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The Pitt Theatre has been in continuous operation since 1939. Located in Bedford, Pennsylvania on Pitt Street, it is the longest continually run movie theatre in Pennsylvania. For over 69 years movie goers have been filling the Pitt's 390 seats. Pitt Theatre audiences have seen it all. Patrons watching Will Smith, Bruce Willis, and others on the screen today are in the same building as audiences who were viewing John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, Errol Flynn, and James Dean for the first time. |
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Early intercom
system
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Reel winder inst.
1939
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Projection room
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| Much of the equipment is still original. The reel winder in the projection room is used every night, and has been so since the opening of the Theatre in 1939. An old intercom system, used for communicating with the projectionist is still in the building. Older films required the projectionist to remain in the projection room at all times in case of a fire breaking out. Older films were made with silver nitrate, a chemical that if jammed in the projector, would quickly explode and catch fire. Luckily for all of us, today film showing is much safer! | ||||||||||
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Exterior today
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Theatre entrance
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Cast ticket window cir.
1939 |
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| The theater was originally equipped to show silent movies. Silent movies were be accompained by live piano music, colored lights, and text breaks, not captions, during the film. The original colored lights are still there, hidden behind the modern screen. The seats are original. They have been updated with extra padding and new leather surfaces periodically, but have never been completly replaced. When the theater started in 1939 the seats were completely wooden! | ||||||||||
The original Theatre had no concession stand. In the early days, movie goers were not treated to popcorn soft drinks or even water. The concession stand was added much later in the theatre's history. |
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| We hope you'll join us in the near future and add your name to the thousands of people that have enjoyed movies at the Pitt Theatre. | ||||||||||
