American Theater

512 W. 18th Street,
Erie, PA 16502

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Additional Info

Previous Names: American Picture Playhouse

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American Theater

The American Picture Playhouse was operating prior to 1918, and closed in 1954. It stood vacant and unused until it was demolished in 1974.

Contributed by David Stear

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

MDaurora
MDaurora on March 7, 2011 at 2:58 pm

This was a small neighborhood theater in the “Little Italy” section of Erie. It was one of three movie houses in a two block stretch of 18th St. Not sure when the American was built, but it closed in 1953. It sat vacant until it was demolished January 1974. Today, the site is a parking lot. At the time it was demolished, the owner Bob Lee, who bought the theater in 1947, said it closed due to the impact of television and the economics of converting to Cinemascope. The address given in the newspaper account of its demolition was 504 W 18th St.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on September 26, 2014 at 2:07 am

The American Picture Playhouse, 510 w. 18th St., is on a 1918 list that can be found on this page of Old Time Erie.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 11, 2023 at 11:55 am

The American theatre opened on August 28th, 1916. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 11, 2023 at 8:18 pm

Closed or stopped placing ads in 1954

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