Texas Theatre

Just saw a 3 minute History.com piece about the Kennedy Assassination.

The old black & white footage used in the establishing shot of the Texas Theater (Oswald’s point of capture), showed “Richard Burton’s HAMLET” on the marquee. According to IMDB and a subsequent review, this version came out in 1964. And was “essentially a videotape of a Broadway performance”. Which Burton allegedly ordered all copies destoyed after a limited theatrical run. (So it’s apparently tough to find.)

Two things of note, whoever shot that B/W Texas Theater B-Roll way back when for whatever original Kennedy piece, obviously did it the following year.

Secondly, since Burton’s HAMLET was indeed a taped Broadway performance, it was likely re-dubbed to film in order to play at movie theaters. Since it’s unlikely however many theaters it ended up playing it’s limited run at, would pay the added cost to switch out projection equipment just to play one feature.
Especially since it was likely originally shot/stored on 2-inch videotape or whatever was the norm back then for the original remote shoot.

This is great news! I grew up in Oak Cliff, and one of my math teachers was also a cashier at the Texas Theatre. I am very happy to see that it’s been restored/renovated/whatever!

I remember the Texas Theater like it was yesterday. Back in the 80’s when they use to show movies like Vamp and Desperately Seeking Susan. I must have been 6 or 7 years old. But now as adult, and as someone who has lived in Dallas all my life, I’m not surprised that the Texas Theater renovation has yet to actually come full circle. Every blue moon the Texas Theaer is mentioned in the news. One would have thought that the building would be up and running by now. I hate to be critical but, Dallas has a bad rep for letting historical sites go down.

Saw Tora, Tora, Tora here when I was about 7. Great theater. It had some weird aisle on the side, where you could walk in from the back and walk to the front.

For an example of how a “Restoration” or “Renovation” CAN be done(Using funds from the public and private sectors) I would suggest a visit to The Old Red Museum of Dallas County History and Culture at 100 South Houston Street in Downtown Dallas . This is a combination of a restoration to 1892 architectural details and a museum containing the latest in “high tech” video programs, interactive computer displays, etc. Incidentally ,the bell and clock tower re-construction has been completed and both are now in working order and regularly strike the hours each hour.

http://oldred.org/

Wake up Don. :)

This website has some photos of the Texas Theater.

Here is a link to WFAATV in Dallas. It discusses the grand reopening of the theatre on November 17th. There is also a short video of the theatre both outside and inside the auditorium. The inside doesn’t look like much. Just a square box with white walls and a blue ceiling/

View link

Here is a link to the Texas Theatre website. The prospectus for the renovation states: “The theater’s proposed rehabilitation consists of first renovating the theater to a live performance venue and then restoring the theater’s interior and exterior to reflect the 1963 period of significance . The restoration includes an expansion to adjacent property to provide additional bathrooms, dressing rooms, balcony use and access, and classroom and office spaces.”

http://www.texas-theatre.org/projectOverview.asp

From the video it appears that the original atmospheric ornamentation is completely gone. If they are indeed restoring it to its 1963 condition I imagine much, if not all, of the interior decoration might have been moved prior to 1963 when many theatres did wholesale interior destruction to accommodate Cinemascope

The shots of the interior looked okay. Is there a problem anticipated with the re-opening?

YAWN!!!

They actually did some work!! Great. Looks like the boxoffice is now gone. That’s no good.

In amongst all this hot air would you like an account of actually attending a movie at the Texas?

In 1978 Mark Lamberti (still of local DFW fame I believe) and I attended what I recall was a classic 70s double bill at the Texas: Joe Dante’s “Piranha” and Tobe Hooper’s “Eaten Alive”. It was a Saturday night, the place was packed, and we two were, shall we say, in a condition of “ethnic minority”.

Toward the finale of “Eaten Alive” Neville Brand’s ravenous pet alligator is developing a taste for his master, egged on, in no uncertain terms, by the Texas' audience. When a guy behind me stood up on his seat and started yelling “Get that honkey!” Mark leaned over and suggested a propitious early exit, to which sound advice I immediately concurred.

Such, such were the days!

I stopped by this theatre early this afternoon. The only thing that’s been done since the last time I was there is that the vertical “Texas” sign is now gone. The only way to tell that this is a theatre is because of the box office. Where did that $1.2 million left over after the purchase of the buidling disappear to? I doubt that we’ll ever know who stole it. I doubt there’s anyone with enough guts to investigate the matter.