River Oaks Theater
2009 W. Gray Street,
Houston,
TX
77019
2009 W. Gray Street,
Houston,
TX
77019
9 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 53 comments found
I’m glad the River Oaks is still around. I saw a number of movies there when I was in high school, although I don’t think I had much of an appreciation then for its history. I think it’s been maintained well, and has a lot of charm. The converted balcony screening rooms are fairly small and not laid out that well, but the main auditorium is great- nice details with oak-shaped wall lights and deco figures flanking the screen. A recent weekday matinee was pretty well-attended, so hopefully it’ll resist the development pressures!
Nice photos of a nice theatre, Lost Memory. Thanks.
Joe, that’s a great find, thanks. I’ve brought it to the attention of the webmasters, who will likely add it soon. They do not read every post, so please feel free to use the “Contact Us” function to alert them of such important changes in the future.
This page still needs an update for the architects.
November 28, 1939 was opening day for the River Oaks. Hugh Potter, mentioned above, was the master of ceremonies for the grand opening. The River Oaks’ color scheme was maroon and cream, according to that day’s news reports.
The River Oaks was designed by the Dallas firm of Pettigrew & Worley, according to an article by Helen Kent in the April 27, 1940, issue of Boxoffice Magazine. There were photos of both the River Oaks and the Alabama Theatre, designed by the same firm and built about the same time. Both were Interstate circuit houses.
H.F. Pettigrew and John A. Worley specialized in designing theaters, and were members of the Advisory Board of Boxoffice Magazine’s Modern Theatre Planning Institute. In addition to the Alabama, other Houston theaters designed by Pettigrew & Worley include the Broadway, Fulton, Garden Oaks, and Santa Rosa. They designed theaters all over the region during this period, primarily for the Interstate circuit.
This is a nice 2009 photo.
Here is a 2009 night photo.
1981 Photo
1983 Photo
1984 Photo
I worked here back in my early twenties. there were all sorts of stories about a guy who died behind the screen in this theater…and some of the folks around there said he still haunted the theater. funny thing is that to turn off the lights in the main theater auditorium, you had to go behind the stage…which then meant that, to exit the auditorium, you had to walk the entire length of the auditorium, from front to the entry doors in the back…and you had to do this in pitch black darkness. I cannot count the amount of people i terrified during this evening ritual. It was delicious…
I still remember one of the assistant managers named Joel…a really good guy. He ordered some films for a staff party…and he actually ordered THE THIRD MAN for me, because he’d heard me weeks before talking about how i wished i could see that film on the big screen in THAT theater. Good memories…
This is a recent night view of the River Oaks.
Current interior and exterior photos of the River Oaks and a historic exterior are online at www.houstondeco.org
The theater was designed by Pettigrew & Worley of Dallas.
Sweet. We’re already on the marquee for this weekend ;)
The River Oaks is still open. This is a 2008 photo.
Another photo of the River Oaks Theater can be seen here.
Here is a more recent photo of the River Oaks Theater.
Is this theatre going to be saved. ?
It’s a fine looking theatre.
This is the River Oaks at night.
Another recent photo of the River Oaks Theater can be seen here.
Hello! Even though I’m in North Carolina now, I have many fond memories of the River Oaks from back in the 70’s when it showed the very best foreign, art-house & classic movies – sometimes double features! I first saw “The Seven Samurai” there, complete with intermission. I saw “Don’t Look Now!”, “Grand Hotel”, “The Twentieth Century”, “It Happened One Night”,and “China Seas” there just to name a few. The River Oaks was kind of my Cinema Paradiso, if you know what I mean. Thanks to those who posted pictures!
Two night-time images of the RIVER OAKS that I took 3/18/07.
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/428855605
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/428855590
KHOU article abut Preservation Texas adding the theatre (along with The Alabama) to their 2007 list of endangered historic places. While they have no legal control over things, they have a well-established presence in Austin.
Here is another recent photo of the River Oaks Theater.
This is a recent night view of the River Oaks Theater.
Another action to take, if one is interested in saving the River Oaks & Alabama Theatres, is to contact the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance @ www.ghpa.org & see what they suggest. They’re involved in the fight.