Comments from RickB

Showing 451 - 475 of 580 comments

RickB
RickB commented about Kent Theatre on Feb 14, 2008 at 1:14 pm

Here is a shot of the Kent marquee, long after closing.

RickB
RickB commented about Vic Theatre on Jan 28, 2008 at 3:22 am

Following up on one of the posts from 2006: if memory serves the Indian-film venture from the late ‘70s used the name “Bharat Cinema.” The building had signage with that name but also a sign calling it the Vic—probably a leftover from the porn operation.

RickB
RickB commented about State-Lake Theatre on Dec 25, 2007 at 1:43 am

The State-Lake building makes the news as a driver crashes a minivan into the WLS-TV studio during a newscast. Video here.

RickB
RickB commented about RKO Broad Theatre on Oct 21, 2007 at 4:28 pm

The attraction boards have been taken off the north side of the marquee. Don’t know if it’s for repair or what.

RickB
RickB commented about UA Moorestown Mall 7 on Sep 28, 2007 at 2:31 am

I’m pretty sure this was open before 1966—I remember my mother taking me here to see Mary Poppins first-run before that (incredibly long box-office line, we almost get to the front—SOLD OUT! They sold us tickets for the next show, we went home and came back).

RickB
RickB on Sep 6, 2007 at 3:19 am

Duplicate listing of theater #18363—on here as Frank Theatres Towne Stadium 16 under Pleasantville. The actual mailing address is now Egg Harbor Township (not to be confused with Egg Harbor City) but the area had a Pleasantville ZIP code for many years.

RickB
RickB commented about Rare glimpse at Philadelphia movie theaters on Aug 24, 2007 at 4:53 am

And not too long after Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Cinema 19 had months-long runs of two movies that showed just how things were changing in the industry—I Am Curious (Yellow) and Easy Rider.

RickB
RickB commented about Lawndale Theatre on Aug 12, 2007 at 2:16 pm

The building was used for live theater under the Abbey Stage Door name in the late ‘60s and '70s.

RickB
RickB commented about Ace Theatre on Aug 8, 2007 at 12:17 am

“The itch” or a “scratch house” was a theater with a low standard of cleanliness—one that might be infested with fleas, body lice or other bugs that would make patrons itchy.

RickB
RickB commented about CIBC Theatre on Jul 31, 2007 at 12:06 am

“Citi Wang” would be bad enough, but “Wang Citi” would be even worse…

RickB
RickB commented about Monroe Theatre on Jul 24, 2007 at 4:22 am

For what it’s worth, several web pages give the completion date of the Xerox Center as 1980—meaning that the Monroe would have been gone some time before then.

RickB
RickB commented about Ritz Theatre on Jul 17, 2007 at 1:02 pm

RiisPark may be thinking of the Berwyn Theatre, which is described on its page here as having had a fire.

RickB
RickB commented about CIBC Theatre on Apr 24, 2007 at 9:27 am

With yesterday’s announcement that Bank of America will be acquiring LaSalle Bank, it looks like this theater will get another new name…

RickB
RickB commented about New 400 Theaters on Apr 18, 2007 at 8:59 pm

Did the Essex ever have another name? I’m not finding much about it here, or elsewhere.

RickB
RickB commented about Theatre of the Living Arts on Mar 30, 2007 at 8:37 pm

This theater is being renamed the Fillmore Philadelphia by operator Live Nation. The new name becomes effective as of April 27, with a show by Todd Rundgren. Press release here.

RickB
RickB commented about Le Spectrum on Jan 18, 2007 at 10:23 am

“* January 11, 1974 became an French adult theatre called Le Pigalle. It was shortly renamed Eden and shown English adult movies.”

Waitaminit. There are people who care what language their porn is in?

RickB
RickB commented about Newtown Theatre on Dec 21, 2006 at 12:40 am

Per a recent article in Tempo (a publication of the Princeton Packet in New Jersey), the theater was built in 1831 as Newtown Hall and reconstructed in 1883. The first film screening was in 1906 and the building has remained in use as a movie theater ever since; it is asserted to be the oldest continuously operating movie theater in the United States. The Community Welfare Council of Newtown bought the building in 1953. In 1972 projectionist Amos Farruggio leased the theater from the Council; after he died in 1980 his widow, Marjorie, took over operations. The Farruggios' son John replaced his mother upon her passing in 2005.

RickB
RickB commented about Cinemagic 3 at Penn on Dec 20, 2006 at 4:20 pm

The Philadelphia Inquirer for May 28, 1975 shows the theater at this address as the “GCC Walnut Mall I, II, III.” The Eric 3 on the Campus is advertised as well, with its location simply shown as “40th & Walnut.”

RickB
RickB commented about Varsity Theater on Oct 15, 2006 at 3:39 pm

Plitt operated it in the late ‘70s. When I left Evanston in the summer of 1980 Plitt had recently stopped showing movies there and somebody was booking concerts into it.

RickB
RickB commented about Lorraine Theatre on Sep 30, 2006 at 12:02 am

This theater recently closed down for a couple weeks…because the owner didn’t think that any current releases were worth screening! Chicago Tribune story here.

RickB
RickB commented about Westmont Theatre on Sep 10, 2006 at 3:26 pm

Pro-preservation editorial from today’s Courier-Post:
View link

RickB
RickB commented about Millside 4 Theater on Aug 21, 2006 at 9:51 pm

Originally a Budco theater, then AMC.

RickB
RickB commented about Pennsauken Drive-In on Aug 21, 2006 at 9:48 pm

This was operated by Budco in the late ‘60s/early '70s, maybe later. Budco must have still owned the real estate when they were acquired by AMC because years later there was a “for sale” sign on the property showing AMC as a contact.

RickB
RickB commented about Cinnaminson Twin Cinemas on Aug 21, 2006 at 9:42 pm

Originally operated by the Music Makers chain, later an independent dollar theater that lasted into the ‘90s I think. The Cinnaminson Mall was a flop that wound up with most of its space occupied by a technical school; the theater was just about the only successful “retail” business there aside from the anchor stores (Woolco, later Caldor). The whole complex is expected to be demolished soon, if it isn’t gone already.

RickB
RickB commented about Metropolitan Opera House on Aug 6, 2006 at 11:13 am

A recent Philadelphia Inquirer story here and a picture slideshow here.