgh’s film industry in the 1930s.

“Warner Brothers were originally from Ohio, but they started one of the first film exchanges here in Pittsburgh. While they distributed films, they also began purchasing locally owned theaters throughout the city,” explains Duquesne University film professor John Fried.

Warner Bros. swept up the Boulevard Theater in 1937 and the Brookline Theater in 1938. The company refurbished the buildings, equipping them with new projectors and advanced sound technology.

Throughout the following decades, the theaters became Brookline’s cultural hubs. According to the Brookline Connection, local schools and clubs often took day trips to the theaters to watch films and plays. The Boulevard Theater even had a bowling alley in its basement.

In the mid-1900s, the era of vintage cinemas dwindled to its end as audiences opted for bigger screens in Dormont or the city. The theaters have changed ownership several times since closing their doors, housing everything from karate studios to thrift stores. Currently, CompuLink Technologies inhabits the old Boulevard Theater. One block down the street, residents can grab a beer at the Brookline Pub where the Brookline Theater once projected films.

The Pub owners want to take the theater back to its early days.  After a remodeling in 2015, a giant white screen once more hangs in the upstairs balcony.

“The movie theater opened in 1921…so we wanted to capture that 1920s speakeasy feel, but still be a local Brookline bar,” explains Taylor Hughes, the Pub owner’s daughter.

The Brookline Pub hopes to continue the town’s cinematic legacy by projecting black-and-white films on their new screen. They ran vintage horror films through October and planned additional cinematic classics for all-year round.

Video By: Sara Speedy