Kirby Theatre
911 Main Street,
Houston,
TX
77002
911 Main Street,
Houston,
TX
77002
2 people
favorited this theater
The Kirby Theatre was opened on August 12, 1927 and named after John Henry Kirby. The Maurice Law Orchestra accompainied many of the films along with a grand theater organ often played by Julie Dawn. The projectionist was Jesse E. Hogue who was still at the helm up until the theater closed in 1970 and was demolished.
Contributed by
Luke Headley
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
“Bwana Devil” was the first 3-D movie and it opened at the Kirby in the first part of 1953, having premiered in New York on 11/26/52. I WAS a lousy movie. I was told by my parents that the Kirby theater became part of the Houston Neiman Marcus. I do remember the long narrow entrance, but the same thing applied to the Metropolitan and Loews State.
‘American Theatres of Today’ Vol 1 published in 1927 gives Alfred C. Finn as the architect of the Kirby Theatre.
A photo of the original Kirby marquee can be seen here:
http://www.moviepalaces.net/kirby-originalmarq.jpg
The newer marquee is here:
http://www.moviepalaces.net/kirby1.jpg
An interior photo is here:
http://www.moviepalaces.net/kirby_aud1.JPG
Information on the organ originally from this theatre can be found at:
www.wurlitzer1614.homestead.com
That must have hurt:
http://tinyurl.com/sbajw
This website has a vintage photo of the Kirby Theater and some other nice photos of Houston theaters.
Interior and exterior photos of the Kirby can be found here.
The Kirby was a Publix Theater.
Jesse Jones, currently listed as the architect of this theater, was not an architect but a busnessman and a real estate developer. The architect of the Kirby Theatre was Alfred Charles Finn.
Interesting photo of the Kirby Theatre,any one notice it says Kirby Lumber Company on the top of the building.