Kent Theatre
2459 Kensington Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19125
2459 Kensington Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19125
5 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Stanley-Warner Theatres, Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Architects: Paul J. Henon, Jr., William H. Hoffman, Thomas White Lamb, George Plowman
Firms: Hoffman-Henon Co.
Styles: Renaissance Revival
Previous Names: People's Theatre, Desmond Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The People’s Theatre originally opened on 1890, with 2,336-seats. There 767-seats in the orchestra, 719-seats in the balcony, and room for 850 on long wooden benches in the gallery. It was located on Kensington Avenue at the corner with E. Cumberland Street in the Kensington district in the northeast of the city. It was designed by architect George Plowman. By 1912 it was presenting movies as well as vaudeville. In 1914, Thomas Lamb was hired to remodel the theatre, and the interior was gutted and its seating was reduced to 1,932 at this time. From October 14, 1922 to 1926, the People’s Theatre was renamed the Desmond Theatre presenting live theatre. It was then demolished.
In 1927 it was rebuilt to the plans of Hoffman-Henon Co. in a Renaissance Revival style and was renamed Kent Theatre by the Stanley Theatres Corporation. It reopened January 16, 1928 with Reed Howes in “The Racing Fool”. Seating was proved for 1,900 on a stadium plan, with a raised stepped section at the rear rather than the usual balcony level. A Kimball 3 manual 16 ranks organ had been installed which was opened by organist Karl Bonawitz. The proscenium was 66ft wide, one of the widest in the city. The Kent Theatre was later taken over by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
The Kent Theatre was closed on March 5, 1968 with Oliver Reed in “The Shuttered Room” & Christopher Lee in “The Vengeance of Fu Man Chu”. It stood vacant for the next 21 years, with a ‘Closed for Alterations’ sign on the marquee. It was demolished in February 1989.
The site was in use as a basketball court for many years. It is now the site of a Family Dollar.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 30 comments)
Hi “TheALAN” You are right in what you said about where the Kent Theatre was located. That map is incorrect.
TheALAN & pham: Google Maps are not always accurate, especially when the street address and Zip Code are incorrectly given when the theatre page is first submitted. In this case, the address & Zip Code are correct, but it is a block off. The Google Street View has been set to the correct location.
Does anyone remember the dyed chicks and ducklings they gave away at Easter? There was always a green Buick parked outside…I think it was Mr. Levy’s
I grew up on Cumberland Street near front st. I remember going to the Kent almost every Saturday. If you didn’t like what was playing you could go to the Midway, the Iris or the Howard. I remember the stage shows that were put on occasionally. I too went to Visitation and every time a new religious movie came out it was a class trip. Great memories great times.
Yes I do remember the dyed chicks. WT Grant used to sell them on Front Street.
WONDERED IF ANYONE ATTENDED OR REMEMBERS ONE OF THE STAGE SHOWS IN EITHER 1959 OR 1960 WHEN “JIMMY DURANTE” PERFORMED? I WAS ONLY 5 OR 6.
THX
HOWIE
January 16th, 1928 grand opening ad in photo section.
I don’t remember Jimmy Durante but I do remember going to a Halloween show where somebody was doing some magic tricks on the stage
Family Dollar is now on the Kent Theatre site
Mae Desmond’s Desmond Theatre had opened October 14, 1922 with live theatre in the long-standing People’s Theatre. She ceased operations in 1926. The former People’s/Desmond building which had opened August 23, 1890 to the plans of George Plowman - was then sold to Mercantile and Stores Properties, Inc. and demolished in 1927. In its place was a $2 million mixed use property containing a proposed Kenton Theatre designed by Hoffman-Hebron later shortened to the Kent Theatre.
The Kent was a $1.4 million investment and leased to the Stanley Circuit for 40 years. It opened January 16, 1928 with Reed Howes in “The Racing Fool.” Stanley Warner closed the Kent Theatre with a double-feature of “Shuttered Room” and “Vengeance of Fu Manchu” on March 5, 1968 at the end of lease. Home to drug dealers and prostitutes, in the late 1980s, the building was razed in February of 1989.