Bellevue Theatre
2212 N. Front Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19133
2212 N. Front Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19133
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The Bellevue Theatre opened on December 10, 1914 with Charlie Chaplin in “The Tango Tangle”. It was the only theatre with a large orchestra in the Kensington neigborhood of Philadelphia. It was also equipped with a Haskel organ. It was remodeled in 1923 when a sloping floor replaced the flat-floor in the auditoriu, At this time it was equipped with a United State organ, replacinging the Haskel organ. It was listed in the 1926 edition of Film Daily Yearbook with 1,000-seats. It was still open in 1931 having been wired for sound, but had gone from listings in 1932. After closing, the Bellevue Theatre served as an auto parts store. The building stood vacant for many years, but was demolished in 2019 for condos to be built on the site.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Here is a photo from the Irvin Glazer theater collection:
http://tinyurl.com/mpbydl
Google hadn’t made it to this neighborhood when I added the theater. You can’t see any of the decorative features in the first photo:
http://tinyurl.com/4qkkc2s
That entrance still exists
The facade of the Bellevue Theatre had a wide two story high arch with a vaulted barreled ceiling. The box office was located under this arched area. A verticle sign read BELLEVUE and rose above the surrounding buildings. ‘Showing The Best Photo Plays’, ‘Matinee Daily’ and ‘The House Of The Wonderful Echo Organ’ were advertised from a sign above the roof line. The theater had seating for 830 and was built in 1915. In 1923 the Bellevue received a new floor and a new sign. After closing as a theater the archway was enclosed and the space became a Quaker City Motor Parts store. Today the façade has been completely stuccoed over with a single flush door in the center. There is not a clue to what is inside! If anyone knows, please share who the architect was and in what style the Bellevue Theatre was designed. Also, when did it close?
A description of the Bellevue Theatre and a 1916 photo of the entrance appear in this post from The PhillyHistory Blog. A sign above the entrance boasts of the Bellevue’s “Wonderful Echo Organ.”
Heartbroken to report that this building has been completely demolished and replaced with eyesore new construction condos. I really wish that someone could’ve removed the stucco from the facade and restored this building to its original glory. Condo listing here: https://jg-realestate.com/listing/2212-n-front-st-2/
The $125,000 Bellevue Theatre launched for Milton Rogasner and St. Charles Amusement on December 10, 1914. Charlie Chaplin’s “The Tango Tangle” opened the theatre shown on its Radium Gold Fibre screen and accompanied by its new Haskell pipe organ with echo effect. The theatre appears to have ceased operations at the exit point of a lease at the 15 year mark.