Ritz Theatre
Carbon Street and E. Main Street,
Weatherly,
PA
18255
Carbon Street and E. Main Street,
Weatherly,
PA
18255
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Comerford Theaters Inc.
Previous Names: Keystone Theatre, Grand Theatre, Roxy Theatre
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The Wurlitzer records show a Style 109 Special pipe organ, their opus 991, was shipped to the Keystone Theatre in January 1925. The Keystone theatre was opened on February 21, 1925. It was equipped for sound on November 27, 1929, but was closed on September 30, 1930.
On October 20, 1930 it was taken over by Comerford Theaters Inc. and renamed Grand Theatre. On August 25, 1931 it was taken back by its original operator and returned to the Keystone Theatre name. In May 1934 it was renamed Roxy Theatre and in 1938 it was renamed Ritz Theatre Theatre. which closed in 1961. It was demolished in 1977.
Contributed by
Will Dunklin
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
This web page says that Fred Romano opened the Keystone Theatre on February 21, 1925, ran the first sound movie on November 27, 1929, but closed the house on September 30, 1930. The house was reopened by Comerford Theatres as the Grand Theatre on October 20, 1930, but Romano regained control and restored the name Keystone on August 25, 1931.
In May, 1934, the house became the Roxy under a new management, and yet another owner renamed it the Ritz in 1938. There were numerous changes of management over the years, and business declined with the advent of television, leading to multiple closings and re-openings, and the Ritz last operated in 1961. The building was demolished in 1977.
It’s not a certainty, but it’s possible that this notice from Moving Picture World of February 10, 1923, was about the project that was built in 1924 and opened as the Keystone Theatre in early 1925: “WEATHERLY, PA.— Fred Domott has plans by C. F. Storch, of Summit Hill, for one-story brick moving picture theatre, 30 by 95 feet, to cost $10,000.”
Uploaded photos of Ritz window cards found on the Weatherly Museum Page maintained by the Weatherly Area High School Alumni Association. This is the same site referred to by Joe Vogel.
This same site indicates the, eventually named, Ritz was the last of three theatres in Weatherly.
The first, the Star, opened on March 15, 1909 in enlarged space from a former store on Carbon Street with “Thrilling Days of Old Virginia”.
The Lyric opened on November 3, 1909 in Warren Hall on Main Street. As with many early theatres it changed hands many time during its short life.