Metropolitan Theatre
1018 Main Street,
Houston,
TX
77002
1018 Main Street,
Houston,
TX
77002
4 people
favorited this theater
The Metropolitan Theatre was truly a lavish and magnificence representation of its Egyptian themed decor. Millions of pieces of ceramic tile were inlaid to form floor and wall mosaic murals of the pharaohs and ancient Egyptian symbols. A sphinx guarded the temple-like balcony approaches.
Alfred Charles Finn, who also designed the neighboring Loew’s State Theatre, was the architect for the Metropolitan Theatre, built for Jesse H. Jones at a cost of $2,000,000.
An innovative hydraulic pit raised the Metropolitan Orchestra up into sight for elaborate stage presentations.
Operated by the Publix Theatres Corp., the Metropolitian opened on December 25, 1926. and could seat almost 2,300. Interior photos and plans, including of the auditorium, appear in the 1st Volume of the book “American Theatres of Today” (1927).
From the early 1940’s, the theatre was operated by the Interstate Theater chain. The Metropolitan was the first Houston theater to be converted to CinemaScope in the early 1950’s showing “The Robe."
The massive Wurlitzer theater organ from the Metropolitan has been preserved and is now installed in the Houston Community College main auditorium.
The Metropolitan was demolished in 1973.
Contributed by
Stanley Gilmore
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Recent comments (view all 25 comments)
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Here is a website with some photos of this theater.
Here are some interior photos:
http://www.houstondeco.org/1920s/metro.html
A view from 1970 of the Met and Loew’s in Houston.
The Metropolitan’s premier feature was “Stranded in Paris†with Bebe Daniels and James Hall.
Interesting that the Metro and Loews were designed by the same people.
From the 1940s, a vintage picture postcard view of the Lowe’s State, the Metropolitan and a nice view of downtown Houston on Main Street.
A postcard view of the Metropolitan Theatre along with Loew’s in downtown Houston.
The address was actually 1016 Main, Houston, Texas
Nice shot of the Loew’s State verticle blade and the Metropolitan marquee showing “The Ten Commandments” on a recently broadcast episode of The Burns and Allen Show entitled Going to Houston (original airdate 3/25/57.)