Perot Theatre

219 Main Street,
Texarkana, TX 75501

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Related Websites

Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council -- Perot Theatre (Official)

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Paramount-Publix, Saenger Amusement Company

Architects: Emile Weil

Functions: Concerts, Live Performances

Styles: Italian Renaissance, Neo-Classical

Previous Names: Saenger Theatre, Paramount Theatre

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 903.792.4992

Nearby Theaters

Perot Theatre

The Perot Theatre was built in 1924 by the Saenger Amusement Company, but was purchased a few years later, in 1931, by the Paramount chain. As admissions dried up in the 1970’s, the theater became a second-run house, eventually closed in 1977.

Reopening after a $2.5 million restoration in 1979-80, the Perot Theatre was granted state and national landmark status and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Former Presidential candidate and Reform Party founder Ross Perot dedicated a statue of his brother, who died at the age of 3, in the Perot Theatre.

This statue, of a small boy waving, has been placed on the theater’s second floor.

Contributed by Ross Melnick

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)

Gregg
Gregg on January 31, 2004 at 12:02 pm

The Perot Theatre web site can be found at http://www.trahc.org/perot.htm

tomdelay
tomdelay on March 15, 2006 at 8:57 am

Originally being a Saenger theatre, this theatre must have once had a Robert Morton pipe organ in it. Does anyone know what happened to the organ? I would guess the siaze of the organ was somewhere between 6 and 10 ranks.

celloman
celloman on July 1, 2007 at 7:07 pm

Yes, according to the Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. II, this theatre had a 2m/6r Robert Morton organ installed in the 1920’s.

tomdelay
tomdelay on July 1, 2007 at 7:44 pm

Does anyone know what became of this organ?

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 2, 2008 at 3:26 pm

Here are a series of articles from the Texarkana Gazette that discuss this theater:
http://tinyurl.com/39w57j

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on March 31, 2008 at 4:06 am

This is a 1987 photo of Saenger Theatre in Texarkana.

AndrewBarrett
AndrewBarrett on March 21, 2014 at 6:40 pm

According to the TheatreOrgans dot com online searchable database of organ installations, the Saenger Theatre in Texarkana originally had a 2/8 Hillgreen-Lane theatre pipe organ, opus 424, installed in 1916 at a cost of $2,475. It is possible that the Robert-Morton later replaced it.

[note: in this entry, “Saenger” is misspelled “Saeger”, which is why you probably couldn’t find it, Lost Memory]

I would love to know what happened to both organs! The earlier organ’s blower # was 6827, if that helps.

AndrewBarrett
AndrewBarrett on March 21, 2014 at 6:41 pm

OH WAIT I just noticed that this theatre was built in 1924. D'oh! Was there another “Saenger” or “Saeger” theatre in Texarkana in 1916???

TheaterLover800
TheaterLover800 on July 1, 2017 at 1:03 am

When I lived in Texarkana from 58 to 63, I remember me and my mom and my brother would go to that theater a lot.I remember going to the popeye buddy club Saturday morning show.Isaw House on haunted hill, Abbot, and Costello’s Jack and the bean stalk, flat version of house of wax.I also saw the regular feature, like the day of the Triffids. I remember sneaking into the balcony that was closed .Seeing the second time Cleopatra, we saw it in Shreveport earlier.I had confronted segregation when I saw a black ticket lady on the left side of the building, for the balcony seats.I was wondering why there were two ticket stands.This was in 60 or 59.I’m glad it was restored and fixed up.I had assumed they might have made it into a multiplex, but they didn’t or torn it down.I’ve seen the website .the auditorium is beautiful than ever before .

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