Goldman Theatre

A little more history. I’m told this was the first large-city house to be built in a major downtown area after WWII.
At any rate, it played mainly “B” product until 1958 when, somehow or other, it secured a roadshow booking of Warners' “Old Man and The Sea.” Though a tremendous boxoffice flop, it brought the Goldman into the realm of classy first-run houses. Months later, the house closed to install a truly heroic-sized screen for 70mm projection, reopening with “Sleeping Beauty.” This particular install with Cinerama-red curtains (a Goldman trademark) was the first of what actually came to be known as “Super Cinerama” design houses. The screen was virtually the entire front wall, deeply curved, with the theatre rows slightly curved in for better sightlines. Over the years, 70mm runs, roadshown, included “Porgy and Bess,” “Spartacus”, and “El Cid,” along with the ‘scope 4-track “Longest Day.” Budco later came in and ruined the house, and I have many snide remarks about what was done to the Goldman elsewhere in the “Philadelphia” theatre section.