Hollywood Theatre

2846 N. 22nd Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19132

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Additional Info

Functions: Laundromat

Previous Names: Apollo Theatre, Elrae Theatre

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September 2011 courtesy of Len Davidson

Irvin R. Glazer’s hardback book on Philadelphia theatres specifies that this theatre was built as the Apollo Theatre in 1912, and in 1923 it was refurbished, including a new organ to accompany silent features, and renamed Elrae Theatre. In October 1935, the theatre became the Hollywood Theatre. It closed on March 11, 1950 with Humphrey Bogart in “Tokyo Joe”. It became the New Hollywood Cleaners in 1951. As of 2020, Google Street View shows there is still a vertical sign that says ‘Hollywood’, on the building, a rarity in these days for former Philadelphia movie theatres.

A photograph in the photo section of this theatre shows 12 members of the Philadelphia Athletics baseball team appearing live at the Hollywood Theatre in 1936 to give away free baseballs at a showing of “There’s Always Tomorrow”. The Jack H. Greenberg and Melvin Fox chains were among its operators.

Contributed by RickB, Howard B. Haas

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

JayFarrell
JayFarrell on October 3, 2020 at 7:33 pm

Philadelphia zoning document archives indicate the conversion to a dry cleaner/tailor occurred circa 1951, earlier than previously believed.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/lni-zoning-pdfs/219-47931.pdf

RickB
RickB on October 4, 2020 at 2:31 pm

Last Inquirer listing for the Hollywood looks like March 11, 1950, with “Tokyo Joe” on the screen.

Jake Bottero
Jake Bottero on May 22, 2021 at 3:48 pm

Currently a dry cleaner.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on September 23, 2023 at 6:14 am

This house is one of two listed as the Elrae Theatre in the 1926 Film Daily Year Book, the other being the former Apollo and future Ritz Theatre on Orthodox Street. The name Elrae is a reversed spelling of the name Earle, and it is possible that financier George C. Earle had something to do with these two houses.

In 1923 Earle financed the construction of the movie palace that opened in 1924 bearing his name. At least one early report about that project said that it was to be named the Elrae Theatre in his honor, but somehow that name ended up on these two lesser theaters instead. It’s a bit sad that though the buildings these two neighborhood houses occupied have survived all these decades, the splendid Earle was demolished less than thirty years after opening its doors.

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