The Boyd Theatre

The Boyd Theatre was opened on Christmas Day 1928 and was designed by Hoffman-Henon. The main auditorium had a 2,450 seat capacity and the front lobby was a stunning Art Deco design. The theatre was the largest in Philadelphia at the time. It was the site of many first-run films such as The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, and High Noon (Grace Kelly attended the screening). The theatre was sold to the SamEric Corporation in 1971 and the name was changed to The Sameric 4. In 1988 it was sold again to United Artists Circuit. In 1993, Jonathan Demme, Tom Hanks, and Denzel Washington attended the world premiere of Philadelphia at the theatre. Tom Hanks was impressed by the building and complimented its design. By the mid-1990's, the building had fallen into disrepair and became difficult to upkeep. Its final day of operation was May 2, 2002. The property sat neglected until 2015 when the owner (Pearl Properties) demolished the structure for a 183 unit apartment building.