Boyd Theatre
28 N. 9th Street,
Allentown,
PA
18101
28 N. 9th Street,
Allentown,
PA
18101
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This Boyd Theatre was never part of Sameric Theatres. The Boyd Theatre in Philadelphia became the Sam Eric Theatre, and closed as United Artists Sameric 4 Theatre.
The Boyd Theatre last operated as a Frank Buhler operated theater before closing for the final time on June 12, 1970 with the 1939 classic “Gone With The Wind”.
The actual opening date of the New Pergola Theatre was December 6, 1926.
Became Boyd on November 27th, 1938.
Found on Newspapers.com
The Allentown Boyd Theater opened as the “New Pergola” Theater in 1928. The theater had a stage for vaudeville and stage shows, two balconies and main floor seating.
It was renamed the “Embassy” Theater in 1929, and was sold to the A.R. Boyd chain in 1933. The theater was renamed the “Boyd” in 1940.
It was sold in 1971 and closed when property was sold to PP&L Company for expansion of their headquarters building. Torn down and subsequently rebuilt as office building
The Allentown Boyd (there was one in Bethlehem and one in Easton as well) was torn down in 1971 when Pennsylvania Power and Light bought the western side of 9th Street from behind their tower all the way back to Linden Street. The theater on 9th street, opposite from Hess’s Pet Shop on the other side of the street.
PPL tore it down along with a Pep Boys, a flower shop and a bike shop to put in a large data center on the site. A diner that was next to the Boyd was moved a block away to a parking lot. The Diner is still there on the site next to a church on the northeast corner of 9th and Linden Streets.
The Boyd was the 2d largest theater in the Downtown Allentown area in the 1960s, behind the Colonial Theater. I remember seeing my first “R” rated movie there in 1969 “100 Rifles”.. with Jim Brown and Burt Reynolds. I still remember to this day a woman whispering to her husband in the theater.. “He said F****” LOL
Another memory I have of the Boyd was from the mid 1960s was when they showed the movie “The Bible” there. You had to call up the theater to make a reservation to see it, and I went with my grandmother to the box office and the seats were reserved.
The link for the photo in Boxoffice magazine Mar 16, 2010 post appears to be broken. Is there another way to get the photo? I am the originator of the pennlive.com forum mentioned above in the Apr 17, 2009 post. I am still seeking info that will lead me to the whereabouts of my mother’s painting that last hung in the Boyd in Allentown.
Isn’t this theater demolished? Status still says closed.
Here is a photo in November 1939 from Boxoffice magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/ycef7yp
Chuck,
Sorry. I saw only the photo caption. I didn’t see your comparision. Where are the other photos of the Boyd in Easton? Well, please post any such links on that theater’s page. For obvious reasons, I’m interested in any theaters that Alexander Boyd operated.
oops! I noticed it said Allentown. Have now posted it at Easton. Thanks, Richard.
So gorgeous on its exterior.
Chuck1231
The photo that you posted above is not the Boyd in Allentown, Pa., but rather the Boyd Theatre in EASTON, Pa.
I had posted this info once before, and notice now that it has been removed. This photo had been attached to the Easton posting, but is now gone from there and has for some reason returned here.
Not all listings on americanclassicimages are correct.
I know the theatre in that photo only too well, as I had my first theatre job there as an usher, and latter leased the theatre. I was the final operator, having closed it in May of 1972 when I lost my lease when it had been purchased by E-Park to be demolished for a parking lot.
1970/71 would be around the right time for this demolition. I remember that I was about 7 year’s old and with my parents on our way to Hess Brothers Department Store as we came from the parking lot that was behind the theater, down the half street that ran along it’s south wall, just as the wrecking ball was swinging into what I believe now to have been what was left of the balcony. I just remember seeing all this fancy plasterwork and gilding and thinking it looked so beautiful, why would anyone want to destroy it? By the next time I came through, Pennsylvania Power and Light had built a big modern addition on the site that was attached onto its tower that bridged over the half street. I remember being afraid to walk under it for fear it would fall down on me!
the posting-
View link
This posting says it was demolished around 1971.