Boyd Theatre

1908-18 Chestnut Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19103

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Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on December 24, 2005 at 3:28 pm

Tommorrow (12/25/2005) will mark the 77th Anniversary of the opening of the Boyd Theatre by The Stanley Company of America.

TheaterBuff1
TheaterBuff1 on December 24, 2005 at 1:44 am

CORRECTION:

Should read: “And all of US it seems were very much unified as one people bsck when the Boyd was packed to the brim in 1959.”

TheaterBuff1
TheaterBuff1 on December 24, 2005 at 1:37 am

How well an historic theater’s restoration is going I consider to be an important measure of the political clmate of where this important historic theater restoration is taking place. For all told, there is no higher art form than a well-produced motion picture exhibited in a well-run theater, as was the case when I saw the Philadelphia premiere of “Ben Hur” at this theater – the Boyd – back in 1959. For the theater in this or that community says it all really. If it’s packed to brim with patrons – as was the case with the Boyd back in 1959 – it means that the economic climate is especially good combined with the atmosphere of a strong sense of togetherness, or a wanting for togetherness, among all those attending the theater. And all of it seems were very much unified as one people back when the Boyd was packed to the brim back in 1959. And maybe it’s just me, but I far prefer that than all of us going off our separate ways while the highest art form there is is in ruins…

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on December 6, 2005 at 9:28 pm

Here are 2 closeup photos of the 1953 Boyd letters on the Cinerama marquee. The Sam Eric letters were removed as part of exploratory work for replication of original 1928 French Art Deco marquee, which will replace the current one. The Boyd letters are corroded so the photos aren’t too impressive, and we didn’t post them on our official site (www.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org) but somebody asked so I placed them on a site of mine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/howardbhaas/

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on November 29, 2005 at 11:56 pm

Hdtv267, the old “SamEric” circular marquee has been gone since at least the beginning of May. I posted a picture here. This picture was taken in May of this year.

dennisczimmerman
dennisczimmerman on November 13, 2005 at 3:47 am

I remember seeing films at the Boyd when they still had the curved screen they installed for the later Cinerama films. The along the wall balcony section seats on either side of the balcony were curtained off and not used. So when Sameric Theatres took over and removed the curved screen which extended past the proscenium, the entire balcony seating was reopened and used.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on October 11, 2005 at 10:28 pm

The main (orchestra) floor did not sit 1349 in recent years no matter what the fire sign or literature says. I have a count & a chart, but will tell you it sat more like 800. I know that from seeing movies there, and doing inventory of ALL features in the theater during the 3 years since it has been closed.
Seating was likely about 1500 in 1928, greatly reduced for Cinerama in 1953, and maybe added in 1971 when Cinerama screen removed. Now, I’m not saying you couldn’t have put in temp chairs to reach that total, though I don’t think that was ever done. All the chairs on main level are gone now. New chairs with same design as originals will return, and the seating capacity will greatly increase.

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on October 10, 2005 at 4:11 am

When the Sameric 4 closed, the seat counts for House 2 and 3 were at 363 seats each, down from the 450 when they opened on 7/16/1982, and House 4 was at 200 seats, down from the 225 when it opened on 6/12/1985. Some of the seats were removed for wheelchair patrons.

The seats count for the main floor in Sameric House 1 (aka RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd), in March 2002, was at 1349 seats.

dennisczimmerman
dennisczimmerman on October 9, 2005 at 4:14 am

The Sameric 2 and 3 Theatres opened on July 16, 1982. The Sameric 4 Theatre opened on June 12, 1985. According to what I have in my records theatres 2 and 3 each had 450 seats. And theatre 4 had 225 seats. I believe I would have gotten this information from Variety back then. At one time, Variety listed each theatre in the cities it covered. Of course, back then, movies did not open in 3,000 theatres at one time! When “Fiddler on the Roof” reopened the Boyd Theatre as the Sameric Theatre, the balcony was in use. Our reserved seat tickets for a Saturday night performance were in the balcony. However, most times when we attended other 70mm presentation films at the Sameric – “Star Wars”, “Indy’s Films,” we were seated on the main floor. I know at one of those films, two of us went up to the balcony to see what it was like prior to the film starting. We were asked to leave by some theatre staff that were sitting there drinking beer. That was one of the last times we ever drove from Lancaster to see a film there. Of course, 70mm films eventually become a thing of the past.

raymondgordonsears
raymondgordonsears on October 7, 2005 at 8:59 am

If you want to see cinerama (3 projector) tickets are on sale for HOW THE WEST WAS WON at the Cinerama Dome Theatre later this mo. See web for details. Reserved seating, 2 shows daily 1:30 & 7:30.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on October 7, 2005 at 12:34 am

For those interested in Cinerama, “true” Cinerama, requiring 3 projectors, played at the Boyd from 1953 and into early 1960’s with breaks for other films including Ben Hur. The Randolph played “one strip” Cinerama, not with 3 projectors, really more like 70 MM as far as I understand. The Boyd was the only true Cinerama venue in our region. Because it would require a huge curved screen in front of the Proscenium Arch, and 3 separate projection booths on the orchestra floor, real Cinerama is unlikely to ever return to the Boyd. I’m not saying that’s good, merely reality.

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on September 30, 2005 at 11:19 pm

Clear Channel is spinning off its entertainment theater business into a separate company which will continue to book Touring Broadway & concerts. The new company will restore & reopen the Boyd. Friends of the Boyd emails out a free Weekly Update email, enter your email at wwww.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on September 29, 2005 at 9:00 am

Clear Channel has pulled out of the entertainment theater business. I know they are not going to book broadway shows anymore. Wonder what will happen to the theater now?

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on September 29, 2005 at 2:59 am

I’ve passe by the Boyd a couple of weeks ago, and the front of the Boyd still looks like it hasn’t changed since I took a picture of it back in May. The Boyd still has, in damaged condition, the 1953 “Boyd” cinerama marquee with the 1985 “Sameric 4” vertical marquee above it. I can’t wait to see, when completed, the original 1928 marquee on this great palace.

yvgtspike
yvgtspike on September 12, 2005 at 7:45 pm

During the 80’s the Sameric used the balcony for the big pictures ( the Star Wars, Raiders type movie. Weekend it was opened. They once showed 2001 (70mm 6track stereo version and I went on a Saturday afternoon and the orchestra section was closed. You had to sit in the balcony. It was a great presentation.

timquan
timquan on September 10, 2005 at 2:38 am

Did they ever use the balcony section for seating when it was the Sameric?

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on September 9, 2005 at 11:56 pm

By chance I stayed in a hotel down the street from the Boyd last month. I hope efforts to restore this building are successful. I understand that it is the last standing movie palace in Philly, and it looks like the interior is fabulous.

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on September 4, 2005 at 3:47 am

I not sure if this was mentioned, but seating for the Sameric 4 Theatre was as follows:

Auditorium #1 (RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd): 2350 seats, with 1349 seats on the first floor.
Auditorium #2: 363
Auditorium #3: 363
Auditorium #4: 200

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on September 1, 2005 at 9:08 pm

I believe the Sameric Theatres Corp. opened the addition that housed auditoriums #2 and #3 in late 1982 or early 1983.

When ROCKY III opened in 1982, it was still called “Sameric Theatre” When Return Of the Jedi opened in May 1983, it was now called “Sameric 3 Theatre”.

By the time ROCKY IV opened in 1985, it was “Sameric 4 Theatre”, with the original RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre, now called “Sameric 4 Auditorium #1” still intact.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 21, 2005 at 10:02 pm

I saw many, many films at this theater in the early 1980’s. It was a single large theater to which they added a few small screens while I was still living in Philadelphia. I saw Rocky III on the large screen in 1982.

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on August 21, 2005 at 9:30 pm

Here is a link to a recent picture of the REG United Artists Sameric 4 Theatre: RKO Stanley Warner Boyd Theatre / REG United Artists Sameric 4 Theatre

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on August 18, 2005 at 2:04 pm

Does anyone know how the renovation of the former RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd /Regal Entertainment Group’s United Artists Sameric 4 is going?

philly
philly on May 28, 2005 at 7:36 pm

Also interested in getting a photo of the Fern Rock Theater in Olney.

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on May 7, 2005 at 7:15 pm

I passed by the Sameric 4/Boyd yesterday, and the “Sameric” name on the 1953 marque has been removed, revealing the original 1953 “Boyd” name on the marque, with holes it it from where the Sameric name was attached to.

After 33 years, the 1953 Boyd name is seeing light, but for only a short while, as the marque is slated to be removed within the next couple of weeks, along with the Sameric 4 lighted marque above the 1953 marque. I took some pictures and will be getting them developed soon.

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on May 1, 2005 at 2:02 pm

Clear Channel has announced plans to spin off its live-entertainment division. Will this affect plans for the Boyd in any way?