Texas Theatre
427 N. Austin Street,
Seguin,
TX
78155
427 N. Austin Street,
Seguin,
TX
78155
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Here is another photo of the Texas theater.
This is a modern photo of the Texas Theater in Seguin.
Here is a vintage photo of the Texas Theater in Seguin.
The Texas Theatre sign was just recently renovated by the Seguin Conservation Society. It’s back to its original glory now. I have a photo if someone can help post it here.
The Texas Theatre (please note the “re” spelling) was built by Alvin P. Mueller for his son who was an aviator and war hero. The son, however, had little interest in the theater business, and so it was run for a very short period by Interstate Theatres. It was soon purchased (in the mid 1930s) by my parents, H.A. “Windy” Daniels and Maxi Maxwell Daniels. They also bought the Palace Theatre (at 314 S. Austin Street in Seguin) and the Dixie Drive-In theatre on HWY 123 Business Route and Hwy 90. The Daniels owned movie theatres across South Texas. The company was, and is, known as Seguin Theatres, Inc. The Texas Theatre is not really western in design at all, but it has a Pre-columbian spanish motif present. The ceiling was blue with metal stars in the ceiling, and large pannels on the side walls of this very ornate theatre gave the impression of looking out large windows over a twilight lit country landscape. Red velvet curtains and gold-gilded lights adorned the theatre. The Ballad of the Sad Cafe with Vanessa Redgrave, The Raggedy Man with Sissy Spacek and Sam Shepherd, and The Great Waldo Pepper with Robert Redford all filmed scenes in the Texas Theatre in Seguin. The theatre was sold to the Seguin Conservation Society in about 2002 with the understanding and promise that the theatre would be fully restored. Just recently, the marquee was removed for repairs and restoration. The auditorium seats have been removed and the theater is nearly gutted for a complete restoration. However, it may be many years before the restoration is complete because the Conservation Society is still trying to raise sufficient funds for the project.
The theatre is a real Texas treasure, and it was the subject of a documentary produced by Chris Elley Productions and starring John Schneider of the “Dukes of Hazzard” fame.
I hope this information is helpful.
H.A. “Dan” Daniels, II
President/Owner/Exhibitor
Seguin Theatres, Inc.
314 S. Austin is the address for the Palace Theatre. Texas Theatre is further down the road and is next door to the Seguin Chamber of Commerce on 427 N. Austin St. Both the Palace and Texas Theatre were founded by the same family.
The architect was W.Scott Dunne.
According to the Seguin Gazette-Enterprise newspaper of January 28, 2004, the Texas Theater will reopen very soon as a venue for classic film programs, live theater and special concert events. In the year 2000, the Texas Theater Task Force was organized from the Seguin Conservatory Society and the City of Seguin Chamber of Commerce to preserve and restore the Texas Theater of Seguin.
At the time of its opening in 1931, the theater was a state-of-the-art facility with modern fixtures like air conditioning and devices to assist the hearing impaired.