In the early 1940’s, The Fox Theatre was part of Warner Brothers' Stanley Warner Theatres division, along with the Stanton, the Stanley, the Karlton, the Boyd, the Aldine, the Earle, the Palace, and the Mastbaum. Today, only the Boyd (closed as REG United Artists Sameric 4 Theatre), the Karlton (AKA William Goldman’s Midtown Theatre, AMC-Budco Midtown Twin Theatre and Prince Music Theatre) and the Aldine (AKA Viking Theatre, Rugoff’s Cinema 19 Theatre, Sameric-United Artists Sam’s Place Twin, and CVS/pharmacy) is all that remains from the Stanley Warner-RKO Stanley Warner chain.
The biggest crowd the AMC Neshaminy 24 had for a “midnight showing” was back in May 18, 2005, when 16 of the 24 auditoriums (#1-2, 7-18, 23-24) were sold out for “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith”. The next one, with 14 sold out auditoriums (#1-2, 7-9, 11-13, 15-18, 23-24) on December 16, 2003 for “The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King”
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.
Here is a link to a picture of the Mastbaum, taken in mid to late 1957: [url]http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?42180[/url]. you can also see, in the background, The Erlanger Theatre. Sadly, The Mastbaum Theatre, The Elanger Theatre, and the PTC 8000 series trolley cars are gone now.
Back in May, I took 2 pictures of the outside of the RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd/Regal Entertainment Group’s United Artists Sameric 4 Theatre, with the exposed 1953 “Boyd” name on the marquee, and the Sameric 4 vertical marquee (Which is where the original 1928 vertical “Boyd” sign was located from December, 1928 to June, 1930.
It will be excellent to see the original 1928 marquee back on the RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre once again.
The old 1953 Cinerama marquee of the RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre is in sad shape, along with the vertical Sameric 4 marquee. You can see holes in the “Boyd” name where the Sameric name was attached to back in November 1971, after Sam Shapiro acquired the theatre from Pacific Theatres Company’s RKO Stanley Warner Theatres division.
The Ritz theatres are not considered “Movie Palaces”. The Movie Palaces of the old days included: RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre (REG Sameric 4 Theatre), RKO Stanley Warner’s Stanley Theatre, Milgram’s Fox Theatre, Milgram’s Milgram Theatre (RKO Stanley Warner’s Stanton Theatre), Stanley Warner’s Earle Theatre, Stanley Warner’s Mastbaum Theatre, Stanley Warner’s Aldine Theatre (United Artists Sam’s Place Twin), Goldman’s Goldman Theatre, to name a few.
Market Street is not south of Chestnut Street. Market Street is north of Chestnut Street, so that will make Veyoung and Andy P right. The 000 Block of South 15th Street starts at Market Street and ends at Chestnut Street. The 100 block of south 15th Street starts at Chestnut Street and ends at Walnut Street
The Har-Mar 11 setup (1-3 in the original building, 4-11 in a former supermarket) sound somewhat like the setup at the AMC Orleans 8 Theatre in Philadelphia (1-4 in the original building, built by William Goldman Theatres, 5-8 in the back of a former Pathmark Supermarket, with the front taken by a Pep Boys Auto Store)
There has been rumors that Target is supposed to acquire the land which hoses the AMC (Goldman’s)Orleans 1-4, the AMC Orleans 5-8/Pep Boys Auto (Pathmark/Shop Rite), the Hollywood Bistro, and the Pet Smart (Lionel’s Kiddie City), but it just rumors.
Today’s NY Post has the the former Loews Cineplex New York Twin/Crown New York Twin/Clearview’s New York One and Two Theatre listed now as “Clearview’s Beekman One And Two”.
The only 2 theatre buildings from the old Rugoff Theatres (Cinema 5) chain that is still standing, after the Beekman is demolished, are the City Cinemas Cinema 1, 2, 3 (Cinema I and Cinema II), and in Philadelphia, The United Artists Sam’s Place Twin Theatre building (also was home to Stanley Warner’s Aldine Theatre, Viking Theatre, and Rugoff’s Cinema 19 Theatre), which has a CVS Pharmacy in the building.
AMC Entertainment, Regal Entertainment Group, Loews Cineplex Entertainment, Mann Theatres, and Pacific Theatres are a lot better than City Cinemas. Even the old RKO Century Warner chain (RKO Stanley Warner, Rugoff/Cinema 5, Century Theatres) is better than City Cinemas.
City Cinemas owners, Reading Entertainment was way better when they known as The Reading Railroad Company, and had their headquarters at the Reading Terminal, NE Corner of 11th and Market Streets, in Philadelphia, PA.
The RKO Stanley Warner’s Stanley theatre was closed in early 1970. the last movie to play at the Stanley was “Viva Max”. After it closed, RKO Stanley Warner had only 2 theatres left in Center City Philadelphia, The RKO Stanley Warner’s Palace Theatre, and The RKO stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre.
The RKO Stanley Warner’s Palace Theatre was closed in 1971. The RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre was sold to Sam & Merton Shapiro’s Sameric Theatres Corporation on November 1, 1971, and reopened on December 14, 1971 as “Sameric Theatre”.
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.
These stores, including Rite Aid, and offices were built right in the Parkwood Theatre building. I lived in Parkwood back in 1973-90 when this theatre was opened and when this conversion to stores and offices took place.
I never disputed the that this theatre was a Budco Theatre. Before 1974, The Inquirer didn’t list the Budco Theatres as “Budco xxxx”, they listed them as “xxxx”.
They didn’t do this for General Cinema until 1975, they were listed from 1970 to 1975 as “Cinema xxxx” or “xxxx Cinema”, but it confused someone who would think a particular theatre was owned by Budco Theatres or General Cinema Corporation.
The only reason the Sameric Theatres were listed as “Eric xxxx” is because they had the Eric name on the front of their theatre, with the exception of the King Theatre and the Terminal Theatre, not counting the center city theatres.
The former REG Crossbay I 3 Theatre is closed. The REG Crossbay II 7 Theatre is still open, and as on 8/25/2005, was showing: The 40 Year Old Virgin, Red Eye, Valiant, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, Four Brothers, The Great Raid, and The Skeleton Key.
In the early 1940’s, The Fox Theatre was part of Warner Brothers' Stanley Warner Theatres division, along with the Stanton, the Stanley, the Karlton, the Boyd, the Aldine, the Earle, the Palace, and the Mastbaum. Today, only the Boyd (closed as REG United Artists Sameric 4 Theatre), the Karlton (AKA William Goldman’s Midtown Theatre, AMC-Budco Midtown Twin Theatre and Prince Music Theatre) and the Aldine (AKA Viking Theatre, Rugoff’s Cinema 19 Theatre, Sameric-United Artists Sam’s Place Twin, and CVS/pharmacy) is all that remains from the Stanley Warner-RKO Stanley Warner chain.
The biggest crowd the AMC Neshaminy 24 had for a “midnight showing” was back in May 18, 2005, when 16 of the 24 auditoriums (#1-2, 7-18, 23-24) were sold out for “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith”. The next one, with 14 sold out auditoriums (#1-2, 7-9, 11-13, 15-18, 23-24) on December 16, 2003 for “The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King”
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.
Here is a link to a picture of the Mastbaum, taken in mid to late 1957: [url]http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?42180[/url]. you can also see, in the background, The Erlanger Theatre. Sadly, The Mastbaum Theatre, The Elanger Theatre, and the PTC 8000 series trolley cars are gone now.
Back in May, I took 2 pictures of the outside of the RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd/Regal Entertainment Group’s United Artists Sameric 4 Theatre, with the exposed 1953 “Boyd” name on the marquee, and the Sameric 4 vertical marquee (Which is where the original 1928 vertical “Boyd” sign was located from December, 1928 to June, 1930.
It will be excellent to see the original 1928 marquee back on the RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre once again.
Please donate to Red Cross to help those who were displaced by Katrina, and soon to be displaced by Hurricane Rita, now a Category 5 Hurricane.
The old 1953 Cinerama marquee of the RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre is in sad shape, along with the vertical Sameric 4 marquee. You can see holes in the “Boyd” name where the Sameric name was attached to back in November 1971, after Sam Shapiro acquired the theatre from Pacific Theatres Company’s RKO Stanley Warner Theatres division.
The Ritz theatres are not considered “Movie Palaces”. The Movie Palaces of the old days included: RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre (REG Sameric 4 Theatre), RKO Stanley Warner’s Stanley Theatre, Milgram’s Fox Theatre, Milgram’s Milgram Theatre (RKO Stanley Warner’s Stanton Theatre), Stanley Warner’s Earle Theatre, Stanley Warner’s Mastbaum Theatre, Stanley Warner’s Aldine Theatre (United Artists Sam’s Place Twin), Goldman’s Goldman Theatre, to name a few.
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
Market Street is not south of Chestnut Street. Market Street is north of Chestnut Street, so that will make Veyoung and Andy P right. The 000 Block of South 15th Street starts at Market Street and ends at Chestnut Street. The 100 block of south 15th Street starts at Chestnut Street and ends at Walnut Street
The Har-Mar 11 setup (1-3 in the original building, 4-11 in a former supermarket) sound somewhat like the setup at the AMC Orleans 8 Theatre in Philadelphia (1-4 in the original building, built by William Goldman Theatres, 5-8 in the back of a former Pathmark Supermarket, with the front taken by a Pep Boys Auto Store)
Was this one of the last theatres AMC opened when they were still known as Durwood Theatres?
There has been rumors that Target is supposed to acquire the land which hoses the AMC (Goldman’s)Orleans 1-4, the AMC Orleans 5-8/Pep Boys Auto (Pathmark/Shop Rite), the Hollywood Bistro, and the Pet Smart (Lionel’s Kiddie City), but it just rumors.
Today’s NY Post has the the former Loews Cineplex New York Twin/Crown New York Twin/Clearview’s New York One and Two Theatre listed now as “Clearview’s Beekman One And Two”.
The only 2 theatre buildings from the old Rugoff Theatres (Cinema 5) chain that is still standing, after the Beekman is demolished, are the City Cinemas Cinema 1, 2, 3 (Cinema I and Cinema II), and in Philadelphia, The United Artists Sam’s Place Twin Theatre building (also was home to Stanley Warner’s Aldine Theatre, Viking Theatre, and Rugoff’s Cinema 19 Theatre), which has a CVS Pharmacy in the building.
The NY Post also now list this Theatre as “Clearview’s Beekman One And Two”. It is playing this past week “Red Eye” and “Four Brothers”.
AMC Entertainment, Regal Entertainment Group, Loews Cineplex Entertainment, Mann Theatres, and Pacific Theatres are a lot better than City Cinemas. Even the old RKO Century Warner chain (RKO Stanley Warner, Rugoff/Cinema 5, Century Theatres) is better than City Cinemas.
City Cinemas owners, Reading Entertainment was way better when they known as The Reading Railroad Company, and had their headquarters at the Reading Terminal, NE Corner of 11th and Market Streets, in Philadelphia, PA.
City Cinemas website still has the demolished Sutton Twin listed.
Playing at Cinema 1, 2, 3 this past week: The Brothers Grimm, Must Love Dogs and Wedding Crashers.
The RKO Stanley Warner’s Stanley theatre was closed in early 1970. the last movie to play at the Stanley was “Viva Max”. After it closed, RKO Stanley Warner had only 2 theatres left in Center City Philadelphia, The RKO Stanley Warner’s Palace Theatre, and The RKO stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre.
The RKO Stanley Warner’s Palace Theatre was closed in 1971. The RKO Stanley Warner’s Boyd Theatre was sold to Sam & Merton Shapiro’s Sameric Theatres Corporation on November 1, 1971, and reopened on December 14, 1971 as “Sameric Theatre”.
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.
I just looked at the Willy Wonka ad, and it list this theatre as National General’s Raceway Cinema.
The Sameric Theatres chain was owned by Sam and Merton Shapiro. The name “Sameric” came from Sam Shapiro, and his grandson Eric, who died in 1971.
RKO Stanley Warner’s Midway theatre was owned by Sam Shapiro, so was RKO Stanley Warner’s Uptown Theatre.
Today, the legacy of Budco Theatres and Sam & Merton Shapiro’s Sameric Theatres lives on as AMC Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group Theatres.
These stores, including Rite Aid, and offices were built right in the Parkwood Theatre building. I lived in Parkwood back in 1973-90 when this theatre was opened and when this conversion to stores and offices took place.
I never disputed the that this theatre was a Budco Theatre. Before 1974, The Inquirer didn’t list the Budco Theatres as “Budco xxxx”, they listed them as “xxxx”.
They didn’t do this for General Cinema until 1975, they were listed from 1970 to 1975 as “Cinema xxxx” or “xxxx Cinema”, but it confused someone who would think a particular theatre was owned by Budco Theatres or General Cinema Corporation.
The only reason the Sameric Theatres were listed as “Eric xxxx” is because they had the Eric name on the front of their theatre, with the exception of the King Theatre and the Terminal Theatre, not counting the center city theatres.
The former REG Crossbay I 3 Theatre is closed. The REG Crossbay II 7 Theatre is still open, and as on 8/25/2005, was showing: The 40 Year Old Virgin, Red Eye, Valiant, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, Four Brothers, The Great Raid, and The Skeleton Key.