Apex Theatre

June 2019 street view shows it with a vinyl awning as Broadway Super Market. The marquee and poster boxes have been removed exposing red bricks different than the beige face brick. There is graffiti on some portions.

Sure do miss the Apex. These structures just aren’t around anymore.

“Liane” was in general release in the Baltimore area in the summer and fall of 1958, but I don’t find it at the Apex during that period. Per the Baltimore Sun listings the double bill on the marquee in the photo played the Apex December 25-27, 1962.

In 1941, the owners of the Apex were in a clearance dispute with Loew’s, as reported in the July 18 issue of The Film Daily:

“K-B Arbitration Hearing Under Way in Washington

“Washington Bureau of THE FILM DAILY

“Washington — Arbitration case of K-B Amusement Co., Washington, against Loew’s, Inc. got under way here yesterday, with routine testimony setting the stage for major arguments to come. The K-B Company is contending against clearance the Calvert and Uptown theaters over its Apex Theater, in the same neighborhood.

“James V. Hayes and Robert Sher, former D of J attorneys who worked on the New York consent decree represent K-B Amusement Co. C. Stanley Thompson is attorney for Loew’s while Warner Brothers, an intervenor in case, is represented by Howard Levinson and Harold Berkowitz.

“Apex owners contend that seven days' clearance granted nearby Calvert is unreasonable. Much of yesterday’s testimony concerned real estate values in the neighborhood. Rudolph Berger, district manager for Loew’s, also was called in to testify.”

The Apex DID try showing mainstream movies, circa 1981, as a bargain house. That didn’t last very long, and they went back to smut.

Chuck, that 7-Eleven has been there for at least 25 years.

A great book has been published on all of Baltimores theaters, called “Motion Picture Exhibition In Baltimore” by Robert K. Headley. Borders has it. There is a great shot of the Cluster here. It’s unbelievable how many theaters Baltimore had at one time-and look at it now. The Apex must be one of the last porn theaters in the country.It doesn’t advertise in City Paper any longer-wonder if it’s closed.

The Film Daily Yearbook;1950 edition gives the Apex Theatre a seating capacity of 672.

The theatre and its marquee appear in John Waters' “Cecil B. Demented”.

The Apex is trying to get out of showing movies ( 2005 ) and show live strip shows. There was a lot of talk about it in Dec 2004, and no word as to what will happen. The article did mention that the Fell’s Point Area finds the Apex a good neighbor, even with them showing porn.