A New York City tax photograph of the Supreme Theatre.
The banner in front of theatre advertises the Yiddish film, "American Matchmaker."
circa 1940

photo, above: The Supreme Theatre presents "The Dream of My People" ... Today and the entire week! This image will excite the Jewish soul -- with Cantor Yosele Rosenblatt z"l ... See and hear of the Jewish life in the flourishing cities and colonies of Palestine. From the Yiddish Forward newspaper, April 13, 1934.

Photo far right, top: Under the management of the famous comedians Mr. and Mrs. Fishel Singer, who the Supreme Theatre will open as the finest Yiddish vaudeville house, for only three days per week. Thursday, 12, matinee and evening; Friday the 13th and Saturday, October 14, matinee and evening. It will play "A Mother's Tears," by Fishel Singer. Also other numbers will be given by the remaining artists of our company. From the Jewish Morning Journal newspaper of October 6, 1922.

A sample of a dish that was given
to patrons on "Dish Night."

"Mirele Efros" ... A great play -- then a greater film! Berta Gerstin,
together with a great company of artists, in Jacob Gordin's great masterpiece.
Tomorrow Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Supreme Theatre, 520 Livonia Avenue, corner of Williams Avenue.
Wednesday and Thursday: Alba Theatre, 750 Flushing Avenue;
Senate Theatre, 18th Avenue and 74th Street; Benson Theatre, 20th Ave. and 86th St.
(This ad appeared in the Yiddish Forward newspaper on January 15, 1940.)

Comments from many of the former denizens of East New York community who spent many hours during their youth at local theatres like the Supreme, and who have very fond memories of their time spent there:
 

I lived on Williams Avenue for twelve years, in the second building across Livonia Avenue from the Supreme, which closed down in 1956 while I was a child. My mom, her parents and siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all lived in the same building or close by in East New York at the time. My perusal of the 1930 and 1940 census records for Williams Avenue between Livonia and Dumont showed almost all of the residents on that street at that time were Jewish and Yiddish-speaking, but I haven't seen much about their Zionist activities.

My aunt Fanny was the cashier. Paul was the ticket taker.

Loved those Saturdays at the Supreme, brought lunch and twenty-five cents for candy and sat there all day ...

First double feature I saw there was "Creature from the Black Lagoon" and "It Came from Beneath the Sea." Even as a little kid, I knew those pictures sucked. But I loved going. And I LOVED the burgundy soda.

I lived one block away on Hinsdale between Dumont and Livonia and went often to the movies there. Great memories.

Went there almost every Saturday and on Friday nights with my Mom when dishes were given with each admission.

The "Supreme." I had forgotten the name. I lived virtually around the corner on Alabama Avenue. My brother used to take me there on Saturday afternoons in the 1950's. Two movies, usually westerns, science fiction, or monster ones, then action serials and cartoons.

Went to the Supreme most of the time -- twenty-five cents for two movies and five cartoons The newsreel and a serial, and also the first hundred kids got a free popcorn.

I went to the Supreme many Saturdays (or the Biltmore, or Loew's Pitkin, and even the Ambassador). Twenty-five cents and we were entertained for an entire day.

That was my "go-to" movie theatre.

Spent many hours there. Each Saturday the current birthdays were recognized. We were brought up on stage, and they gave us a gift.

My bubba and mother used to go to the Supreme to see the Yiddish shows.. We were to little to go.

After it closed, it was a beer warehouse (Rheingold), and then Fortunoff used it as a warehouse.

I was thrown out of that theatre many a Saturday morning for laughing!!!! The matron in the white dress hated me!!! Lol

We lived just around the corner at 490 Williams Ave. My two older brothers and their friends used to play handball on the Williams Ave. side of the theatre. Kaufman's grocery store was on the other corner of Williams and Livonia. Just up the block was Widensky's clothing store, Waldman's bakery and a kosher deli, where we had a hotdog, fries and soda for twenty-five cents before going to the movies on a Saturday afternoon.

I loved the Supreme. I spent many Saturdays there. I lived at 553 Hinsdale St., also very close. I think I developed my love of movie classics and musical theatre there.

My mother went to Supreme on Friday nights when they gave away free dishes. I went Saturday morning.

Went there every Saturday morning -- twenty-one cents admission -- my mother went on Friday night to collect the dishes. Great memories.

Same -- collected the dishes regularly!

My mother did also. I went on Saturdays and spent most of the day there.

Saturdays for me as well.

Newsreels and coming attractions, Went in at 12:00 with lunch, and got out about 5:30 ...

I grew up at 316 New Lots Ave corner of New Georgia. I Would pay twelve cents, and when matron was not watching I would open the side door and let my friends in. Sometimes we got caught. Those were the good old days. Double feature was five color cartoons and a weekly serial.

Fourteen cents for children. Twenty-six cents for adults.

Wow, what memories really going back in time!

Went to the Supreme on Saturday and watched cartoons for twenty-five cents. OMG what a memory.

How about the "chapters" or serials as they were called in those days which featured Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Tom Mix and many others. Each one (and there were usually fifteen) ended in some perilous moment for the hero and made us come back the following week to see if he had avoided disaster.

I went there with my boy cousins.

Went most Saturdays.

Lived up the block. Went there often.

Ah yes. I remember it well.

I remember the Supreme very well. Saturday two featute films, twenty-five cartoons, two or three serials and contests between movies, from 12 to 6 my parents were “rid” of me. In those days you didn’t have to sneak food in. You had your brown bag in your sweaty little hands. No neeed to spend good money on candy. You brought your own. Abbot and Costello meet Frankenstein... wis!

That’s where I went when I played hookey and didn’t go to school !!

Always went to the Supreme as a kid.

I seem to remember that Tuesday was get-a-dish night. Think my mom ended up with a whole set. I also remember they showed Yiddish movies once a week with English subtitles.

My mom always took me on Dish Night.

I lived at 435 Hinsdale st. Corner Livonia. Mom had full set of dishes from the "Supreme."

Best thing about dish night was waiting for the first person to fall asleep and drop their dish. The audiences would go wild with cheering, clapping and laughing. The person who dropped the dish would sink lower in their seat.

Spent many happy Saturday hours in that theatre. It was fun to outwit the matron. Usually a stocky, middle-aged woman in a white uniform and a flashlight.

Saturday morning matinees.

I always went to the Supreme on Saturday afternoon for two splendid movies and five color cartoons and an exciting serial. all for the amazing amount of twelve cents!