Comments from barrygerson

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barrygerson
barrygerson commented about Broadway Theatre on May 14, 2017 at 2:27 pm

The Colonial on Moyamensing Ave. had talent shows and other performances. Eddie Fisher got his start here as well as other well known notables. It had a curtain and there were dressing rooms behind the stage area. These dressing rooms were originally a part of the house that was occupied by my family- the original builders and owners of the theatre- my grandparents Sadie and Morris Gerson.It was originally a garage in 1908, they installed fifty seats, with my grandfather running the projector, my grandmother the cashier, and my father, Philip, the usher. It was built into a regular theatre in 1910. It was the first “air cooled” theatre in South Philly. Fans would blow air across a bed of ice in the basement. I distinctly remember experiencing the air cooled system. There was a banner hanging from the marquee announcing “air cooled”, before air conditioning was installed.