Your picture is too far down the road. The Cinema’s were in the old Johnny Dollars Dance Hall and Saloon which before that was a super market. The theatres were in the West Hills Shopping Center.
I remember as a kid going there with my Mom, Dad, and brother to see “My Fair Lady”. We did see other movies there. Dad was good friends with Bill Wheat. You’re correct the theatre was there until around 1978 open. I used to work at the Holiday Inn Sewickley and remember going past or when I went to Jenny Lee to pick up the sweet rolls. The picture they have is wrong. It’s too far up the street. The building is still there just converted into a mini mall.
My dad had the Ritz Theatre for a short time around 1964. I believe there was a period of time when it was a church. The reason I know this was my dad and grandfather were up on ladders painting over the painted crosses. Dad was still managing the Ambridge Theatre for Warner Brothers I think knowing that Warner Brothers were preparing to pull out of the Pittsburgh area. I remember this since I wasn’t in first grade until 1965 in Ambridge. My dad opened the Ambridge theatre in 1973. The Ritz was a tough nut. We’d have the Marquee lights on, and it was dark with no people around up and down State Street. It was a nice theatre that featured a cry room. Then later it reopened in the late 60’s playing normal family type movies until the competition got going with the Oriental and Family up the river, Sewickley was still around, Dad opened Ambridge in 1973, and the Beaver Valley Mall Cinemas open around that time as well. At that point the Ritz found a nitch with the adult movies. I understand Deep Throat did really well. The Ritz building is still there but no sign of activity. It might be a warehouse now.
My dad has a picture of the Prince Theatre which he used to have hanging in the projection booth of the Ambridge Family Theatre. I’ll ask him for it and scan it. It would have been at a time when Warner Brothers operated it and my dad worked there.
The Sewickley Theatre was open in the early to mid 70’s. I know this since my dad sent me down to get a couple of bags of popcorn when at Ambridge we were low on popcorn during a kiddie show. The building is still there just converted into a Mini mall thing. The Marquee is not on the building anymore, but nice with the renovation.
Your picture is too far down the road. The Cinema’s were in the old Johnny Dollars Dance Hall and Saloon which before that was a super market. The theatres were in the West Hills Shopping Center.
I remember as a kid going there with my Mom, Dad, and brother to see “My Fair Lady”. We did see other movies there. Dad was good friends with Bill Wheat. You’re correct the theatre was there until around 1978 open. I used to work at the Holiday Inn Sewickley and remember going past or when I went to Jenny Lee to pick up the sweet rolls. The picture they have is wrong. It’s too far up the street. The building is still there just converted into a mini mall.
My dad had the Ritz Theatre for a short time around 1964. I believe there was a period of time when it was a church. The reason I know this was my dad and grandfather were up on ladders painting over the painted crosses. Dad was still managing the Ambridge Theatre for Warner Brothers I think knowing that Warner Brothers were preparing to pull out of the Pittsburgh area. I remember this since I wasn’t in first grade until 1965 in Ambridge. My dad opened the Ambridge theatre in 1973. The Ritz was a tough nut. We’d have the Marquee lights on, and it was dark with no people around up and down State Street. It was a nice theatre that featured a cry room. Then later it reopened in the late 60’s playing normal family type movies until the competition got going with the Oriental and Family up the river, Sewickley was still around, Dad opened Ambridge in 1973, and the Beaver Valley Mall Cinemas open around that time as well. At that point the Ritz found a nitch with the adult movies. I understand Deep Throat did really well. The Ritz building is still there but no sign of activity. It might be a warehouse now.
My dad has a picture of the Prince Theatre which he used to have hanging in the projection booth of the Ambridge Family Theatre. I’ll ask him for it and scan it. It would have been at a time when Warner Brothers operated it and my dad worked there.
The Sewickley Theatre was open in the early to mid 70’s. I know this since my dad sent me down to get a couple of bags of popcorn when at Ambridge we were low on popcorn during a kiddie show. The building is still there just converted into a Mini mall thing. The Marquee is not on the building anymore, but nice with the renovation.