Hill Theatre
8324 Germantown Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19118
8324 Germantown Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19118
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The actual address of the Hill Theatre was 8324 Germantown Ave, according to various newspaper ads and historical maps, but the property possibly included more than one number, such as 8320-24.
The Belvedere opened in 1916. It was known as the Chestnut Hill Theatre by 1919. The Chestnut Hill went into a receivership auction in 1930 complete with its Moller Opus 2410 Pipe Organ and 500 seats unable to convert to sound. It found new operators in 1932 reopening and closing as the Hill Theatre. It reopened as the Hill Theatre under new operator William H. Wold in 1933. It closed and reopened under a new operator in 1935.
Under a new operator, the theatre was renovated in 1940 to the plans of David Supowitz bringing air conditioning, new seating and a streamlined look. (The Lee remodel reference as occurring in 1936 seems odd given the short period of time between refreshes. Especially, a Lee refresh which would likely have been extensive.) Meanwhile a brand new theatre was proposed by Goldman Circuit to the plans of William H. Lee seating 750 just three blocks away - and could be the reference above. I’m assuming that Lee theatre got off of the drawing board but was not built. Meanwhile, the Hill Theatre closed April 5, 1973 with “A Clockwork Orange.”
This theater was remodeled in 1936 by William Harold Lee, but who was the original 1916 architect? PAB lists the seating for this theater as 550, while Cinema Treasures lists it at 497. The 1936 remodel could have resulted in a decrease, or increase. Can anyone clarify?
Neighboring Bell Telephone, now Verizon, has expanded onto the theater site.
I saw Tokyo Story by Yasujiro Ozu here in 1973.
Was in Chestnut Hill recently and was remembering visits to the Hill Theatre. It played British films as well as popular Hollywood films. I remember it being very narrow and dark and had a vending machine in lieu of a concession stand.
The City of Phila photo has the wrong address. The correct address is 8320 Germantown Ave, now parking for the Bell Telephone building
Here is a 1932 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2e7tr9
The Hill Theatre, was located in Chestnut Hill at 8320 Germantown Avenue. It opened in 1916 as the Belvedere Theatre and the name was changed in 1936 to the Hill Theatre when it was remodeled. This was a relatively small theatre with just less than 500 seats. It closed in the mid 1970s and was torn down. Thia was a theatre that wasn’t before my time. I do remember it, but was never in it. I recall that this theatre was showing the same artsy type movies as the Bandbox Theatre in Germantown. Both theatres were probably owned by the same owner as I remember they ran joint ads together to promote the movies they were showing.
I remember seeing movies here as a child—it had family friendly programming with Saturday matinees and mainstream films in the evenings. And, like the Crest in another section of the city, a trolley line passed right in front of its pinkish art deco exterior. It closed sometime in the early 1970s when Ma Bell, which was next door, expanded onto the lot. It was an early omen of what would happen to independent movie houses everywhere.
If memory serves Art Carduner was involved with the Hill during part of the time that he operated the Bandbox. The Hill was a more mainstream house but I think it did play some foreign and independent films.