By Anthony Salamone | Catholic News Service

PHILLIPSBURG, N.J. -- Lou Reda, a television documentary filmmaker who has produced several hundred hours of programs for cable television networks that include the History Channel, A&E and Biography, stores and archives his massive film collection in an unlikely location: a former Catholic Church.

Employees at the documentary company, Lou Reda Productions, work beneath stained glass windows and the church organ and its pipes. Archived film is stored in a first-floor hall of former St. Michael Church in downtown Easton, Pennsylvania.

It's the company's fourth location and third move in the Easton area. The man who started it all, and who turns 90 on Jan. 31, says simply of the move: "This is it."

When asked if he feels a little closer to the faith in the current office space, Reda just smiles. He says he has supported the church but participating in his faith has always been something he had to do.

Sitting at the large desk where the altar used to be, he said that when his wife, Ultima "Timi," who died in 2013, told him: "Look, we're going to church," he would never say no to her.

Reda is a member of St. Philip and St. James Parish in his hometown of Phillipsburg, two miles from his office.

His entertainment career has spanned all or parts of nine decades -- from working as a child singer for nickels in Phillipsburg to current projects.

"I'm a guy, if I see something and if it works, it works," he said.

During a recent interview, Reda wore a History Channel cap and a smile that belied his no-nonsense outlook.

Early in his career, Reda used to represent such talent as singer Chubby Checker and mentalist the Amazing Kreskin. "There were some people I would actually represent, and there were people who I didn't want to represent," he recalled.

"One of the ways that I did that was the fact that I never signed contracts with anybody. If you like what I do, fine. If you don't like what I do, take a walk," was his business style.

Eventually, Reda branched out by getting into film production. He is best known for TV documentaries exploring major historical events, including the Civil War, World War II and the Vietnam War.

Lou Reda Productions, which has earned five Emmy Awards, has made three religious movies including two documentaries on the Knights of Columbus and a film called "Fatima" which recalls the Virgin Mary's appearance to three children from Fatima, Portugal.

Although Reda's health is still good, he says time has slowed things down for him. He doesn't spend too much time in the office since he handed off the day-to-day operations of the business years ago to his son, Scott. Scott's sons, Adam and Marc, are also involved in the production company.

Father John J. Barbella, pastor of St. Philip and St. James, described Reda as close to the faith and said he and his wife showed "tremendous charity toward the church and the community at large."

The priest has received unique archival footage from Reda, who gave him a copy of footage of previous pastor, Msgr. Joseph Sheehan, saying Mass for the troops in Vietnam."

"What a thing for the parish to have in its possession," Father Barbella said, noting that the parish filmmaker "has an ability to find the most unusual thing."

Salamone writes for The Catholic Spirit, diocesan newspaper of Metuchen.