The Morning Call from Allentown, Pennsylvania • 25

THE MORNING CALL, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1992 B13 ormer Jeanette Theatre is trading for Renamed Franklin Theater, it'll cater to kids, seniors 1" t- hi VW iiii-hJ-' i tT t. i- 1' i with "Dish Day." During the promotion, movie goers who paid a small service charge above the price of admission usually a fraction of the ticket price would receive a dish. Over time, people who went to the movies every week would collect a full set of dishes. Seventy-year-old Moffa isn't a novice to the movie theater business. He began operating theaters in Allentown in the 1940s.

After returning from World War II he installed theater equipment in France for the armed services Moffa started leasing and buying movie houses in the Lehigh Valley. He also started his business, Theater Sound Service, which today is located in Catasauqua. The theaters Moffa has owned or operated in the area include Sauconia Theater in Hellertown, 1952-55; 19th Street Theater in Allentown, 1953-58; theiormer Towne Theater at 6th and Gordon streets in Allentown, 1954-70; former Ritz Theater in Coplay, 1955-70; Jea-netteFranklin Theater at 425 Tilghman St. in Allentown, 1956-present; Shankweiler Drive-In Theater in Orefield, 1956-59; former Broad Street Theater in Nazareth, 1957-60; former Capri Theater at 535 Hamilton St. in Allentown, 1963-71.

The original Franklin Theater opened in 1912. By the late '50s, just after Moffa bought it and changed its name to the Jeanette, the movie industry hit a slump. "Those were bad years for theaters," Moffa said. "People were saying that movies were going to die because of television. That's when we started getting into X-rat-ed films.

I didn't like it but, at the time, I needed the income and that's what the public wanted." But the change didn't occur overnight, he said. In 1959 and 1960, the theater showed foreign many of which were more risque than U.S. films at the time. Moffa recalled one film which ran for 26 weeks at the Jeanette that was condemned by many because even though there was no nudity it was about the seduction of a younger man by an older woman. "At that time, it was a real spicy By 1961, the Jeanette showed nothing but sex films, and it made money, he said.

A few years ago, Moffa gave the theater to his son, who recently gave it back. Moffa said he tried to sell the building "but no one could come up with the money, so I decided to use my knowledge in movie theaters and start again." By CONSTANCE WALKER Of The Morning Call The Jeanette Theatre, known in recent years for showing XXX-rat-ed films, is changing its repertoire and going back to its roots as a family theater. The oldest movie theater operating in Allentown also will be taking back its original name when it reopens around Thanksgiving as the Franklin Theater with a $1 admission price. Albert A. Moffa, owner since 1956, said he shut down the Jeanette this summer and has spent more than $100,000 to rehabilitate the building at 425 Tilghman St.

The new look includes an upgraded exterior, a new stereo system, the newest projection equipment, the largest screen in the Allentown area, new restrooms, new concessions, new roof, new wiring and, most importantly, 500 new seats. "It's new from front to back," said Moffa, an Allentown entrepreneur, theater owner and former owner of the Americus Centre. "We had the floor blasted. You won't see a cleaner theater anywhere. "It's going to be the finest theater in the area," he added.

"We're going to show only films that you can bring your children to. I'm going to be very selective with what we run. We won't run films with a lot of violence or explicit language or nudity. "I'm not going to attract the teen group. I want to cater to children and senior citizens." The theater will employ five or six people, Moffa said.

Because of competition with videos and pay television which gave consumers the ability to see sex films in private homes XXX-rated movie houses like the Jeanette have been losing customers, Moffa said. Meanwhile, $1 admission theaters have become good investments as people have become more concerned about how they spend their money. "We won't make a lot of money on a few people but hope to make a little money on a lot of people," Moffa said. Another point favoring the Franklin is its location in a densely populated neighborhood even though there is only on-street parking. "We have a built-in audience within walking distance," he said.

"There are 16,000 people within four blocks of us, and 33 percent of them are children." Moffa also intends to return to the nostalgia of the '50s and '60s 1 1 Ii'Av, 1 Owner Albert Moffa, above, says neighbors could support the new $1 theater. At left, Moffa, in doorway, updates the building changes with inspector Bob Seal. MARGUERITE NICOSIA Special to The Morning Call TEST TJIARECET PRICING FOR ALL NEW AND USED CAR BUYERS SEE OUR AO IN TODAY'S CLASSIFIED SECTION yyyyyy 3 rj 1 vwnHBnBiHMH "1 oniy 00 SAVE MOO Canon 893 YASHICA 0 8mm video camera KX95 Free Yashica Wide Anale Lens (Value $79.98) Made by Sony Same as TR71 10 Power Zoom 2 Lux Hi-Fi Stereo Ultra-Light Only 1.7 71 Quality Suits Sport Coats and Slacks by lidaggidge. SAVE s10000 only 699 8x power zoom lens. Infrared autofocus.

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