Rita Theatre
4945 Columbia Avenue,
Dallas,
TX
75214
4945 Columbia Avenue,
Dallas,
TX
75214
2 people
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The Rita Theatre was located at 4945 Columbia Avenue. Listed in editions of Film Daily Yearbook 1941 through at least 1951. It became part of the Ed Foy circuit.
It was closed around 1950 and the Columbia Theatre was constructed at 4923 Columbia Avuenue, later re-named Avenue Theatre. It was part of the Phil Isley circuit and has its own seperate page here on Cinema Treasures.
The former Rita Theatre in 2008 is in use as a dance/party hall
Contributed by
Jack Coursey, Bob Johnston
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
Opened as Rita Theater, 4945 Columbia Avenue. Later renamed Columbia. Phil Isley Theaters built a new theater one block west in late 40’s early 50’s. New building later renamed the Avenue Theater.
Now used as pawn shop downstairs, Mexican movie theater in balcony.
Named Columbia when Ed Foy Chain took it over.
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4923 Columbia according to June 2006 tax records?
A Hillgreen-Lane theater organ opus 636 size 2/13 was installed in the Columbia Theater in 1921.
Unless I’m way off, this theater was known as the Guild in the late 1960s. Possibly returned to the Columbia name in the 1970s when it showed porno movies. This is sort=of a happening area of Dallas right now. Shame it can’t be restored.
The 1926 Film Daily Year Book lists a Columbia Theatre at 4943 Columbia Avenue, Dallas, Texas. I suspect it’s the same Columbia Theatre as this one, and that Columbia was the original name.
Well, UA operated a theater known as the Guild in the 1960s and early 70s at this address, I’m almost positive. Then suddenly it was showing porn in the 70s and early 80s under the name (I think), the Columbia. Please tell me my memory isn’t gone. The interesting thing to me as that UA really tried to market this place as a first-run house when it was first called the Guild.
It seems possible that the name changed back to Columbia after Guild. “Columbia” might have even been engraved somewhere on the front of the building if that was the original name.
This was NOT the Guild; the Guild was another theater, built in 1950 about a block away, which opened as the (new) Columbia, soon renamed Avenue, still later renamed Guild. It was the newer theater that switched to XXX fare (as the Guild) in the 1970’s.
By that time, THIS Columbia had long since 1)been re-named Rita and then 2)been shuttered as a film house.
The AKA needs to be changed from Guild to Columbia, this theater’s original name – it was NEVER the Guild.