Boyd Theatre

Glenn M, i seem to remember a Brookline theatre outside of Philly outside. I would suggest trying to get a copy of Irving Glazer’s “Philadelphia Theatres” at the library (very rare). Next time I’m at a the only branch of Camden County libraries that has a copy, I will look it up for you. There are tons of theatres that are not on c.t., simply because no one has posted the information

To veyoung or anyone else,

My father was a projectionist (IATSE) in Phila. from approx. 1930-1941. He spoke most often of working his longest job at the “Brookline” Theatre in suburban Philly. I don’t see that on the CT list of theatres either. Is that another faulty memory of mine or is it not listed for some reason?

Glenn
Wash., DC

Glenn M, “Spartacus” opened in Philly in 70mm at the dearly-departed Goldman on 15th Street north of Chestnut. The theatre was demolished many years ago and an office tower stands in its place. Philly was the 4th premiere city of “Ben-Hur.” It opened Nov. 24, 1959 and ran until Jan. or Feb. of 1961.

As a boy growing up in Hagerstown, Maryland (approx. 150 miles from Philly), my family made many trips to Phila. because my parents had both lived there before moving to Hagerstown in 1947—I was born in H-town in 1948. So, although Baltimore and DC were both 70 miles away, Phila. became the large city I became most acquainted with.
My father, while going to school at U.of P. (Wharton ‘35), was a motion picture projectionist in Phila. theatres and an IATSE member.
He taught me alot about projection systems, and his old union card could get us into projection booths.
I have great memories of seeing Cinerama movies at the Boyd including: “How the West Was Won,” and “the Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm.” I still have my souvenir books that were sold at the concession stand in those days for Cinerama and other non-Cinerama “roadshow” movies. I really looked forward to going to the Boyd—it was/is a great theatre. Although I don’t get tp Philly very often, I’ve joined the “Friends of the Boyd, and made a small contribution—this theatre MUST be saved and restored!
Two questions to whomever may read this: 1) Did "Ben Hur” play at the Boyd? I think I saw it there. 2) What was the name of the theatre a few blocks east on Chestnut where I saw “Spartacus” and still have that souvenir book. I want to say the “Midtown,” but I don’t see that name on the Cinema Treasures list, and I don’t recognize any others.
Thanks for responding.

Glenn
Washington, DC

DennisZ, this is relatively easy to check out. First of all, as for a sign above the marquee. There had always been a smaller one during the Cinerama travelogues, but was substantially enlarged for “B-H.” Check the newspapers and “Variety.” There were many printed reports that Cinerama was being removed at that time, for one reason, by dent of the Agreement between SWCinerama and the Dept of Justice in June of 1953, SW was no longer allowed to show C'rama in most theatres after Dec, 1958, later adjusted to Dec, 1959. Second, there were no more new travelogues to show. The 3 booths were dismantled, 70/35mm projectors put in upstairs, a FLAT screen was hung forward of the proscenium behind the original Cinerama curtain on a FLAT rigging. In contrast to the Boyd, the SW Warner in Washington DC retained the curtain on the curved track, but installed a flat screen behind it . You are right in that SamEric took out a curved screen when it took over operation, but THAT curved screen was not the one that was installed in 1953…it was the one that was installed in 1962. If you remember the size of the 1962 installation, and then go to a library and check out the Phila “Bulletin” photos taken in 1953 and published that Fall, you will see that there was a VAST difference in screen sizes. There is a gentleman who I will try to get to comment here. He lives in Cherry Hill, NJ, and was, along with his father, business agent of the IATSE projectionist local 307, no longer in existence, and has vivid memories of visiting the Boyds booth(s) and backstage.
Back to Cinerama, I dont know where the Philly equipment went in 1959…possibly to Europe. I have published reports of the SW Warner in New York, where the equipment was de-installed and then in a short time removed to the Syosset in Long Island. You can find other clues in “Variety,” by checking in the “theatre grosses” section and compare the seating capacities both before and after Nov 24, 1959 when “B-H” opened. As I said in my earlier post, seeing that vast red curtain, hearing the phenomenal 6-track sound system, and memory can trick you into thinking the 11/59-7/62 screen was curved. One other thing comes to mind: like many other theatres, when “Search For Paradise” (travelogue #3) tanked, many houses either closed down (the Houston Melba) or showed non-Cinerama product. From 3/58 to 10/58, the Boyd utilized the upstairs booth, having installed new vertical masking, 4-track mag soundheads, to show 35mm product On The Curved Screen. Opening film was Fox' “The Long, Hot Summer,” and this policy continued up through the Summer 58 roadshow run of “Gigi.” The downstairs booths weren’t touched. After “Gigi,” the house returned to 3-projector operation with “Windjammer.” Possibly you saw one of those films during that season when the screen, the original Cinerama one, was deeply curved.

DennisZ, have to amiably disagree with you on “Ben-Hur” at the Boyd. When the final Cinerama travelogue, “South Seas Adventure” ended in Sept/Oct 1959, the 3-panel equipment was removed, and 70/35mm projectors installed in the original booth. The Cinerama curtain (and this is what may have confused you) was retained, but placed on a flat track that stretched across the entire width of the auditorium. I don’t know the exact width, but the Boyd (which reopened with BH) was one of the few 70mm houses that used the anamorphic lens for MGM Camera 65 (or UltraPanavision 70) that included a 1.25x squeeze rendering an approximate 2.7:1 screen aspect ratio. The screen, of course, was in front of the proscenium. Now, if the present day width for 70mm projection in 2.2:1 ratio is 56' (verified on a recent Boyd tour), then the 2.7:1 image had to be in the area of 75 feet.(The original 3-panel Cinerama with its 2.7:1 ratio was 76 feet wide.) But it was flat. And stayed that way through “Exodus,” “King of Kings,” and a number of other 70mm roadshows until Summer of 1962, when Cinerama was reinstalled for the “Bros Grimm” and “How the West Was Won.”

I am almost sure from my first visit to see the original three projector Cinerama travelogues until Stanley Warner sold the Boyd to the Sameric Theatres, the curved Cinerama screen was always used. I remember seeing “Ben Hur,” “Doctor Zhivago”, and even “The Happiest Millionaire” and they were all on the curved screen. Only after my first visit to see the roadshow “Fiddler On The Roof” when it was renamed the Sameric Theatre, did I see a “flat” screen within the
prosceium of the “stage.” The 70mm rerelease of “Gone With The Wind” was shown at the Randolph Cinerama Theatre. The Randolph was converted to single projection Cinerama in 1967.

For those who never seen the Boyd, it is small theatre although it has 2400 seats with a great sight line. It should be good for a legit theatre. It’s history as a movie theatre was so so. I hope the future make everybody appreciate the theatre. Lion King suppose to be one of its first show. This Wedneday they are having a tour of the theatre. This should be the last time the public will be able to see the theatre untill it reopens in 07.

Good news for a change makes me happy.

I am trying to locate the negative of a photograph I took in the Sameric/Boyd auditorium sometime in the 1980’s. I want to give it to Howard Haas at the upcoming Boyd tour next week. I took the shot specifically to show the teaser in the “up” position which was used when the house showed 1:85.1 70mm prints (as opposed to anamorphically derived 2.2:1). Through the 1970’s, they ran ALL 70mm prints incorrectly in the ratio of somewhere between 1.9 and 2.0. I remember one sequence of “CE3K” in the electrical substation where Dreyfus and another employee are speaking to each other, each one standing at the corner of the frame. As projected here, neither actor could be seen, as the ratio was so far off the mark. At any rate, does anybody remember which 70mm 1.85:1 films (like THE ROSE, THATS ENTERTAINMENT) ran at the SamEric. As I said, the photo was taken sometime in the 1980s, but I can’t remember what the feature might have been at that time. Thanks for your help.

Re: Fern Rock Theater. Mike or Justin, I grew up in Olney from ‘46 to '56 on Nedro Ave, and am writing a book that needs details. I saw Rebel Without a Cause at the theater on 5th Street across from Fisher’s Park when it came out, as well as the old serials like Flash Gordon and Tarzan. Where can I find some details about that neighborhood, like what kind of trees grow in Fisher’s Park, and was the theater named the Fern Rock back then. I can’t remember. I call it the Olney Cinema so far in my book because that’s all I can remember. I found this web site googling Fisher’s Park. Help. I’m too far from Philly to go take a look. Thanks, SteveG

Thanks MikeRa.