Norwood Cinema Ticket Taker Jack Bitar Reminisces on 18 Years at the Door and the Theater’s 1927 Opening-August 2, 1976

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Jack Bitar is of venerable age and gentle character, embodying the grace of the old school even while working at the door of the Norwood Cinema, where he has welcomed moviegoers as a ticket taker and doorman for eighteen years. I like people. When I see them coming in, especially in a long line, my heart opens up to them. I love them, he remarked while reminiscing about his long association with the theater. Though hesitant to talk about himself—insisting, I am an unimportant person—his rich life story and deep ties to the community reveal a remarkable journey.

Born in Syria, Jack Bitar immigrated to the United States in 1914, settled in Norwood in 1918, and became a proud U.S. citizen in 1936. His connection to the local movie house stretches all the way back to opening night in 1927, when he was simply a member of the audience.

Decades later, following a heart attack that forced him to leave his job as a utility man at the old Plimpton Press, he began working at the theater in 1958. Working four nights a week, Jack Bitar watched films in fragments for nearly two decades, noting that while actors like Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman felt modern, his all-time favorite actor was Spencer Tracy, followed closely by Robert Taylor and Paul Muni, with Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, and Norma Shearer holding special reverence. His absolute favorite film was General Patton, which he watched all twenty-one days it played.

Outside of the theater, Jack Bitar maintained close ties to his Syrian heritage. As a member of St. George Orthodox Church in South Norwood, he served as a church chanter since 1920, becoming the last of eight chanters to carry on the tradition of using the Syrian language in church services. An avid reader who enjoys French authors like Rousseau and Moliere in Syrian translations, he collects and binds short stories in the Syrian language for his own enjoyment. He and his wife, who came from Syria in 1923, raised three children: sons Daniel Bitar and David Bitar living in Foxboro, and daughter Diana Bitar living at home. Reflecting on his longevity and friendly rapport with patrons and owners alike—having outlasted eighteen managers—Jack Bitar smiled, noting that working at the theater helps keep him young. (Profile photograph captured by Larry Welsh).

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger