Central Pennsylvania has never been a big movie going area. The religious pennsylvania dutch influence has been an oft cited reason. Somewhat ironically the Kending managed to flourish in the late 1990’s as a discount operation because the pennsylvania dutch are notoriously frugal as well.
Norelco – Your comment is about the Colonial Park 4 (which opened in 1986) and not the AMC Colonial Commons 9 which is a standard AMC plex which opened in 1991.
The Colonial Commons 9 was originally designed as an 8 Plex with 4 large and 4 small auditoriums. At the last minute as construction began they decided to split one of the large auditoriums so the theatre eneded with nine screens.
They really did a hatchet job when they cut this wonderful theatre into four screens. Typical of what happened to many theatres int eh 1970’s. One of the auditoriums doesn’t even have fixed seats so they can move the seats for stage presentations and some sort of dinner theatre and I am not even sure why they bother with movies in that auditorium.
Well at least they preseved the exterior and the marguee.
The last operator of the Embassy Theatre (with his partner and former Reading mayor Paul Angstadt) was Cinema Treausres favorite Richard Wolfe who currently runs the Roxy in Northampton PA.
One has to wonder just how long the Uptown will continue to survive. Loews Cineplex recently announced that it was converting the Uptown’s two projector changeover booth to a platter system.
The last operator of the Boyd in Easton PA was Angstadt and Wolfe Theatres. Richard Wolfe now runs the Cinema Treasures favorite (featured in the new book)the Roxy Theatre in Northampton Pennsylvania.
Sadly the Trans-Lux lasted as single screen for only about nine (9) years before being twinned up with a wall up the middle in what was a typical of the hatchet jobs of that era. In an attempt to soundproof they made the center wall of extra thickness resulting in two long bowling alleys with screens near the top of the ceiling. (It did seem to help sound bleed however). The Trans Lux name for the twin operations was the Blue and Gold theatres (each was done in seperate matching colors). While still in Trans Lux hands at least the theatre was maintened with some degree of quality.
The Trans Lux was sold the twin in the late in the late 70’s to Sam Shapiro’s Eric Corporation of Philadelphia. Sameric Theatres (as they were known) had a “zero maintence” philosophy for all of their locations and the theatre soon fell into disrepair.
In 1986 the Colonial Park Mall wished to expand the mall space out into the parking lot where the then free-standing theatre stood. Thus Sameric got to open a 4 plex inside the mall itself (which is still operating today by FunTimeCinemas as a discount house) in exchange for giving up its lease and letting the mall tearing down the old Trans Lux.
Soon after acquistion by Sameric the Trans-Lux’s 70MM Victoria Projectors were taken a few miles down the road and installed in the Eric East Park Center. The East Park’s set of Century 70MM JJ were in turn installed somewhere in Philadelphia (I believe it may have even been the Boyd).
According to what I have heard the city awarded the demolition contract on Friday November 19th. I understand they are anxious to get it torn down before it falls down.
The former Eric in downtown Allentown became some sort of church I believe. It was gutted a few years ago. In the 1970’s it had been cut up into five screens. It was sad to see its projection equipment – including its matched set of Norelco 70MM heads – being sold as bulk lot on Ebay about 4 years ago.
The 1000 seat Plaza near Whitehall was cut into two in the 70’s and closed about 1997. I got some of the speakers from the Plaza when it closed. The more recently closed former GCC 8 plex inside the Whitehall Mall itself was just demolished within the past couple of months.
The older classic theatres that I know of which remain in the Lehigh Valley are: The Roxy Northampton (featured in the Cinema Trearures book),the Franklin (which was known for many years as the Jeannette) the Emmaus in Emmaus, the Boyd in downtown Bethlehem ,the 19th Street and the State in Easton. The former AMC 4 plex in Easton just reopened as a discount house by Nelson Page. Someone is also tying to re-open the former Eric in Easton (most recently called Cinema Paradiso).
Actually the exterior four walls still do not look that bad. However I would not get too close. Much of the roof is gone and one of these days the whole thing will collapse.
Save your gas. The building is falling down. The interior was gutted in the late 80’s before Al Moffa sold the place. The seats from the Colonial ended up (and are still today) in the Roxy Northampton (run by Cinema Treasures favorite Richard Wolfe). I got some of the boxoffice signs and projection equipment.
Goldman’s inability to get product for this theatre upon its opening led to his filing of an anti-trust suit – which in 1948 led the courts to craft what became known as the Paramount decrees – the forced divesture of studio control of their theatre chains.
The Lakeshore was one of three (3) drive-ins in the Syracuse NY area owned and operated by the Slotnick family. The other two drive-ins were the DeWitt and the North. The Slotnicks started building hamburger stands under the Carrolls banner and subsequently became Carrolls Development Corp.
The Regency was twinned badly into two long bowling alleys. The last picture that I saw at the Regency (and the only one after it was twineed) was a 70MM version of Altered States which was billed as being in Megasound (bass boom version of 70MM. I remember that the screen wasn’t any bigger than a standard screen in similar badly done twins and the sound wasn’t anything that special.
I have to wonder if they had to turn down the subwoofers because of bleed through. There are still several older multiplexs today where I know the subs are turned down because of this problem.
There are several theatres that have been continuously operating for a longer period of time. The oldest that I am aware of is the Elks Theatre in Middletown Pennsylvania which opened on October 24, 1911 and (with the exception of a couple of months for upgrades in late 1940 through early 1941) has continuually operated as a movie theatre from the date of its opening. The website and history may be found at www.elkstheatremiddletown.com
The next oldest continually operating theatre that I am aware of is the State Theatre in Boyertown Pennsylvania which opened sometime in 1913.
Everybody speaks about multiplexes in terms of “more choices”. The reality today is that does not mean more choice of titles but merely more choice of starting times. Anytime you have competing plexes all you have is the same movies on that many more multiple screens.
I believe that the 419 E. King Street address is correct. The Chertcoff chain had its headquarters in the King Theatre. In its later years the King was twinned and became known as the King and Queen. One of the King/Queen’s last operators was Richard Wolfe who currently runs one of Cinema Treasures favorites the Roxy Theatre in Northampton PA.
The Chertcoff chain had many theatres throughout Central Pennsylvania. In addition to the King they operated the two former drive-ins in Lancaster PA, the Lemoyne in Lemoyne PA (now a music store), the Hill in Camp Hill PA (now a drug store), the Elton in Steelton PA (now a machine shop), the Elks in Middletown PA (still open and operating), the Moose in Elizabethtown PA (still intact but used as a lodge facility), the Joy in Mount Joy (lobby is retail shop) just to name a few.
Central Pennsylvania has never been a big movie going area. The religious pennsylvania dutch influence has been an oft cited reason. Somewhat ironically the Kending managed to flourish in the late 1990’s as a discount operation because the pennsylvania dutch are notoriously frugal as well.
Norelco – Your comment is about the Colonial Park 4 (which opened in 1986) and not the AMC Colonial Commons 9 which is a standard AMC plex which opened in 1991.
The Colonial Commons 9 was originally designed as an 8 Plex with 4 large and 4 small auditoriums. At the last minute as construction began they decided to split one of the large auditoriums so the theatre eneded with nine screens.
Does anybody have an address, phone number or email contact for these people?
They really did a hatchet job when they cut this wonderful theatre into four screens. Typical of what happened to many theatres int eh 1970’s. One of the auditoriums doesn’t even have fixed seats so they can move the seats for stage presentations and some sort of dinner theatre and I am not even sure why they bother with movies in that auditorium.
Well at least they preseved the exterior and the marguee.
The last operator of the Embassy Theatre (with his partner and former Reading mayor Paul Angstadt) was Cinema Treausres favorite Richard Wolfe who currently runs the Roxy in Northampton PA.
The back row of the Sky-Vu is often used by the local Amish who come with their horse and buggies and listen to the sound on portable radios.
One has to wonder just how long the Uptown will continue to survive. Loews Cineplex recently announced that it was converting the Uptown’s two projector changeover booth to a platter system.
It would certainly be helpful in future posts like this if it would contain the location of where the item(s)for sale are located.
The last operator of the Boyd in Easton PA was Angstadt and Wolfe Theatres. Richard Wolfe now runs the Cinema Treasures favorite (featured in the new book)the Roxy Theatre in Northampton Pennsylvania.
The Glen Theatre actually has a small stream flowing under the building which aids in heating and cooling.
Sadly the Trans-Lux lasted as single screen for only about nine (9) years before being twinned up with a wall up the middle in what was a typical of the hatchet jobs of that era. In an attempt to soundproof they made the center wall of extra thickness resulting in two long bowling alleys with screens near the top of the ceiling. (It did seem to help sound bleed however). The Trans Lux name for the twin operations was the Blue and Gold theatres (each was done in seperate matching colors). While still in Trans Lux hands at least the theatre was maintened with some degree of quality.
The Trans Lux was sold the twin in the late in the late 70’s to Sam Shapiro’s Eric Corporation of Philadelphia. Sameric Theatres (as they were known) had a “zero maintence” philosophy for all of their locations and the theatre soon fell into disrepair.
In 1986 the Colonial Park Mall wished to expand the mall space out into the parking lot where the then free-standing theatre stood. Thus Sameric got to open a 4 plex inside the mall itself (which is still operating today by FunTimeCinemas as a discount house) in exchange for giving up its lease and letting the mall tearing down the old Trans Lux.
Soon after acquistion by Sameric the Trans-Lux’s 70MM Victoria Projectors were taken a few miles down the road and installed in the Eric East Park Center. The East Park’s set of Century 70MM JJ were in turn installed somewhere in Philadelphia (I believe it may have even been the Boyd).
The Salina Drive In was owned and operated by National Amusements.
According to what I have heard the city awarded the demolition contract on Friday November 19th. I understand they are anxious to get it torn down before it falls down.
The former Eric in downtown Allentown became some sort of church I believe. It was gutted a few years ago. In the 1970’s it had been cut up into five screens. It was sad to see its projection equipment – including its matched set of Norelco 70MM heads – being sold as bulk lot on Ebay about 4 years ago.
The 1000 seat Plaza near Whitehall was cut into two in the 70’s and closed about 1997. I got some of the speakers from the Plaza when it closed. The more recently closed former GCC 8 plex inside the Whitehall Mall itself was just demolished within the past couple of months.
The older classic theatres that I know of which remain in the Lehigh Valley are: The Roxy Northampton (featured in the Cinema Trearures book),the Franklin (which was known for many years as the Jeannette) the Emmaus in Emmaus, the Boyd in downtown Bethlehem ,the 19th Street and the State in Easton. The former AMC 4 plex in Easton just reopened as a discount house by Nelson Page. Someone is also tying to re-open the former Eric in Easton (most recently called Cinema Paradiso).
Actually the exterior four walls still do not look that bad. However I would not get too close. Much of the roof is gone and one of these days the whole thing will collapse.
Save your gas. The building is falling down. The interior was gutted in the late 80’s before Al Moffa sold the place. The seats from the Colonial ended up (and are still today) in the Roxy Northampton (run by Cinema Treasures favorite Richard Wolfe). I got some of the boxoffice signs and projection equipment.
Goldman’s inability to get product for this theatre upon its opening led to his filing of an anti-trust suit – which in 1948 led the courts to craft what became known as the Paramount decrees – the forced divesture of studio control of their theatre chains.
The Lakeshore was one of three (3) drive-ins in the Syracuse NY area owned and operated by the Slotnick family. The other two drive-ins were the DeWitt and the North. The Slotnicks started building hamburger stands under the Carrolls banner and subsequently became Carrolls Development Corp.
The Regency was twinned badly into two long bowling alleys. The last picture that I saw at the Regency (and the only one after it was twineed) was a 70MM version of Altered States which was billed as being in Megasound (bass boom version of 70MM. I remember that the screen wasn’t any bigger than a standard screen in similar badly done twins and the sound wasn’t anything that special.
I have to wonder if they had to turn down the subwoofers because of bleed through. There are still several older multiplexs today where I know the subs are turned down because of this problem.
Also operating continuously from 1916 is the Strand Theatre in Kutztown Pennsylvania which is now a twin.
There are several theatres that have been continuously operating for a longer period of time. The oldest that I am aware of is the Elks Theatre in Middletown Pennsylvania which opened on October 24, 1911 and (with the exception of a couple of months for upgrades in late 1940 through early 1941) has continuually operated as a movie theatre from the date of its opening. The website and history may be found at www.elkstheatremiddletown.com
The next oldest continually operating theatre that I am aware of is the State Theatre in Boyertown Pennsylvania which opened sometime in 1913.
Everybody speaks about multiplexes in terms of “more choices”. The reality today is that does not mean more choice of titles but merely more choice of starting times. Anytime you have competing plexes all you have is the same movies on that many more multiple screens.
I believe that the 419 E. King Street address is correct. The Chertcoff chain had its headquarters in the King Theatre. In its later years the King was twinned and became known as the King and Queen. One of the King/Queen’s last operators was Richard Wolfe who currently runs one of Cinema Treasures favorites the Roxy Theatre in Northampton PA.
The Chertcoff chain had many theatres throughout Central Pennsylvania. In addition to the King they operated the two former drive-ins in Lancaster PA, the Lemoyne in Lemoyne PA (now a music store), the Hill in Camp Hill PA (now a drug store), the Elton in Steelton PA (now a machine shop), the Elks in Middletown PA (still open and operating), the Moose in Elizabethtown PA (still intact but used as a lodge facility), the Joy in Mount Joy (lobby is retail shop) just to name a few.
I believe the King Theare was built in the late 30’s for the Chertikoff chain.
Even more sad is the fact that Loews bulldozed the 5 screen drive-in which previously sat on the site to build this hulk.