Leader Theatre
4102-4104 Lancaster Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19104
4102-4104 Lancaster Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19104
1 person
favorited this theater
The Leader Theatre opened on October 23, 1912, designed by architect John D. Allen with seating for 1,000. Originally a legitimate house, the Leader later became a movie house. The theater was remodeled in the early 1920’s and again in 1935, this time by John Eberson.
The Leader closed in 1968 and later housed the Philadelphia Police Athletic League. It currently serves as a grocery store.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
I went to college in West Philadelphia. I probably walked by this building numerous times, not realizing it was a theater at one time. That part of Lancaster Avenue wasn’t the best neighborhood in the early eighties. I don’t know what it’s like now.
Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/23yzra
That photo is simliar to the thumbnail photo on this website which is circa 1945.
What have they done?
http://tinyurl.com/nx8fvd
Having fun?
I was there the last day it was open. A triple feature of Horror films. After the new sensation, Night of the Living Dead, a gang fight broke out. The last movie theater on Lancaster Ave was closed for good. Psycho, Jason and the argonaughts, Planet of the Apes, From Russia with Love and Thunderball. Bonnie and Clyde all seen on that giant screen.
Thanks Al for the story.
Thanks Al,Know you miss it.
I used to live a block away on Preston Street. Went here many times in 40’s and 50’s. Remember seeing The Blackboard Jungle here and when Rock around the Clock came on, the kids got up and danced in the aisles. Saw live stage shows here, one thaT COMES TO MIND WAS fRANKIE lYMAN AND THE jUNIORS IN 1956. They used to run Looney Tune cartoon festivals on Saturday afternoons for 25 cents many hours of cartoons. Remember when admission price was 16 cents for kids under 12. Used to sneak up on the balcony as it was normally closed. At Halloween they would run a triple feature of Frankenstein…Dracula…The Wolfman all original Universal classics. Had good memories of the place. Went back recently. From the front you would never know it was once a movie theater, but if you go around on 41st street the original bldg stillstands as does the rear, complete with the emergency fire escapes at balcony level.
In addition to the Leader during the 50’s when I was a kid growing up in West Philly we had the nearby Colonial at 42nd Lancaster; The Casino at 39th Haverford off Lancaster;The Unique at 36th Haverford;The Eureka at 39th Market St;The Fans between 40th and 41st Market;The Commodore at 43rd Walnut. And there was always 52nd street area with a lot of movie houses. Life was good, before TV.