“My Fair Lady” played at the Center Theatre in the Summer of ‘65. “Sound of Music” was at the Virginia and “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” played at the Shore. In the Summer of '71, “The Love Machine” played at the Beach Theatre, not the Shore. This Theatre was further up Atlantic Avenue on the other side.
The Arcadia Theatre was actually between 15th and 16th on the North side of Chestnut Street (as was the Trans Lux). The Regency and the Duke and Duchess were between 16th and 17th, also on the north side of Chestnut Street. They were basically right next to each other on the 16th and Chestnut Corner. At night, the 3 Theatres really lit up the street. The Arcadia had a large billboard above the small marquee advertising the current attraction. The Billboard must have been about 2 stories high. I would love to have seen the famous “Psycho” Billboard with Janet Leigh undressed sitting on the bed. Ironically, during the “Psycho” run in the Summer of 60, the Trans-Lux was showing Disney’s “Pollyanna”. A year later a similar poster of Lee Remick, also undressed and posing on a bed, was displayed on the Arcadia Billboard for the run of “Sanctuary”. I did see that one while being driven down Chestnut Street with my father. It was pretty dramatic. My first time in the Arcadia was when my father took me along with him to see “Les Girls” in the fall of 1957. A year later, I went to see the Christmas attraction of “Tom Thumb” during the Holidays. Although I was only 10 and 11, I thoroughly enjoyed “Les Girls” while “Tom Thumb” bored the hell out of me. In the 60s and 70s, I frequented the Theatre regularly and saw many films there. Some classic Films that had their First Run at the Theatre included the Brando “Julius Caesar”, the previously mentioned “Psycho”, “Breakfast at Tiffanys”, “Darling”, “Tales of Hoffmann”, “Rear Window”, “The Bad and the Beautiful”, “Blackboard Jungle”, “High Society”, “Imitation of Life” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”, “Rosemary’s Baby”, “Harold and Maude”, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Tommy”.
The Arcadia Theatre was actually between 15th and 16th on the North side of Chestnut Street (as was the Trans Lux). The Regency and the Duke and Duchess were between 16th and 17th, also on the north side of Chestnut Street. They were basically right next to each other on the 16th and Chestnut Corner. At night, the 3 Theatres really lit up the street. The Arcadia had a large billboard above the small marquee advertising the current attraction. The Billboard must have been about 2 stories high. I would love to have seen the famous “Psycho” Billboard with Janet Leigh undressed sitting on the bed. Ironically, during the “Psycho” run in the Summer of 60, the Trans-Lux was showing Disney’s “Pollyanna”. A year later a similar poster of Lee Remick, also undressed and posing on a bed, was displayed on the Arcadia Billboard for the run of “Sanctuary”. I did see that one while being driven down Chestnut Street with my father. It was pretty dramatic. My first time in the Arcadia was when my father took me along with him to see “Les Girls” in the fall of 1957. A year later, I went to see the Christmas attraction of “Tom Thumb” during the Holidays. Although I was only 10 and 11, I thoroughly enjoyed “Les Girls” while “Tom Thumb” bored the hell out of me. In the 60s and 70s, I frequented the Theatre regularly and saw many films there. Some classic Films that had their First Run at the Theatre included the Brando “Julius Caesar”, the previously mentioned “Psycho”, “Breakfast at Tiffanys”, “Darling”, “Tales of Hoffmann”, “Rear Window”, “The Bad and the Beautiful”, “Blackboard Jungle”, “High Society”, “Imitation of Life” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”, “Rosemary’s Baby”, “Harold and Maude”, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Tommy”.
To Vito:
Christmas of ‘54 – the Paramount had “The Silver Chalice”, the Rivoli had “Carmen Jones”. “Deep in My Heart” was the RCMH Attraction.
“My Fair Lady” played at the Center Theatre in the Summer of ‘65. “Sound of Music” was at the Virginia and “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines” played at the Shore. In the Summer of '71, “The Love Machine” played at the Beach Theatre, not the Shore. This Theatre was further up Atlantic Avenue on the other side.
The Arcadia Theatre was actually between 15th and 16th on the North side of Chestnut Street (as was the Trans Lux). The Regency and the Duke and Duchess were between 16th and 17th, also on the north side of Chestnut Street. They were basically right next to each other on the 16th and Chestnut Corner. At night, the 3 Theatres really lit up the street. The Arcadia had a large billboard above the small marquee advertising the current attraction. The Billboard must have been about 2 stories high. I would love to have seen the famous “Psycho” Billboard with Janet Leigh undressed sitting on the bed. Ironically, during the “Psycho” run in the Summer of 60, the Trans-Lux was showing Disney’s “Pollyanna”. A year later a similar poster of Lee Remick, also undressed and posing on a bed, was displayed on the Arcadia Billboard for the run of “Sanctuary”. I did see that one while being driven down Chestnut Street with my father. It was pretty dramatic. My first time in the Arcadia was when my father took me along with him to see “Les Girls” in the fall of 1957. A year later, I went to see the Christmas attraction of “Tom Thumb” during the Holidays. Although I was only 10 and 11, I thoroughly enjoyed “Les Girls” while “Tom Thumb” bored the hell out of me. In the 60s and 70s, I frequented the Theatre regularly and saw many films there. Some classic Films that had their First Run at the Theatre included the Brando “Julius Caesar”, the previously mentioned “Psycho”, “Breakfast at Tiffanys”, “Darling”, “Tales of Hoffmann”, “Rear Window”, “The Bad and the Beautiful”, “Blackboard Jungle”, “High Society”, “Imitation of Life” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”, “Rosemary’s Baby”, “Harold and Maude”, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Tommy”.
The Arcadia Theatre was actually between 15th and 16th on the North side of Chestnut Street (as was the Trans Lux). The Regency and the Duke and Duchess were between 16th and 17th, also on the north side of Chestnut Street. They were basically right next to each other on the 16th and Chestnut Corner. At night, the 3 Theatres really lit up the street. The Arcadia had a large billboard above the small marquee advertising the current attraction. The Billboard must have been about 2 stories high. I would love to have seen the famous “Psycho” Billboard with Janet Leigh undressed sitting on the bed. Ironically, during the “Psycho” run in the Summer of 60, the Trans-Lux was showing Disney’s “Pollyanna”. A year later a similar poster of Lee Remick, also undressed and posing on a bed, was displayed on the Arcadia Billboard for the run of “Sanctuary”. I did see that one while being driven down Chestnut Street with my father. It was pretty dramatic. My first time in the Arcadia was when my father took me along with him to see “Les Girls” in the fall of 1957. A year later, I went to see the Christmas attraction of “Tom Thumb” during the Holidays. Although I was only 10 and 11, I thoroughly enjoyed “Les Girls” while “Tom Thumb” bored the hell out of me. In the 60s and 70s, I frequented the Theatre regularly and saw many films there. Some classic Films that had their First Run at the Theatre included the Brando “Julius Caesar”, the previously mentioned “Psycho”, “Breakfast at Tiffanys”, “Darling”, “Tales of Hoffmann”, “Rear Window”, “The Bad and the Beautiful”, “Blackboard Jungle”, “High Society”, “Imitation of Life” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”, “Rosemary’s Baby”, “Harold and Maude”, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Tommy”.