Uptown Theater
2501 N. Fourth Street,
Harrisburg,
PA
17110
2501 N. Fourth Street,
Harrisburg,
PA
17110
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I grew up in Lower Paxton township, and, when I was in high school at Central Dauphin, I saw a number of foreign films at the Uptown. In my recollection, during that period (1963-1966), the Uptown only showed foreign films. Here are some films that I recall seeing there: Billy Budd, The Collector, Tom Jones, 8 ½, Juliet of the Spirits, Blow-Up, and A Man and a Woman.
I understood at the time that the Uptown was owned by Robert Mumma, the Pennsy Supply mogul, who was a wealthy guy. When I went to the Uptown it would be on a Friday night, always alone, and I remember that the theater was never very full. There was an audience for foreign films in Harrisburg in those days, but it wasn’t a big audience. I had the impression that the owner wasn’t strongly focused on making a profit on the Uptown. I thought then, and I think now, that the Uptown was the most significant cultural force in the whole Harrisburg area in the mid 1960s.
I consider myself lucky to have been able to see a number of significant foreign films of that period when they were contemporary.
I remember the Broad but I never saw anything there. I think it was generally considered pretty sleazy. It was sort of across the street from the market as I recall. Later turned into some kind of store (furneture?)
My parents used to go to the market and the shopping district. I forget the street names. There was a five-and-ten and a store called Bill’s. There was another movie theater down the street, the Rialto? Never went there either.
I forgot to mention that my dad and grandfather used to take me to the “Broad,” which was a real rathole, even back then. People would run up on the stage while the movie was in progress and the audience would make rude comments during the shows. I used to go to the matinees where I won silver dollars, but I can’t remember what I did to win them.
I lived at 2147 N. 4th St. until I left for the Army in February, 1960. The only movie I remember watching at the Uptown was Auntie Mame (sp), and I saw it three times one day in the company of a pretty blonde. I loved that area of uptown back then, but I digress.
I add to this album of vintage theaters & movie memorabilia from time to time:
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No photo – I wish – but an ad for one of the Uptown’s foreign film screenings:
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Any photos out there?
Don’t forget pretzel sticks in a little cellophane-covered box and chocolate covered raisins.
The lady at the Penway refreshment stand once said I was going to turn into a chocolate-covered raisin!
I really liked the Uptown.
The Uptown was owned/operated by the Rubinsky family. My cousin Jeff and I used to go to the Saturday kids' matinees all the time in the 1950’s. We watched Buster Crabbe serials, Westerns, and cartoons (Casper the Friendly Ghost, Tom and Jerry, etc.). Today Jeff is a TV director/producer in Hollywood. Some favorite snacks were popcorn (of course) in a cardboard box, Jujubees, Rolo bars, Good & Plenty, Goobers.
Downtown theatres included the Senate (right on Market St. Square) and the State Theatre on Market, if memory serves correctly.
Cynthia Melman
I mentioned foreign films at the Uptown and found a Feb. 12, 1956 Uptown newspaper ad for
Jacques Tati’s Hilarious Comedy – “Mr.Hulot’s Holiday,”
“First Harrisburg Showing,” Adults 70c, Students 54c,
Today From 2.00 PM. “Explodes with Merriment” – New York Times
UPTOWN Fourth and Schuykill – Free Parking
I remember when the Uptown opened it was an impressive state-of-the-art theater for Harrisburg. There was an “isolation booth” for crying babies at the back of the theater.
In the ‘50s I also seem to remember them showing foreign and off-beat films.
There were other uptown theaters in Harrisburg that I recall. The Broad (near the Broad St. market and shopping district and not quite reputable), the Rialto, and the National. None of these are mentioned here in Cinema Treasures.
I grew up with the Uptown Theater. Between 1950 and 1960, spring I attended every showing on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Iloved the serials. I bought M&Ms dfor anickel for each performance and opened them only when the movie began. I lived on 5th and seneca streets and walked each time and stayed with the repeats until 5 each time. they were the happiest days of my life. On special showing like the movies The Day the Earth Stood Still My mother let me go in the evning on a school night. On Sundays I walked home and paused at the medical building at 4th and Seneca. I stopped going when I had to attend senior high at William Penn, and I had too much homework. I oved that theater still today. Gerald Rubin, the
Dennis…My Fair Lady played at the Uptown for 12 weeks back. Dennis I remember the Eric as well. I see Doctor Doolittle there. Within the last year it has been demolished. It closed sometime in the mid 90’s and was used for storage. Did you see my post on the King in Lancaster?
John: Dennis from Lancaster. Can I jog your memory about this theatre? I was never there, but didn’t this theatre have a reserved seat engagement of “My Fair Lady” back in 1965? I vaguely remember “MFL” playing here during the time that “Sound of Music” was playing in 70mm reserved seats at the Eric in East Park Center? I know “SOM” played for almost a year, but I do not think “MFL” played that long at the Uptown. I just remember at the time being impressed that two theatres were playing reserved seat engagements and I thought Harrisburg had it “the big time.” I was still traveling to Philadelphia to see the reserved seat showings!