AMC Palace Theatre
1812 Chestnut Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19103
1812 Chestnut Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19103
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July 7th, 1967 grand opening ad as Theatre 1812 in photo section.
This opened on November 4, 1983, as Palace. Its grand opening ad can be found in the photo section.
The street level of the theater was Above the center window and above BOYDS, the facade still proclaims 1812-1814 CHESTNUT ST. ARCADE.
Closed but not demolished! The center of the façade still reads — 1812-1814 CHESTNUT ST. ARCADE — the same as it did when the building opened in 1924. Boyds, the Philadelphia clothier that now calls the building home, did a beautiful job of restoration! By the way, the building was originally designed by Gravell & Hall, (William Henry Gravell, Arthur W. Hall), a Philadelphia engineering partnership.
Vince Young informs me that the new Theatre 1812 opened 7/7/67 with “The Jokers”
Here is a 1986 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ye2a3vc
The first X rated film shown was the exclusive Philly showing of Deep Throat in 1972.
As I recall lines were around the block.
Yes, large curved marquee.
Photo by Dennis Zimmerman with Lion in Winter on marquee:
View link
Thanks to Dennis for taking the photo & allowing it to be posted.
I remember a large curved marquee. I visited the booth when they were showing “The Stewardesses” in single strip 3D. The Peerless Magnarcs had the new Diachroic reflectors. It was around 1971. I lived and breathed projectors back then. It’s still in my blood.
From 1974 to when the theatre closed in 1978, its film attractions were “Over 21” only. After the Federation of Teachers used the theatre, Budco reopened it on Friday, Nov. 4, 1983 as the Budco Palace Theatre. However, it closed permanently in Nov. 1992.
I remember this building. You could see much of the theater from Sansom Street.
I think it’s still the same structure though; Boyd’s just took out some walls and expanded their store from the western part of the building (1818 Chestnut) eastward into the former theater space.
This theatre should be listed as closed/Demolished. A Boyd’s clothing store now occupies the spot where the Theatre 1812/AMC Palace Theatre was orgiginally at.
The theater opened in 1967 with The Jokers. They also played as a roadshow engagement in 1968 The Lion In Winter.