Tower Theatre

I think the Tower was used for some of the Sensurround pictures of the mid-1970s…I saw Earthquake there when it first opened.

The Tower was renovated in 1978 for live performances. Remember seeing The Manhattan Transfer there. The Broadway Musical ‘Best Little Whorehouse in Texas’ started a run of more than a year in 1979, in an independent production separate from the National company. Saw it several times at the Tower. Other touring Broadway and off-Broadway shows played there, notably ‘Agnes of God’ with Elizabeth Ashley and Mercedes McCambridge, and ‘Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All for You’

Does anyone know how much of the theater remained intact during the Hollywood Video days. The video store was not that big. I always wondered what was behind those walls

It looks like the Tex-Mex restaurant is now open. They have also spruced up the marquee and facade of building.

The Tower opened at 7:30 p.m. on February 14, 1936. The premier feature was “Barbary Coast” with Miriam Hopkins, Edward G. Robinson, and Joel McCrea. Opening night festivities included a 30-piece symphony orchestra and Blackstone the Magician. The correct zip code for this theater is 77006.

A 1948 view of the Tower Theatre in Houston.

“Photo Courtesy of the Public Domain”

I am researching a story for NPR involving this theater. Some time in the late 70’s, Ella Fitzgerald performed here – I would very much like to talk to anyone who saw her there, and in particular, the date and the names of her musicians. I’d also love to talk to anyone who was there when it was a disco. Thanks.

There are several views of the Tower on this site:
http://tinyurl.com/2m8tdb

I got to know Ross Vallone in the early 70’s. He was managing the River Oaks, when it was still owned by Interstate.

The structure and marquee still stand. Only minor changes were made to the exterior such as the addition of aluminum store front windows under the marquee and along the west side of the theater, relocation of the entry to the west side of the structure and the name on the marquee was changed to read “Hollywood Video.” Although efforts were made to retain the integrity of the original exterior the interior space was gutted. The floor was leveled to the street, concession areas and lobbies were removed and a cheap lay-in ceiling was installed in what was the main house of the theater. The stage and penthouse were also gutted, but have been converted into a unique, loft restaurant space. Many expected better redevelopment plans for the building given a similar renovation of a theater located nearby. The Alabama Theater’s re-use as a book store retained much of the existing structure’s art deco interior and exterior features.

Reading about the Tower brings back a lot of memories. Saturday morning movies with a serial and at least three cartoons started at about 9:00 AM. Popcorn was a dime. After the morning show the theater closed for a short time and then reopened for the regular feature. If you were lucky enough to have a dollar you could spend the whole day and have all the drinks, candy and popcorn that you could hold.

My older brother started his career with Interstate theaters at the Tower as an usher. He quickly advanced to chief usher and later to assistant manager in the chain before getting his own theater in Galveston (Broadway) at the age of twenty-one.

If anyone has any pictures from the late 1940’s or early 50s of the theater please submit them.

The architect for this theater was W. Scott Dunne – please change this.

The Film Daily Yearbook 1941 gives a seating capacity for the Tower Theatre as 1,132. The F.D.Y, 1950 gives a seating capacity of 1,117.

The address needs to be changed to 1201 Westheimer Road, Houston TX.