Friends of the Boyd have had several hundred people show up to support our cause many times, including various film fundraisers at International House, and at one particular tour. We’ve received tons of letters, emails, and other communications in support, and have a mailing list in the thousands. There’s no question that the public overwhelmingly supports our cause.
Friends of the Boyd have long advocated that movie premieres, a film classic series, and film festivals be hosted at the Boyd. To operate in the black, the Boyd will need to host live shows. 1st run movies will play at 1st run movie theaters- which is no longer the Boyd’s role. Huge, ornate movie palaces in most US cities primarily host live shows, and sometimes a film series.
As LuisV knows so well, most movie palaces nationwide don’t show daily movies anymore. Gorgeous movie palaces, like the Boyd, are restored & reopened primarily for live shows.
Friends of the Boyd, Inc did print up some T shirts this year. We offered some for sale to our supporters. Considering the printing costs, we’d need sell 10 million T shirts in order to restore the Boyd! So, City & state funding and major donors, really is needed.
I’ve long wanted to place one or more image of the Boyd on a poster. I’m not aware of any movie palace that’s on a poster.
LuisV, I appreciate your comments.
Philadelphia has not completed the process of landmarking the Boyd’s exterior (all it can legally protect unless a new bill is passed next month). A recommendation was made in favor by the Designation Committee. A vote is scheduled August 8 at the Phila. Historical Commission.
In NYC, on 42nd Street the Harris facade is the entry to Madame Tussard’s. The Empire was moved a short distance, and its former interior (auditorium) is the grand lobby of the AMC Empire multiplex.
The New Amsterdam is the crown jewel, an Art Nouveau masterpiece whose restoration & reopening kicked off the renewal of Times Square. I certainly hope that when the time comes- and we are working towards it, when the Boyd reopens, that it will greatly help Philadelphia, too, and especially Chestnut Street West.
The ADA often will require elevators, accessible seating, etc. but fundamentally is consistent with a restoration.
As to this above post:
According to a Crain’s article the Jam/Freed partnership is required by court order to place $5M in an escrow account 30 days after being awarded title and have a renovation financing plan in place 90 days after that. Renovation is required to be complete in about 2 and a half years.
The Crain’s article quotes somebody as stating that, but it seems unrealistic that $5 mil will be put in escow, that a renovation financing plan will be in place within 90 days, and iffy as to the 2.5 year timetable. Substantial public funding takes time to obtain.
Movie theaters today are multiplexes. Friends of the Boyd do include in our mission to have a film series at the Boyd, but it will need to primarily rely upon live events.
JodarMovieFan was right. I simply wasn’t used to the Bridge selling out afternoon shows. Yesterday, before departing, I purchased for today’s 3 PM. Today those 3 PM & 3 PM screenings were again sold out, but I was in the audience, enjoying 35mm. Unfortunately, Roloff is correct and there won’t be any more new films in 70mm.
I showed up 45 minutes before 3 PM showing today at largest auditorium at Philadelphia’s Bridge /theaters/10911/ “The Dark Knight” was also scheduled for 3:30 PM in the 2nd largest auditorium. Ticket sellers told crowds of us disappointed customers that it was sold out for both screenings!
Don, “from personal experience”? Have you visited this theater?
If the town bought the theater to refurbish it, are you telling them to forget it? That would be disappointing for cinema treasures fans to do that, don’t you think?
Reading Terry Wade’s comment above, I though “oh, my goodness, we might as well forget about showing film at the Boyd in Philadelphia if the Fox in Atlanta has also given up!” so I was greatly relieved when I read that a 35mm print was shown! I’ve heard so much about the Fox that I’d find it hard to believe they’d show a DVD of a classic. So far as I know, digital movies like Enchanted are available in 2k or 4k but only new movies- not classics.
Enchanted was shown in 2k or 4k rather than DVD, right?
And, yes, let’s hope a wonderful 70mm print of Ben Hur is issued for its 50th!
The Boyd is structurally sound! Architects, engineers, etc have verified that repeatedly including this year. Now, I have to take a break from answering questions as it has been tremendous (volunteer) work to obtain today’s giant step towards legal protection,and all the rest we are doing.
We have materials that name them and at some point, I can look for the names. Interesting is the purpose of them. That decor exists because the auditorium and proscenium arch are wonderfully wide- one reason the Boyd was selected in 1953 to host Cinerama. That decoration helps to visually make the auditorium seem not too wide.
The side chandeliers are indeed very nice. All the original light fixtures are currently off site in storage, waiting for restoration to get back on track.
photo of exterior:
View link
Photos of neighbor Belasco Theatre being converted now into a nightclub:
View link
Friends of the Boyd have had several hundred people show up to support our cause many times, including various film fundraisers at International House, and at one particular tour. We’ve received tons of letters, emails, and other communications in support, and have a mailing list in the thousands. There’s no question that the public overwhelmingly supports our cause.
Friends of the Boyd have long advocated that movie premieres, a film classic series, and film festivals be hosted at the Boyd. To operate in the black, the Boyd will need to host live shows. 1st run movies will play at 1st run movie theaters- which is no longer the Boyd’s role. Huge, ornate movie palaces in most US cities primarily host live shows, and sometimes a film series.
As LuisV knows so well, most movie palaces nationwide don’t show daily movies anymore. Gorgeous movie palaces, like the Boyd, are restored & reopened primarily for live shows.
Friends of the Boyd, Inc did print up some T shirts this year. We offered some for sale to our supporters. Considering the printing costs, we’d need sell 10 million T shirts in order to restore the Boyd! So, City & state funding and major donors, really is needed.
I’ve long wanted to place one or more image of the Boyd on a poster. I’m not aware of any movie palace that’s on a poster.
NHU, this is one of the most magnfificient movie palaces ever built in the US. These projects take time, and funding.
LuisV, I appreciate your comments.
Philadelphia has not completed the process of landmarking the Boyd’s exterior (all it can legally protect unless a new bill is passed next month). A recommendation was made in favor by the Designation Committee. A vote is scheduled August 8 at the Phila. Historical Commission.
In NYC, on 42nd Street the Harris facade is the entry to Madame Tussard’s. The Empire was moved a short distance, and its former interior (auditorium) is the grand lobby of the AMC Empire multiplex.
The New Amsterdam is the crown jewel, an Art Nouveau masterpiece whose restoration & reopening kicked off the renewal of Times Square. I certainly hope that when the time comes- and we are working towards it, when the Boyd reopens, that it will greatly help Philadelphia, too, and especially Chestnut Street West.
I believe the Uptown will be gorgeously restored and reopened! I just doubt the items mentioned in the Crain’s article.
The ADA often will require elevators, accessible seating, etc. but fundamentally is consistent with a restoration.
As to this above post:
According to a Crain’s article the Jam/Freed partnership is required by court order to place $5M in an escrow account 30 days after being awarded title and have a renovation financing plan in place 90 days after that. Renovation is required to be complete in about 2 and a half years.
The Crain’s article quotes somebody as stating that, but it seems unrealistic that $5 mil will be put in escow, that a renovation financing plan will be in place within 90 days, and iffy as to the 2.5 year timetable. Substantial public funding takes time to obtain.
Movie theaters today are multiplexes. Friends of the Boyd do include in our mission to have a film series at the Boyd, but it will need to primarily rely upon live events.
Nobody is going to replicate original 1920s Art Deco, which is one reason why it is so important to save, restore and reopen the Boyd!
More photos including interior photos of large auditorium here:
http://oldcinemas.webplex.co.uk/westonsupermare/
photo this month by Roloff:
View link
fascinating photo by Roloff of plan showing additional auditoriums symmetrically arranged around original mother auditorium:
View link
Photo of world permiere of The Dark Knight here and many more on flickr:
View link
Thanks to Roloff for his photos this month, exterior & interior:
View link
JodarMovieFan was right. I simply wasn’t used to the Bridge selling out afternoon shows. Yesterday, before departing, I purchased for today’s 3 PM. Today those 3 PM & 3 PM screenings were again sold out, but I was in the audience, enjoying 35mm. Unfortunately, Roloff is correct and there won’t be any more new films in 70mm.
Photo of exterior:
View link
Lit up at night:
View link
View link
auditorium:
View link
View link
View link
Photos of the exterior, all from the last few years:
View link
details of the exterior:
View link
View link
View link
old projector:
View link
Auditorium photo apparently taken today
View link
Is that one of the two largest auditoriums?
Lot of good it did me!
I showed up 45 minutes before 3 PM showing today at largest auditorium at Philadelphia’s Bridge /theaters/10911/ “The Dark Knight” was also scheduled for 3:30 PM in the 2nd largest auditorium. Ticket sellers told crowds of us disappointed customers that it was sold out for both screenings!
Congrats to Warners.
Don, “from personal experience”? Have you visited this theater?
If the town bought the theater to refurbish it, are you telling them to forget it? That would be disappointing for cinema treasures fans to do that, don’t you think?
Reading Terry Wade’s comment above, I though “oh, my goodness, we might as well forget about showing film at the Boyd in Philadelphia if the Fox in Atlanta has also given up!” so I was greatly relieved when I read that a 35mm print was shown! I’ve heard so much about the Fox that I’d find it hard to believe they’d show a DVD of a classic. So far as I know, digital movies like Enchanted are available in 2k or 4k but only new movies- not classics.
Enchanted was shown in 2k or 4k rather than DVD, right?
And, yes, let’s hope a wonderful 70mm print of Ben Hur is issued for its 50th!
The Boyd is structurally sound! Architects, engineers, etc have verified that repeatedly including this year. Now, I have to take a break from answering questions as it has been tremendous (volunteer) work to obtain today’s giant step towards legal protection,and all the rest we are doing.
We have materials that name them and at some point, I can look for the names. Interesting is the purpose of them. That decor exists because the auditorium and proscenium arch are wonderfully wide- one reason the Boyd was selected in 1953 to host Cinerama. That decoration helps to visually make the auditorium seem not too wide.
The side chandeliers are indeed very nice. All the original light fixtures are currently off site in storage, waiting for restoration to get back on track.