The Reel Deal: Stone Harbor’s Magnificent Movie Theater Turns 75
It’s funny how history has a way of repeating itself. A great local example is the Harbor Square Theatre. There were some doubters locally when plans were announced in 2016 to reopen the long-neglected 96th Street theater as a refurbished, high-end theater/restaurant complex. This, at a time when in-home, on-demand movies were beginning to dominate the viewing habits of movie enthusiasts, although true cinephiles still yearn for the big screen.
Doubters aside, following a painstaking refurbishment, Harbor Square has become a year-round anchor of commerce on 96th Street. It’s not unusual to find parking spots at a premium, even on a midweek January or February evening.
You may be surprised to learn that it’s not the first time a substantial, well-planned financial investment has made a dramatic impact at 271 96th St.
It was 75 years ago, in June 1949, when Jack Greenberg first cut the ribbon to open the Harbor Theatre. Greenberg probably had his own share of doubters at the time. After all, the Park Theatre, which was purchased and renovated in 1930 by Greenberg, was located less than a half-block away on 96th Street. This was at a time when, despite popularity among seasonal visitors, Stone Harbor had fewer than 400 permanent residents.
To achieve his dream of providing what many called one of the most luxurious motion picture theaters of its time, Greenberg would invest more than $300,000 to construct and furnish his dream. Adjusted for inflation, in 2024 dollars that would be equivalent to nearly $3.9 million. Construction began in July 1948, utilizing mostly local contractors. A risky investment at any time, but especially following the end of World War II, which adversely affected seashore visits and vacations for a time.
Greenberg was often referred to as one of the earliest pioneers in the motion picture industry. It’s not clear how or where the film bug bit him. With only an eighth-grade education from Philadelphia public schools, Greenberg first embarked on a career as a model. His image would appear in advertisements coast-to-coast for a shirt manufacturer. It was around this time that he embarked on a career as one of the first motion picture distributors in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, working for film titans Fox Films and Goldwyn Distributors.
His investment in Stone Harbor was just one example that Greenberg was all-in when it came to the motion picture industry. Over his lifetime, he would own more than 15 theaters in the Delaware Valley, including the Avalon Theatre and the Capitol Theatre in Woodbine in addition to the two Stone Harbor theaters. He was also an investor in companies that supplied projection equipment and popcorn poppers to theaters. It’s said that Greenberg sold millions of dollars of war bonds supporting the war effort during World War II. He’d also go on to form the Allied Theaters of Philadelphia.
Greenberg also had many philanthropic interests, including being a charter member of Variety, the children’s charity of the Delaware Valley. He was also an avid sports enthusiast, with a special love for football. It wasn’t unusual for him to attend multiple high school, college, and professional football games every weekend. Greenberg was among the first 100 charter season-ticket holders for the Philadelphia Eagles.
The excitement level of the final weekend in June 1949 might have even exceeded what Greenberg may have hoped for. Local newspapers printed special sections celebrating the opening of the Harbor Theatre, supported by many local businesses. National newsreel cameramen and still photographers were in place on the sidewalk. Word of the grand opening was carried by most newspapers on the East Coast. The news even reached newspapers in Los Angeles.
A crowd described by a local newspaper as “hundreds of spectators that spilled out onto 96th Street hours in advance on [Friday, June 24] in anticipation of the 6:30 p.m. ribbon cutting of the magnificent playhouse.” All 850 seats were sold, and the start of the motion picture was delayed for a short time while the 16 hostesses helped to seat all the patrons. According to other news reports, the first showing “came off quietly and smoothly yet impressively as the new $300,000 theater opened to an admiring public Friday evening.”
Acting Mayor James McCaughey would cut the ribbon with councilman Henry Anderson handling the MC duties both inside and outside of the theater. As the ribbon was cut, Greenberg leaned over to a surprised mayor with what was described as “a big kiss.” A media report said that McCaughey’s “normal florid countenance” (flushed appearance) was an even deeper red. As the ribbon dropped to the sidewalk, McCaughey said: “We are witnessing the launching of a new era in the life of Stone Harbor. This is a historic moment.”
John Ludlam of the Stephen C. Ludlam American Legion Post 331 presented the colors as the sold-out house sang the national anthem. Ludlum then presented the flag to Greenberg, who promised to keep it on display.
Greenberg would continue to aggressively market his new showplace with two screenings every evening and a matinee on weekends well into the fall. For the July 4 weekend, to reach a younger demographic, he scheduled an afternoon of the newest Technicolor cartoons along with a screening of “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm,” starring Shirley Temple.
Greenberg’s dream would continue to operate for more than a half-century and eventually be given yet another life as the Harbor Square Theatre. The new owners spent countless hours preserving some of the architectural treasures from 1949 for your enjoyment today.
So, at a time when many yearn for days gone by, the Harbor Theatre, or as it is known today, the Harbor Square Theatre, provides the comfort of something that’s “always been here” and Jack Greenberg’s dream lives on in 2024 … 75 years later.