Tower Theatre
19 S. 69th Street,
Upper Darby,
PA
19082
19 S. 69th Street,
Upper Darby,
PA
19082
13 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 128 comments
Link with a 1980 stage shot of The Blues Brothers.
https://www.musicoholics.com/backstage-stories/the-real-blues-brothers-the-untold-story-behind-the-band-and-the-film/15.html?fps=fb&br_t=fiox
In looking into my family tree I came across an obituary for my Great Grandfather Fred H. Erichson, Sr. (1888-1964) and found he was an employee of The Tower for 26 years and thought that was really cool. I currently work for the country’s largest Christian theater Sight and Sound in Lancaster PA. Guess the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. I saw Sojourner1954 posted that his father was the manager back in the 50’s. He probably could have been my great grandfathers boss.
I hope dteklund can scan & share here that photo!
Please update the information in the intro. It was run by William Goldman Theaters then in 1967 it was taken over by Ellis Theaters. The longtime manager went to work at The Regency in center city. Ellis Theaters briefly closed the theater and put in new curtains and a new screen.
My grandfather operated Schneider’s Candies next door to the Tower at 23 S. 69th Street during the 1930’s and early 40’s. I found one pic of a parade with the Tower advertising “The Charge of the Light Brigade.” You can see my grandfather’s store sign to the right. Does anyone have any other pics of this vantage point? Thanks, Dave Eklund Thorndale, PA
This opened on October 1st, 1928. Grand opening ad in photo section.
My dad managed the Tower in the mid 1950’s, and at the time it was owned by Paramount, so they got all the first run Paramont pictures right away. I was only born in 1954 so I missed all the fun, but he told me stories about the theater . I remember him telling about staying up half the night with the staff, setting up the special VISTAVISION screen for the next feature. It also killed me when he told me about all the movie posters and lobby cards they just threw out in the trash after feature was over – as a former collector of movie memorabilia, I would die for some of those!
June 14, 1972 photo added to Photo’s Section of first concert at the Tower. Dave Mason & Buzzy Linhart.
Photo via 11/20/14 link below, though the photo date is from Wikipedia. Copy & Paste to view article.
https://writingworkshops14.wordpress.com/2014/11/20/redefining-the-tower-theater/
saw many shows and some movies at the Tower starting in the 70’s. Went back last year for two shows (now live 2 hours away). Hope to add more remember many great nights there. Love the “Tower Theater Midnight Sun Memories” group. Mott, Bruce Bowie
I lived in Philadelphia from 1987 to 1996 and got to see some fine live performances at some great venues (The Keswick, TLA, The Tower). I only attended one show at The Tower and I wish I had gone more often. What a great theater. I saw Frank Zappa play there on Valentines Day 1988 and it sounded incredible.
I have a old Philadelphia Inquirer movie theatre ad from June 1943 that has the Terminal Theatre as a William Goldman Theatre, and the Tower Theatre and 69th Street Theatre as a Stanley Warner Theatre. I would have to assume that in the early 1950’s Stanley Warner and William Goldman swapped the Terminal Theatre and the Tower Theatre
The 4th Q 2008 Marquee of THSA states the “Freihofer-Stamper Theatres' Tower was constructed….”
Who owned the Tower Theatre before William Goldman Theatres?
oops. that’s Claire Brown.
Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer article states that Ray Murray and Clair Brown began offering a repertory film program at the Tower in the summer of 1981. A few months later they converted the Theater of Living Arts on South St in Phila. to a repertory movie house.
I went to three of the Furthur shows at the Tower this past weekend. It was great to see this theatre still in use and the sound was great. It was a little sad to see some of the damage done to the theatre over the years. There are three archways on each side of the auditorium that seem to have had a backlit decoration which is gone, the openings are filled with plywood. Big portions of the plaster decoration have been removed on both sides and much of what made this an atmospheric is gone. It looks as though the movie screen may have been moved forward of the proscenium at one time and so the remnants of the curtains are in front of the proscenium opening. They are ragged and dirty. There were about 35 lights representing stars in the ceiling which were on Friday and Saturday, but not turned on for Sunday. The lobbies on both floors are in good condition with the decor intact. The seats are newer and in good condition.
While I would love to see the auditorium fully restored, that will probably not happen in the neighborhood where the Tower is located. I am glad to see it successful as a rock hall which keeps it in use and safe from destruction and I think it anchors the neighborhood.
ps. I also remember when seeing a movie there the balcony would always be roped off and we ALWAYS got caught sneaking up there, it wasn’t til it became a concert venue that I actually seen the balcony…very old fashion back then and cramped! Glad to hear that they refurbished it…
Seen in the mid 70’s Rennissance, Tubes, Al Steward, The Babies to name but a few. Lived ‘bout 1/2hr. walking distance and also seen several movies there as well. We would take a bus which cost all of .20 cents, n with no parents, to the best stores around, 69th st. First stop was the record store next to the Tower to get our weekly 45’s and a copy of the WFIL top 10…lol…then across the street to the Balcony for the latest fashions and pizza next door to there. The terminal had lots of little shops and the skaking area upstairs called Shavoo was great…there was a store called Tiny Town across the the street from the Tower half way up the hill that had a slide that went to their downstairs area…Gimbels, Penny’s, green stamp place next to the supermarket, which I can’t believe is still there, it was old back then, Judy’s, Learners, Kreskies, there was a Christian Store behind the Balcony where we’d get all our Baptisim, Communion n Confirmation gifts. So many memories, its ashame it looks the way it does now…SAD…
hey
View link
2 GREAT PICTURES OF THE INTERIOR AT THIS WEBSITE
I am planning a trip to the Tower to see Furthur next March. Is this still a Live Nation venue?
other concerts at the tower …….. supertramp, tangerine dream, roxy music, patti smith, sparks, and bryan ferry
View link
I’m trying to remember all of the concerts i saw at the Tower Theater: rolling Stones, John Fogerty, Ray Davies, The Kinks, Richie Blackmore’s rainbow, 10CC, Procal Harem, Leo Sayer with Bobby Keys and Nicky Hopkins, Gary Wright with Peter Frampton, ELO, David Bowie and more. Can you name artist who performed here? Dates? Let’s get a complete list.
Neil Young, Meat Loaf, Todd Rundgren, Foo Fighters, Thin Lizzy, Mariah Carey, Oasis, Radiohead, Gary Numan, T. Rex, David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Clash, The Strokes, Heart, Interpol, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Aerosmith, Smashing Pumpkins, Morrissey, Lewis Black, Traffic, John Fogerty, Jim Gaffigan, George Carlin, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Bruce Springsteen, Kiss, The Police, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, The Black Crowes, Sheryl Crow, Mott the Hoople, Australian Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Tool, The Musical Box, Goo Goo Dolls, Peter Gabriel, Genesis, Yes, Phil Collins, Frank Zappa, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Jethro Tull, Al Stewart, Dido, Keane, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, The Disco Biscuits, The Roots, Artie Lange, Chris Rock, Kelly Clarkson, Dave Matthews Band, The Rolling Stones, The Grateful Dead, Bob Weir, U2, Phish, Steve Goodman and John Prine (separately and together), Devo, PiL, Mike Oldfield, Weather Report, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny Group, Brand X, King Crimson, Thomas Dolby, Arcade Fire, The Replacements, Cocteau Twins, Robin Trower, Sigur Rós, Angel, Gov’t Mule, Flight of the Conchords, Demetri Martin, Eddie Vedder, Primus, Steely Dan and Leonard Cohen.
View link)