Fain Theater
113 E. Polk Street,
Livingston,
TX
77351
113 E. Polk Street,
Livingston,
TX
77351
3 people
favorited this theater
Replacing an earlier Fain Theater which was located on Washington Street. The Fain Theater is one of those theaters that really makes you feel good when you discover it. It is a classic, which opened in August 1948.
It stands on a corner in a tan brick building. The rounded box office stands on the corner of the building and is covered in burgundy ceramic tile. There is a green trimmed marquee and over-hang that wraps around the front and corner. Last but not least is a tall vertical green “Fain” sign with lots of neon.
This one has one of my favorite things about theater signs and that is the familiar ornamental topper. This one is five discs stacked on a pole complete with neon. The Fain Theater was closed around 2015.
Contributed by
Don Lewis
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Recent comments (view all 20 comments)
I lived in Livingston briefly in the early ‘50s and remember walking the five blocks to see “Callaway Went Thataway”. Visited briefly Oct. 3 after sixty years. Charming town, much better than I remember.
The sports and recreation generated by Lake Livingston has given it new life and well worth visiting if you’re in the area of east Texas.
No excuse for over selling a theatre,It was a stupid thing to do and then blame the moviegoer,Do not blame you LUVSMOVIES.You were most likely dealing with rookies.
I really enjoy visiting this theater. The staff is super friendly, and are quick to address concerns. Ticket prices are low for the area, as are the concessions. The “cry room” in the back of the facility is perfect for parents with small children. It’s an extra 30 miles for me to drive to(I live near Lufkin), and only has a single screen, but the Fain is worth visiting.
For everyone that does not know, the fain is a terrible business. It may be an icon of movie history, but the way it is currently managed is a disgrace to american business in general. As a previous employee i can personally tell you that the people who own it are terrible. Nothing is made fresh, everything in the back room is caked in dirt, and they only hire 16-17 year olds that have not worked before so that they can underpay and over work them. i was making a measly $4.50 an hour after i did all the math.
and mind you, this was only 4 months ago.
The Fain is much older than the current building would suggest. It was owned by my great grandfather Clem Fain, Sr. (1874–1944). The family lore is that my grandmother, Mary Willson Fain Gerlach, played piano during silent films.
This theatre closed around 2015.
A new-build theatre, the Fain Theatre launched in August of 1948. It replaced a 300-seat Fain Theatre that dated back to the silent era. The theatre appears to have gone out of business on April 30, 2015.
Looks like COVID19 killed another old timer, The Fain. One thing I have noticed on some websites, it says The Fain was built in the 1930’s. It was, but not the one that was on Polk Street. The Original Fair was on Washington Street. It closed, then reopened about 1948. It was only running old movies. It closed permanently around 1950-51 when a fire broke out in the projection room one afternoon. The Movie was “Sing, Country Sing.” It had a lot of country singers including Roy Acuff. It featured Lulubelle and Scotty singing a song they wrote, “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You.” Later recorded by Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley.
The Fain on Polk Street was opened around that same time. Actaly dates could be found in the “Polk County Enterprise” Archives or City/County Records.
The May 8, 1948 issue of Boxoffice said that the 700 seat Fain Theater under construction for Frank Fain at Livingston, Texas, had been designed by architect Jack Corgan.