Lane Theatre

N. Broad Street and 67th Avenue,
Philadelphia, PA 19126

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Do
Do on January 26, 2023 at 4:13 am

Mel Brooks “The Producers” held a sneak preview here before going on to be cult classic. I believe the last mainstream film screened here 1st run was George C. Scott in “They Might be Giants”.

RickB
RickB on June 3, 2020 at 2:52 am

6700 North Broad Street’s later chronology through Inquirer ads: the Lane’s adult operation as late as March 1975; a single mention of “The Church of the Beloved Community,” holding a funeral in 1977; auto dealers (Datsun/Nissan overlapping with a Dodge franchise) from 1982 to 1991; Pilgrim Wesleyan Church shows up 1993-2019, mostly in lists of polling places.

rivest266
rivest266 on October 8, 2016 at 5:17 pm

This opened on November 9th, 1938. Its grand opening ad in photo section

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on November 19, 2012 at 4:57 pm

Above information needs to be corrected. This theater was a Datsun car dealership at least through 1983. I am not sure when the church moved in.

calcynic
calcynic on October 17, 2010 at 5:44 pm

Went there once and got jumped. Never went back.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on January 21, 2010 at 6:42 am

Here is an April 1975 photo from Temple U:
http://tinyurl.com/ylkc5bo

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 15, 2009 at 2:56 pm

Here is a larger version of the photo posted on 3/2/05:
http://tinyurl.com/rbe8cr

zzppf
zzppf on May 20, 2009 at 10:05 pm

Played an eclectic mix on films in the 60"s. “A Funny thing Happened on the Way To Forum” played there first run, I believe the only location in the city.
Also Joanna very quirky mod sex comedy directed by Michael Sarne who got Myra Breckenridge
based on Joanna’s success.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on February 16, 2009 at 8:08 pm

Box Office November 12, 1938 describes opening festivities for this new Warner Bros theater last Wednesday: A four and a half mile run from North Broad Street’s Uptown Theatre, a parade of military & school bands of Oak Lane preceded speeches, and speeches including that of Mayor S. Davis Wilson.

shoeshoe14
shoeshoe14 on July 10, 2007 at 12:23 am

This theatre was mentioned on a DVD of the Dick Cavett Show. Lots of theatres were named in the golden age of theatres.

veyoung52
veyoung52 on February 9, 2006 at 2:28 pm

Many long, long runs here including the premiere engagement of “David and Lisa,” and the French suspense classic “Diabolique.”

raymondgordonsears
raymondgordonsears on March 11, 2005 at 1:31 pm

The theatre is now a church and day care center. When they installed the cinemascope screen the stage was lost. The new screen had to go in front of the stage. They would use a slide projector with different colors to lite the screen before the show because of no curtain. rg

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on March 2, 2005 at 1:50 pm

Thanks TC. That brings back lots of memories

teecee
teecee on March 2, 2005 at 1:31 pm

Here is a small & dark photo (don’t expand w/o subscription):

View link

RickB
RickB on March 1, 2005 at 2:13 pm

Was an RKO Stanley Warner theater up to the early ‘70s, then an independent before the closing. If memory serves Philadelphia Magazine ran a long article—maybe even a cover story—about the difficulties the Lane’s last operators faced trying (ultimately unsuccessfully) to keep it open.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on March 1, 2005 at 1:08 pm

This was Philadelphia’s hom for art films. In it’s later years it showed porno films. One of the last films to plat there was a double feature, Deep Throat and The Devil In Miss Jones.
The information above is incorrect. When the theater closed it became a Datson/Nissan car dealer not a church.