Northeastern Theater
6031-6039 Torresdale Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19135
6031-6039 Torresdale Avenue,
Philadelphia,
PA
19135
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Stanley-Warner Theatres, Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Architects: William Harold Lee
Functions: Retail
Nearby Theaters
This neighborhood theater in north Philadelphia with 950-seats opened in May 1923. The proscenium was 27ft wide. It was equipped with a Kimball organ and a Cunningham piano. It was taken over by Warner Equity Theatres in 1929. In April 1942 Warner Bros, gave it a makeover. It was closed on January 25, 1958 with John Howard in “The Unknown Terror” & Peggy Castle in “Back From the Dead”.
It became an auto repair shop. By August 2019 it was in use as an electrical appliance store.
Contributed by
Richard J. Petsche
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
Here is an undated photo. It looks like the theater was an auto repair shop at one time:
http://tinyurl.com/35f9gj
Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/lc9age
Thanks guys for establishing that it had been an auto repair shop. With that out of the way, does anyone have anything to share about those years that it was actually a movie theater? That would be different!
My Dad Joe (91) and his brother Bill were regulars to this theater when they were little boys. They grew up on Van Kirk Street and could walk to it on a Saturday afternoon. They would buy pretzels outside from a vendor — five for a nickle and spread with mustard. The movies then cost ten cents which covered a full afternoon of entertainment — cartoons, ongoing serial and the main feature. The theater was nicknamed the “Flee Bite” by Dad and his brother and friends.
On March 29, 1929, the Northeastern was one of eleven existing theaters acquired by Warner-Equity Theatres. In April of 1942, Warner Circuit gave it a streamline moderne makeover. A long-running soda fountain served as a before and after show hangout. The Northeastern Theatre closed on January 25, 1958 with “The Unknown Terror” and “Back from the Dead.”