The Capitol was still standing in 1985 when fire swept through the three-story building next door. The address for the burned building (on the corner of Atlantic and Maryland) is given in the Press story as 821 Atlantic, which would make 819 or 817 a likely address for the theater. The theater in the picture accompanying the fire story is the small one seen in the photo linked in 2010. All of the buildings in that picture are gone except for the one signed as Lou’s Bar, which is a restaurant numbered 805.
Last day for the Savar was October 27, 1964, with a double bill of “Bikini Beach” and “Marnie.” Two days later the Courier-Post reported that the Stanley was up for sale, heralding the end of first-class exhibition in downtown Camden.
First reopening as the Towne Cinema was March 26, 1969 with “The Fixer;” listings stop on September 7, 1970 with “Watermelon Man” and “The Liberation of L.B. Jones.” After the June 1971 reopening, the final listing in the Press was November 9, 1971, with “A Stranger in Town” and “The Stranger Returns.” Date of the fire was July 29, 1975.
An Inquirer story on May 26, 1973 reported that the Logan had been sold by RKO Stanley Warner Theaters, Inc., to The Deliverance Evangelistic Association, Inc., for $350,000. The article noted that the once-vast Stanley Warner real estate holdings within the city limits had been reduced to three theaters–the Astor, Benn and Center, with the company operating the Midway and perhaps others under lease. In total the chain still had about a dozen houses in the region, compared to 74 for Budco and 50 for Sameric.
Sold to local chain Town Square Entertainment for $1,350,000. They hope to be showing movies here by summer. Inquirer.com story with vintage and recent pictures here.
Not easy to read the marquee from that angle, but my best guess for the program is “Jungle Fighters” and “Battle of the Bulge,” which played the Clark on November 13, 1969.
This page says that the theater was donated to the Laramie Main Street organization in 2019. There were hopes for revitalization but the page shows no updates since 2020.
A long-term threat to the theater: the 76ers are proposing a basketball arena on its site. A long way off, though, if it ever even happens. Inquirer story here.
Jules Mastbaum, president of the Stanley Company of America, bought the Bijou from B.F. Keith’s estate on January 25, 1922, according to a story in the next day’s Inquirer. The purchase was made in Mastbaum’s own name, not by Stanley. Mastbaum was quoted as saying that he believed that the 8th Street Tenderloin district would improve significantly when the Delaware River bridge was completed in 1926. From everything I’ve seen, it didn’t work out that way.
There are Inquirer ads for the Walton after August 1980–the last one I find is on January 27, 1981, with “Dragon vs. Needles of Death” and “Cathy’s Curse” as the features. From an Inquirer picture, the 1989 windstorm tore a gaping hole in the building at second-floor level; the damage was likely enough to require demolition.
“The price paid by Affiliated Theatres Circuit, Inc., for the premises 1453-55 N. 52d St., purchased for the proposed new Adelphi Theatre to be built on the site, was $35,000, it was revealed yesterday when the deed was recorded.” –Inquirer, June 30, 1938. The Adelphi was open and advertising by the end of the year, so it must have gone from proposed to reality fairly quickly.
Not to be confused with the New Lyric in the Germantown section, whose marquee read simply “Lyric” and which was also demolished after a fire in the 1970s.
More like a maisonette…
The Capitol was still standing in 1985 when fire swept through the three-story building next door. The address for the burned building (on the corner of Atlantic and Maryland) is given in the Press story as 821 Atlantic, which would make 819 or 817 a likely address for the theater. The theater in the picture accompanying the fire story is the small one seen in the photo linked in 2010. All of the buildings in that picture are gone except for the one signed as Lou’s Bar, which is a restaurant numbered 805.
Building gets preliminary recommendation for Chicago Landmark status. Just the start of a long process. Block Club Chicago story here.
Back in operation today (9/16) with a Mexican Independence Day event. Rock River Current story here.
Restoration may be in the Sedgwick’s future. Hidden City Philadelphia story here.
Unauthorized rave attempted last weekend; didn’t last long. Block Club Chicago story here.
When you go to the drive-in, be sure to drive out: Someone left a car at the Mendon after the show. Boston.com story here.
One of Google Maps' less charming features is calling roads by numbers that hardly anyone uses. Real address here is 408 South Main Street.
Last day for the Savar was October 27, 1964, with a double bill of “Bikini Beach” and “Marnie.” Two days later the Courier-Post reported that the Stanley was up for sale, heralding the end of first-class exhibition in downtown Camden.
Probably circa September 17, 1960, with Richard Burton in “Ice Palace” and “Trapped in Tangiers” as the features.
First reopening as the Towne Cinema was March 26, 1969 with “The Fixer;” listings stop on September 7, 1970 with “Watermelon Man” and “The Liberation of L.B. Jones.” After the June 1971 reopening, the final listing in the Press was November 9, 1971, with “A Stranger in Town” and “The Stranger Returns.” Date of the fire was July 29, 1975.
An Inquirer story on May 26, 1973 reported that the Logan had been sold by RKO Stanley Warner Theaters, Inc., to The Deliverance Evangelistic Association, Inc., for $350,000. The article noted that the once-vast Stanley Warner real estate holdings within the city limits had been reduced to three theaters–the Astor, Benn and Center, with the company operating the Midway and perhaps others under lease. In total the chain still had about a dozen houses in the region, compared to 74 for Budco and 50 for Sameric.
IMDB dates “Angelitos Negros” with Pedro Infante to 1948.
Sold to local chain Town Square Entertainment for $1,350,000. They hope to be showing movies here by summer. Inquirer.com story with vintage and recent pictures here.
Not easy to read the marquee from that angle, but my best guess for the program is “Jungle Fighters” and “Battle of the Bulge,” which played the Clark on November 13, 1969.
This page says that the theater was donated to the Laramie Main Street organization in 2019. There were hopes for revitalization but the page shows no updates since 2020.
The redevelopment will be a five-story building with 20 residential units and street-level retail. Block Club Chicago story here.
A long-term threat to the theater: the 76ers are proposing a basketball arena on its site. A long way off, though, if it ever even happens. Inquirer story here.
April 7-9, 1950.
Jules Mastbaum, president of the Stanley Company of America, bought the Bijou from B.F. Keith’s estate on January 25, 1922, according to a story in the next day’s Inquirer. The purchase was made in Mastbaum’s own name, not by Stanley. Mastbaum was quoted as saying that he believed that the 8th Street Tenderloin district would improve significantly when the Delaware River bridge was completed in 1926. From everything I’ve seen, it didn’t work out that way.
Visible on the left at 5:50 or so in the videos (colorized and B&W versions) on this page. Circa June 13, 1952.
Last ad for this one appears to be October 31, 1972, with “Kansas City Bomber” and “Skyjacked” as the features.
There are Inquirer ads for the Walton after August 1980–the last one I find is on January 27, 1981, with “Dragon vs. Needles of Death” and “Cathy’s Curse” as the features. From an Inquirer picture, the 1989 windstorm tore a gaping hole in the building at second-floor level; the damage was likely enough to require demolition.
“The price paid by Affiliated Theatres Circuit, Inc., for the premises 1453-55 N. 52d St., purchased for the proposed new Adelphi Theatre to be built on the site, was $35,000, it was revealed yesterday when the deed was recorded.” –Inquirer, June 30, 1938. The Adelphi was open and advertising by the end of the year, so it must have gone from proposed to reality fairly quickly.
Not to be confused with the New Lyric in the Germantown section, whose marquee read simply “Lyric” and which was also demolished after a fire in the 1970s.