Old Spanish Trail Theater
4010 Old Spanish Trail,
Houston,
TX
77021
4010 Old Spanish Trail,
Houston,
TX
77021
2 people
favorited this theater
The OST Theater (Old Spanish Trail) opened in the late-1940’s. It was a second run independently owned neighborhood theater. I worked there as in usher in 1953-54. Duties also included helping clean the theater and changing the marquee. I received and additional 75 cents for the marquee. Cleaning the theater had an extra bonus. A hand held blower was used to blow all the cups, popcorn bags and candy wrappers to the front to the theater where they were then swept up. Along with the trash was always some loose change…that was mine. Some days I collected almost a dollar :) The smell of a theater after a Saturday morning kid show is quiet unforgettable. The unique blend of chewing gum, popcorn, candy and Coke will be burned into my memory forever.
Contributed by
Dana Grantham
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
I went to the OST Theatre every Saturday morning for the Kid show..usually started about 10:45 am…then could stay all day and watch the main features…loved to just spend the day there…Mr. Foster was the manager…think of that place often, had lots of friends and loved the atmosphere…Mr Wingo, it had a balcony, seated about 100 people up there..when the lower level filled with people Mr. Foster would open it up…
I grew up two blocks away on Charleston St and didn’t miss a show for years in the 50’s. In the late 60’s and 70’s it was taken over by a Porno chain and called the Paris Theater. I haven’t been in that area for many years, but if you look on Google Earth, it seems as if the structure is still there.
Here is a 2008 photo of the Old Spanish Trail Theater.
1983 Photo
My mother would take me to the OST Saturday mornings when I was nine years old. It was my regular thing to do on Saturday. That was in 1957. I loved going there. It cost a quarter to get in and I’d usually buy a candy bar. I did not know the building was still there until I found this site.
This is another photo of the Old Spanish Trail Theater.
Here is a recent photo.
The OST opened on February 15, 1947. The premier feature was “Rendezvous with Annie†with Eddie Albert and Faye Marlowe. The OST’s general contractor was Paul Marxten and the structural engineer was Francis J. Niven.
I WORKED AT THE OST ALSO WITH MY BEST FRIEND EDDIE VETTER AROUND 1953-56-WORKED AT THE KIDDIE SHOWS ON SATURDAY-I WOULD ALWAYS LET MY FRIENDS GO TO THE BALCONY AWAY FROM THE LITTLE KIDS-LOVED TO MAKE THE POPCORN (SO GOOD)AND FREE-MR FOSTER ALWAYS LET ME COME AT NIGHT TO SEE THE SHOWS FOR FREE-EVEN AFTER I QUIT WORKING THERE I STILL ATTENDED THE THEATER AND ENJOYED GETTING AN ICE CREAM CONE NEXT DOOR-I CAN’T BELIEVE AT 72 YEARS OLD I STILL REMEMBER THE FUN I HAD THERE
I WORKED AT THE OST ALSO WITH MY BEST FRIEND EDDIE VETTER AROUND 1953-56-WORKED AT THE KIDDIE SHOWS ON SATURDAY-I WOULD ALWAYS LET MY FRIENDS GO TO THE BALCONY AWAY FROM THE LITTLE KIDS-LOVED TO MAKE THE POPCORN (SO GOOD)AND FREE-MR FOSTER ALWAYS LET ME COME AT NIGHT TO SEE THE SHOWS FOR FREE-EVEN AFTER I QUIT WORKING THERE I STILL ATTENDED THE THEATER AND ENJOYED GETTING AN ICE CREAM CONE NEXT DOOR-I CAN’T BELIEVE AT 72 YEARS OLD I STILL REMEMBER THE FUN I HAD THERE