Stadium Theatre

mh052 said, “The Stadium Theater was located just across the street from another George A. Hamid enterprise; namely, Aquarama, Theater of the Sea (Philly’s own big-time aquarium showplace), right on South Btroad St.” Someone please explain how both the Stadium Theatre and Aquarama, if they were physically across the street from each other shared the same building address, namely 3300 South Broad Street, during the same time period.

That’s very interesting because I recall another theater showing Superman in 70mm for $1 at the same time; Parkwood Theater in the Parkwood Manor Shopping Center (Far Northeast, Phila, Pa.). However, the Parkwood’s newspaper ad made reference to its 70mm presentation (i.e. in the ad itself), and the Stadium’s ad made no reference to it (at least to my recollection). The Parkwood’s marquee also said 70mm. I viewed the film at the Fox in center city in four (4) track Dolby Stereo, presumably in 35mm (film was shot in 35mm Panavision). The Parkwood and Stadium’s showings were probably anamorphic “blow-ups streched to fit 70mm projection.

I remember seeing this theater while leaving the stadium-it was still full-sized and showing films for $1, and it definitely said “70mm” on the marquee. I think the film was “Superman” at the time and wondered why the place was never advertised.

The Stadium Theater was still in operation in the late 1970s/early 1980s. In 1979, the theater was still full-sized and showing films @ $1 at all times. Example – “The Champ” (Jon Voight; Ricky Schroeder), and “The China Syndrome” (Jack Lemmon, Jane Fonda, and Michael Douglas). In the early 1980s, the theater was closed, twinned, changed management, and renamed as Cinema South (i.e. twin theater). After a short stint as the Cinema South, the theater closed permanently. In both cases, feature presentations were limited to nightly performances only.

Thanks, Lost Memory. I remember seeing it many times but I never saw a film there. It was just a typical 1960s box.

Remember Gene Hart, the voice of the Flyers? He was the announcer and de facto GM of the Aquarama in the sixties.

The Stadium Theater was located just across the street from another George A. Hamid enterprise; namely, Aquarama, Theater of the Sea (Philly’s own big-time aquarium showplace), right on South Btroad St. It opened in the Summer of 1967 with “Casino Royale” (the other James Bond movie which was released by Columbia Pictures). That same year, a reissue of “Spartacus” was later presented there. The Grand Opening ads heralded that this theater featured symphonic seats and 70mm projection. To the best of my recollection, the ads never mentioned a 70mm presentation, unless the “Spartacus” showing was one which did not specifically advertise it as such. It may have been a 70mm showing. However, I truly doubt it; neighborhood theaters such as the Cheltenham and Orleans took pride in such less-than regular endeavors. Yes, ultimately it was reduced to a two shows, nightly, $1 at all times theater. The older, more ornate theater at Broad and Snyder, known as the Broadway, reigned supreme. I was never at this theater, and my entry is based on my “pretty darn good” memory; this info is accurate to the best of my memories. I’d love to hear from other who regularly attended this theater; it would be enlightening, informative, and very interesting!