Uptown Theatre
2240-2248 N. Broad Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19132
2240-2248 N. Broad Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19132
12 people
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Showing 26 - 42 of 42 comments
This theatre is just sitting. I understand a lot items from the theatre have been stolen.
how can i fond out who currently owns this building?
is anyone making renovations on it now?
The Uptown closed for a while in 1988, after a showing of “Police Academy V”. The theater probably closed itself out of embarassment:
http://tinyurl.com/2kdg6n
Does anyone know where to find concert footage or any film reels from the Uptown Theater’s glory days. I’d love to see what the place looked like before it started to deteriorate.
A drawing or painting of the Uptown (mostly the marquee is visible) appears on the cover of Bill Cosby’s album When I Was A Kid.
DO YOU REMEMBER? Saturday May 6,1961 Live on stage Georgie Woods of WDAS The “TOP OF THE STARS 1961 STAGE SHOW” Featuring The Flamingos,Jerry Butler,The Vibration and many more. Georgie Woods held many of his shows at this great theatre. rg
The Uptown is on its way back. Without a doubt this theater’s striking facade and wonderfully intricate interior make it stand out as one of the most innovativley designed theater structures of its period. One of its most interesting features is that it was originally built with 4 floors of commercial office space above the theater portion of the structure. As for the neighborhood, North Philadelphia is experiencing a renaissance spearheaded in part by Temple and the city’s determination to rehabilitate the northern portion of Broad Street. The UEDC will have a photo of the theater placed on this site in the near future.
Historically the theater captures the evolution of North Philadelphia from a predominently Jewish neighborhood to an African American neighborhood. Both groups can regale one with stories about this magnificent building. Truly a national treasure. ethnicities es codh hiaqpt
My email address,
Iâ€\m Steve Johnson. I use to live at 30th and York in Philly, not to far from the Uptown. I remember the long lines, the groups and entertainers one after the other, all day long, that would cost a fortune, for only fifty cents and all the excitement. I went past the building with my sons, who love the oldies, but since Iâ€\m an artist, I sat across the street from the building, with my easel and a tiny black and white photo from 1963, and recreated the scene in a painting. Every one enjoys the picture because it brings back memories. Youâ€\d be surprised how every on has their own story of being there. I have prints of the painting. You my purchase one.
My e-mail address, , Web, www.geocities.com/artbysteven/steve
Phone 267-471-8209
who do i contact for a tour of the theatre?
The Uptown was Philly’s version of Harlem’s Apollo Theater. It had the same format in it’s heyday-movies followed by a stage show. It was located in the heart of Philadelphia’s black community.
Some of the greatest performers in the history of American popular music played that theater during the prime of their careers.
I saw James Brown there in 1965, when Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag was a hit, and it remains one of the most memorable shows I have ever seen.
There were attempts during the 80’s to revive it, but it will never be what it was “back in the day”.
I had a chance to go in the uptown 2 weeks ago during the legends of soul concert that was my first time in the building since 1993 when my church owned the uptown i am just glad to see someone trying fix it up god bless the UEDC
Another ‘Palace of Mold’ in the making. Who stole all the mezzanine railings? Hopefully preservation efforts will begin before the theatre deteriorates beyond the financial breaking point of restoring it. Nicely designed theatre that needs a lot of love.
What a great looking theatre, it is ashame that it closed. Does anyone know how the neighborhood around the Uptown is, is it questionable, in decline, or whatever?
The results of a recent flashlight tour (along with a brought-in generator to power a floodlight) are shown in some 30 photos on the web site of an area photographer at: View link
and show the once ornate theatre’s remains. It would cost a fortune to restore it, but it would be worth it for just those wonderful art deco organ grilles, cited in the Theatre Historical Society article: “Ornamentation Old and New: Grillework in Theatres” by this writer. Vintage views are in the 1930 book “American Theatres of Today” by Sexton and Betts, to be seen at some libraries.
The Uptown theatre is closed. A redelvoplement group was going to rehaab it, but it never happened. They were going to make it a second ave. of the arts. The outside of the theatre is starting to show its age.
The Uptown, when not being used by The RKO Stanley Warner chain in the 1960’s, hosted a lot of concerts from the big names of Motown Records. They include Marvin Gaye, The Supremes & The Temptations.
The Uptown opened in 1928 by The Stanley Warner Theatre Co.