Boyd Theatre
1908-18 Chestnut Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19103
1908-18 Chestnut Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19103
44 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 514 comments
December 25th, 1928 grand opening ad in photo section.
Added yesterday the month & day of the additional auditoriums in 1982 & 1985 to the Intro. Would add more info such as opening films if anyone researches that.
Coate, as mentined in the overview, the theatre became the Sameric 3 on July 16, 1982 when Screens # 2 & 3 opened. It was previously parking area from when the theatre was Stanley Warner’s Boyd/Sam Eric
“In the 1980’s, the Sameric Corporation added three smaller auditoriums to land west of the theatre and the theatre became known as the Sameric 4.”
When, specifically, in the 1980s did these additional screens open?
Shame on Philly for letting them tear down this gem!!
The iconic Sam Eric 4 marquee came down this week. The week of the 24th Philadelphia Film Festival, future generations will ask, why would we tear down the last Philadelphia movie palace? When in the suburbs their classic theaters have survived and are seeing new life. It isn’t enough that the exterior to the Boyd will be restored, because it will always be a reminder of what could have been, mocking us for our indifference. I visited many places in the Boyd / Sam Eric in my lifetime, from the Garden of Eden, from the Bible: In the Beginning (1966), the first movie I saw there in June of 1967, to Hogwarts from Harry Potter and the Sorcer’s Stone (2001), the last movie I saw in the big auditorium. People lined up on Chestnut Street, a little while ago for the opening of Five Below, a discount store in the vain of Spencer’s Gifts, not knowing that 100 years ago, the opening of the Arcadia Theater was in the same place, all that’s left is a portion of the beautiful plaster work on the ceiling, which mocked me while I was looking at the 5.00 DVD’s they had on sale. Then it hit me, I was born in Philadelphia, a place that makes Gotham City look like a utopia. At the film festival, I viewed a wonderful documentary called King Georges, about Chef Georges Perrier and his restaurant Le Bec-Fin, it was changing times and the way people approached eating that did his restaurant in, because people still like good food, but felt his restaurant was too stuffy and old fashioned. I like to think that’s what did the Boyd in, today people watch movies everywhere but in a theater given what today’s box office looks like, only springing the big bucks for a Star Wars or Hunger Games. Philadelphia is a very political town; this theater could have saved, if it wasn’t for the fact that touring Broadway shows are mounted at the Academy of Music, a concert hall, not a theater. Indiana Jones said it best in Raiders of the Lost Ark, which sneaked previewed at the Sam Eric on June 5th 1981, “Fools, bureaucratic fools! They don’t know what they got there.”
The Architectural Committee denied the plans primarily because they felt new construction plans weren’t specific enough. The full Historical Commission has since approved the owner’s proposal for the Boyd’s Chestnut St facade. Earlier new owner was going to preserve the facade, Grand Lobby, and Foyer but later decided to put a Loading Dock & other uses in the Foyer. Some issues (Sansom St redo for Loading Dock, the residential tower, and the design of the infill building between Boyd & 1900 Chestnut will return to Historical Commission. Friends of the Boyd invite all to visit our website & our Facebook page for updates. This week, we’ve been posting on Facebook photos of the beautiful Monel metal figures (designed by artist Alfred Tulk) that were in the auditorium & were retrieved by the owner.
According to Philadelphia Magazine writer Liz Spikol, the sad post mortem for the Boyd continues. Long story short, apparently the company that presently owns the Boyd property may not have been planning on actually preserving as much of the Boyd as they had originally promised to preserve. As per the article, “the Architecture Committee of the Phila Historical Commission recently voted to reject the company’s building plans-plans that seemed to preserve less than originally promised”.
NO, the Target Express will be at 1900 Chestnut & the new building between the Boyd & 1900. The Boyd’s tenant has not been announced.
We just have to celebrate the memory of the Boyd and Center City movie palaces of the past. The Boyd is now gone despite the heroic efforts of the dedicated folks who did everything they could to save her. Apparently the City of Philadelphia might have the fewest screens of any major city, especially Center City. It would be no movie palace, but maybe in the not too distant future a nice state of the art movie complex will find its way to Center City….
With the certain election of Jim Kenny as mayor, whose in the pocket of the powerful electricians union, expect more of the same? Center City lately has seen an increase in foot traffic, at least the Boyd could have been an IMAX theater there are none in Philadelphia at all, and I’m not counting the Franklin Institute. I would like to see the Met restored to its glory as a concert hall since that section of North Philadelphia is now seeing a renaissance.
To ensure there’s no confusion, I am not “HowardB” Friends of the Boyd do invite all to visit & “like” our Facebook page and to also visit our website linked at top right.
The fate of the Boyd is a disgrace and an afront to the good citizens of Philadelphia. As much as I wanted to see the Boyd restored and repurposed as a multi-use venue at least I had finally come to peace with the idea of it being remade as a state of the art upscale multiplex with the exterior remaining intact. Center City does not need more condos. Center City needs movie screens. This is not just the ranting of a crazed film fan. I know quite a few people who live in the vicinity of the Boyd and they were really excited at the prospect of having a decent place to go to the movies. To them, it’s a quality of life issue. The only people who will profit from this abomination are the developers and the polititions and power brokers they have in their pockets.
What Philly’s getting in place of the Boyd: a 27-story apartment tower. Inga Saffron of the Inquirer has absolutely nothing good to say about it.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150315_Demolition_begins_on_historic_Boyd_Theater_to_supporters__dismay.html#4y8POcRhCblRaiok.99
Alps comment on the Boyd posted 3/15/15 is certainly a valid one: “Maybe the movie theater era is over.” I would concur that is true, at least in the showmanship department. The days of the Boyd and her kind ended with the multiplexes, which are no different than any of the big box retailers which replaced Wannamakers, Gimbels, and the other flagship prestige retailers. Case in point was Saturday going to my local multiplex here in the Harrisburg area to see the Met Opera; there are too many instances of this “big box” theatre operation screwing up these presentations to go into here, but this particular presentation was fine up until the last 5 minutes, when the previews for the next show was overlaid with the triumphant finale of Rossini’s opera; a very Warholesque ending but not really what we bargained for! The reason from the manager, the popcorn girl didn’t shut off the one projector! To Alps comment, it’s not the audiences that get to me; its the shoddy amateur “don’t give a damn” presentations that keep at home for the most part. Alas, when the Boyd is reduced to rubble, it only underscores the loss of what one once a glorious movie experience.
It was distressing news about the Boyd / Sam Eric being demolished. But I knew that this was going to happen anyway, when I saw the chain link fence on Samson Street, it became real. Center City Philadelphia is on the move, my mind is frozen on the Summer of 1981, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 70mm, was playing on the then single Sam Eric screen, after a quick rain shower, when the cool summer air has a sweet smell to it, stopping on Chestnut Street at Hillary’s ice cream parlor for a chocolate chip in a sugar cone. Philadelphia is a political town; why else do all the touring Broadway shows always are performed at the Academy of Music, which is not a theater for plays.
The Boyd was too far from the Avenue of the Arts, Center City, doesn’t want a concert hall on 19th and Chestnut, or a movie theater for that matter. Now there is only one downtown movie house left over from the movie palace era, the CVS drugstore. The Price Theater, the former Kalton/Midtown, was retail before being converted into a theater. To be honest it iPic’s dinner idea went into effect, I properly would not have patronized anyway, people in movie theaters today are annoying enough without ordering a meal when I’m trying to watch a film. Maybe the movie theater era is over; the experience is not worth the aggravation factor at times. Philadelphia still has Hoffman and Henon designed theater left on Broad Street, the Uptown is one, and the neighborhood the Met is in is now being gentrified, there is hope.
There is a wonderful article published when this was a brand new theater. Look up Motion Picture News (Jan – Mar 1929). Its dated on February 2, 1929 issue pages 302-305 with photographs!!
Wait, What? The iPic plan is dead? So what now? How much demolition has occurred? What the heck happened?
So now that the Ipic plan to multiplex the Boyd has gone the way of the dodo bird, is restoration of the Boyd still a viable option, or has the demolition of the interior thus far rendered that impossible? Any information from followers is appreciated
Seventy-five years ago today the Boyd opened “Gone With the Wind.“ The opening was preceded by a premiere the day before, and the engagement was concurrent with a booking at the Earle.
Due to the fact this old theater was lease to ipic theater in 2013 but they didn’t mention that the Boyd theater is gonna convert into a ipic theater or other movie theater chain. For example Loews American theater in the Bronx was convert into a 7 multiplex screen theater then bow tie cinemas brought the building in 6 years and they closed the theater down .What if AMC Entertainment buy this abandoned theater to play movie and installing two digital 4k projection on each booth at the sane time. I wish the Boyd theater to reopen so that they could play movie every year instead of destorying it .
When I read this weekend that the interior demolition of the historic Boyd for a multiplex renovation was well underway since March, it was like being kicked in the gut. In the days when our family made the trip to the Boyd to see Cinerama or “Around the World In 80 Days”, we were escorted to our RESERVED seats in that magnificent theatre like VIPs. I particulary remember the huge curved curtain and chandlier of that art deco movie palace. I remember as much of the Boyd as I do any of the movies I saw there. With the passing of Cinerama and reserved seat road shows, the grand Boyd was still THE place to see the big shows, like “Close Enounters” in 70m.m. With the money boys having come out on top in the Boyd’s story, it seems in exchange for the demolition of an art deco architectural masterpiece, we get a cookie-cutter multiplex no different than any other, with all the ambience of being herded into a Wal-Mart. On the plus side, there will be cup holders in the new seats. Long gone— Cinerama—70m.m. and grand movie palaces with curtains in which to see them Having followed the Boyd preservation story over the years, I must thank the Friends of the Boyd in their valiant effort to preserve this landmark theatre. This desecration is all our loss.
August 25 marks the 75th anniversary of the world premiere of “The Wizard Of Oz”,which played at the Boyd Theatre.
Status hasn’t changed because the building remains for the moment. Without suggesting “blame” or “boycot” but simply listing those for the “destruction” as you characterize it, the following testified or wrote in support of the application of Live Nation & iPiC (for which developer Rodin Group will purchase & lease the property): Center City District. Rittenhouse Row. Boyd’s store. Sharon Pinkenson of the Film Office. City Councilperson Clarke, State Senator Farnese, State Rep. Sims. Leaders of William Penn House & 1920 Chestnut Street, both residential buildings nearby. Of course, nobody is more upset than I am. Friends of the Boyd will continue to document & publicize the long & wonderful history of the Boyd. Thanks to those above who expressed their support.