Brookline Theatre

The family theater of my youth and “kiddie matinee” Saturdays with the serial “comedy races” & “cliffhangers. During Lent the kiddie matinee was on Sundays. Kids got a ticket number and if the comedy race was won by the contestant with that number a small prize was given. My whole family went there some weeknights. "Havertown” was “Brookline” then but the Postal Service had a Brookline near Pittsburgh so a change was forced. For we “pint-sized” kids—Mighty Mouse was our favorite! Really a pretty ordinary movie house but only our next door neighbor had a TV. He was a TV Engineer for RCA across the Deleware River in Camden, NJ.

Hey bob,
I’ll freind your theator facebook the next time I’m on. I have talked to a few of the “civic” crazy folks in town and there would be intrest in reviving the theator in some form if it bacame available.

I still wish your freind the best with the fitness business. The township just entered the fitness game with their new center. YMCA soon. Its getting more competitive not less!

i just got a ticket from brookline theatre !!!! yes veryyyy rare. from 1974 the thief who came to dinner starring ryan o'neil. i posted the ticket never thought id find one yeaa

The new YMCA will open in a year, and planet fitness is kicking it up in ardmore. I suspect that this small gym may struggle. (Hate to wish bad things for Bob’s friend) I think it would be really cool to try to re open as a community arts and theater. There is a group making a go of it at St andrews as that old church is being sold. Gas prices are up, kids walk all over town friday and sat. There is the Wolf theater school in town managing in an old church basement at Holy Apostles teaching theator. If anyone would want to have a conversation I’d be interested.

i uploaded a few pics of brookline theatre some memoralbilia. enjoy the memories lets hear some stories bout the brookline pleaseeee

Hi bobbycon, Contact me at

the BROOKLINE theatre was built in 1928 known then as the boulivard owned by 20th century fox, it was the only theatre in havertown 20th century fox sold to the milligram family in the 1940s showing stage shows besides movies, the milligram family then sold to the reece family in the 1950s, in 1973 the colonial theatre donated the kimball organ to the brookline when a flood nearly ruined the beautiful wood piece hence its removal. in 1974 bill reece former projectionist sold to tom thorton richard daily, continuing to showing $1.00 movies and double features on saturday sunday. in 1982 with floods puddles in front stage side with a row of seats leaning against stage the brookline played its last two movies ever_ NINE TO FIVE and ORDIARY PEOPLE. the two posters stayed outdoors for about a year til may 1983 when the theatre was gutted and made into a mini mall. in 1996 i was allowed to investigate the remnants of the projection room i took souvinieres such as boxees of season passes, a movie poster , night light, marquee letter B in 1998 all that remained was the projection room and bathroom they were demolished to make way for more rooms a new bathroom, all that remains is the STAIRWAY which led to the lobby or projection room.

i made my basement into the brookline theatre, along the stairway i have memoralbilia from there. i used to see in the front row and there was a whole row of seats leaning against the stage

the brookline movie theatre was built in 1928. i went here many times and closed in 1982 llast movies were NINE TO 5 ORDINARY PEOPLE

My mother told me about how every kid from her block would go here on Saturday afternoons in the 60’s. A little old lady would take the tickets and run the projector, and a little old man played the organ during the flash Gordan cartoons. Her eyes still light up when she talks about it. Now its a gold gym and very little remains of a theater.