This theater was built and opened by, Bartolomeo (Bart) Dattola. His in-laws were also in the theater industry, and owned the Eastwood (Rudolph Navarri) in Penn Hills, PA, the Miami (Elmer Dattola, my grandfather) in Springdale, PA and the Aurora (Alfred and Aurora Panza…my parents) in Russellton, PA. Elmer Dattola also had a silent picture theater in Springdale, PA called the Happy Hour Theater. Toward the end of the 1940’s most of the family sold their theaters as TV was becoming popular. Elmer Dattola then built the Ches-A-Rena Roller Rink in Cheswick, PA.
An interesting fact about the Dattola Theater is that when the family sold the business, they stipulated that the name be maintained. When it eventually became an adult theater, they were mortified!
This theater was built and opened by, Bartolomeo (Bart) Dattola. His in-laws were also in the theater industry, and owned the Eastwood (Rudolph Navarri) in Penn Hills, PA, the Miami (Elmer Dattola, my grandfather) in Springdale, PA and the Aurora (Alfred and Aurora Panza…my parents) in Russellton, PA. Elmer Dattola also had a silent picture theater in Springdale, PA called the Happy Hour Theater. Toward the end of the 1940’s most of the family sold their theaters as TV was becoming popular. Elmer Dattola then built the Ches-A-Rena Roller Rink in Cheswick, PA.
An interesting fact about the Dattola Theater is that when the family sold the business, they stipulated that the name be maintained. When it eventually became an adult theater, they were mortified!