The Uptown was Philly’s version of Harlem’s Apollo Theater. It had the same format in it’s heyday-movies followed by a stage show. It was located in the heart of Philadelphia’s black community.
Some of the greatest performers in the history of American popular music played that theater during the prime of their careers.
I saw James Brown there in 1965, when Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag was a hit, and it remains one of the most memorable shows I have ever seen.
There were attempts during the 80’s to revive it, but it will never be what it was “back in the day”.
I barely remember being taken there as a kid to see Old Yeller in 1959. There were 3 other theaters on 52nd St in West Phila during that time: The Nixon, where I saw everything from “Hercules Unchained "to "Our Man Flint”, at 52nd and Market; The Locust, known for their triple bills on Saturdays (“Guns of Navarone –” Great Escape" – “The Train”)
at 52nd and Locust, and The Capitol, at 52nd just above Girard Av, where I saw “The Silencers” and “Hombre”. The State was the biggest and best of the bunch, but closed before the others, and they all played second-run double and triple bills.
By the 1980’s urban blight and multiplexes killed off these “neighborhood” theaters.
The Uptown was Philly’s version of Harlem’s Apollo Theater. It had the same format in it’s heyday-movies followed by a stage show. It was located in the heart of Philadelphia’s black community.
Some of the greatest performers in the history of American popular music played that theater during the prime of their careers.
I saw James Brown there in 1965, when Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag was a hit, and it remains one of the most memorable shows I have ever seen.
There were attempts during the 80’s to revive it, but it will never be what it was “back in the day”.
I barely remember being taken there as a kid to see Old Yeller in 1959. There were 3 other theaters on 52nd St in West Phila during that time: The Nixon, where I saw everything from “Hercules Unchained "to "Our Man Flint”, at 52nd and Market; The Locust, known for their triple bills on Saturdays (“Guns of Navarone –” Great Escape" – “The Train”)
at 52nd and Locust, and The Capitol, at 52nd just above Girard Av, where I saw “The Silencers” and “Hombre”. The State was the biggest and best of the bunch, but closed before the others, and they all played second-run double and triple bills.
By the 1980’s urban blight and multiplexes killed off these “neighborhood” theaters.