Green Hill Theatre

Don’t laugh! Years ago 1958 to be exact my boyfriend (now husband) and I used to go to the Greenhill to see the “Carry On” British films. We thought they were hysterical. Anyway, one particular night during the movie, my “boyfriend” put his arm around me. In no time the usher sauntered down the aisle, tapped my “boyfriend” on the shoulder and said, “We’ll have none of that.” We laughed all the way home.

The Green Hill specialized only in British comedies during the 50’s (possibly even earlier). Lots of Terry Thomas, Peter Sellers, and, as mentioned above, the “Carry On” series. House was basically the only Philadelphia house to run British films until the downtown Trans-Lux latched onto “The Mouse That Roared” in 1959 which ran for weeks on end, after which time distributors were more prone to book UK entries into center city houses.

Here is an item in Boxoffice magazine, October 1963:

PHILADELPHIA-The Greenhill Theater has been selected as site of the American premiere of the new J. Arthur Rank comedy, “A Pair of Briefs”. The date for the premiere is October 16.

Here is a 1988 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/d6vbnl

This is an article that appeared in the 1945 Theatre Catalog on pg.64.
On the western fringe of the Philadelphia city limits, and the first community at the bottom of the famous “Main Line” section of suburban homes, this 750 seat theatre is being constructed by neighborhood interests to serve a high-type clientele which demands conservativiely good taste instead of extreme theatricalism. An irregular lot 120 feet by 155 feet and verging on the triangular was readily adaptable to a theatre plan that would permit an adequate lobby and foyer plus the addition of five stores along the main street which is the heavily traveled Lincoln Highway to the West. Sufficient ground was available to permit an auditorium shaped to create ideal conditions for sound, sight and atmosphere, and still provide adequate parking facilities adjacent to it and on the less desireable areas at the rear. The theatre portion of the building will have a content of 155,000 cubic feet. In compliance with the city’s building code the theatre will be completely fire-proof and possess six emergency exits in addition to the main doors. Above the masonry foundations and concrete flab floor, the walls will be double-thick brick. The two tones of face brick used on the front will be further enhanced by the use of glass, porcelain and stanless steel. An orthodox marquee will provide sufficient changeable letter selling space for the use of large size letters to attract the passing motorist.
Because the entrance doors will be lined up immediately in front of the screen, a motorized curtain at the read of the standee area will eliminate daylight flashed on the screen during matinee performances. The manager’s office and the box office communicate, thereby facilitating the handling of receipts and tickets, and providing greater protection for the cashier and her cash.
This was the descriptionm of this theatre from 1945 so the opening date could not have been 1938 and seating given was 750. The architect listed in the article is W.W. Lee.