Senate Theater, Electric Eye Door, photo by Ross Care.
This original photo is from my blog, and was taken sometime before the Senate Theater was torn down.
My blog, Rossano 70, is mostly about film and film music but includes some photos of vintage theaters. Please feel free to surf it and to add comments. (Hope this link works). Thanks.
I lived in Harrisburg and my parents took me to Lancaster to see WINDJAMMER at the King Theater. It probably had the largest screen in Lancaster until it was twined.
Actually there was a new theater, the Eric? – in the new Lancaster Square on the second block of N. Queen St. It probably had the largest new screen in the city until it too was split in half and it was like watching a movie in a long shoe box.
Before the split I saw DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER on the huge Eric Panavision screen about six times.
The King outlasted most of the old theaters in Lancaster, most of which were razed in the “redevelopment” of the ‘60s, after which the Eric rose out of the ashes.
The Eric Pacific 3 was on the third block of N. Queen St. in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The second block of N. Queen St. included four classic movie houses, some of which had histories as legitimate and vaudeville theaters. (None of them seem to be included among the Cinema Treasures listings).
The entire second block (including the huge old Brunswick Hotel) was torn down sometime in the 1960s. The Pacific 3 aka (as I recall) the Pacific East, replaced the vintage theaters which had been so cruelly and foolishly destroyed. As the photo (link) shows there was no real style to the new theater though the interior had that scarlet red flocked wallpaper that made it seem you were walking into a Chinese bordello. (This was a generic look which could be found in theaters of the same period almost anywhere, including the east side of New York City).
During the Three Mile Island nuclear accident the Pacific East showed, very ironically, THE CHINA SYNDROME!
The classic Disney features (initially released by RKO, then Buena Vista) were always screened first-run at the Senate. It also showed Universal International and I saw pictures like CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE in 3-D there. And a re-issue of KING KONG which was a big event for kids in the ‘50s.
When CinemaScope premiered HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE and other Fox films were shown though the Senate screen was really not big enough to contain an impressively huge 'Scope image. (Only the State in Harrisburg could do that).
The Senate was the last downtown movie house standing and it broke my heart when it was razed. It was a great little theater and I loved it.
I have a photo of the electric eye door which I will try to post if I am able.
Senate Theater, Electric Eye Door, photo by Ross Care.
This original photo is from my blog, and was taken sometime before the Senate Theater was torn down.
My blog, Rossano 70, is mostly about film and film music but includes some photos of vintage theaters. Please feel free to surf it and to add comments. (Hope this link works). Thanks.
View link
I lived in Harrisburg and my parents took me to Lancaster to see WINDJAMMER at the King Theater. It probably had the largest screen in Lancaster until it was twined.
Actually there was a new theater, the Eric? – in the new Lancaster Square on the second block of N. Queen St. It probably had the largest new screen in the city until it too was split in half and it was like watching a movie in a long shoe box.
Before the split I saw DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER on the huge Eric Panavision screen about six times.
The King outlasted most of the old theaters in Lancaster, most of which were razed in the “redevelopment” of the ‘60s, after which the Eric rose out of the ashes.
The Eric Pacific 3 was on the third block of N. Queen St. in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The second block of N. Queen St. included four classic movie houses, some of which had histories as legitimate and vaudeville theaters. (None of them seem to be included among the Cinema Treasures listings).
The entire second block (including the huge old Brunswick Hotel) was torn down sometime in the 1960s. The Pacific 3 aka (as I recall) the Pacific East, replaced the vintage theaters which had been so cruelly and foolishly destroyed. As the photo (link) shows there was no real style to the new theater though the interior had that scarlet red flocked wallpaper that made it seem you were walking into a Chinese bordello. (This was a generic look which could be found in theaters of the same period almost anywhere, including the east side of New York City).
During the Three Mile Island nuclear accident the Pacific East showed, very ironically, THE CHINA SYNDROME!
The classic Disney features (initially released by RKO, then Buena Vista) were always screened first-run at the Senate. It also showed Universal International and I saw pictures like CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE in 3-D there. And a re-issue of KING KONG which was a big event for kids in the ‘50s.
When CinemaScope premiered HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE and other Fox films were shown though the Senate screen was really not big enough to contain an impressively huge 'Scope image. (Only the State in Harrisburg could do that).
The Senate was the last downtown movie house standing and it broke my heart when it was razed. It was a great little theater and I loved it.
I have a photo of the electric eye door which I will try to post if I am able.