Xtassy Theatre

5231 Frankford Avenue,
Philadelphia, PA 19124

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Showing 22 comments

rivest266
rivest266 on December 20, 2020 at 11:22 am

Reopened as the Ellis theatre on June 30th, 1955. Another ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on October 7, 2016 at 4:03 pm

June 24th, 1928 grand opening ad as a live theatre in the photo section.

TheALAN
TheALAN on November 28, 2014 at 6:53 pm

The link is working again — thanks!

TheALAN
TheALAN on November 2, 2011 at 11:18 pm

Gerald – I guess we can forget this link. It still doesn’t work and it doesn’t look like Boxoffice nagazine is going to fix it. That’s too bad but thank’s anyway!

EricOlsen
EricOlsen on July 7, 2010 at 7:03 am

damn! I am looking for pics of the Ellis Theatre inside and out to put on facebook. I have one from 1956 but thats it.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on July 7, 2010 at 5:43 am

Eric,
That’s because Boxoffice magazine has just completely screwed up its website and most of its back issues are no longer available. Sad. The link worked up to a few days ago.

EricOlsen
EricOlsen on July 7, 2010 at 5:35 am

Gerald – the link doesn’t work.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on June 23, 2010 at 2:54 pm

“Glamor Treatment for Neighborhood House"
Article with photos in Boxoffice magazine, April 7, 1956:
View link

EricOlsen
EricOlsen on April 23, 2008 at 5:44 pm

Here is what the inside looked like in the mid 1950’s when it reopened as the Ellis. I wonder what was left of this when it was torn down.

View link

EricOlsen
EricOlsen on March 14, 2008 at 5:39 am

Anyone know what was left in the auditorium when it was torn down in 2003?

EricOlsen
EricOlsen on January 21, 2008 at 7:48 am

does anyone know what was left in the auditorium when the theater closed? Did anyone get to see the inside when it was torn down?

EricOlsen
EricOlsen on January 21, 2008 at 7:47 am

I used to live 4 blocks east of Frankford ave in the early to mid-70’s. My mom and I used to walk to frankford ave to the kresgee’s two stores down from this theater. I think by that time it was closed up but was still there. I was to young to realize they were showing X rated movies but mom would always pull me away from the place when I stopped to look at it.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on January 18, 2008 at 7:18 am

Here is a photo, circa 1945. The film being shown is “Love Letters”, with Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten. The photo is from the Irvin Glazer theater collection:
http://tinyurl.com/28kfeo

acer42
acer42 on July 11, 2007 at 5:16 pm

This theatre opened as the Forum Theatre and should be listed as such. The theatre was operated by Stanley-Warner who closed it in 1952. It reopened in 1955 as the Ellis. I saw many films here in the early 60s while attending college. The theatre was in excellent condition, retaining most of it’s original archectectural detail.

Coasterbear
Coasterbear on May 1, 2007 at 5:48 pm

The most memorable moment I had of this theater was going there to see “Woodstock” The movie was rated “R” and my parents wouldn’t take me to see it. I was only 15 and you had to be accompanied by an adult at the time if you were under 17. I must have looked old enough because the theater let me in. I sat there and watched it twice! The movie was over 3 hours long.

JamesCraven
JamesCraven on December 9, 2005 at 10:53 pm

Update on the new business. Kicks USA, an urban footwear store is now in the old restaurant. In the other location were a dry cleaner was before they moved next door, a Subay sandwich shop just opened.

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on December 4, 2005 at 6:19 am

UPDATE: There is a new business in the what was the Continental Restaurant in the former lobby area of the Ellis Theatre. Don’t know what it is yet.

JamesCraven
JamesCraven on August 29, 2005 at 1:30 am

UPDATE: The restrauant and dry cleaners have closed as of July 2005. A State Store stands in what was once part of the lobby.

raymondgordonsears
raymondgordonsears on April 1, 2005 at 4:18 pm

Does anyone know the history of the ELLIS Theatre circuit for Phila. that operated this theatre. rg

Michael R. Rambo Jr.
Michael R. Rambo Jr. on May 17, 2004 at 4:26 pm

The lobby area of the Ellis Theatre still stands across the street from SEPTA’s Frankford Transportation Center. Continental Resturant occupies the bulk of the lobby area.

The auditorium of the Ellis was torn down in early 2003. it is now a parking lot that is used by SEPTA commuters