Jules Mastbaum

Jules Ephraim Mastbaum (July 7, 1872 – December 8, 1926) was a Jewish Philadelphia movie theater magnate and philanthropist. He donated the Rodin Museum and its collection to the city of Philadelphia.^[1] His daughter, Peggy Solomon, was a bridge champion.

Biography

Mastbaum was born in Philadelphia in 1872, attended public schools and the Central Manual School, earning a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated in Finance from Penn. and began working for the Gimbel company in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Philadelphia. He began investing in real estate, eventually opening the first nickelodeon in Philadelphia. He bought and built numerous movie houses. In 1926, an $80,000,000 merger added 225 theaters to his chain.^[1]

Legacy

• Donation of the Rodin Museum
• Jules Mastbaum Vocational/Technical School named after him

References

1. Obituary