Does anyone have any information as to what ever happened to former Sameric GM Dick Kane or his wife or daughter, (Lisa) who worked the concession stand at Eric Pennsauken? I have talked to former Eric II manager / projectionist at Pennsauken, Clem Newman who is now retired & living in Virginia. Is anyone aware as to what happened to former DM, Bill Bashista? Where is he now?
I have had several replies and thank those who have visited this site, I also have met & exhanged photo’s & videos of several Eric Theatres, i look forward to meeting or hearing from others who either worked for or had any kind of connection with the Eric Pennsauken or other Sameric Theatres. My business phone number is (856) 228-1672. My email address is Thank You!
I just left the complex, (2/12/05), all is destroyed, just a
pile of rubble of which the County has lost all direction, (made fools of themselves), there is no future plans, I have, as usual, continued my video coverage with extensive graphics, finding several remnants from the Sameric ‘glory’ days, all are documented…
Th entire theatre complex is now fenced in by the demolition contractors, (a six foot high fence). The facade of the UA/Regal entrance has slipped down revealing the original green & white stripes of the former Eric II canopy, I shot this several times from several different angles. I also found & shot the base, on the roof of Eric I which used to support the, (long gone), Eric tower sign.
Note, on a prior interior shoot, I found, located & shot the original Eric II box office & booth steps.
Note, on a prior visit I located the original Eric II box office & booth steps, all documented on video.
I wish I had photos too, worked their long enough as manager, anyway – after speaking with Pennsauken Mart Security & the owner of the Mart I was granted permission, in early July, 2004, to access the complex with my professional video camera, keep in mind, this was about 30 days or so after Regal vacated the building. I had gained permission to shoot anywhere & everywhere & was shocked at what I saw, Rentalguy, you are absolutely correct in your description of the most outlandish recreation of modern day theatre design, looked like some kid sat down with a ruler & put it together. Unbelievable! And I was further shocked as to the conditions Regal had left, they slashed every screen, left entire phone systems, office furniture, concession equipment & supplies, projection booth equipment as well as full reels of film. I just completed editing the video, added music, graphics, (which describe anything I could find in regard to the orginal Erics I & II), I used high intensity video lighting & the completed video is excellent. ALSO, UA had transformed the former (two) smoking balconies in Eric I into excutive ‘regional’ offices, the signs advising of same still hung on the wall. It appeared that Regal never utilized these areas other than for storage. If anyone has an interest in the VHS video, (about 25 minutes), contact me at or, (856)228-1672.
Your comments confirm what I have learned in regard to the final years that the Pennsauken operation was owned by Sameric as well as the UA years. I have exchanged email with a manager who worked the Eric Theatres in both Westmont & Stratford & he has informed me that from the late 1980’s through the mid 1990’s there was no money invested in upkeep of the houses, in fact at one point things were so bad that company pay checks were bouncing. And vendors refused to deliver unless paid in cash.
The woman cashier you refer to is Marie Robinson, I hired her in 1970 & she continued to work there for 30 years.
Sadly, the theatres closed within the past two weeks, (June, 2004), & is scheduled to be torn down, as well as the entire Mart complex to make way for the South Jersey Sports Center. I was up there about a year ago & shot video of the exterior, (from all angles as well as the marquees), & hope to get video of the demolition.
How come nobody has typed in Sam or Mert Shapiro, or the dynasty they built? A chain of motion picture theatres that from 1965 thru the 1980’s became a giant in the Philadelphia & South Jersey areas? The Eric Theatres were THE place to go! My name is John, I was honored to manage the Pennsauken, (NJ), operation as well as NJ advertising, under the men who created the Sameric Corporation. My email adress is
Does anyone have any information as to what ever happened to former Sameric GM Dick Kane or his wife or daughter, (Lisa) who worked the concession stand at Eric Pennsauken? I have talked to former Eric II manager / projectionist at Pennsauken, Clem Newman who is now retired & living in Virginia. Is anyone aware as to what happened to former DM, Bill Bashista? Where is he now?
Does anyone have pictures of the original Eric marquee??
I have had several replies and thank those who have visited this site, I also have met & exhanged photo’s & videos of several Eric Theatres, i look forward to meeting or hearing from others who either worked for or had any kind of connection with the Eric Pennsauken or other Sameric Theatres. My business phone number is (856) 228-1672. My email address is Thank You!
I just left the complex, (2/12/05), all is destroyed, just a
pile of rubble of which the County has lost all direction, (made fools of themselves), there is no future plans, I have, as usual, continued my video coverage with extensive graphics, finding several remnants from the Sameric ‘glory’ days, all are documented…
11/19/04 REVISIT, PENNSAUKEN
Th entire theatre complex is now fenced in by the demolition contractors, (a six foot high fence). The facade of the UA/Regal entrance has slipped down revealing the original green & white stripes of the former Eric II canopy, I shot this several times from several different angles. I also found & shot the base, on the roof of Eric I which used to support the, (long gone), Eric tower sign.
Note, on a prior interior shoot, I found, located & shot the original Eric II box office & booth steps.
Note, on a prior visit I located the original Eric II box office & booth steps, all documented on video.
TEST
Just a revisit to the site, I have received several private messages from other Pennsauken managers, thank you!
I wish I had photos too, worked their long enough as manager, anyway – after speaking with Pennsauken Mart Security & the owner of the Mart I was granted permission, in early July, 2004, to access the complex with my professional video camera, keep in mind, this was about 30 days or so after Regal vacated the building. I had gained permission to shoot anywhere & everywhere & was shocked at what I saw, Rentalguy, you are absolutely correct in your description of the most outlandish recreation of modern day theatre design, looked like some kid sat down with a ruler & put it together. Unbelievable! And I was further shocked as to the conditions Regal had left, they slashed every screen, left entire phone systems, office furniture, concession equipment & supplies, projection booth equipment as well as full reels of film. I just completed editing the video, added music, graphics, (which describe anything I could find in regard to the orginal Erics I & II), I used high intensity video lighting & the completed video is excellent. ALSO, UA had transformed the former (two) smoking balconies in Eric I into excutive ‘regional’ offices, the signs advising of same still hung on the wall. It appeared that Regal never utilized these areas other than for storage. If anyone has an interest in the VHS video, (about 25 minutes), contact me at or, (856)228-1672.
Your comments confirm what I have learned in regard to the final years that the Pennsauken operation was owned by Sameric as well as the UA years. I have exchanged email with a manager who worked the Eric Theatres in both Westmont & Stratford & he has informed me that from the late 1980’s through the mid 1990’s there was no money invested in upkeep of the houses, in fact at one point things were so bad that company pay checks were bouncing. And vendors refused to deliver unless paid in cash.
The woman cashier you refer to is Marie Robinson, I hired her in 1970 & she continued to work there for 30 years.
Sadly, the theatres closed within the past two weeks, (June, 2004), & is scheduled to be torn down, as well as the entire Mart complex to make way for the South Jersey Sports Center. I was up there about a year ago & shot video of the exterior, (from all angles as well as the marquees), & hope to get video of the demolition.
How come nobody has typed in Sam or Mert Shapiro, or the dynasty they built? A chain of motion picture theatres that from 1965 thru the 1980’s became a giant in the Philadelphia & South Jersey areas? The Eric Theatres were THE place to go! My name is John, I was honored to manage the Pennsauken, (NJ), operation as well as NJ advertising, under the men who created the Sameric Corporation. My email adress is
Other Sameric center city Philadelphia theatres were,
Eric’s Mark One
Eric’s Place
Eric Rittenhouse Twin
Sameric (Boyd)