With regard to the Boyd, there's not a single way I could see it being geared to operate daily. It is an event theater strictly, and it would totally detract from it to try to make it otherwise -- which the Sameric era, of course, proved beyond all shadow of a doubt.

But in coming up with what would be most fitting, years ago I went to visit the Hollywood Bowl out in California, but it was late in November when nothing at all was taking place there. So during my visit it had all the feeling of going to see a museum, or perhaps a New Jersey boardwalk during the off season. But, given how the Hollywood Bowl is specially geared for special events, what I experienced when there I felt was totally appropriate. And well worth the visit. That is, I don't think the Boyd should try to be the Tower, Academy of Music, Wachovia Center or what have you, but rather, provide the fare that these other venues cannot or don't seek to. And we know that movies themselves top that list. At the same time -- due to the competition from the multiplexes -- it cannot be just any movie, but only premieres and those describable as epics, the latter these days being few and far between. And because of the limitation of these two things, that does justify the Boyd Theatre being geared to handle live performances as well. So certainly it should include live performances in its fare also. But again, it should be live performances of a special event nature, while at the same time not attempting to replicate the Academy of Music, Kimmel Center and so on. Which I have no doubt can be done. But on a daily basis? Absolutely no way! In Hollywood Bowl like fashion, there should be long stretches where the Boyd is none other than in a museum like state and open only to the public so they can have a look around and to meditate on what it must've been like when the big events took place there past, or how future events will be. Which was how it was when I visited the Hollywood Bowl that long ago November afternoon. And that formula worked well for the Hollywood Bowl; and still does, so why not for this as well?

When I visited the Hollywood Bowl, it wasn't Downtown. Different situation than the Boyd.

As Inga Saffron points out in the Inquirer article, big touring musical shows that require a huge theater can only be in the Academy of Music during 12 weeks of summer, because that venue is primarily for opera and ballet. The Boyd can primarily be for Touring Broadway shows and concerts. And, as Inga points out, the restaurants and other establishments near the Boyd are counting on its business.

Like former movie palaces nationwide, the Boyd Theatre can be put to good use, full of patrons being entertained by shows.

And, yes, Friends of the Boyd wish to offer public tours, so people can see the Boyd and enjoy its history and design.

What you, as well as the Philadelphia Inquirer's Inga Saffron, say sounds perfectly reasonable to me. And I am very much looking forward to the day when we will all look back on this era that Philadelphia is going through now and marvel out how common sense prevailed in the end.

Meantime, I consider the situation the Boyd is currently experiencing to be a very significant chapter in cinema's history over all, given how the Boyd Theatre's highest calling always was, and always will be, as a movie palace first and foremost. For while live performances are nice, no intelligent and reasonable person can deny that motion pictures are the highest art form there is. And I say that both from the viewpoint of artist and observer of it. And it is my firmest belief that if the Boyd does not lose sight of its highest calling it will prevail. At the same time, with the gambling casinos to be coming to Philadelphia and the effect they'll have on Philadelphia's landscape over all, it will be a must that the Boyd not be at odds with two of the city's biggest live performance institutions -- the Kimmel Center and Academy of Music -- but have a complementary relationship with them come then. And the surest, and most welcome, way that can happen is if the Boyd commits to what it's most suitably designed for, and that is as a movie palace, and one of the best in the world if just given a chance to be.

When on earth will the Boyd Theater be restored?

Matters are currently a bit stalled, but it is indeed important that the project get back on track.

Howard B. Haas, Esq.
(volunteer) President, Friends of the Boyd, Inc.
www.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org

Really need a big push in 2008, specially with a brand new Mayor who seem to care about Philly(Ignoring his Route 15 snafu).

__________________
"And Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day."--Rev. Arnold Conrad

Yes, Friends of the Boyd agree as to the Boyd. As to Route 15, I hope the trolley has its own thread(s) at the appropriate blog.
If you want to talk trolleys, we can make that "Boyd" relevant. We have 2 photos of a trolley in 1952 in front of the Boyd (our "Greatest Show on Earth" movie series). One photo is on our webite: http://www.friendsoftheboyd.org/photos/glazer/34-P-029-037.jpg/view
I zoomed in on a 20 MB scan, but can't read the writing. However, the trolley gets a little closer to the camera in another photo (not online). Can't read the trolley number, obstructed by a street pole. However, can read that it says "Front Chestnut" the direction it is headed. I don't know when trolleys ceased on Chestnut Street. I would (speaking for myself, not Friends of the Boyd) love to see trolleys on Chestnut, Walnut, South, etc.

(1) Since Friends of the Boyd organized, Philadelphia's endangered historic Boyd Theatre has been receiving more national attention. There is a new BOOK by the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS that features the Watercolor Painting done in 1928 of the Boyd's auditorium. Our website has the image:
http://www.friendsoftheboyd.org/phot...oyd01.jpg/view

The book "Silent Movies: The Birth of Film and the Triumph of Movie Culture" (Little, Brown and Company, by Peter Kobel, with a forward by Martin Scorsese) uses the drawing to illustrate that "Movie palaces reflect the evolution of silent film from a cheap attraction consumed mostly by the lower classes into a highly artistic, big-budget enterprise."

The Boyd's glamorous architecture is artistic, and so were the films shown.

The book is widely available nationwide (or worldwide) at bookstores. Copy & paste the title into your search engine (such as Google), and you will see the book is available everywhere.

(2) A few years ago, we saved the Art Deco building near the Boyd, 1900 Chestnut, from demolition. Qdoba has since opened there. During weekday lunch time, there is a line out the door! On the 2nd floor there is now Indoor Rowing. The ambiance of the neighborhood will improve immensely more when a restored Boyd Theatre reopens as an entertainment showplace.

(3) News from our allies at the National Trust for Historic Preservation about the reopening of a restored Art Deco movie palace saved from the wrecking ball, the SPOKANE in the State of Washington, built 1931:
http://www.nationaltrust.org/magazin...007/112007.htm

Philadelphia, too, must retain, restore, and reopen its Art Deco movie palace. No matter how well acclaimed the Boyd is nationally, as evidenced by the book mentioned above, the movie palace must again get back onto a track of being restored and reopened!

(4) One of you asked if Friends of the Boyd have a MY SPACE page? We certainly do!http://www.myspace.com/friendsoftheboyd
Thanks to Brendan O'Riordan for volunteering to create it, and for doing such a great job!

You might see yourself in one of the Group Tour photos, if you attended one of our tours of the historic Boyd Theatre during the years that Center City Philadelphia's last surviving movie palace was owned by the Goldenberg Group.

If you like My Space, please share the link with your My Space buddies:
http://www.myspace.com/friendsoftheboyd

Howard B. Haas
www.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org