Roxy Theater
2023 Sansom Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19103
2023 Sansom Street,
Philadelphia,
PA
19103
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 30 comments
Renovations have begun on the space. Outdoor signwork is gone. Construction crews out daily on Sansom St working.
Spring of 2025 looks to be the date for “the Silver”, next to the Roxy Lofts. Advertisements along Sansom Street are in a one sheet motif.
Having some open time before my appointment in Center City today, and seeing the Boyd, I went by the Roxy to check if any movement was made it. There was none, so I jumped on here for an update and see this befuddling question?
What is it about? What’s not clear in the description at the top of the page? What sort of information are you attempting to surmise?
What is the Roxy Theatre about?
i hope someone saves the Roxy! fond memories here
The original address for the Roxy’s first screen was 2021 Sansom. The first theatrical use of that building appears to have been as The Pocket Playhouse, presenting live theater in 1968-69. An October 1969 opening as “Underground Cinema 16” (as in 16 mm) ended abruptly after two weeks when it was shut down by the city for not having permits. By January 1970 the theater was open and advertising as Underground Cinema. Barney Sackett took over the operation in June 1970 and changed the name to Aarde Cinema, initially with some arty pretensions but shifting to adult films. The Aarde ran porn, sometimes straight, sometimes gay until October 1973. After a renovation the venue reopened as the Academy Screening Room in February 1974 with the documentary “I.F. Stone’s Weekly.” The Academy operated with an art/revival policy into 1976. A 1979 Inquirer story about a bank fraud case mentions a nightclub called Club Hippo at the 2021 address and says it was destroyed in an arson fire, but is unclear on dates (per the story a loan to fund the club was supposedly granted in 1974). The Roxy began advertising in May 1982 and by January 1983 had been taken over by the operators of South Street’s TLA, who began advertising the Roxy as TLA Roxy Screening Room.
I jumped the gun, it’s still being worked on.
HOORAY!!!!! It’s open!
October 18, 2013. I went to the open house for the ROXY. I am looking forward to it’s reopening. Full handicap access. It’s smaller in seating and the brick wall lobby is lost due to the new digital projection. One 35mm projector is in the smaller theater. New seats, new bathrooms and consession stand.No more leaking ceilings and musty smells, and the movies will be better, with NYC Film Forum type programing, can’t wait!
Will the ROXY be open in time for the Philadelphia Film Festival?
Looks like work has stopped for now, was supposed to open last May. This would have been a good venue for the silent Hitchcock 9 film retro. If I were working, I would give more money to get this open.
Saw workers inside the Roxy the other day,in the near future, I am planning to donate money to the new owners, PFC, they should sell Roxy T-Shirts as an incentive.
December 21, 2012 Washington Post article about the closure of Takoma Park video store owned by Annie and Barry Solan states the two met in 1975 at the State which Barry described as a “raggedy old vaudeville theater.” The article states that in 1979, Barry became a co-owner of the State where he screened films such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “Our Hitler” an 8 hour movie. After they married in 1981, he bought other theaters including Philadelphia’s Roxy before entering the video business.
I always said it should model the Film Forum, hooray!!!!
Anyone have the contact on this landlord ?
November is the closing day. I love this this theatre and will miss it. But how long can you deal with a leaky ceiling and musty smell. I believe this space will go retail. The rents on that block will rise, but a cinema was the perfect fit.
This article reports it closed but owner of building will himself reopen it with different format & redone http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/entertainment/movies/Roxy-.html
Well ALps Disney Warner Universal and another studio have signed a deal with Kodak to process 35mm films through 2015. This may save some of the smaller theaters like this one.
I wonder will the Roxy will still be opened this time next year. The Ritz theaters have gone digital. The Roxy is important to the block, it helps the eateries in the area.
Here’s a link to a 2006 interview with Roxy operator Bernard Nearey: http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/arts-and-culture/the_candyman-38421379.html
I wish to clarify that the “HowardB” above is NOT me. That appears to be a person who may have previously lived in NE Philly (having reviewed his prior comments).
I wonder how the Roxy will fare when all films will only be availible on digital format? I hope they will work this out, I’d hate to lose this theatre.
I remember in the early 80’s they showed old classics. I rememebr seeing Auntie Mame there.
I used to go to the Roxy back in the 90’s when it showed foreign and indy films. It was the only place outside of NYC you could see these types of films….at the time I could live with the super narrow alley-like auditoriums and tiny screens (in fairness the projection was always good, the staff very nice and they had a great snackbar). These days, I’m not gonna go downtown to see the same movie I can see on a big screen with good sound near home. If they brought back the unique indies and foreign films I might go back. It’s too bad there is such a shortage of screens in downtown Philly.
Sounds good. I will be there in May, so I will check it out. Thanks.