Paramount Theater

Interesting website. My name is Michael J Sitz. I worked for Interstate Theatres and was the last manager of the Paramount Theatre in Amarillo TX. I also managed the State and Esquire Theatres.

I worked for JP Harrison at the Campus Theatre in Denton Texas before transferring to Amarillo, and he was the Interstate manager that 'reopened' the Paramount in the later 30
s, after it had been closed for a short time.

Thanks for the memories.

The Paramount Theatre opened on 21st April 1932 with Lily Damita and Cary Grant starring in "This is the Night". The seating capacity at opening was 1,433.

It closed on 20th February 1975.

The Amarillo Historical Preservation Foundation has made a down payment on the original blade sign, which now is stuck on a pole at an adult video store in a warehouse district. A local sign company has agreed to take the sign some time in January, 2006 and begin restoration. It is possible the original sign will be placed back in its original location next spring. No plans exist to restore the building to its original use, but the locals are still very much in love with the Paramount.

Here is a January 2006 article about the restoration of the sign:
http://tinyurl.com/jga3e

Nothing has been done yet. There was an article in the local paper the other day about the restoration of the sign. I walked around inside the building, which is mostly law offices. There are some movie posters on the wall as homage to the building's history.

The sign is being re-hung tomorrow morning (Wednesday, Aug. 16). It has been completely restored, painted red and gold (to match its 1950s appearance) and burns with 850 colored bulbs and red neon. It will be relighted Saturday night (Aug. 19) by the mayor of Amarillo in front of the crowd at our annual street festival, the Polk Street Block Party. I'll try to get a photo of the finished product onto the news site. Watch for more news at www.amarillo.com, the website for our local daily newspaper. A developer has purchased the building and is announcing some new restaurants that will go in at street level. It is hoped that what is left of the auditorium will be transformed into a ballroom or event space of some kind since the art deco ceiling of the theater is still intact. We might even bring movies back.

Here are some photos fron July 2006:
http://tinyurl.com/yg5no3
http://tinyurl.com/ycykqc

The July photos that were submitted show the overgrown trees and not much of the facade of the theater. We removed two trees to make room for the sign, and here are some photos of the installation and the finished product: http://www.flickr.com/photos/71892023@N00/sets/72157594384271379/
Also, check out some great photos from the Polk Street Block Party that show the lighting of the sign on Aug. 19.
http://captiveimage.us/Gallery/Photos/thumbnails.php?album=178&page=18

This is another recent photo of the Paramount Theater.

It looks better with the sign and without all the trees.

It looks like you chose a bad time to take your photos. Next time take your vacation in the fall. :)

Here are two news links relating to the sign restoration and the development of the building.
"The lights will shine" Amarillo Globe-News 8-17-2006 http://amarillo.com/stories/081706/new_5352905.shtml
"Paramount to house eateries" Amarillo Globe-News 8-20-2006
http://amarillo.com/stories/082006/new_5388174.shtml
One upscale restaurant is already beginning construction work on the ground floor. There is talk of restoring the auditorium for special events, independent films or some kind of entertainment venue. Our foundation is talking with the building owner about rebuilding the marquee under the restored sign. The sign has completely changed the landscape of our main downtown street, which is developing a fun and eclectic nightlife. Downtown Amarillo is coming back slowly but surely.

I thought the "Big Texan" steakhouse was great! Highly recommended.

Here is a 1930s photo of the Paramount Theater. This is a close-up view.

This is another photo of the Paramount Theater building.

A Reuter theater organ opus 228 size 3/8 was installed in the Paramount Theater in 1931.

I worked as the manager of the Paramount from June 1971 until December 1972 when I went away to school out of state. After one semester away, I returned to my old job in May 1973 for a year and left again in May 1974. The Paramount was a grand old building; I can remember spending hours every week changing out light bulbs and arriving a couple of hours before opening on a cold day to fire up the boiler to heat the building. I worked with a lot of great people there in their teens and early twenties; I guess we're all in our 50's now. It would be great to hear from any of you who read this message. Reunion, maybe? Joe V.

This is an August 2008 photo.

A view from 1936 of the Paramount Theatre in Amarillo.

A view from 1936 of the Paramount Theatre in Amarillo.

Here's a view of the Paramount in 1971:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32912172@N00/3693697262/

A movie ad from 1963 for the Paramount Theater in Amarillo.