Texas Theatre

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.

I show the address for the Texas Theatre at 314 S. Austin St., Sequin, Tx.

The architect was W.Scott Dunne.

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 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.

Here are a couple photos of the Texas Theatre. Exterior and Box Office.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/Texas%20Theatres/TexasTheatreSeguinTx.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/Chuck1231/Texas%20Theatres/TexasTheatreBoxOfficeSeguinTx.jpg

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.

Here is a vintage photo of the Texas Theater in Seguin.

This is a modern photo of the Texas Theater in Seguin.

Here is another photo of the Texas theater.

Another photo of the Texas Theater can be seen here.

Two more recent photos of the Texas Theater can be seen here and another one here.

This is a more recent photo of the Texas Theater.

Here is a nice recent photo of the Texas Theater.

A June 2008 photo can be seen here.

any idea if the theater is ready to rent for special events?

Possibly! Please contact the City of Seguin Chamber of Commerce right next door to the Texas Theatre for further information.

just did, it won't be ready for awhile bummer ;( thanks for pointing me in the right direction though!

Link to my photos of the Texas Theatre taken in 2007 & 2008"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83379080@N00/sets/72157606862767276/

According to this link, the architect for the recent restoration of this theater was Milton Babbitt.

Here is a recent photo.

Here's a news story posted 10/1/08 on My San Antonio News.

Old Seguin theater to be new again

Roger Croteau - Express-News

After 10 years of raising money, the Seguin Conservation Society officially broke ground Tuesday on a $2.5 million restoration of the historic Texas Theatre.

“It's exciting for Seguin,” said Steve Tschoepe, chairman of the task force organizing the project. “Every time we open the doors, someone wanders in and tells us stories of when they were kids and they came here.”

Harold Brodt, 88, said he remembers when the Texas opened in 1931 because the owner, Alvin Mueller, was a neighbor of his and had him dress as a cowboy and ride to the town square as part of his grand opening promotion.

“Mr. Mueller said, ‘You never have to pay a nickel,'” Brodt said. “So I lived at the picture shows.”

The Depression-era movie house sports a Spanish colonial motif and was noted for its star-studded ceiling, which will be part of the restoration.

The Texas is a star in its own right. A replica of the theater's sign is displayed at the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum in Austin and the theater has appeared in several films, including “The Great Waldo Pepper” and “Raggedy Man.”

“It was never modernized,” said task force member Nancy Masterson. “These mica lamps are original. It was repainted from time to time, but always in the original colors.”

Dan Daniels said his family purchased the theater around 1934 and ran it until it closed in the mid-90s. He sold it to the conservation society in 1996.

“I'm excited to see it being restored,” he said. “It's a shame there's no way to make any money with a single-screen house anymore.”

As a result, plans call for the stage to be expanded and the theater to be used for plays, lectures and musical performances as well as movies.

But more money is needed to finish the project, said task force member Stan Ledbetter.

“It took us 10 years to raise $2 million and the budgeted amount is $2.5 million,” he said. “Construction is expected to take a year or less, so that gives us a year or less to raise $500,000.”

Here are some 1984 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

Photo3

Photo4

Interior Photo

This is a 2008 close-up view.