Circle Theatre
4650 Frankford Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19124
4650 Frankford Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19124
3 people
favorited this theater
The Circle Theatre opened in 1929, and was designed by the firm of Hoffman & Henon. It seated almost 3,000. The Circle Theatre was Philadelphia’s only Atmospheric style movie theatre.
It closed in the 1950’s. Some of the building has been used for retail. Some of the auditorium decor survives, but is not open to the public.
Contributed by
graememcbain
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 22 comments)
So it was the Circle, as west would have been on the left going north. Thanks.
On May 17, I visited the Circle Theater, which is now owned by one couple, including adjacent 1-story shops. Bong Ho and Sang Koo Park have own the properties encompassing 4648 – 4662 Frankford Ave (which include the Circle) since 1991. I spoke briefly with Sang Koo, who confirmed that the theater exists in some state above the retail outlet. (They have a sporting goods and remaindered electronics business in the former vestibule and lobby spaces.) She even mentioned that the 1929 Kimball theatre organ is still in tact (to some unconfirmed degree).
She was very circumspect and rather suspicious of my interest. (They currently have $90,000 in tax liens against these properties according to the BRT.) A few more visits may be necessary to gain access to the theatre space.
The Kimball organ from the Circle Theatre appears to have been removed and reinstalled in Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Malden, MA sometime in the 1950’s based on this and other links…
http://www.pellandorgan.com/news.htm
I was told an apocryphal story that most of the Stanley-Warner organs (virtually all S-W organs were Kimballs with six notable exceptions) were removed from theatres and stored in the basement of their flagship Mastbaum theatre, and that row after row of Kimball consoles were seen, waiting to be sold off.
Photos 8-21-08 of pinnacle of front facade of Circle by Rob Bender:
View link
Here is an interior photo circa 1929 from the Irvin Glazer theater collection:
http://tinyurl.com/o2s7l5
Anyone interested in PAB photos can sign up for a free account and view the original hi-res photos. PAB website
It would be interesting to see a photo of the original facade of the Circle Theatre. Also a photo of the auditorium and balcony as they exist today. I do know that the present retail stores occupy the theatres former vestibule, lobby, and foyer. I do not beleive that the retail stores extend under the theatres balcony. This area was sealed off as was the rest of the theatre. .
On May 17, 2008, peregrinearts visited the Circle Theatre and Sang Koo Park, one of the Circle’s present owners, mentioned that the 1929 Kimball theatre organ is still intact (to some unconfirmed degree). Eleven days later, diaphon comments that the organ “appears” to have been removed in the 1950’s. Diaphon also comments that he “was told an apocryphal story”, meaning the story is questionable. The Park’s have owned the theatre since 1991. Why would Mrs. Park report that the organ is still intact if in fact it was removed? After seeing the recent photo of the stage and proscenium, it is believable that the organ is still in the Circle!
Perhaps because links don’t auto link, I neglected in June to post this link here of current photo of auditorium facing stage! follow link to photo of lighting control panel, too http://theatrehistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/philadelphias-circle-theatres-atmospheric-auditorium-seen-again/
Thanks for the link Howard!