First cinema in Allentown to be equipped for synchronized sound films. It opened on 16 December 1927, showing “The Prince of Headwaiters”, starring Lewis Stone, a mostly silent film which had scenes in sound. The cinema operated until February 1961, when it was closed.
Two Drive-Ins were built in the Allentown area in the late 1940s after World War II. The Boulevard was opened on Union Boulevard in East Allentown; the West End off the 15th Street Exit of the Leigh Valley Throughway (Route 22).
Operated successfully for many summers. Usually open between May and October. Had just simple pole cord speakers you hung on the car window. No heaters so that limited the season to the warmer months. Had nightly shows at dusk during the week. 2d shows on Friday and Saturday nights Concession stand with all the normal drive-in fare for food.
Closed in the 1970s and redeveloped. Now Rothrock Nissan
There was a hugs fire at the Rialto about 1945 or so and the entire building was torn down and rebuilt. The front was originally a 3 or 4 story building with the auditorium behind it.
When it was re-built the lobby was cut down to 2 stories and sometime later it was given a red granite facade.
About 1970 or 71 it stopped showing first run films and turned into a Adult Theater. I remember going in there when I was in High School and watched “I Am Curious (Yellow)” and some other skin flicks (they really didn’t show any nudity.. just “simulated” a lot of things you can watch online today for free. I remember one movie they showed this girl and a guy going into a car and then the car was “rocking”. LOL.. then they got out still clotheed.
I don’t believe the Rialto actually showed anything close to the pornography you can watch online now.
In 1972 is when the Marquee was taken down because of the canopys they were erecting on Hamilton Street when they tried to turn it into “Hamilton Mall”.
This opened up as the Eric Twin in 1969. “On Her Majesties Secret Service” was shown there in 70mm. At the time it was the only theater in Allentown capable of showing the widescreen print.
All the other theaters at the time downtown could only show 35mm with a “Scope” lens
This ad above must be from an earlier theater in the same building. The Capri theater that I recall opened about 1968 next to the Americas Hotel in the 500 block of Hamilton Street.
The Allentown Boyd (there was one in Bethlehem and one in Easton as well) was torn down in 1971 when Pennsylvania Power and Light bought the western side of 9th Street from behind their tower all the way back to Linden Street. The theater on 9th street, opposite from Hess’s Pet Shop on the other side of the street.
PPL tore it down along with a Pep Boys, a flower shop and a bike shop to put in a large data center on the site. A diner that was next to the Boyd was moved a block away to a parking lot. The Diner is still there on the site next to a church on the northeast corner of 9th and Linden Streets.
The Boyd was the 2d largest theater in the Downtown Allentown area in the 1960s, behind the Colonial Theater. I remember seeing my first “R” rated movie there in 1969 “100 Rifles”.. with Jim Brown and Burt Reynolds. I still remember to this day a woman whispering to her husband in the theater.. “He said F****” LOL
Another memory I have of the Boyd was from the mid 1960s was when they showed the movie “The Bible” there. You had to call up the theater to make a reservation to see it, and I went with my grandmother to the box office and the seats were reserved.
WAEB was on the tower behind the drive-in. I used to work there when I was in High School when the station was on Fenwick Street.
When I would get off work during the summer, It was easy to sneak in by walking in the exit, going to the concession stand, buy something to eat and sit in one of the back rows on the ground and listen on a speaker.
The Towne became a porn theater also in the 1960s…. It was either closed down or went out of business when porn became available on VHS about 1978/79 and in the early 80s the new owners did a gut renovation of the building, tearing out everything except the outside.
Today it’s an apartment building and you enter the property thoug a door that was a side fire door when it was a theater. But if you know what it looked like, you still can see where the front entrance was as the 2d and 3d floor looks the same…
Some photos taken by the local newspaper around 1982
First cinema in Allentown to be equipped for synchronized sound films. It opened on 16 December 1927, showing “The Prince of Headwaiters”, starring Lewis Stone, a mostly silent film which had scenes in sound. The cinema operated until February 1961, when it was closed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strand_Theater%28Allentown,Pennsylvania%29
Torn down in June 1987 along with a pizza place next door. Also the Earl Theater was next to the pizza shop which was torn down in 1961.
The area now is a large asphalt parking lot
Two Drive-Ins were built in the Allentown area in the late 1940s after World War II. The Boulevard was opened on Union Boulevard in East Allentown; the West End off the 15th Street Exit of the Leigh Valley Throughway (Route 22).
Operated successfully for many summers. Usually open between May and October. Had just simple pole cord speakers you hung on the car window. No heaters so that limited the season to the warmer months. Had nightly shows at dusk during the week. 2d shows on Friday and Saturday nights Concession stand with all the normal drive-in fare for food.
Closed in the 1970s and redeveloped. Now Rothrock Nissan
There was a hugs fire at the Rialto about 1945 or so and the entire building was torn down and rebuilt. The front was originally a 3 or 4 story building with the auditorium behind it.
When it was re-built the lobby was cut down to 2 stories and sometime later it was given a red granite facade.
About 1970 or 71 it stopped showing first run films and turned into a Adult Theater. I remember going in there when I was in High School and watched “I Am Curious (Yellow)” and some other skin flicks (they really didn’t show any nudity.. just “simulated” a lot of things you can watch online today for free. I remember one movie they showed this girl and a guy going into a car and then the car was “rocking”. LOL.. then they got out still clotheed.
I don’t believe the Rialto actually showed anything close to the pornography you can watch online now.
In 1972 is when the Marquee was taken down because of the canopys they were erecting on Hamilton Street when they tried to turn it into “Hamilton Mall”.
The theater had closed in the 1950s I believe, as by the early 1960s, the marquee was there and it was a large card shop that was in the lobby.
This opened up as the Eric Twin in 1969. “On Her Majesties Secret Service” was shown there in 70mm. At the time it was the only theater in Allentown capable of showing the widescreen print.
All the other theaters at the time downtown could only show 35mm with a “Scope” lens
The Earle closed in 1961. My aunt took me to the last movie they showed there, “The Great Impostor” with Tony Curtis.
After that the wrecking ball got the building and it was turned into a Park & Shop parking lot. It’s still a parking lot today.
This ad above must be from an earlier theater in the same building. The Capri theater that I recall opened about 1968 next to the Americas Hotel in the 500 block of Hamilton Street.
The Allentown Boyd (there was one in Bethlehem and one in Easton as well) was torn down in 1971 when Pennsylvania Power and Light bought the western side of 9th Street from behind their tower all the way back to Linden Street. The theater on 9th street, opposite from Hess’s Pet Shop on the other side of the street.
PPL tore it down along with a Pep Boys, a flower shop and a bike shop to put in a large data center on the site. A diner that was next to the Boyd was moved a block away to a parking lot. The Diner is still there on the site next to a church on the northeast corner of 9th and Linden Streets.
The Boyd was the 2d largest theater in the Downtown Allentown area in the 1960s, behind the Colonial Theater. I remember seeing my first “R” rated movie there in 1969 “100 Rifles”.. with Jim Brown and Burt Reynolds. I still remember to this day a woman whispering to her husband in the theater.. “He said F****” LOL
Another memory I have of the Boyd was from the mid 1960s was when they showed the movie “The Bible” there. You had to call up the theater to make a reservation to see it, and I went with my grandmother to the box office and the seats were reserved.
WAEB was on the tower behind the drive-in. I used to work there when I was in High School when the station was on Fenwick Street.
When I would get off work during the summer, It was easy to sneak in by walking in the exit, going to the concession stand, buy something to eat and sit in one of the back rows on the ground and listen on a speaker.
The Towne became a porn theater also in the 1960s…. It was either closed down or went out of business when porn became available on VHS about 1978/79 and in the early 80s the new owners did a gut renovation of the building, tearing out everything except the outside.
Today it’s an apartment building and you enter the property thoug a door that was a side fire door when it was a theater. But if you know what it looked like, you still can see where the front entrance was as the 2d and 3d floor looks the same…
Some photos taken by the local newspaper around 1982
http://mcall.imagefortress.com/search/index?adv[query]=Towne+Theater
I wrote an article about the Allen Theater on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Theater%28Allentown,Pennsylvania%29