Towne Playhouse

5265 Ridge Avenue,
Philadelphia, PA 19128

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amby_moho
amby_moho on April 13, 2026 at 4:21 pm

Haha I mean you are entitled to your opinion but it is hideous to me, especially compared to the theater that stood previously. I guess if…stucco condominiums are your thing then this must be your golden era of architecture.

m00se1111
m00se1111 on April 12, 2026 at 7:13 am

Unless the image on google maps is seriously wrong, I don’t really see anything “hideous” about the building.

amby_moho
amby_moho on April 12, 2026 at 12:56 am

The new apartment built here is hideous. A tragic loss

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on February 12, 2022 at 2:24 pm

The Wissahickon Theatre dates back to the nickelodeon era according to one of its final operators. It appears to have opened in 1913 potentially on a 20-year lease. It is definitely mentioned in 1920 and being refreshed 1933 likely on a new 10-year lease. The theatre closed in 1943.

This venue became the became the Abbey Playhouse on October 9, 1952 switching to foreign and repertory films with Richard Todd in “Flesh and Blood.” That policy by Louis Cohn failed early in 1953 closing at the end of lease on February 26, 1953 with “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” - apparently the last film played at the location.

The building was auctioned off in July of 1953. It remained the Abbey Playhouse as a live theater from June of 1955 to March of 1961. On September 21, 1961, it became the Cricket Playhouse continuing with live fare. A year later it became the Towne Playhouse continuing with live fare. That would continue to November of 1981.

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on November 28, 2019 at 5:12 pm

This theatre was demolished in 2015.