Royal Theatre
1524 South Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19146
1524 South Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19146
4 people
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Showing 23 comments
Sadly it’s being demolished as we speak, with only the Facade remaining: http://hiddencityphila.org/2017/02/a-royal-loss-on-south-street/
Another step toward the demolition.
Bill introduced in City Council for a zoning change that would facilitate the facadectomy. Story at PlanPhilly.
As they say over at fark.com, “This is not a repeat from 2011”: Yet another news story about how there’s nothing new with the Royal and the neighbors are continuing to be ticked off.
Owner proposing demolition of auditorium: http://planphilly.com/articles/2013/05/30/universal-seeks-ok-to-demolish-most-of-royal-theater
Below is from today (July 9, 2012) Philadelphia Inquirer article on South Street:
The other major sore spot is the abandoned Royal Theater owned by Kenny Gamble’s Universal Companies.
“In another couple of years, the building will fall over,” said Feibush of OCF Realty. “It’s in terrible shape. It can be fixed. A dozen developers would love to turn it into something beautiful.” So far, Gamble’s group has only proposed leaving the facade up and building houses behind it, Feibush said, and the community rejected that plan.
Universal Companies did not return several calls for comment.
Another news story about how there’s nothing new with the Royal and the neighbors are starting to get ticked off.
This article includes a picture of the theater and a mention that the current plan for the theater is apparently conversion to residential use, although it doesn’t go into detail about what form that residential space might take (the theater is not the sole focus of the piece).
Some interesting 2009 photos here:
http://tinyurl.com/2ds9327
The Royal was one of a list of segregated Philadelphia theaters in the 1947 IMPA, along with the Booker, Dixie, Colonial, Douglas, Globe, Joy, New Garden, New Jewel, Pearl, Rex, Ruby, Standard, Strand and Upsal.
Found my program. “Seven Descents” played at the Walnut Theatre. The play was later revised as “Kingdom of Earth”.
Here is another view of the Royal:
http://tinyurl.com/yz5fkzw
I remember when I used to come into Philly in the ‘70s I would park my car somewhere down and over from South St., one of the few places you could leave it overnight.
Thus I used to walk by the Royal quite often and always noted the letters gradually falling off the “Last of the Mobile Hot Shots” title, apparently (and appropriately) the Royal’s final film attraction.
It seemed incredibly symbolic and poignant to me at the time.
Also especially meaningful because I had seen the original Tennessee Williams play, “The Seven Descents of Myrtle” with Estelle Parsons, during its Philadelphia try-out. It played a few blocks over from the Royal at that legit theater right next to the Academy of Music. (I think that theater was later turned into a restaurant. I still have the theater program somewhere).
These Temple photos brought back a lot of memories.
Do these comments mean the Royal is still there, and perhaps is being restored?
Here are some early 70s photos from Temple U:
http://tinyurl.com/yzjvj9g
http://tinyurl.com/yfcozbw
http://tinyurl.com/yzzh5k2
Here is the map view. I will be in Philly in a couple of months, and I look forward to checking out the building in person.
http://tinyurl.com/yjjpq7t
The Royal can be seen in this 1978 photo from Temple U
http://tinyurl.com/yh5ogyu
Here is an interesting site with some photos:
http://tinyurl.com/dj7sa4
The theater can be seen on Google maps. The front of the buildng has been painted with murals showing the theater’s past. Very interesting,
I see a lot of articles on the internet about the revival of this stretch of South Street. If anyone knows of any recent renovation efforts for the Royal, let me know. Thanks.
I should correct that statement as the crime took place in 1967, which would jibe with Chuck’s closing date.
The manager in the early 70s was one Herman Hall, if anyone is interested:
http://tinyurl.com/2jav7b
It looks like there was an effort to redevelop the theater a few years ago. Here is an article on this subject:
http://tinyurl.com/jlkvc
I remember this theater from the early 1980s. It was an abandoned hulk by then.