Refowich Theatre
531 Centre Street,
Freeland,
PA
18224
531 Centre Street,
Freeland,
PA
18224
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Mary Lynn Welshko of Freeland was the last ever moviegoer that entered the Refowich Theatre. It was last managed by John Urishin, alongside its last projectionist John Komishock.
The Refowich Theatre closed for the final time on June 8, 1975 with Walt Disney’s “Escape To Witch Mountain” and a marathon of Disney’s Donald Duck and Chip And Dale cartoons beforehand.
The last showing of the movie was attended by only eleven moviegoers, not even fifty or a hundred. Right after the “The End, A Walt Disney Production” card fades out, the screen went absolute blank at approximately 9:26 PM ET. Not even a tail, and not even a “Thank you for all the years we served” type of message. The walls are starkly naked with most of the furnishings, mirrors, and curtains being removed. As the eleven patrons walked out of the theater, the “Coming Attractions” boards are already blank.
One of the staff members on its final day of operations replied that it “was bad to not have a movie theater in a town of 4,500, and they could’ve fixed the theater up”. John Urishin, its last manager, flipped the switch and wiped clean the top of the refreshment stand. John Komishock, its last projectionist, carried the prints of the movie and cartoons to the outside lobby for their last trip from Freeland. After the three remaining light bulbs of the marquee were powered off, Centre Street went dark.
In a classified advertisement in the May 9, 1914, issue of shoe trade journal Boot and Shoe Recorder, the Refowich Brothers offered for rent: “Store room in the new Refowich Vaudeville Theatre, Freeland, Pa. Best corner in town, best town for its size- 7,000 population.”
There was a fire in the old Refowich building this week contained to one of the apartments now located in what was the auditorium. A news link is pasted below.
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The last film shown at The Refowich Theatre was Disney’s “Escape From Witch Mountain”, which puts the closing in 1975. I was at the last matinee, I think there was one last evening show later that night.
I was a ten year old Marx Brothers fanatic in 1974 when “Animal Crackers” was reissued. For a weekend, “The Ref” ran the film, and it’s the one and only time I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing The Marx Brothers on the big screen.
The Refowich was a big part of my childhood. I still have dreams about that theater from time to time.
Here is an expanded view of the PAB thumbnail posted on 7/26/05. The photo date is 1965, and comes from the Irvin Glazer theater collection:
http://tinyurl.com/399qws
Another small image of the theater (with snow) can be seen here. Don’t click to expand the image unless you’re a member.
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An early image of the Refowich Theater can be seen here.
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