Randolph Theatre
1116 Chestnut Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19107
1116 Chestnut Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19107
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 61 of 61 comments
My earliest movie-memory is going to see a re-run of Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” that my mother took me to on a Tuesday. When we came out of the theater it was dark—unusual since we hardly ever went anywhere during the week, and especially after dark. This was in the late 1940s. I still recall the long, narrowish lobby (yellow lights?).
The Randolph was named for William Goldman’s son, who died in infancy.
I have an opening date of 10th November 1902 for the Keith’s Theatre.
It was re-named Randolph Theatre and re-opened on 24th December 1949.
The Randolph was also one of the very few theatres in the Northeast that used 4 projectors for 3-D projection. Its ads for stereoscopic films in the early 1950’s always proudly stated “No Intermission!” There is also anecdotal evidence that the Randolph was one of the theatres to which Paramount leased horizontal VistaVision projectors for the roadshow “Ten Commandments” engagement in 1956.
William Goldman created William Goldman Theatres Co. when he built The Goldman Theatre and purchased The Karlton Theatre from Stanley Warner Theatres, which was renamed “Midtown Theatre”. I believe it was William Goldman who sold the theatre chain to Budco Theatres (which is known today as J.P. Morgan Chase’s AMC Theatres)
William Goldman also owned the Midtown and Goldman Theatres in Center City. I worked at these theatres in the late 60’s and early 70’s while in High School. Anybody out there who also worked there. Two of the managers I remberer are Mr. Norman Gordon at the Midtown and Charlie Wood at the Goldman.
Andy P
It was 2 years after the Randolph closed when Budco Theatres acquired both the William Goldman Theatre Co. and the Hatboro Theatre. today, Budco’s legacy and theatres survives in the AMC Orleans 8 and the AMC 309 Cinema 9 Theatres, as well as the independent Bryn Mawr Twin Theatre.
Dennis
Yes Budco did purchase the William Goldman company, but many years after the Randolph closed. They showed all the MGM Cinerama movies with Gone With The Wind in 67-68 after The Grand Prix. After Ice Station Zebra, they showed the X film I A Woman Part 2. Hello Dolly opened there March 25, 1970 and played through the summer when it went non reserved seat. Tora Tora Tora was the last film that played. Yes, they still had there Cinerama screen when the theater closed.
Mike
If my memory serves me correctly, Budco Theatres purchased the William Goldman Theatre Co. Budco operated many suburban theatres in the Philadelphia and surrounding counties. However, they did not operate any center city theatres until they purchased Goldman theatres. Budco was eventually purchased by AMC Theatres. The Randolph Theatres was converted to Cinerama in 1967. It’s first Cinerama film I believe was “Grand Prix.” It also played “Ice Station Zebra” and “2001.” I believe the Cinerama Screen was still in the theatre when it closed with the roadshow engagement of “Tora, Tora, Tora.”
After The William Goldman Theatre Co. (Later known as Budco Theatres) remodeled the Keith Theatre into the Randolph Theatre, they added 227 seats to make it 2500 seats.
The Randolph Theatre seated 2500 people.