The Villas Theatre launched on September 5, 1916. The theatre appears to have closed after a triple feature on November 13, 1960 of “The Bat,” “The Bride & the Beast,” and “World Without End.”
This was a million dollar theatre that launched on March 13, 1927 with a $25,000 Barton organ. It went out of business on November 4, 1951 after showings of “Big Carnival” and “Angels in the Outfield.” On August 22, 1952, the Palace Bowl launched in the refurbished former theatre. It was renamed the Cermak Bowl and the City Council bought the business andvoted to raze the building in 2004 which occurred in 2005.
The Electra Theatre launched July 4, 1911 with photoplays in downtown Victoria. At the end of a ten-year lease, the Electra closed. In a little over a year, the venue would have five operators and three different names.
The operator of the Queen Theatres in Cureo and Yoakum, Texas, E.H. Peters of Dallas took on the Electra in 1921. On May 4, 1921, he rebranded it as the Queen Theatre with an Air Blizzard cooling system. Peters offers $5 in gold to the student who could best describe the Air Blizzard system. Peters sold out that October to new operators who sold to new operator F.S. Ferguson of the Princess Theatre that December. On January 20, 1922, he renamed the theatre the Royal Theatre
Ferguson closed the Royal Theatre and, under new operators, the theatre relaunched under its former Electra Theatre moniker on December 21, 1922. That lasted until M.M. McNeese of Dallas bought the theatre and converted it the Vicotria Theatre on July 24, 1924 likely on a ten-year lease. Under Frels Circuit operation in 1926, the theatre was equipped with a giant lit sign reading, Frel’s Victoria. On September 15, 1929, Rubin Frels installed a sound system for talking pictures. The adjoining Post Office Confectionery Store was a favorite pre-show stop for patrons beginning in 1934.
Later that year, the movies stopped and the venue was used for live wrestling and other live events. Frels left after a 10-year lease and the space became the Norge Shop and other retail interests.
Frels returned to the Strekfus Building installing a massive 35-foot high sign in place and back under the name of the new Victoria Theatre. The building contained half of the old theatre and a completely new half. Frels launched the 400-seat Victoria on August 8, 1941 with “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” The theatre closed at the end of 1960 and perhaps under new operators on a sublease, it relaunched as an Hispanic Theatre in November of 1961. Despite surviving Hurricane Carla in 1961, the Victoria Theatre signage was finally felled by high winds in May of 1965. But the theatre continued operations.
Under new operators in 1971, the Victoria Theatre became an adult films house through 1972. It was then an Hispanic house back under Frels from 1972 to 1985. In 1986, Frels Realty allowed the space to became home to the Victoria Community Theatre under the name Theatre Victoria doing live shows through 2004. They moved to a new location that year.
The Princess Theatre was opened April 1, 1909. Taylor & Taylor took on the theatre relaunching it as the Paramount Theatre on January 19, 1915 with “The Dancer and the King.”
In September of 1915, the operators of the Park Theatre took over the Paramount and rebranded the venue under its former name, the Princess Theatre. on October 19, 1915. In July of 1928, the Frels Circuit took on the Princess and transitioned it to sound Vitaphone films. Feels closed in January 30, 1931.
The Jefferson Amusement Company took on the Princess and renamed it the Queen Theatre – the town’s second Queen Theatre – with a new Western Electric system for sound films. The Spanish architecturally-themed Queen relaunched April 5, 1931 with “Their Own Desire.” Long Theaters Circuit took over the location and closed it in 1940 after launching two new downtown theatres in the Rita and El Rancho. On a ten year lease, the building was used for other purposes.
E.H. Brooks took on the former theatre and renamed it the Venus Theatre relaunching as an Hispanic theatre on June 12, 1951 with “En Cada Puerto un Amor.” The film transitioned back to discount, sub-run double features. Its final films were “The Big Country” and “The Tingler” on November 11, 1960 when the Venus Theatre burned down.
The Campus Theatre was designed as a 664-seat quonset hut cinema near Victoria College built in 1949. (It was never called the College Theatre.) It launched August 3, 1950 with “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.” The Campus Theatre closed on January 23, 1952 after a showing of “Steel Helmet.” It was then used as a church and, in 1957, became the Woodlawn Bowling Center.
Closed by Cinemark on May 10, 2001 when Cinemark launched its 12-screener. It closed as a discount house with What Men Want, The Mexican, Snatch, See Spot Run and Down to Earth
Cinemas 1-4 had 238 seats each and 5-6 had 136 for 1,224 seats at opening on May 20, 1977. Closed on May 10, 2001 when Cinemark launched its 12-screener.Demolished August 28, 2006 .
May 20, 1977 launch with “Silver Streak” (on two screens), “The Gumball Rally”, “Twilight’s Last Gleaming”, “Forever Young, Forever Free”, and “The Ritz”.
The theatre launched Feb. 2, 1940 with “Geronimo.” It converted to widescreen for CinemaScope in 1954. It burned down on September 19, 1975 with the last film of “Capone” when an air conditioning repair went wrong.
The Grand Theatre launched March 2, 1908. It was architected by Frederick G. Mueller. In 1921, it was renamed Regent Theatre likely on a 10-year lease. It closed in 1931 but re-opened as the Playhouse in April of 1931. The venue had live events and plays for a short time before closing for good. In 1932, the space was retrofitted for Miller Bros. Paint & Wallpaper store.
The Eden Theatre launched in 1889 at 162 Market Street. It closed on May 19, 1900 getting new owners. The Katz Building venue became the home of the original Empire Theatre until 1905. The Empire moved to a new location.
The original location of the Empire Theatre was in the Eden Theatre which, itself had launched in 1889. It became the Empire Theatre with new operators in 1900. The venue was so popular that it moved.
In this location, the New Empire Theatre opened October 30, 1905 with live vaudeville and some short Kineographs. Becoming the Empire Theatre, it was closed to completely update the venue to the plans of architect Henry Barrett under new owner William Fox. It relaunched as a 1,500 seat house called Fox’s American Theatre and was designed for motion pictures, It opened on April 27, 1919 with Tom Mix in “Well Roarin' Reform” and Viola Dana in “False Evidence.” A front page story explained that the theatre closed October 30, 1927 due to a dispute with the Musician’s union.
The Paterson Opera House launched April 2, 1866. A 1900 fire caused most of the venue to be extensively rebuilt relaunching in 1901. Another fire in 1914 caused more remodeling and led to a name change. The opera house became the U.S. Photoplay Theatre on March 6, 1916 with the film, “The Battle Cry of Peace.” The theatre converted to sound and finally, under the Stanley Warner Circuit, the theatre closed in 1967. It was sold in 1969 and was razed for a parking lot.
The Hyway Theatre launched on July 1, 1942 with the film, “In This Our Life” and “Two Yanks in Trinidad.” It closed in February of 2009 with “Coraline.”
The theatre was built in 1920 for around $50,000 and opened February 1, 1921. It closed on April 22, 1950 at the end of a 30-year lease with a double-feature of “Renegades” and “Desperadoes.” The theatre’s space in the Capitol Building was repurposed for other retail operations.
This venue launched as the Pleasant Hour Theatre in 1907 in a contest won by motorman William Woolworth. The name was changed to the Lyric Theatre in 1911. The Lyric closed with “Barriers Burned Away” on March 21, 1925 at end of lease. The theatre space was converted to two retail shops. A front page story in the newspaper reported on the closing and history of the theatre.
Located at 304 Main Street, the Rio Theatre was once part of the Long Theaters Circuit. Ads ceas after the Feb. 3, 1964 screenings but the theatre could well have soldiered on. However, it has since been demolished.
Seating 400, the Lee Theatre launched on Main Street in 1947 across the street from the Star Theatre. The circuit operating the Star, Long Theaters, bought the Lee Theatre in 1948.
The Texas burned down on May 13, 1953 with its remains demolished. It was replaced by the El Rancho Theatre on March 17, 1954 also by the Long Theaters Circuit.
Opened at 117 east Fifth with Death of a Champion and closed April 13, 1952 with Elephant Stampede . Demolished 60 years later
Original William H. McElfatrick architectural design from 1917 in photos.
The Villas Theatre launched on September 5, 1916. The theatre appears to have closed after a triple feature on November 13, 1960 of “The Bat,” “The Bride & the Beast,” and “World Without End.”
This was a million dollar theatre that launched on March 13, 1927 with a $25,000 Barton organ. It went out of business on November 4, 1951 after showings of “Big Carnival” and “Angels in the Outfield.” On August 22, 1952, the Palace Bowl launched in the refurbished former theatre. It was renamed the Cermak Bowl and the City Council bought the business andvoted to raze the building in 2004 which occurred in 2005.
Just to add a bit to the above:
The Electra Theatre launched July 4, 1911 with photoplays in downtown Victoria. At the end of a ten-year lease, the Electra closed. In a little over a year, the venue would have five operators and three different names.
The operator of the Queen Theatres in Cureo and Yoakum, Texas, E.H. Peters of Dallas took on the Electra in 1921. On May 4, 1921, he rebranded it as the Queen Theatre with an Air Blizzard cooling system. Peters offers $5 in gold to the student who could best describe the Air Blizzard system. Peters sold out that October to new operators who sold to new operator F.S. Ferguson of the Princess Theatre that December. On January 20, 1922, he renamed the theatre the Royal Theatre
Ferguson closed the Royal Theatre and, under new operators, the theatre relaunched under its former Electra Theatre moniker on December 21, 1922. That lasted until M.M. McNeese of Dallas bought the theatre and converted it the Vicotria Theatre on July 24, 1924 likely on a ten-year lease. Under Frels Circuit operation in 1926, the theatre was equipped with a giant lit sign reading, Frel’s Victoria. On September 15, 1929, Rubin Frels installed a sound system for talking pictures. The adjoining Post Office Confectionery Store was a favorite pre-show stop for patrons beginning in 1934.
Later that year, the movies stopped and the venue was used for live wrestling and other live events. Frels left after a 10-year lease and the space became the Norge Shop and other retail interests.
Frels returned to the Strekfus Building installing a massive 35-foot high sign in place and back under the name of the new Victoria Theatre. The building contained half of the old theatre and a completely new half. Frels launched the 400-seat Victoria on August 8, 1941 with “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” The theatre closed at the end of 1960 and perhaps under new operators on a sublease, it relaunched as an Hispanic Theatre in November of 1961. Despite surviving Hurricane Carla in 1961, the Victoria Theatre signage was finally felled by high winds in May of 1965. But the theatre continued operations.
Under new operators in 1971, the Victoria Theatre became an adult films house through 1972. It was then an Hispanic house back under Frels from 1972 to 1985. In 1986, Frels Realty allowed the space to became home to the Victoria Community Theatre under the name Theatre Victoria doing live shows through 2004. They moved to a new location that year.
The Princess Theatre was opened April 1, 1909. Taylor & Taylor took on the theatre relaunching it as the Paramount Theatre on January 19, 1915 with “The Dancer and the King.”
In September of 1915, the operators of the Park Theatre took over the Paramount and rebranded the venue under its former name, the Princess Theatre. on October 19, 1915. In July of 1928, the Frels Circuit took on the Princess and transitioned it to sound Vitaphone films. Feels closed in January 30, 1931.
The Jefferson Amusement Company took on the Princess and renamed it the Queen Theatre – the town’s second Queen Theatre – with a new Western Electric system for sound films. The Spanish architecturally-themed Queen relaunched April 5, 1931 with “Their Own Desire.” Long Theaters Circuit took over the location and closed it in 1940 after launching two new downtown theatres in the Rita and El Rancho. On a ten year lease, the building was used for other purposes.
E.H. Brooks took on the former theatre and renamed it the Venus Theatre relaunching as an Hispanic theatre on June 12, 1951 with “En Cada Puerto un Amor.” The film transitioned back to discount, sub-run double features. Its final films were “The Big Country” and “The Tingler” on November 11, 1960 when the Venus Theatre burned down.
The Campus Theatre was designed as a 664-seat quonset hut cinema near Victoria College built in 1949. (It was never called the College Theatre.) It launched August 3, 1950 with “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.” The Campus Theatre closed on January 23, 1952 after a showing of “Steel Helmet.” It was then used as a church and, in 1957, became the Woodlawn Bowling Center.
Still open – https://www.facebook.com/twindolphinstheater/ It opened on January 24, 1973.
Closed by Cinemark on May 10, 2001 when Cinemark launched its 12-screener. It closed as a discount house with What Men Want, The Mexican, Snatch, See Spot Run and Down to Earth
Cinemas 1-4 had 238 seats each and 5-6 had 136 for 1,224 seats at opening on May 20, 1977. Closed on May 10, 2001 when Cinemark launched its 12-screener.Demolished August 28, 2006 .
August 28, 2006 – demolition
May 20, 1977 launch with “Silver Streak” (on two screens), “The Gumball Rally”, “Twilight’s Last Gleaming”, “Forever Young, Forever Free”, and “The Ritz”.
The theatre launched Feb. 2, 1940 with “Geronimo.” It converted to widescreen for CinemaScope in 1954. It burned down on September 19, 1975 with the last film of “Capone” when an air conditioning repair went wrong.
Victoria residents apparently love CinemaScope – here’s a 1954 letter-ad by the El Rancho Theatre management.
The Grand Theatre launched March 2, 1908. It was architected by Frederick G. Mueller. In 1921, it was renamed Regent Theatre likely on a 10-year lease. It closed in 1931 but re-opened as the Playhouse in April of 1931. The venue had live events and plays for a short time before closing for good. In 1932, the space was retrofitted for Miller Bros. Paint & Wallpaper store.
The Eden Theatre launched in 1889 at 162 Market Street. It closed on May 19, 1900 getting new owners. The Katz Building venue became the home of the original Empire Theatre until 1905. The Empire moved to a new location.
The original location of the Empire Theatre was in the Eden Theatre which, itself had launched in 1889. It became the Empire Theatre with new operators in 1900. The venue was so popular that it moved.
In this location, the New Empire Theatre opened October 30, 1905 with live vaudeville and some short Kineographs. Becoming the Empire Theatre, it was closed to completely update the venue to the plans of architect Henry Barrett under new owner William Fox. It relaunched as a 1,500 seat house called Fox’s American Theatre and was designed for motion pictures, It opened on April 27, 1919 with Tom Mix in “Well Roarin' Reform” and Viola Dana in “False Evidence.” A front page story explained that the theatre closed October 30, 1927 due to a dispute with the Musician’s union.
The Paterson Opera House launched April 2, 1866. A 1900 fire caused most of the venue to be extensively rebuilt relaunching in 1901. Another fire in 1914 caused more remodeling and led to a name change. The opera house became the U.S. Photoplay Theatre on March 6, 1916 with the film, “The Battle Cry of Peace.” The theatre converted to sound and finally, under the Stanley Warner Circuit, the theatre closed in 1967. It was sold in 1969 and was razed for a parking lot.
The Hyway Theatre launched on July 1, 1942 with the film, “In This Our Life” and “Two Yanks in Trinidad.” It closed in February of 2009 with “Coraline.”
The theatre was built in 1920 for around $50,000 and opened February 1, 1921. It closed on April 22, 1950 at the end of a 30-year lease with a double-feature of “Renegades” and “Desperadoes.” The theatre’s space in the Capitol Building was repurposed for other retail operations.
This venue launched as the Pleasant Hour Theatre in 1907 in a contest won by motorman William Woolworth. The name was changed to the Lyric Theatre in 1911. The Lyric closed with “Barriers Burned Away” on March 21, 1925 at end of lease. The theatre space was converted to two retail shops. A front page story in the newspaper reported on the closing and history of the theatre.
Located at 304 Main Street, the Rio Theatre was once part of the Long Theaters Circuit. Ads ceas after the Feb. 3, 1964 screenings but the theatre could well have soldiered on. However, it has since been demolished.
Seating 400, the Lee Theatre launched on Main Street in 1947 across the street from the Star Theatre. The circuit operating the Star, Long Theaters, bought the Lee Theatre in 1948.
The Texas burned down on May 13, 1953 with its remains demolished. It was replaced by the El Rancho Theatre on March 17, 1954 also by the Long Theaters Circuit.
119 West Mulberry was the address of the theatre. It has been demolished and replaced by a parking lot for a neighboring bank.