The Rex appears to have launched in 1915. It closed permanently after a triple-feature western with “Pecos River,” “Jubilee Trail,” and “Jesse James Rides Again” on September 11, 1955.
The Brookline Theatre appears to have ceased operations as a sub-run discount venue following the June 21, 1981 screening of “9 to 5.” What a way to make a living.
The Cambria Theatre closed permanently at the end of lease on October 30, 1966 with “Marco, the Magnificent” and “Around the World Under the Sea” as a double feature.
The October 10, 1927 opening ad for the Park Theatre with Colleen Moore in “Naughty but Nice” is posted in photos. Muriel Draper was at the Barton Two Console Double Orchestral Organ at the opening show for Equity Theatres Circuit.
The final listing is just shy of its 50th anniversary with the Park going out as a grind house with continuous shows its last day of “Hours of the Damned,” “Young Guns of Texas,” “Khartoum,” and “Dr. Goldfoot & the Girl Bombs” on December 4, 1966. No further listings are advertised at the Park. And, if true, it was a memorable final day of operation.
The Broad Theatre closed on July 5, 1967 with “Born Free” and “Hombre.” The building was offered for sale days later. In 1969, it became home to the Industrial Workers Union.
Genera Cinema opened here on August 10th, 1966. At a leasing exit point at 15 years, General Cinemas left the venue. Sameric Circuit took on the venue renaming it as the Eric Twin Clifton Heights in 1981. In May of 1988, United Artists purchased Sameric Corp.’s theaters, including the Clifton Heights which ran under the UA Eric Clifton Heights Twin banner into the 1990s.
United Artists renamed it in 1992 as the UA Clifton Heights Twin (dropping the Eric nameplate) but closed the duplex on June 29, 1993 at end of lease as a discount, sub-run house with “Lost in Yonkers” and “Benny & Joon” splitting a screen with “The Adventures of Huck Finn.”
Warner Bros. Circuit closed the Lindley with an all-German program of “Verlorene Melodie” and “der Florentiner Hut” supported by German language newsreels at the end of lease on May 29, 1955.
The Strand was a Moorish new-build, $250,000 structure built in 1916 by Ketcham & McQuade. The project was first announced in December of 1914 when Jennie E. Effinger acquired this property at the confluence of Germantown Avenue and West Venango Street. Plans were initially drawn by Carl P. Berger but rejected and the project languished in 1915. The Strand concept was rekindled when Hoffman-Henon architectural plans referenced above were approved and the construction team worked much of 1916 on the building.
The Strand’s grand opening scheduled for Christmas Eve on 1916 was pushed back when the theatre wasn’t quite ready. Jennie and son, Herbert Effinger, of the Leader Theatre opened the Strand on January 1, 1917 with Clara Kimball Young in “The Foolish Virgin.” Henry Spiller was at the Kimball organ with Professor Jacob Friedman directing the 18-piece orchestra. Simplex projectors shone upon the Rembusch gold fiber screen. Seat count decreased when the boxes were discontinued. The Strand was decorated by Barbarita of Pittsburgh. (References to a Strand Theatre on this property prior to 1916/7 and in the 1961-1971 period are in error.)
Stanley Warner circuit took over the Strand. Sound was added to keep the movie house viable. Ads are discontinued by Warner following the July 31, 1960 double-feature of “Michael Strogoff” and “Pretty Boy Floyd” at end of lease. The building was demolished beginning the next month for a parking facility. (There is a story about a Strand Theatre fire in February of 1961 in the local paper that took place in Connecticut. I see no coverage of any fire at the Philadelphia Strand and would doubt that such a fire would go uncovered by the local paper.)
The Leader Theatre closed for renovations after a triple-feature of “Terror-Creatures from the Grave,” “Night of the Living Dead” and “Bloody Pit of Horror” on December 17, 1968 promising to reopen on Christmas Day 1968. But Leader fans got a lump of coal as the theatre remained closed.
The address of the Carman Theatre for its first 20-year sublease was listed as 3221-3231 Germantown Avenue. The 2,500 seat theatre struggled in the television age where - on its second 20-year sublease it was listed at 3221–3229 Germantown. It appears to have closed with a 94 cent bargain priced double feature of “You’re Never Too Young” and “Great Missouri Raid.“ It was auctioned off at the end of its second 20-year leasing period in 1968 bringing just $40,000. Its upper floor was used for retail and was demolished just after its 50th anniversary in 1978.
The grand opening film was actually Hubert Bosworth in “A Thousand to One” on January 14, 1921 with Irving Cohen at the Moller organ. Philip Green launched the venue at 4022 West Girard which was more precisely located at 4022-4026 West Girard. It was converted from an auto garage and, prior to that, a grocery store launching on a ten-year leasing agreement.
In March of 1931, Warner Bros. Circuit took on the venue from the Cohen family on a 20-year lease. It closed in 1951. It was assumed by independent operation in 1951 relaunching as the Dell Theatre on a 10-year lease. The theatre closed in 1961 but was reopened by Harry and Leon Cohen as an African American movie house. It is not known when the theatre closed as African American theatre ads were not carried in the local newspaper.
The venue was converted to a theatre and had its first grand opening as the Standard Theatre on September 8, 1888 on a 25-year lease. On what is believed to be a new 20-year lease, it had a grand reopening as the New Standard Theatre on April 21, 1913 under new, African American exclusive operation mostly staging live plays and vaudeville shows. John T. Gibson brought top acts including Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, and Ethel Waters to the Standard’s stage. Gibson also programmed the Dunbar Theatre. Gibson was financially decimated by the Great Depression selling off both of his theaters.
Under new operators, the Standard would mix film into its programming and the venue would be wired for sound becoming a full-time movie house over it final twenty years from 1934-to-1954. The Standard closed during Hurricane Hazel on October 15, 1954 when - during its final showing, Cleo Moore in “Bait” - part of the ceiling collapsed including the roof’s wood beam supports injuring two patrons. The first fifteen rows and roofline were basically destroyed in the storm that necessitated the veteran building’s demolition soon thereafter.
A momentous day for this venue as the New Standard Theatre launches with a grand opening on April 21, 1913 under new, African American exclusive operation.
The final operational names for the Overbrook Theatre were as the Aart Overbrook Cinema (a name it used to try to be among the first listed in the newspaper’s alphabetical listings) and the Art Overbrook Cinema. It closed permanently as the Art Overbook Cinema on June 3, 1962 with “Splendor in the Grass” and “Fanny.”
The Clearfield closed at the end of a second 20-year lease permanently on August 8, 1960 after a triple feature of “Murder, Inc.” “The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond,” and “Jack, the Ripper.” That’s the way to close a theater. The address was dedicated as the new home of the Polish National Alliance Headquarters on June 22, 1962.
Warner Theatre Circuit took on the venue in March of 1929 equipping it with Vitaphone sound to remain viable. Warner closed the Richmond Theatre permanently on March 9, 1952 with Bob Hope in “My Favorite Spy.”
Closed at the end of lease on November 28, 1957 with “The Midnight Story” and “Run of the Arrow.”
The Rex appears to have launched in 1915. It closed permanently after a triple-feature western with “Pecos River,” “Jubilee Trail,” and “Jesse James Rides Again” on September 11, 1955.
The Brookline Theatre appears to have ceased operations as a sub-run discount venue following the June 21, 1981 screening of “9 to 5.” What a way to make a living.
The Cambria Theatre closed permanently at the end of lease on October 30, 1966 with “Marco, the Magnificent” and “Around the World Under the Sea” as a double feature.
The October 10, 1927 opening ad for the Park Theatre with Colleen Moore in “Naughty but Nice” is posted in photos. Muriel Draper was at the Barton Two Console Double Orchestral Organ at the opening show for Equity Theatres Circuit.
The final listing is just shy of its 50th anniversary with the Park going out as a grind house with continuous shows its last day of “Hours of the Damned,” “Young Guns of Texas,” “Khartoum,” and “Dr. Goldfoot & the Girl Bombs” on December 4, 1966. No further listings are advertised at the Park. And, if true, it was a memorable final day of operation.
Here is the October 10, 1927 opening ad for the Park Theatre with Colleen Moore in “Naughty but Nice.”
The York Theatre closed permanently following Gregory Peck in “Twelve O'Clock High” supported by cartoons on February 5, 1951.
The Logan Theatre closed on January 30, 1973 with Ringo Starr in “Blindman” and Paul Winfield in “Trouble Man.”
The Broad Theatre closed on July 5, 1967 with “Born Free” and “Hombre.” The building was offered for sale days later. In 1969, it became home to the Industrial Workers Union.
Genera Cinema opened here on August 10th, 1966. At a leasing exit point at 15 years, General Cinemas left the venue. Sameric Circuit took on the venue renaming it as the Eric Twin Clifton Heights in 1981. In May of 1988, United Artists purchased Sameric Corp.’s theaters, including the Clifton Heights which ran under the UA Eric Clifton Heights Twin banner into the 1990s.
United Artists renamed it in 1992 as the UA Clifton Heights Twin (dropping the Eric nameplate) but closed the duplex on June 29, 1993 at end of lease as a discount, sub-run house with “Lost in Yonkers” and “Benny & Joon” splitting a screen with “The Adventures of Huck Finn.”
Warner Bros. Circuit closed the Lindley with an all-German program of “Verlorene Melodie” and “der Florentiner Hut” supported by German language newsreels at the end of lease on May 29, 1955.
The Strand was a Moorish new-build, $250,000 structure built in 1916 by Ketcham & McQuade. The project was first announced in December of 1914 when Jennie E. Effinger acquired this property at the confluence of Germantown Avenue and West Venango Street. Plans were initially drawn by Carl P. Berger but rejected and the project languished in 1915. The Strand concept was rekindled when Hoffman-Henon architectural plans referenced above were approved and the construction team worked much of 1916 on the building.
The Strand’s grand opening scheduled for Christmas Eve on 1916 was pushed back when the theatre wasn’t quite ready. Jennie and son, Herbert Effinger, of the Leader Theatre opened the Strand on January 1, 1917 with Clara Kimball Young in “The Foolish Virgin.” Henry Spiller was at the Kimball organ with Professor Jacob Friedman directing the 18-piece orchestra. Simplex projectors shone upon the Rembusch gold fiber screen. Seat count decreased when the boxes were discontinued. The Strand was decorated by Barbarita of Pittsburgh. (References to a Strand Theatre on this property prior to 1916/7 and in the 1961-1971 period are in error.)
Stanley Warner circuit took over the Strand. Sound was added to keep the movie house viable. Ads are discontinued by Warner following the July 31, 1960 double-feature of “Michael Strogoff” and “Pretty Boy Floyd” at end of lease. The building was demolished beginning the next month for a parking facility. (There is a story about a Strand Theatre fire in February of 1961 in the local paper that took place in Connecticut. I see no coverage of any fire at the Philadelphia Strand and would doubt that such a fire would go uncovered by the local paper.)
January 1, 1917
Official city documents place the venue at 3208-3216 South 84th Street
The Plaza Theatre closed permanently at end of lease on July 4, 1951 with “The Thing” and “Soldiers Three.”
The Leader Theatre closed for renovations after a triple-feature of “Terror-Creatures from the Grave,” “Night of the Living Dead” and “Bloody Pit of Horror” on December 17, 1968 promising to reopen on Christmas Day 1968. But Leader fans got a lump of coal as the theatre remained closed.
The address of the Carman Theatre for its first 20-year sublease was listed as 3221-3231 Germantown Avenue. The 2,500 seat theatre struggled in the television age where - on its second 20-year sublease it was listed at 3221–3229 Germantown. It appears to have closed with a 94 cent bargain priced double feature of “You’re Never Too Young” and “Great Missouri Raid.“ It was auctioned off at the end of its second 20-year leasing period in 1968 bringing just $40,000. Its upper floor was used for retail and was demolished just after its 50th anniversary in 1978.
Sorry - “A Thousand to One”
The grand opening film was actually Hubert Bosworth in “A Thousand to One” on January 14, 1921 with Irving Cohen at the Moller organ. Philip Green launched the venue at 4022 West Girard which was more precisely located at 4022-4026 West Girard. It was converted from an auto garage and, prior to that, a grocery store launching on a ten-year leasing agreement.
In March of 1931, Warner Bros. Circuit took on the venue from the Cohen family on a 20-year lease. It closed in 1951. It was assumed by independent operation in 1951 relaunching as the Dell Theatre on a 10-year lease. The theatre closed in 1961 but was reopened by Harry and Leon Cohen as an African American movie house. It is not known when the theatre closed as African American theatre ads were not carried in the local newspaper.
The venue was converted to a theatre and had its first grand opening as the Standard Theatre on September 8, 1888 on a 25-year lease. On what is believed to be a new 20-year lease, it had a grand reopening as the New Standard Theatre on April 21, 1913 under new, African American exclusive operation mostly staging live plays and vaudeville shows. John T. Gibson brought top acts including Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, and Ethel Waters to the Standard’s stage. Gibson also programmed the Dunbar Theatre. Gibson was financially decimated by the Great Depression selling off both of his theaters.
Under new operators, the Standard would mix film into its programming and the venue would be wired for sound becoming a full-time movie house over it final twenty years from 1934-to-1954. The Standard closed during Hurricane Hazel on October 15, 1954 when - during its final showing, Cleo Moore in “Bait” - part of the ceiling collapsed including the roof’s wood beam supports injuring two patrons. The first fifteen rows and roofline were basically destroyed in the storm that necessitated the veteran building’s demolition soon thereafter.
A momentous day for this venue as the New Standard Theatre launches with a grand opening on April 21, 1913 under new, African American exclusive operation.
The final operational names for the Overbrook Theatre were as the Aart Overbrook Cinema (a name it used to try to be among the first listed in the newspaper’s alphabetical listings) and the Art Overbrook Cinema. It closed permanently as the Art Overbook Cinema on June 3, 1962 with “Splendor in the Grass” and “Fanny.”
Closed November 21, 1990 with “Memphis Belle” and “Goodfellas.”
The Clearfield closed at the end of a second 20-year lease permanently on August 8, 1960 after a triple feature of “Murder, Inc.” “The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond,” and “Jack, the Ripper.” That’s the way to close a theater. The address was dedicated as the new home of the Polish National Alliance Headquarters on June 22, 1962.
Warner Theatre Circuit took on the venue in March of 1929 equipping it with Vitaphone sound to remain viable. Warner closed the Richmond Theatre permanently on March 9, 1952 with Bob Hope in “My Favorite Spy.”