Movies
1154 Main Street,
Hellertown,
PA
18055
1154 Main Street,
Hellertown,
PA
18055
3 people
favorited this theater
The Sauconia Theatre was opened on September 14, 1940, under the management of John Kofler, who had previously exhibited movies at the American Legion building in Hellertown. It was closed in 1966, but was refurbished and reopened in 1968 by Ellie Kofler, daughter of the original owner.
At that time it was renamed The Movies. The struggling theatre closed again for several years in the 1980’s, and again in 2001. Elle Kofler died in May 2002.
One final event took place in the old building on March 24, 2002, when a television cable company presented a live telecast of the Academy Awards ceremony. Since then the building has passed through the hands of various owners who have spoken of converting into community center, housing for the elderly or a medical facility. None of these plans have come to fruition.
The building was put up ‘For Sale’ in January 2012.
Contributed by
David Lightner
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Recent comments (view all 20 comments)
Does anyone have info for the current owner. Im interested in this building.
Thanks
A photo of the theatre as the Sauconia:
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This theater is clearly seen in the motion picture “The Florentine.” I believe it is Chris Penn who is seen walking in front of it.
The seats and equipment were removed and sold several years ago. I think that the owners had planned on making it a banquet hall. It is art deco on the outside and rather plain on the inside. It seems to me that 35mm film reels were used as wall sconces in the auditorium.
I worked at this theater sometime in I think 1997 or 98. First of all, though I liked the theater, the owner (an old woman named Ellie or something) had let the place fall into serious disrepair. She had even rejected offers by the local Vo-Tech kids who had volunteered to fix the ceiling for free. It seems she harbored some disillusions about how the theater was going to be saved, or maybe she just didn’t care. She seemed to love the Theater, but she paid us all less than minimum wage and everyone hated her. The last movie I worked during was “Rugrats: The Movie.” Creepy basement, horrible rest rooms.
Was the creepy Basement full of old one sheets? I hit a Gold mine in an “OLD CREEPY BASEMENT” in the MILLER THEATRE.
Don’t know how old the Google Street View is but the theatre is still standing and really don’t look like it is in bad shape from the outside.
a film clip of the theater here http://www.vimeo.com/15182257
<iframe src=“http://player.vimeo.com/video/15182257” width=“400” height=“300” frameborder=“0”></iframe><p>“The Movies” theater Hellerttown PA from Winfield Heckert on Vimeo.</p>
From Hellertown an undated postcard view of the Sauconia Theatre.
Now that is streamline for sure,thanks for the photo.
Sued them over a leaky roof? What an evil old lady.She must have the owner of the Highway 21 Drive-in in Beaufort,S.C.also.