Kent Theatre
2449 Kensington Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19125
2449 Kensington Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19125
3 people
favorited this theater
The People’s Theatre originally opened in 1890, seating over 2,200, and was located on Kensington Avenue. In 1914, Thomas Lamb was hired to remodel the theater, and its seating was reduced to about 1,930 at this time. In 1927, the firm of Hoffman & Henon remodeled the theater again. From 1924-26, the People’s was renamed the Desmond, and in 1927, it became the Kent. The theater closed during the 1960’s and was demolished sometime in the 1990’s.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 19 comments)
I spent more hours of my childhood at The Kent, than anywhere else. The post above that mentions “Uncle Jack” and the “Lucky Buck” brought back wonderful memories. It did have a stadium-seating balcony, which started at the floor. You could walk up from inside the theater, or via a back staircase in the lobby, that took you to the top of the balcony, where you could walk down. A few row up was a large clock, that many kids wanted to sit behind. What a shame that it’s gone.
Back during the Reagan years when his ill-advised economic policies were rapidly transforming once thriving Kensington into looking like bombed out Beirut overnight, and I do mean that quite literally, I wrote a song about it at the time called “They’re May As Well Have Been a War.” In the song I make reference to a once glorious movie theater all boarded up, its marquee sign shattered amid the rubble and debris of a once happy place. The Kent was that theater.
…And I meant to say, “There May As Well Have Been a War,” sorry about that!
There are 13 images for viewing on the Philadelphia Architects and Buildings site. Don’t try to expand the thumbnails without a subscription:
http://tinyurl.com/2g875d
Here are two expanded views, from the Irvin Glazer collection:
http://tinyurl.com/youqw2
http://tinyurl.com/2euers
Here is a shot of the Kent marquee, long after closing.
Great photos,bring back a lot of memories in that building.So does the name george mariner,I remember you from Visitation.Oh man what a long time ago..
The Kent Theatre was demolished in 1989, not 1990. I watched the theatre be demolished.
Wow! So, something reminded me of the Kent Theater in Philly where I grew up so I Googled it and happened across this terrific site.
I loved reading all the prior posts and especially the photos.
Yes, most Saturday afternoons included the Matinée at the beautiful Kent where, at least when I went, one would enjoy the Coming Attractions, Three Stooges, 20 Cartoons and a movie such as King Kong, Dracula, Frankenstein, The King and I, “etcetera, etcetera, etcetera”. I remember “Mr. Levy” was in charge. I attended the Visitation B.V.M as well and did get up on stage after winning one of those “Lucky Bucks” one Saturday. Great memories, great Theater!
Hi i was wondering if someone could help me. My mom has a full 92 piece set of dishes that are from when the kent theater did a giveaway dish night as im seeing it was called. The only thing is we cant find nothing on these dishes. Her grandmother gave them to my grandmother who passed them down to her and she wanted to know if anyone had any info or where i could maybe find something on them ive been searching all over and cant find anything. The like a cream color wit 18k gold trim around them and stamped onto the bottom of each piece says Georgelyn Sunset Canonsburg Pottery Co. Ive searched all over with this info i have and cant seem to find anything someone help me please thank you
Moviegoer1 – I have the EXACT same set. It was my grandmothers who lived on Somerset St years ago. I was a movie projectionist and in 1985 a friend of mine and I were actually looking to buy the building from a doctor who owned it down in South Philly. It just needed too much work. I worked at the TLA and 22 other theatres in Philly from 1978 to 2003. I used to go to the kent when I was very young… I think “Batman” was one of the last films there!