Unique Theatre

The Mantua Casino Theatre was a 1,000-seat venue that played movies and had live entertainment in the 1900’s in Philadelphia at the Northeast corner of Haverford Avenue and 36th Street. The West Philadelphia venue was offered for sale “cheap” in 1909. In 1912, it is assumed the building suffered from some form of damage as it is reconstructed for $23,000 for new operator James Bogar and taken over by George P. Aarons as a 900-seat venue. It was renamed the Dreamland Theatre opening on a 20-year lease, a name that it kept until 1932.

Under Jack Pizor’s leadership, the Dreamland Theatre was refreshed and received a Wurlitzer organ in 1928. It closed at the end of its lease. It was reopened after a period of closure as the Unique Theatre likely resuming operation on a new 25-year lease. The Unique Theatre was run by Joseph Schwartz until his death in 1938 and by Isadore Yaffe.

Yaffe noted that the clientele at the theatre switched to predominately African-American patrons as the Mantua neighborhood population shifted quickly after World War II. The Unique Theatre was refreshed using only 630 of its 800 available seats choosing to use just the main floor as audiences dwindled.

A shooting in the theatre during a 1957 showing of the Frank Sinatra starring movie “The Man with the Golden Arm” showed the resiliency of the patrons. There was an initial panic following the gunshots during the screening. That was followed by the taking away of the injured patron, and the crowd simply retook their seats and the film continued. The Unique Theatre closed at end of its 25-year lease and offered for sale. When no buyers were identified, the building was auctioned off in June of 1959.

Following the auction, the Unique Theatre had a final chapter continuing as an African-American theatre into the 1960’s. Unfortunately, the neighborhood became a haven for gangs which hastened the theatre’s demise. The Unique Theatre closed after more than 50 years of operation and it appears that the city of Philadelphia took over the property during redevelopment and may have razed the vacant facility. The land was sold for $1 and a church built on the property in 1974 that remains there in the 2020’s.

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