Broadway Theatre

2042 S. Broad Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19145

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Stanley-Warner Theatres, Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.

Architects: Clarence Stern Thalheimer, David Daniel Weitz, Albert E. Westover

Firms: Thalheimer & Weitz

Styles: Art Deco

Nearby Theaters

Broadway Theater,  2042 South Broad Street

The Broadway Theatre was opened in 1913. It was remodeled in 1940 to the plans of architectural firm Thalheimer and Weitz. It was closed in 1971, and was demolished later that year.

The site became a MacDonalds fast food restaurant, but now houses a Walgreens.

Contributed by Annette Ravinsky, MikeRa, CharlesVanBibber

Recent comments (view all 19 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 18, 2009 at 8:33 pm

Here is a November 1956 item from Boxoffice magazine:

PHILADELPHIA-Stanley Warner’s Broadway Theater in South Philadelphia threw a big Halloween party Saturday October 27. Gift certificates were awarded winners of several age groups for best costume. Free masks were given to every child attending the special matinee. The promotion was arranged by manager Dominic Lucente, “the mayor of South Philadelphia”.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 3, 2010 at 12:19 am

Here is a July 1971 photo from Temple U:
http://tinyurl.com/yzcfr62

Herstory47
Herstory47 on July 25, 2011 at 8:35 pm

I remember going to a Halloween party at the Broadway:)

LSouth219
LSouth219 on August 17, 2011 at 1:48 am

hey maybe somebody could help me out!! My grandmother use to do dance numbers between movies at some theatres in South Philadelphia when she was 15yrs old (late 30s). Do u know if this was common practice at the broadway theatre?? or any other south philly theatres? I’m really hoping to locate which theatres she was talking about in her old stories. (unfortunately she passed away this last month).

TheALAN
TheALAN on March 4, 2014 at 1:12 am

No, the Broadway did not close in 1959. But if it was closed and demolished in 1971, the last picture show at the Broadway could not have been “Charlotte’s Web” as the film was not released until February 22, 1973 (New York City).

TheALAN
TheALAN on March 4, 2014 at 1:46 am

BROADWAY THEATRE is carved into the facade of the building, above the columns (or pillars). Take notice that the spelling is THEATRE, not theater.

whognu
whognu on September 24, 2015 at 9:13 am

@LSouth219 My understanding was that that was the case. It had a very large stage for Vaudeville acts (three sets of curtains if I remember) and there was a small orchestra pit down front, plenty of leg room. It had a loge and two balconies.

barrygerson
barrygerson on May 14, 2017 at 3:27 pm

The Colonial on Moyamensing Ave. had talent shows and other performances. Eddie Fisher got his start here as well as other well known notables. It had a curtain and there were dressing rooms behind the stage area. These dressing rooms were originally a part of the house that was occupied by my family- the original builders and owners of the theatre- my grandparents Sadie and Morris Gerson.It was originally a garage in 1908, they installed fifty seats, with my grandfather running the projector, my grandmother the cashier, and my father, Philip, the usher. It was built into a regular theatre in 1910. It was the first “air cooled” theatre in South Philly. Fans would blow air across a bed of ice in the basement. I distinctly remember experiencing the air cooled system. There was a banner hanging from the marquee announcing “air cooled”, before air conditioning was installed.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on November 25, 2021 at 3:05 pm

When it was demolished it became a Popeye’s chicken before it was a McDonald’s. Saw two movies there Darby O Gill And The Little People and 2001.

Do
Do on August 24, 2022 at 5:52 pm

I saw “The Sound of Music” there as a child. Beautiful theater.

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