This operated as the Three Link Theatre in as early as 1926. It was renamed the Rialto Theatre. It was briefly renamed the Rialto Theatre during the early-1930s before it was renamed the Ritz Theatre in September 1936. It was closed in 1955, and immediately went up on sale afterward.
The Capitol Theatre closed for the final time on August 2, 1977 with “The Sorcerer”, and was last operated by the Fox Theatres chain who also operated the nearby Fox Theatre and the Deer Lake Drive-In.
The Starlite Drive-In in Quakertown opened its gates on March 25, 1954 with Rita Hayworth in “Miss Sadie Thompson” and the Bowery Boys in “Hold That Line”. Budco was its last operator, who closed the Starlite on November 20, 1977 with “Torso” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.
First owned by J.V. Shreck, Ashland’s Roxy Theatre opened its doors on October 31, 1928 with Colleen Moore in “Lilac Time” along with a few unnamed comedies and novelties. It was originally a silent house when it opened featuring organ performances by Professor Mickey J. Carey, who also carried out the opening attraction, but Vitaphone was immediately installed at the Roxy in January 1929.
The Roxy Theatre closed for the final time on August 31, 1974 with Walt Disney’s double-feature of “Old Yeller” and “The Incredible Journey”. Unfortunately, the following month in October, almost the entirety of motion picture distributors joined in a civil suit totaling $36,658 against the Roxy’s final operator Bryun Pikutus claiming that he owes money for exhibiting their pictures. The sues were filed by the major companies of Paramount, MGM, Universal, United Artists, Columbia, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Avco Embassy, American International, and Buena Vista Distribution (Walt Disney Productions).
The Refowich Theatre closed for the final time on June 8, 1975 with Walt Disney’s “Escape To Witch Mountain” and a marathon of Disney’s Donald Duck and Chip And Dale cartoons beforehand.
The last showing of the movie was attended by only eleven moviegoers, not even fifty or a hundred. Right after the “The End, A Walt Disney Production” card fades out, the screen went absolute blank at approximately 9:26 PM ET. Not even a tail, and not even a “Thank you for all the years we served” type of message. The walls are starkly naked with most of the furnishings, mirrors, and curtains being removed. As the eleven patrons walked out of the theater, the “Coming Attractions” boards are already blank.
One of the staff members on its final day of operations replied that it “was bad to not have a movie theater in a town of 4,500, and they could’ve fixed the theater up”. John Urishin, its last manager, flipped the switch and wiped clean the top of the refreshment stand. John Komishock, its last projectionist, carried the prints of the movie and cartoons to the outside lobby for their last trip from Freeland. After the three remaining light bulbs of the marquee were powered off, Centre Street went dark.
The Ritz Theatre closed for the final time on March 28, 1964 with Walt Disney’s “The Sword In The Stone” and James Stewart in “Take Her, She’s Mine”. It originally closed for the summer season, but never reopened afterward.
The Angela Theatre actually did close for nearly a year in 1979 before reopening on February 29, 1980 by Shenandoah businessman Charles Karosis. This was short-lived, and closed in 1981. On August 11, 1982, the Angela Theatre was sold for $2,000 by Angel and Gerald Donovan, former Coaldale residents who lived in New Jersey at the time. It never reopened though, leaving the building in the dark for the rest of the 1980s and into the early-1990s.
On August 31, 1995, 48-year-old Michael Danchak, who first worked as the usher there since its opening. This came three years after he purchased the theater in 1992 for $500. It was renovated throughout the next several years. The first of the three auditoriums reopened on August 14, 1998 with “Titanic”, while the other two screens reopened around Thanksgiving 1998.
The Palace Theatre was once briefly operated by Peter Magazzu, who also operated other theaters in Coaldale, Tamaqua, Hometown, and Montoursville. The Palace was destroyed by a fire on November 29, 1968.
The Capitol Theatre closed as a movie theater on April 27, 1959 with Russ Tamblyn in “Tom Thumb” because of poor attendance, and the former Capitol became a warehouse afterward. It wasn’t until December 1976 when the former Mauch Chunk building relaunched as the Mauch Chunk Opera House.
The Palm Theatre was once the last operating indoor movie theater operating in Carbon County until a fire destroyed the Palm Theatre caused by arson on July 6, 1978. The Palm Theatre closed with “The Greek Tycoon” which the movie had ended a couple of hours before the fire. Despite no injuries being reported, the fire left Carbon County without an indoor movie theater for almost 20 years.
The Park Theatre opened its doors on July 9, 1923. I cannot find its grand opening attraction, but does mention that it comes along with a performance by organist Professor S.W. Unger. The Park Theatre closed on November 26, 1955 with William Campbell in “Cell 2455, Death Row” (unknown if extras added).
Built on the site of an former opera house, the Classic Theatre opened its doors on February 7, 1942 with Sterling Hayden in “Bahama Passage” (unknown if extras added) and was first operated by Mrs. Andrew Bayer. A special performance of the Star-Spangled Banner as well as a grand opening deliverance by William H. Bayer, son of A.E. Bayer, was also presented. The first ever ticket that was given on grand opening day is Elizabeth Balliett of Route 3 Lehighton.
A little bit of the theater building’s information contain special emphasis placed on a paled-off rose terra cotta combined with a soft beige and a strong blue color tone. There are also separate entrance and exit doors, as well as the lobby being artistically faced with a terra cotta or ceramic tile in combinations of old gold, peach, cream, and blue colors.
The Classic Theatre closed for the final time on July 24, 1967 with Walt Disney’s “Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs”, leaving the Mahoning Drive-In as the only movie theater in the area for several decades.
The Holliday Theatre actually closed as a movie theater on September 2, 1986 with “The Karate Kid Part II”, not “Top Gun”. The former theater then became a church the following month, and the building was destroyed by a fire on January 30, 1990.
The actual Mauch Chunk opening date is February 3, 1882 with a live presentation of “Edgewood Folks” by the Sol Smith Russell Company along with a speech delivered by A.W. Butler. It was originally planned to be built as a City Council building but quickly turned the idea into an Opera House.
Closed in December 1980.
This operated as the Three Link Theatre in as early as 1926. It was renamed the Rialto Theatre. It was briefly renamed the Rialto Theatre during the early-1930s before it was renamed the Ritz Theatre in September 1936. It was closed in 1955, and immediately went up on sale afterward.
The Capitol Theatre closed for the final time on August 2, 1977 with “The Sorcerer”, and was last operated by the Fox Theatres chain who also operated the nearby Fox Theatre and the Deer Lake Drive-In.
Closed on September 8, 1988 with “Hero And The Terror” in Screen 1 and “Big” in Screen 2.
The Starlite Drive-In in Quakertown opened its gates on March 25, 1954 with Rita Hayworth in “Miss Sadie Thompson” and the Bowery Boys in “Hold That Line”. Budco was its last operator, who closed the Starlite on November 20, 1977 with “Torso” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”.
Opened on November 4, 1924 with Noah Beery in “Welcome Stranger” (unknown if extras added).
Closed on October 24, 1983 with “Curse Of The Pink Panther”.
Closed on August 31, 1995 with “Desperado” and “The Baby-Sitter’s Club”.
Closed on August 4, 1985 with “A View To A Kill” and “Cat’s Eye”.
First owned by J.V. Shreck, Ashland’s Roxy Theatre opened its doors on October 31, 1928 with Colleen Moore in “Lilac Time” along with a few unnamed comedies and novelties. It was originally a silent house when it opened featuring organ performances by Professor Mickey J. Carey, who also carried out the opening attraction, but Vitaphone was immediately installed at the Roxy in January 1929.
The Roxy Theatre closed for the final time on August 31, 1974 with Walt Disney’s double-feature of “Old Yeller” and “The Incredible Journey”. Unfortunately, the following month in October, almost the entirety of motion picture distributors joined in a civil suit totaling $36,658 against the Roxy’s final operator Bryun Pikutus claiming that he owes money for exhibiting their pictures. The sues were filed by the major companies of Paramount, MGM, Universal, United Artists, Columbia, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Avco Embassy, American International, and Buena Vista Distribution (Walt Disney Productions).
The Wonders Theatre actually opened in 1909, although I cannot find its grand opening advertisement.
The Refowich Theatre closed for the final time on June 8, 1975 with Walt Disney’s “Escape To Witch Mountain” and a marathon of Disney’s Donald Duck and Chip And Dale cartoons beforehand.
The last showing of the movie was attended by only eleven moviegoers, not even fifty or a hundred. Right after the “The End, A Walt Disney Production” card fades out, the screen went absolute blank at approximately 9:26 PM ET. Not even a tail, and not even a “Thank you for all the years we served” type of message. The walls are starkly naked with most of the furnishings, mirrors, and curtains being removed. As the eleven patrons walked out of the theater, the “Coming Attractions” boards are already blank.
One of the staff members on its final day of operations replied that it “was bad to not have a movie theater in a town of 4,500, and they could’ve fixed the theater up”. John Urishin, its last manager, flipped the switch and wiped clean the top of the refreshment stand. John Komishock, its last projectionist, carried the prints of the movie and cartoons to the outside lobby for their last trip from Freeland. After the three remaining light bulbs of the marquee were powered off, Centre Street went dark.
Closed on September 2, 1978 with “Star Wars”.
The Ritz Theatre closed for the final time on March 28, 1964 with Walt Disney’s “The Sword In The Stone” and James Stewart in “Take Her, She’s Mine”. It originally closed for the summer season, but never reopened afterward.
The Angela Theatre actually did close for nearly a year in 1979 before reopening on February 29, 1980 by Shenandoah businessman Charles Karosis. This was short-lived, and closed in 1981. On August 11, 1982, the Angela Theatre was sold for $2,000 by Angel and Gerald Donovan, former Coaldale residents who lived in New Jersey at the time. It never reopened though, leaving the building in the dark for the rest of the 1980s and into the early-1990s.
On August 31, 1995, 48-year-old Michael Danchak, who first worked as the usher there since its opening. This came three years after he purchased the theater in 1992 for $500. It was renovated throughout the next several years. The first of the three auditoriums reopened on August 14, 1998 with “Titanic”, while the other two screens reopened around Thanksgiving 1998.
There’s not a lot of information that I can find about the Victoria, but the theater did close for a whole year in 1967.
The Palace Theatre was once briefly operated by Peter Magazzu, who also operated other theaters in Coaldale, Tamaqua, Hometown, and Montoursville. The Palace was destroyed by a fire on November 29, 1968.
The Capitol Theatre closed as a movie theater on April 27, 1959 with Russ Tamblyn in “Tom Thumb” because of poor attendance, and the former Capitol became a warehouse afterward. It wasn’t until December 1976 when the former Mauch Chunk building relaunched as the Mauch Chunk Opera House.
The Palm Theatre was once the last operating indoor movie theater operating in Carbon County until a fire destroyed the Palm Theatre caused by arson on July 6, 1978. The Palm Theatre closed with “The Greek Tycoon” which the movie had ended a couple of hours before the fire. Despite no injuries being reported, the fire left Carbon County without an indoor movie theater for almost 20 years.
The Park Theatre opened its doors on July 9, 1923. I cannot find its grand opening attraction, but does mention that it comes along with a performance by organist Professor S.W. Unger. The Park Theatre closed on November 26, 1955 with William Campbell in “Cell 2455, Death Row” (unknown if extras added).
Built on the site of an former opera house, the Classic Theatre opened its doors on February 7, 1942 with Sterling Hayden in “Bahama Passage” (unknown if extras added) and was first operated by Mrs. Andrew Bayer. A special performance of the Star-Spangled Banner as well as a grand opening deliverance by William H. Bayer, son of A.E. Bayer, was also presented. The first ever ticket that was given on grand opening day is Elizabeth Balliett of Route 3 Lehighton.
A little bit of the theater building’s information contain special emphasis placed on a paled-off rose terra cotta combined with a soft beige and a strong blue color tone. There are also separate entrance and exit doors, as well as the lobby being artistically faced with a terra cotta or ceramic tile in combinations of old gold, peach, cream, and blue colors.
The Classic Theatre closed for the final time on July 24, 1967 with Walt Disney’s “Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs”, leaving the Mahoning Drive-In as the only movie theater in the area for several decades.
The Holliday Theatre actually closed as a movie theater on September 2, 1986 with “The Karate Kid Part II”, not “Top Gun”. The former theater then became a church the following month, and the building was destroyed by a fire on January 30, 1990.
The Carolina Theatre was destroyed by a fire on April 4, 1964. The fire also injured two firefighters.
The actual Mauch Chunk opening date is February 3, 1882 with a live presentation of “Edgewood Folks” by the Sol Smith Russell Company along with a speech delivered by A.W. Butler. It was originally planned to be built as a City Council building but quickly turned the idea into an Opera House.
Also opened with the Disney featurette “Ben and Me”.