Howard: I mean Mr. Norman Gordon, I guess he got his orders from Mr. William Goldman. There was so much showmanship when you went to a reserved seat engagement, ushers show you to your seat, the theatre went dark, the overture played and then the curtain went up and the feature started. I only met Mr. Goldman about three times when I worked at the Midtown, Randolph and Goldman theatres from January 1969 to November 1970, then I worked for the Milgram theatre chain from December 1970 to about November 1972. At the Milgram I worked up from usher to assistant manager.
Dennis: Thanks for the memories, I worked as an usher during Oliver’s ten month run. Mr. Gordon was a perferectionist when it came to how the ushers should be dressed, especially Friday, Saturday and Sundayt, we had to wear white gloves.
How about the Old Boyd Theatre in Philadelphia. Check out Friends of the Boyd. Beautiful theatre, was to be remodeled by Clear Channel but they recently backed out.
Ken MC, this picture must have been taken mid-70’s, no later than 1980 before the Fox and Milgram was torn down to make room for the PNC Office Complex.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me on this page. It is a shame, we can’t enjoy with our children, what we enjoyed back in the 60’s of going to a Movie Palace. Note I didn’t say movie theatre.
You are correct in saying that Philadelphians let these theatres be torn down. Looking at photos of this place must have been a sight to behold. This would have been the place to bring Broadway shows instead of the Academy of Music. I am glad that they are saving the Boyd, and I wish that the restoration would have been finished to bring “The Lion King” there. I was looking at the seating chart for the Academy of Music, and there are a lot of obstructed seating there. I saw the Philly Pops at the Academy, and there was a pole two rows in front of me, I really didn’t see the show that well. Seeing shows at the Boyd will be a pleasure. I worked at various theatres as a usher in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I worked at the Midtown, and the Milgram Theares, sometimes filling in at the Goldman and Fox Theatres. Sure miis these places to see a Movie.
Just reviewed the web-site for the other theatres, sure brings back memories of my childhood in Wildwood, in the the 60’s. It is a shame what the did with the Strand, I was in there two years ago, dirt, sticky floors, people talking, this is not the way to go the movies.
I remember as a kid, seeing :Up THe Down Staircase" with Sandy Dennis and “Sweet Charity: with Shirley McClain” there. Does anybody remember the other Theatre in Wildwood: The Ocean, The Strand, The Shore, The Blake. The Blake, Casino and Shore were on practically next door to each other. There was one other theatre, that was by Fun Pier, located on the Boardwalk, can’t remember the name, but I remember seeing: The Odd Couple and True Grit there.
The Goldman Theatre was not exactly on the corner, it was on the west side of 15th street, off of Chestnut, across from the Meridian Plaza. I remember seeing the Meridian Building being built when I worked as an usher at the Goldman, in the late 60’s, early 70’s.
I will research my old boxes, I worked as an usher at the Midtown Theatre back in the late 60’s – early 70’s. I have a picture, of myself, with the manager (Mr. Norman Gordon) and Mr. Goldman standing next to a big Oscar. Oliver! jusr won the Oscar for Best Picture. If I can find, I forward it to you.
They don’t make theatres like that anymore. It is a shame, that Philadelphia tears down their theatres to put up a parking lot, which they did with this theatre. THis building took up a complete city block. There are now two office buildings on the site. It could have served as a great concert hall today, it it survived.
I would have loved to have sat there, and watched movies all day.
Anybody out there worked for Goldman Theatres in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I worked at the Midtown down the street from the Goldman, and when the Goldman was short on ushers, sometime I would be transfered there for the day, saw Funny Girl at least 100 times, during its one year ruun and seen Patton at least 50 times.
It is funny that it outlasted the Fox and Milgram theatres because when I worked at the Milgram in the early 70’s, there was talk of the buildings west of the Milgram to 17th Street being torn down for an office complex, but in 1980 it was the Fox, Stage Door Cinema and Milgram that was torn down and the PNC Building put up, about 2-3 years, the rest of block was torn down for Liberty Place.
As a kid growing up in Philly in the late 50’s and 60’s my parents often took my brothers and I to the Theatres Uptown. I recall going to the Midtown, Goldman, Stanley and the Boyd. The first time I saw the giant semi-circle screen, I was in awe. Sitting in the Balcony overlookoking the entire theatre and looking at the artwork, it was like you were in another world. I am glad that Clear Channel is bringing back “THE BOYD”. It a shame that The Boyd could not get “The Lion King”. Looking at the seating chart for the Academy of Music, there are too many obstacles to view a show, and it would be a shame to spend a lot of money and then you can’t see it. At least with the seating at the Boyd, there were no obstacle for viewing a show or movie. Keep up the good work.
I sometimes work in Center City, and when I walk down Chestnut St and Market St and look at some of the closed theatres, I wonder what happpened. Most of the movie palaces were torn down in the 70’s and 80’s for development and office building in their place. I wish that the owners of these building would put a banner or something, stating what used to be there for some sort of historic record of what used to be Center City Philadelphia.
When I worked at the Midtown (saw Oliver! for ten months), we talked about the graet movies that played there. West Side Story played for about one year, and Lawrence of Arabia, for fifteen months. The Sound of Music played there for twenty-six months.
I loved the Boyd. When I was twelve, my family and I went to see “The Greatest Story Ever Told”, I was surprised to see a curved screen, and a majestic movie palace, that is probably why when I was a teenager, I worked in various theatres in Center City (Midtown and Goldman, and the Milgram Theatres). Let’s restore this theatre to its former glory. Let’s be proud of Philadelphia.
I worked there from January 1969 to December 1970. Saw the movie “OLIVER!‘ for ten months, about seven shows a week. Othe movies to play there: "Catch-22”, “The Sterile Cukoo” with Liza Minelli, “The Boys in the Band” The managers there were Norman Gordon and Bob Beck, Anybody out there who also worked there in '69 and '70???
Howard: I mean Mr. Norman Gordon, I guess he got his orders from Mr. William Goldman. There was so much showmanship when you went to a reserved seat engagement, ushers show you to your seat, the theatre went dark, the overture played and then the curtain went up and the feature started. I only met Mr. Goldman about three times when I worked at the Midtown, Randolph and Goldman theatres from January 1969 to November 1970, then I worked for the Milgram theatre chain from December 1970 to about November 1972. At the Milgram I worked up from usher to assistant manager.
Dennis: Thanks for the memories, I worked as an usher during Oliver’s ten month run. Mr. Gordon was a perferectionist when it came to how the ushers should be dressed, especially Friday, Saturday and Sundayt, we had to wear white gloves.
Andy P.
How about the Old Boyd Theatre in Philadelphia. Check out Friends of the Boyd. Beautiful theatre, was to be remodeled by Clear Channel but they recently backed out.
Great Picture, and if you could look inside, you can see me. I worked as an usher at the Milgram in 1971-1972. Pop Edward’s next door had great food.
Ken MC, this picture must have been taken mid-70’s, no later than 1980 before the Fox and Milgram was torn down to make room for the PNC Office Complex.
To: MPOL
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me on this page. It is a shame, we can’t enjoy with our children, what we enjoyed back in the 60’s of going to a Movie Palace. Note I didn’t say movie theatre.
Bob Ketler:
You are correct in saying that Philadelphians let these theatres be torn down. Looking at photos of this place must have been a sight to behold. This would have been the place to bring Broadway shows instead of the Academy of Music. I am glad that they are saving the Boyd, and I wish that the restoration would have been finished to bring “The Lion King” there. I was looking at the seating chart for the Academy of Music, and there are a lot of obstructed seating there. I saw the Philly Pops at the Academy, and there was a pole two rows in front of me, I really didn’t see the show that well. Seeing shows at the Boyd will be a pleasure. I worked at various theatres as a usher in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I worked at the Midtown, and the Milgram Theares, sometimes filling in at the Goldman and Fox Theatres. Sure miis these places to see a Movie.
Just reviewed the web-site for the other theatres, sure brings back memories of my childhood in Wildwood, in the the 60’s. It is a shame what the did with the Strand, I was in there two years ago, dirt, sticky floors, people talking, this is not the way to go the movies.
I remember as a kid, seeing :Up THe Down Staircase" with Sandy Dennis and “Sweet Charity: with Shirley McClain” there. Does anybody remember the other Theatre in Wildwood: The Ocean, The Strand, The Shore, The Blake. The Blake, Casino and Shore were on practically next door to each other. There was one other theatre, that was by Fun Pier, located on the Boardwalk, can’t remember the name, but I remember seeing: The Odd Couple and True Grit there.
The Goldman Theatre was not exactly on the corner, it was on the west side of 15th street, off of Chestnut, across from the Meridian Plaza. I remember seeing the Meridian Building being built when I worked as an usher at the Goldman, in the late 60’s, early 70’s.
Carmine:
I will research my old boxes, I worked as an usher at the Midtown Theatre back in the late 60’s – early 70’s. I have a picture, of myself, with the manager (Mr. Norman Gordon) and Mr. Goldman standing next to a big Oscar. Oliver! jusr won the Oscar for Best Picture. If I can find, I forward it to you.
They don’t make theatres like that anymore. It is a shame, that Philadelphia tears down their theatres to put up a parking lot, which they did with this theatre. THis building took up a complete city block. There are now two office buildings on the site. It could have served as a great concert hall today, it it survived.
I would have loved to have sat there, and watched movies all day.
Anybody out there worked for Goldman Theatres in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I worked at the Midtown down the street from the Goldman, and when the Goldman was short on ushers, sometime I would be transfered there for the day, saw Funny Girl at least 100 times, during its one year ruun and seen Patton at least 50 times.
Andy P.
It is funny that it outlasted the Fox and Milgram theatres because when I worked at the Milgram in the early 70’s, there was talk of the buildings west of the Milgram to 17th Street being torn down for an office complex, but in 1980 it was the Fox, Stage Door Cinema and Milgram that was torn down and the PNC Building put up, about 2-3 years, the rest of block was torn down for Liberty Place.
Any word on showing these types of movies in the Philadelphia, PA region????
As a kid growing up in Philly in the late 50’s and 60’s my parents often took my brothers and I to the Theatres Uptown. I recall going to the Midtown, Goldman, Stanley and the Boyd. The first time I saw the giant semi-circle screen, I was in awe. Sitting in the Balcony overlookoking the entire theatre and looking at the artwork, it was like you were in another world. I am glad that Clear Channel is bringing back “THE BOYD”. It a shame that The Boyd could not get “The Lion King”. Looking at the seating chart for the Academy of Music, there are too many obstacles to view a show, and it would be a shame to spend a lot of money and then you can’t see it. At least with the seating at the Boyd, there were no obstacle for viewing a show or movie. Keep up the good work.
The Boyd Theatre will be under going restoration by Clear Channel. Please check out the web-site at Friends of the Boyd.
How about Citizen Kane????
If anyone walks behind the Prince Music Theatre (the former Midtown Theatre) you can see the worn out advertisement for “Around the World in 80 Days”.
DennisZ
I sometimes work in Center City, and when I walk down Chestnut St and Market St and look at some of the closed theatres, I wonder what happpened. Most of the movie palaces were torn down in the 70’s and 80’s for development and office building in their place. I wish that the owners of these building would put a banner or something, stating what used to be there for some sort of historic record of what used to be Center City Philadelphia.
Andy P
Mike:
When I worked at the Midtown (saw Oliver! for ten months), we talked about the graet movies that played there. West Side Story played for about one year, and Lawrence of Arabia, for fifteen months. The Sound of Music played there for twenty-six months.
Andy P.
I loved the Boyd. When I was twelve, my family and I went to see “The Greatest Story Ever Told”, I was surprised to see a curved screen, and a majestic movie palace, that is probably why when I was a teenager, I worked in various theatres in Center City (Midtown and Goldman, and the Milgram Theatres). Let’s restore this theatre to its former glory. Let’s be proud of Philadelphia.
How do you get a tour of the Boyd???
To Ciani;
“The Exorcist” played at the Milgram next door, the lines for both theatres would go down Market Street and turn down 16th street.
Andy P.
I worked there from January 1969 to December 1970. Saw the movie “OLIVER!‘ for ten months, about seven shows a week. Othe movies to play there: "Catch-22”, “The Sterile Cukoo” with Liza Minelli, “The Boys in the Band” The managers there were Norman Gordon and Bob Beck, Anybody out there who also worked there in '69 and '70???
Andy P.