Capitan Theater

The Capitan is Pasadena jewel in the rough. I have bee inside in 2003 and the artwork is astounding. It is being brought up to code with several ideas on the reopening. The neon lights were refurbished in turned on June of 2001. I am HAPPY it did not meet the wrecking ball as so many of Houston theatres did. Eric Muecke torchysong@aol.com

We are high school students from Owatonna, Minnesota and we are doing an independent study project with one of our teachers, Mr. Metzler (you’ll notice that we are using his email, but correspondence will be to/from us). We are exploring the idea of re-opening a small movie theatre that is in the middle of our struggling downtown area.
After searching the web for theatres that had renovated to improve their downtown areas, we came across your website and are looking for any information or ideas that you might have for renovating our 1935 theatre. More specifically, we are looking at ideas for generating adequate funding, increasing community awareness and support, and the actual renovation of the theatre. Before/after pictures of renovations would also be appreciated.

Thanks for anything you can provide,
Tessa Wheelock
Emily Leuning
Sara Kramer

Michael A. Metzler
Owatonna High School
333 E. School Street
Owatonna, MN 55060

Phone: 507-444-8846

Web: http://www.owatonna.k12.mn.us/Classroom/OHS/Language%20Arts/mmetzler/Home.htm

The Capitan Theatre opened in December of 1950 and the architect was Raymond F. Smith.

I just visited the theater's exterior today and it doesn't really look like any renovations have been undertaken. On the outside where the posters should be, pictures of the interior have be posted of the Captain in its prime. It looked beautiful. I'm often stricken with delusions of one day buy this theater and renovating it myself, and showing my favorite films every week or so. Some of these delusions also involve me dressing up as a captain and standing on the sidewalk in front of the theater with a sandwich board on that urges people to come and see a good movie at a good theater, or something to that effect. If anyone has any information, please, inform me.

i am the director of a not-for-profit in pasadena with some great ideas for the refurbishment, use, and marketing of the capitan to assist the community and at-risk youth. if anyone has any information about who owns the theatre, what future plans entail, etc.., i would greatly appreciate this information.
jpallas@reachoutpasadena.org

Is this the theater on highway 225? If not, which one is on 225? Thanks

This IS the theater on 225. Huzzah.

Photo:
http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasTheaters/Pasadena-Texas-Capitan-Theatre.htm

I looked inside this theater in late summer of 2004. They were renovating it. I remember seeing a screen, maybe some seats downstairs & the balcony seats were still there. Projection booth was gutted with one projector base still standing.

Here is a nice closeup photo of the Capitan Theater.

Night time photo of the Capitan.
http://www.moviepalaces.net/capitan-nighttime2004-1.htm

Another night time photo of the Capitan Theater:
http://flickr.com/photos/oneeighteen/115519254/

Here is a photo of the capitan theater go to
http://static.flickr.com/86/240700917_dc97612347.jpg

This is a recent photo of the Capitan Theater.

Some recent photos of the Capitan Theater can be seen here. Click each photo to expand it.

It does not look good for the magnificent CAPITAN. We were there and took pictures 3/19/07. It still looks great on the outside, but is trashed on the inside and has gradually become isolated in an industrial area. The only thing that will save this one is lots of $$$$. Also the city of Houston is no longer turning the neon on. (Please take a look at the link KenRoe posted above for a night-time view.)

Here are a few of the images I took.
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/428682518
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/428682501
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/428682461
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/428682440
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/428682425
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/428682418

Preservation alert:
http://tinyurl.com/ysjbwp

This is a 2007 photo of the Capitan Theater.

This article was in the Deer Park Progress on 5/13/77:
http://tinyurl.com/2kmdev

Some new and old photos of the Capitan Theater can be seen here.

Current interior and exterior photos of the Capitan are online at www.houstondeco.org

A view of the Capitan Theater's twin, the Granada in Houston.

Some of the interior auditorium elements like stage drapes and side walls are like the former Picwood Theatre in West Los Angeles. Both theatres were built for the Phil Isley Theatre chain. The FDYB lists this theatre as seating 608 people.

Does anyone have an update on the preservation/renovation status
of The Capitan as of Oct. '08?

This is a nice 2009 photo.

1983 Photo

A photo set of the Capitan taken before and after its restoration.

The Capitan closed in 1969.