Midway Theatre
1835 E. Allegheny Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19134
1835 E. Allegheny Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19134
6 people
favorited this theater
The Midway Theatre opened on December 24, 1932, designed by the firm of Magaziner, Eberhard, and Harris for Samuel Shapiro. Besides a 2,727-seat movie theater, the building housed offices, stores, and a restaurant. It stood on Allegheny Avenue near Kensington Avenue.
The Art Deco-style theatre featured a large vertical sign rising over a gear-like semi-circular marquee (later replaced by a simple triangular-shaped marquee).
The Midway Theatre lasted into the 1970’s, and was torn down in 1979. A Burger King was later built on the site.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 33 comments)
earlaney, did the ushers wear uniforms? would you please describe them?
Yes,we wore uniforms and carried flashlights. I remember during the time I worked there (1956) they exchanged our old uniforms for a new “modern” style uniform. If I remember correctly, we went from a short jacket with a bow tie to a suit length jacket with a regular tie. I believe they were dark blue. We used to change our clothes in one of the old dressing rooms behind the stage on an upper floor.
We were still wearing those heavy, hot, woolen jackets in the late 60s when I started working there! They had gold braid, brass buttons with the “SW” logo on them (for Stanley-Warner)and a gold SW shoulder patch. No matter how many times we took them to the cleaners, we couldn’t get rid of their odd, musty smell. In the early 70s, they bought us some great new (and lightweight) black tuxedo jackets with thin black satin lapels. Those were a welcome change! I still have a few of the original uniform’s brass buttons & a patch, too… somewhere!
Here is a 1967 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c936nk
Great photo. I remember the Midway well. I was working there as an assistant manager in 1967.
Here is a July 1979 photo from Temple U:
http://tinyurl.com/yfuk83h
Mr. DeLorca is correct, the Midway closed in 1977. I too worked at that Theater until the final day. If memory serves, Mr. Delorca was a “Dead Ringer” for another employee of the Midway by the name of Willard Pierce. Good times, Good times.
Noah Boddy
The cashier was Betty and the projectionist was George. Anyone else remember the staff in 1977?
And so what happened to that staff as well as so many others????
Amd what happened to the operatoers union?????
Mr. DeLorca, what happened to Betty the cashier; I wunder