National Theatre

dallasmovietheaters on August 16, 2024 at 1:47 am

The National Picture Theatre opened on September 17, 1914 with Alma Taylor in “Cloister of the Hearth.” Isaac and Rose Marcus operated the theatre. He had come to Pennsylvania at the age of 14 and became one of the city’s first movie operators. The National’s slogan was, “The Movie (House) for the Uptown Folks.” The Marcuses would sell the theatres late in 1927 unable to convert them to sound.

The Isaacs would then re-acquire the theatres. They operated the National, Royal, Rialto and the Family Theatre. Isaac Marcus passed away in 1942 and Rose operating the National, Rialto and Family. After closing the Family Theatre, Rose closed the National Theatre on February 28, 1957 with “Swamp Women” and “Godzilla: King of Monsters.” Upon closing the National, it was sold to Evangelistic Deliverance Crusade which conducted religious services.

Joe Vogel on February 28, 2018 at 8:30 pm

The National was one of four new Harrisburg neighborhood theaters opened in September, 1914, according to an article in the October 10 issue of Motion Picture News. It was owned by Isaac Marcus, who had been operating the Royal Theatre (later the Star) on North Third Street for a number of years.

Joe Vogel on October 11, 2014 at 12:30 am

The National Theatre was listed at 1816 N. 6th Street in the 1922 Harrisburg city directory.