Paramount Theatre

352 Cypress Street,
Abilene, TX 79601

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pnelson
pnelson on December 3, 2015 at 9:49 pm

Seattle has an active Paramount theatre still as well. Was restored years ago with a much bigger stage and state of the art seating. Original blade sign too. Interior is french in style. Very elaborate and large auditorium. Located in a great area of downtown.

JimCockburn
JimCockburn on December 3, 2015 at 10:39 am

I remember the world premier of “Take Her She’s Mine” in November of 1963 at the Paramount. Big searchlights in the street out front and the appearance of Jimmy Stewart and Sandra Dee in person. The Hardin-Simmons Cowboy Band played outside before the theater was opened to let ticket holders in to watch to movie.

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on June 10, 2013 at 5:26 pm

The Paramount’s marquee was featured prominently in a “Cold Case Files” episode about a robbery and killing in a jewelry store down the street from the theatre.

Steven Rogers
Steven Rogers on December 4, 2011 at 12:23 am

Cecil Bellew was manager of the Paramount Theater and then the Westwood Theater. http://www.texnews.com/1998/1999/obits/1229.html

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on August 7, 2010 at 10:53 pm

From the 1940s a postcard view of the Paramount Theatre in Abilene.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on April 20, 2010 at 4:19 pm

Great shots of the good-looking theatre, I wonder how many PARAMOUNT theatres there have been in the U.S?

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on November 25, 2009 at 5:00 pm

From 1995 and 2009, a set of Paramount Theatre photos.

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on January 20, 2009 at 8:21 pm

A 2008 view of the Paramount Theatre and the box office in Abilene.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on November 30, 2008 at 12:34 am

The architect for the restoration of the Paramount Theatre was Killis Almond, of Killis Almond & Associates, a San Antonio, Texas, based firm specializing in the restoration of historic buildings. Click on their “Projects” link to find a link to a page about this theater, as well as links to pages about some of their other theater projects.

p1214j714
p1214j714 on February 19, 2008 at 3:33 pm

So glad the Paramount was saved for future generations to see what a real theater is like. Such a greater experience than the small places of today. One of my vivid memories was the Saturday midnight horror movies. I knew one of the ushers and once during a horror movid involving a talking head he sneaked up behind us and put a fake head down in front of us. We almost went off the balcony. I really miss the Paramount and would love to take my grandsons to a movie there. Hopefully one day I can take them from Oklahoma to Abilene for that.

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on February 14, 2008 at 1:48 pm

Two 1986 pre-restoration photos of the Paramount theater in Abilene.
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/2263328721
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/2264116830

And one post-restoration photo of the Paramount.
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/2263565423

Steven Rogers
Steven Rogers on April 9, 2005 at 12:35 pm

I remember seeing films there as a kid in the 60’s. The fantasy architecture really added to the mystique of seeing a film. The theater also had a balcony, like most of the Paramout theaters. I’m not sure I ever went up there – it was closed during most normal movie showings.

In addition to having lit stars in the ceiling, there was also a projector that displayed moving clouds on the ceiling that were visible when the house lights were down.

A local barber, who I knew only as Mr. Bellew, worked as an usher for many years at the theater. He had his own barber shop, and consequently knew many of the kids who came to the movies on Saturdays. He’s the one who told me that the clouds were made by a projector with a rotating plastic disk containing the moving “clouds”. It was broken for many years – I don’t know if the restoration brought that feature back.

JoeBuck
JoeBuck on February 1, 2004 at 11:35 am

the Paramount was part of the Interstate Theaters chain at least during the 1950’s and 1960’s when I went there

bryanbros
bryanbros on October 22, 2002 at 10:52 pm

Absolutely fabulous—the Paramount screens two classic movies a month and is a must for anyone who enjoys watching movies as they were meant to be seen; the restoration is immaculate; the balcony cavernous; and the clouds drift lazily on the ceiling during screening.