Allen Theatre
608 N. New Street,
Allentown,
PA
18101
608 N. New Street,
Allentown,
PA
18101
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The reason why the Allen Theatre closed on August 10, 1989 with “The Karate Kid Part III” is because of a legal dispute over a November 1988 sales agreement that has kept The Morning Call editor Paul A. Willistein and estate administrator A. Albert Restum in court throughout both 1988 and 1989.
Under the agreement, Willistein wanted to buy the Allen Theatre for $159,000 from Restum shortly after one of its later theater owners, George Willistein, died in October 1988 in his Allentown home. Restum’s attorney, James Keller, replied that they will continue to seek the full sale amount from Willistein, but however, Willistein’s attorney, Samuel Feldman, says his client does not own the theater. Feldman stated that Willistein was unable to get free and clear title to the property because Restum hasn’t filed an inheritance tax return and an inventory and appraisal for the restate by the required date, which the sale did not go through by the July 18, 1989 settlement date.
Following this situation, both were taken to court, with Restum asking for enforcement of the November 1988 agreement and Willistein asking for its recision and the return of his $10,000 deposit. Earlier that month, Lehigh County Judge Carol K. McGinley consolidated three actions filed by both parties and has denied all relief requested. Alan Lucas, one of the Allen patrons replied that “Everybody would rather go to the Lehigh Valley Mall”. The main issue during its final months is the parking, which residents have a hard time finding parking. Restum said in a statement that Shane Fillman, a 17-year-old from Allentown, worked for his older brother during its final years of operation. His older brother had been operating the theater since 1981, and Shane voluntarily operated during its final year of operation in 1989 shortly after George’s death.
According to this 2000 article from The Morning Call, this movie house on New Street opened around 1914-1915 as the Nedson Theatre, and became the New Allen Theatre in 1926, and the Allen Theatre in 1934.
Some confusion might have arisen due the existence of an earlier house called the Allen Theatre, operating in the 1910s, at Second and Hamilton Streets. This earlier Allen Theatre was mentioned in the July 1, 1916, issue of The Moving Picture World.
This photo of the Nedson Theatre is dated between 1916 and 1926. The movie advertised on the poster out front might be the 1925 film On Thin Ice.
Any pictures anyone? Does anyone know who the architect was or in what style the theater was designed? Please share. Thanks!
I wrote an article about the Allen Theater on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Theater%28Allentown,Pennsylvania%29
Here is another 1986 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/yehtmew