Alameda Theater
318 W. Houston Street,
San Antonio,
TX
78205
318 W. Houston Street,
San Antonio,
TX
78205
22 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 36 comments
It has been sold to Texas Public Radio and they are building offices in the back. It will be along the new city water/art walk called San Pedros Creek(previously just a rain runoff ditch on the left of the building) so it will finally get some attention and admiration it has always deserved.
Prior to sale, it was pretty much derelict and referred to as the “Mexican Theatre” (for a grant it got from Mexico arts) and held some local events and non-profits for a while. Location was its demise as it is not in the main area of the other theatres like Majestic, Aztec, Empire, etc, and the Riverwalk tourist areas.
Opened March 10tn, 1949. Grand opening ads posted
Mid `50s photo added courtesy of Mase Mason.
Decorator Hanns Teichert wrote an article about the Alameda Theatre for Boxoffice. It appeared in the issue of February 4, 1950. Here are links:
First page
Second page
I wondered if anyone would know, did the Alameda theatre host talent shows a very long time ago, my dad is 86 years old and says he sang in a talent show many years ago and won second place. His only wish is a photograph of this event. Does anyone know anything about this?
This site has recent photos of the interior: www.hillcountrydeco.com/theaters/alameda/
Just passed the Alameda and it looks just as beautiful on the outside as the last time I was here over a year ago. Sadly, it looks just as forlorn on the inside. Looks like not a single thing has happened.
My father, Jose Perez del Rio, mc'ed many shows at the Alameda, including the “caravanas” with many famous actors and entertainers from Mexico. When I was about 5 years old, he lifted me in his arms and took me onstage to introduce me to the audience, who I could not see because of the footlights. I spent many hours sitting near the backstage entrance watching all those wonderful movies while my Dad prepared his work. He did many things to entertain the audience between sets, including playing the part of “Dr.I.Q” and staging vaudeville type scenarios. I am very happy the Alameda remains with us now. By the way, I too became an entertainer.
Here’s a link about the restoration of the murals: http://www.si.edu/mci/english/research/past_projects/alameda_mural.html
Just stopped by the Alameda this morning. It is still just as beautiful on the outside, but the theater seems to be at a complete standstill. It looks abandoned on the inside with no sign of any activity, let alone restoration work. In the window there is a proud “proclamation” from Ford Motor Company announcing the a “sizable” donation to the restoration cause. It is dated 2005. It looks like nothing has happened since. Does anyone have any news? I assume the lights are no longer lit.
I was in S.A. two years ago to visit my brother who moved down there and I saw this place from the outside. I would liked to gone inside. It looked good on the outside.
Nice looking theatre, lots of neon on this place, looks great in the night shots.
The architect for the restoration of the Alameda Theater 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.
The Alameda is featured in the middle portion of this clip from the News Hour with Jim Lehrer which focuses on the opening of an associated Museum of Latino Culture:
View link
Recent photos of the exterior, including its illuminated marqee can be found at:
View link
Recent photos of the exterior, including its illuminated marqee can be found at:
View link
A close look up of the ALAMEDA’s remmarkable sign.
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/404168174
Gents,
Please check out Rogelio Agrasanchez, Jr.’s excellent book, “Mexican Movies in the United States”.
The Alameda is the heart of the book.
I used to go almost every weekend to this theater. I used to watch movies and see live performances from such performers as Antonio Aguilar, Cantinflas, Flor Sylvestre toname a few. to this day i still have great memories of this theater, its massive screen, Its beauty on the cellings and on the walls and giant red curtins that will lower at the end of every movie. I cant wait to revisit this theater after 40yrs since i last went. If you are in San Antonio, you should visit this theater if not for movies but for its beauty. You wont be disapointed
Just found some links to a few photos from the interior. The first has some of the gallery that is housed in the building with some interior shots of the interior, the second link is of one of the interior murals, but it doesn’t do it justice unless you see it under the ultraviolet light, the third is of the marquee at night:
View link
View link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dulce/34533069/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sethgaines/5609806/
Thanks for letting us know!
No, the interior murals are significant (read the earlier post!). However, as the entire interior is ungoing restoration, interior shots are not available and would not do it jjustice at this point.
Alameda’s web site has no interior pictures which I find quite odd. Is this theaters claim to fame all exterior?
Hey Chuck!! Good to hear from you. Please give it another try.
Don
Thanks for the tip sarider…it is now public.
Don