The Walthall Theatre was an African American Theatre which opened in 1940. Always having a loyal patron base, the Walthall stuck to its double-feature policy generally spotlighting African American stars and films. In the porno chic era, it also procured double-feature X-rated films for an urban audience in the 1970s as midnight screenings on weekends. On July 16, 1976, for instance, the regular features were “J.D.’s Revenge” starring Glynn Truman and “Friday Foster” with Pam Grier. The evening shows were the adult films, “Black Como” and “Slip of the Tongue.”
Its last advertised show was June 10, 1985 with “Warriors of the Wasteland” and the classic, “Dolemite.” Reports say the theatre may have closed in September of 1985 but it seems more likely that the Walthall would like to be remembered for screening “Dolemite” as its last film. In 1986, the theater was disassembled and converted into an apartment building with commercial laundromat.
The New Strand $100,00 Strand opened February 4, 1921. It replaced a previous Strand Theatre in town. This one was designed for motion pictures complete with a pipe organ.
On December 9, 1963, it switched to Spanish language films as the Carlos Theatre aka Teatro Carlos. In August 5, it 1964 it became the Capri . The theater became yer Carver Theater o Adult Cinema. In Nov of 1973, it became The Vagabond Theater with repertory films. In April of 1974, it switched to adult films which led to a raid. It was renamed the Sun There in August of 1975.
Riverside Cinema Co. backed by the Chick Brothers was the latest United General Theatre franchisee. And this was the first of twelve the circuit was building in Austin. The Riverside Cinema would be their new automated theater in the Town Lake Shopping Center at 1930 E. Riverdale. And the theatre opened pretty much on time in the summer of 1973. United General franchisees were purportedly behind two similar Aquarius quads – one in Austin and the other in Dallas.
With ten more Austin screens and 44 more in Texas scheduled by year’s end and 3,500 screens by the end of 1975, United General called itself the “fastest growing cinema circuit” in the United States. Unfortunately, few of the locations actually opened as United General as the chain’s projections didn’t match reality. That was something that became apparent when two of its founders pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
By the time the Riverside Twin Cinema opened in July 13, 1973 with “Godspell” and “The Killing Kind,” the Chicks were listed as formerly of United General and the theatre launched for Presidio Cinemas. The theatre became the Riverside Dollar Cinema on September 4, 1987 closing August 27, 1989. It became a short-lived repertory live concert film and performance space called Riverside Live from March 15, 1990 to September 30, 1990. In 1991, it became home to the Mission Hills Church and the South Shore Church in 2001.
Theatre Folsom became Folsom Theatre in December of 1926. In June of 1930, it installed sound and operated part-year closing in the summer months. The film, “Return of the Terror” with Mary Astor on September 25, 1934 caught on fire. Though all four patrons and the two operators got out safely, there wasn’t enough insurance to resume films.
However, on March 20, 1942, E.B. Wagnon re-quipped the venue relaunching with, “He Died With His Boots On.” Wagnon closed the theater to seek out improved equipment on August 9, 1954 after Rita Hayworth in “It Grows on Trees.” That search must have been unsuccessful.
Eagle eyes will see the Coming Soon: A New United General Theatre in the background as the franchisees were building their new automated theater in the Town Lake Shopping Center at 1930 E. Riverdale. And the theatre opened pretty much on time in the summer of 1973. United General franchisees were purportedly behind two similar Aquarius quads in Austin and Dallas.
With ten more Austin screens and 44 more in Texas scheduled by year’s end and 3,500 screens by the end of 1975, United General called itself the “fastest growing cinema circuit” in the United States. Unfortunately, few of the locations actually opened as United General as the chain’s projections didn’t match reality. That was something that became apparent when two of its founders pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
Veteran showman Theo Miller launched the Gem Theatre on May 18, 1939 with the film, “Pirates of the Sky.” He closed the theatre on December 31, 1959 ending the theater’s continuous run after 20 years. The theatre would have a final run in 1963/4 under new operators.
The newly relocated Texas Theatre would reopen June 14, 1962 with the film “Big Red.” The previous Texas Theatre was gutted by fire on January 8, 1962 and a decision was made to move the theatre which was twice gutted by fire.
The new Texas Theatre launches in downtown Ballinger on June 26, 1936 with Wheeler and Woolsey in “Silly Billies.“ The theatre suffered a fire originating in the neighboring Texas Grill on January 30, 1939 that gutted the interior and decimated the Cactus Drug Store. The Texas was restored and reequipped as the new, new Texas Theatre relaunching on May 5, 1939 with Bob Burns in “I’m From Missouri.” And more good news was that the Texas Grill was also reopened!
Unfortunately, on January 8, 1962, another fire at the Texas Grill occurred and again gutted the theater and decimated the neighboring business, a beauty parlor. The Texas Theatre would reopen June 14, 1962 in a new location and – fortunately – the Texas Grill did not relocated next door. The new Texas Theatre would continue into the 2020s.
This Cinemark discount cinema opened on December 16, 1989. It closed after ten years of operation, it became the Covenant Church in 2000 before a period of inactivity.
The Movies 8 neighborhood and its neighboring shopping centers once home to two General Cinema 6-plexes became Korean-centric as Carrollton became a top 15 medium market population center for Korean Americans with 1.3% population as Korean. So a new group took on the former Cinemark theater. It relaunched splitting the operation of the building to part theatrical and Korean activity center under the name of the Oasis Cinema. The Oasis played contemporary Asian films with Korean and Chinese language films in two auditoriums. The Oasis also played major Hollywood releases with Korean subtitles. The Oasis closed briefly and relaunched In the Fall of 2017 changing names / operators to the Bluebonnet Cinema still showing contemporary Korean films. It closed on January 5, 2019 with a hopeful reopening soon that never came.
H & H Theatres was a Texas-based motion picture circuit dating back in the silent era and Homer T. Hodge was a founder with another member of the Hodge family. Hodge built an airdrome in 1912 in Abilene and opened the Gem Theatre there – his first hardtop – in 1913 involving his family. They became H & H Theatres Circuit and the Gem was the first of twenty H & H Thatres in Texas. H & H had five theaters in Odessa, four theaters in Midland with four more in Ballinger, three each in Winters, Merkel, and Stamford. But H.T.’s wife died in 1948 and he retired in 1949 as this ozoner was in the latter stages of development. It was named in honor of his company. The H & H tagline was “Always Friendly” as they believed in family friendly venues and content.
Hodge’s departure from the industry in 1949 led to H & H’s placement of the circuit dividing the portfolio into six of his seven children’s hands. The “always friendly” moniker was not carried over to the operation post-Hodge. Acrimony led to a public lawsuit in 1952. H & H actually disbanded prior to H.T. Hodge’s death in September of 1954 but reformed under the same H & H Theatres banner operating until at least 1987. If that’s when it ended, H & H had a nice 75-year legacy. As for the Stamford H & H drive-in location, the long-running operation got new ownership and spent a short period of time as the renamed S & S Drive-In.
Likely more information than anyone really needed.
Veteran showman Theo Miller had been in the film exhibition business nearly 25 years with three other area theaters in the silent era and sound era. One of his earliest was the Pastime Theater in downtown Quitman which would be converted to a hardware store. Miller then launched the Gem Theatre also in downtown Quitman on May 18, 1939 with the film, “Pirates of the Sky.” He closed the theatre on December 31, 1959 ending the theater’s continuous run after 20 years.
But the Gem would get one more shot relaunching November 22, 1963 with “Blue Hawaii.” It closed for the final time (apparently) on September 26, 1964 with a two shorts and a feature with “Zoo Who” and “Jamaica Jive” supporting “The Incredible Journey.”
This was announced in 1972 as an automated franchise of the United General Circuit. Two identical 185-screen / 370 total seat auditoriums.The booth had 16mm projection but was changed to 35mm projection.
William Maples of Phoenix was the newest franchisee of a United General automated theater location. This one was a 4,000 spot in the Casa Grande Mall and was hoped to have a July 1972 opening. A naming contest was held in November of 1972 – a common PR stunt in the United General playbook – and Louise Hudspeth came up with the unique and winning name: Mall Cinema. Those who had hoped for Mall Theater were disappointed. Perhaps a better contest would have been a pool to predict the theater’s opening date.It
Grand opening ads appeared in print November, December, January, February, March, and throughout April. It finally opened April 27, 1973 with “Lady and the Tramp” and “Million Dollar Duck” using the 16mm automated projection equipment and delivering on the promise to schedule family-friendly films.
The theatre was built as a United General franchised location. The Showcase celebrated its Grand Opening on July 25, 1973 with a double feature of “Billy Jack” and “Bless the Beasts.”
Elaine and Roger Moore aka E & R Concepts were the proud new United General franchisees of this theatre which held its name the theater contest in 1971. Ken and Keith Sherwood won the contest (ages 4 and 5) taking home 25 tickets for two. And then they waited for the theater located in the White Rock Shopping Center to open. And waited some more. Several opening dates came and went. But, finally, the theater opened on December 27, 1972 – an automated 16mm projection booth and family fare – with “Run to the High Country.” The Los Alamos Film Society held screenings there.
The theatre got new owners who switched the booth to 35mm but stayed true to the family friendly films. The final owners, Blue Pearl Corp. run by Jonathan and Carl Kahn, made it to the half-way point of its 30 year lease, closing just shy of its 15th Anniversary with “Back to the Beach” on September 30, 1987 citing financial reasons. The tiny theater was repurposed for other retail uses.
Stanley Warner Theatres 174th theater was the $500,000 Telephone Road Twin Drive-In north of Pearland. A champagne opening night benefit for the Boys Harbor of Houston featured Miss Texas Beauty Judi Lackey and music from Uni labels' The Fever Tree (who had a top 100 charted hit the next year) and Billy Gibbon’s The Moving Sidewalks who had the hit “99th Floor” before Gibbons moved on to form ZZ Top.
Opening shows were a triple feature of “For a Few Dollars More,” “The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming” and “The Fortune Cookie” on Screen One and “The War Wagon,” “Texas Across the River,” and “Shenahoah” on Screen Two.
The H & H Drive-In Theatre launched September 29, 1949 with Henry Fonda in “Trail of the Lonesome Pine.” AKA the S & S Drive-In Theatre. It closed during the 1984 season with an adult double-feature. The theatre showed mainstream films on the weekend and adult films Tuesday-Thursday.
Stanley Warner Theatres 174th theater was the $500,000 Telephone Road Twin Drive-In north of Pearland. A champagne opening night benefit for the Boys Harbor of Houston featured Miss Texas Beauty Judi Lackey and music from Uni labels' The Fever Tree (who had a top 100 charted hit the next year) and Billy Gibbon’s The Moving Sidewalks who had the hit “99th Floor” before Gibbons moved on to form ZZ Top.
Opening shows were a triple feature of “For a Few Dollars More,” “The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming” and “The Fortune Cookie” on Screen One and “The War Wagon,” “Texas Across the River,” and “Shenahoah” on Screen Two.
This was purportedly Debbie Reynolds' own United General automated theatre. Reynolds, Glenn Ford, and Agnes Moorehead were the primary actors who lent their names to the fledgling franchised theater gambit in the early 1970s. This theater launched on February 16, 1972 with “Tora, Tora, Tora.” But then the theatre had its Grand Opening celebration two weeks later on March 4th with “The RA Expeditions” and said to be under the operation of franchisee, Bill Webb. It helped kept costs low by using 16mm film projectors.
The theater was the sixth for the circuit and the first of 20 in the Valley for United General which actually appears to have opened just three of the locations before disgruntled investors filed lawsuits finally helping end the operation. Reports said that they had 200 franchisees signed on. The Central Plaza Shopping Centre housed theatre appears to have gone out of business in February 20, 1973. It looks to have been used by the Camarillo Community Campus of Moorpark College for educational purposes soon thereafter.
The Walthall Theatre was an African American Theatre which opened in 1940. Always having a loyal patron base, the Walthall stuck to its double-feature policy generally spotlighting African American stars and films. In the porno chic era, it also procured double-feature X-rated films for an urban audience in the 1970s as midnight screenings on weekends. On July 16, 1976, for instance, the regular features were “J.D.’s Revenge” starring Glynn Truman and “Friday Foster” with Pam Grier. The evening shows were the adult films, “Black Como” and “Slip of the Tongue.”
Its last advertised show was June 10, 1985 with “Warriors of the Wasteland” and the classic, “Dolemite.” Reports say the theatre may have closed in September of 1985 but it seems more likely that the Walthall would like to be remembered for screening “Dolemite” as its last film. In 1986, the theater was disassembled and converted into an apartment building with commercial laundromat.
The New Strand $100,00 Strand opened February 4, 1921. It replaced a previous Strand Theatre in town. This one was designed for motion pictures complete with a pipe organ.
On December 9, 1963, it switched to Spanish language films as the Carlos Theatre aka Teatro Carlos. In August 5, it 1964 it became the Capri . The theater became yer Carver Theater o Adult Cinema. In Nov of 1973, it became The Vagabond Theater with repertory films. In April of 1974, it switched to adult films which led to a raid. It was renamed the Sun There in August of 1975.
Riverside Cinema Co. backed by the Chick Brothers was the latest United General Theatre franchisee. And this was the first of twelve the circuit was building in Austin. The Riverside Cinema would be their new automated theater in the Town Lake Shopping Center at 1930 E. Riverdale. And the theatre opened pretty much on time in the summer of 1973. United General franchisees were purportedly behind two similar Aquarius quads – one in Austin and the other in Dallas.
With ten more Austin screens and 44 more in Texas scheduled by year’s end and 3,500 screens by the end of 1975, United General called itself the “fastest growing cinema circuit” in the United States. Unfortunately, few of the locations actually opened as United General as the chain’s projections didn’t match reality. That was something that became apparent when two of its founders pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
By the time the Riverside Twin Cinema opened in July 13, 1973 with “Godspell” and “The Killing Kind,” the Chicks were listed as formerly of United General and the theatre launched for Presidio Cinemas. The theatre became the Riverside Dollar Cinema on September 4, 1987 closing August 27, 1989. It became a short-lived repertory live concert film and performance space called Riverside Live from March 15, 1990 to September 30, 1990. In 1991, it became home to the Mission Hills Church and the South Shore Church in 2001.
Sorry: Correction
Theatre Folsom became Folsom Theatre in December of 1926. In June of 1930, it installed sound and operated part-year closing in the summer months. The film, “Return of the Terror” with Mary Astor on September 25, 1934 caught on fire. Though all four patrons and the two operators got out safely, there wasn’t enough insurance to resume films.
However, on March 20, 1942, E.B. Wagnon re-quipped the venue relaunching with, “He Died With His Boots On.” Wagnon closed the theater to seek out improved equipment on August 9, 1954 after Rita Hayworth in “It Grows on Trees.” That search must have been unsuccessful.
The newspaper said that Perry Bowers launched this new 250-seat theater in December of 1952.
Eagle eyes will see the Coming Soon: A New United General Theatre in the background as the franchisees were building their new automated theater in the Town Lake Shopping Center at 1930 E. Riverdale. And the theatre opened pretty much on time in the summer of 1973. United General franchisees were purportedly behind two similar Aquarius quads in Austin and Dallas.
With ten more Austin screens and 44 more in Texas scheduled by year’s end and 3,500 screens by the end of 1975, United General called itself the “fastest growing cinema circuit” in the United States. Unfortunately, few of the locations actually opened as United General as the chain’s projections didn’t match reality. That was something that became apparent when two of its founders pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
Veteran showman Theo Miller launched the Gem Theatre on May 18, 1939 with the film, “Pirates of the Sky.” He closed the theatre on December 31, 1959 ending the theater’s continuous run after 20 years. The theatre would have a final run in 1963/4 under new operators.
Tommy Hall’s Horseshoe Drive-In opened March 16, 1950 with “My Wild Irish Rose.” It closed May 30, 1966 with “The Cincinnati Kid.”
The newly relocated Texas Theatre would reopen June 14, 1962 with the film “Big Red.” The previous Texas Theatre was gutted by fire on January 8, 1962 and a decision was made to move the theatre which was twice gutted by fire.
The new Texas Theatre launches in downtown Ballinger on June 26, 1936 with Wheeler and Woolsey in “Silly Billies.“ The theatre suffered a fire originating in the neighboring Texas Grill on January 30, 1939 that gutted the interior and decimated the Cactus Drug Store. The Texas was restored and reequipped as the new, new Texas Theatre relaunching on May 5, 1939 with Bob Burns in “I’m From Missouri.” And more good news was that the Texas Grill was also reopened!
Unfortunately, on January 8, 1962, another fire at the Texas Grill occurred and again gutted the theater and decimated the neighboring business, a beauty parlor. The Texas Theatre would reopen June 14, 1962 in a new location and – fortunately – the Texas Grill did not relocated next door. The new Texas Theatre would continue into the 2020s.
This Cinemark discount cinema opened on December 16, 1989. It closed after ten years of operation, it became the Covenant Church in 2000 before a period of inactivity.
The Movies 8 neighborhood and its neighboring shopping centers once home to two General Cinema 6-plexes became Korean-centric as Carrollton became a top 15 medium market population center for Korean Americans with 1.3% population as Korean. So a new group took on the former Cinemark theater. It relaunched splitting the operation of the building to part theatrical and Korean activity center under the name of the Oasis Cinema. The Oasis played contemporary Asian films with Korean and Chinese language films in two auditoriums. The Oasis also played major Hollywood releases with Korean subtitles. The Oasis closed briefly and relaunched In the Fall of 2017 changing names / operators to the Bluebonnet Cinema still showing contemporary Korean films. It closed on January 5, 2019 with a hopeful reopening soon that never came.
Only open theaters in North Texas
The new Texas Theatre launches in downtown Ballinger on June 26, 1936 with Wheeler and Woolsey in “Silly Billies”
H & H Theatres was a Texas-based motion picture circuit dating back in the silent era and Homer T. Hodge was a founder with another member of the Hodge family. Hodge built an airdrome in 1912 in Abilene and opened the Gem Theatre there – his first hardtop – in 1913 involving his family. They became H & H Theatres Circuit and the Gem was the first of twenty H & H Thatres in Texas. H & H had five theaters in Odessa, four theaters in Midland with four more in Ballinger, three each in Winters, Merkel, and Stamford. But H.T.’s wife died in 1948 and he retired in 1949 as this ozoner was in the latter stages of development. It was named in honor of his company. The H & H tagline was “Always Friendly” as they believed in family friendly venues and content.
Hodge’s departure from the industry in 1949 led to H & H’s placement of the circuit dividing the portfolio into six of his seven children’s hands. The “always friendly” moniker was not carried over to the operation post-Hodge. Acrimony led to a public lawsuit in 1952. H & H actually disbanded prior to H.T. Hodge’s death in September of 1954 but reformed under the same H & H Theatres banner operating until at least 1987. If that’s when it ended, H & H had a nice 75-year legacy. As for the Stamford H & H drive-in location, the long-running operation got new ownership and spent a short period of time as the renamed S & S Drive-In.
Likely more information than anyone really needed.
Veteran showman Theo Miller had been in the film exhibition business nearly 25 years with three other area theaters in the silent era and sound era. One of his earliest was the Pastime Theater in downtown Quitman which would be converted to a hardware store. Miller then launched the Gem Theatre also in downtown Quitman on May 18, 1939 with the film, “Pirates of the Sky.” He closed the theatre on December 31, 1959 ending the theater’s continuous run after 20 years.
But the Gem would get one more shot relaunching November 22, 1963 with “Blue Hawaii.” It closed for the final time (apparently) on September 26, 1964 with a two shorts and a feature with “Zoo Who” and “Jamaica Jive” supporting “The Incredible Journey.”
This was announced in 1972 as an automated franchise of the United General Circuit. Two identical 185-screen / 370 total seat auditoriums.The booth had 16mm projection but was changed to 35mm projection.
William Maples of Phoenix was the newest franchisee of a United General automated theater location. This one was a 4,000 spot in the Casa Grande Mall and was hoped to have a July 1972 opening. A naming contest was held in November of 1972 – a common PR stunt in the United General playbook – and Louise Hudspeth came up with the unique and winning name: Mall Cinema. Those who had hoped for Mall Theater were disappointed. Perhaps a better contest would have been a pool to predict the theater’s opening date.It
Grand opening ads appeared in print November, December, January, February, March, and throughout April. It finally opened April 27, 1973 with “Lady and the Tramp” and “Million Dollar Duck” using the 16mm automated projection equipment and delivering on the promise to schedule family-friendly films.
The theatre was built as a United General franchised location. The Showcase celebrated its Grand Opening on July 25, 1973 with a double feature of “Billy Jack” and “Bless the Beasts.”
Elaine and Roger Moore aka E & R Concepts were the proud new United General franchisees of this theatre which held its name the theater contest in 1971. Ken and Keith Sherwood won the contest (ages 4 and 5) taking home 25 tickets for two. And then they waited for the theater located in the White Rock Shopping Center to open. And waited some more. Several opening dates came and went. But, finally, the theater opened on December 27, 1972 – an automated 16mm projection booth and family fare – with “Run to the High Country.” The Los Alamos Film Society held screenings there.
The theatre got new owners who switched the booth to 35mm but stayed true to the family friendly films. The final owners, Blue Pearl Corp. run by Jonathan and Carl Kahn, made it to the half-way point of its 30 year lease, closing just shy of its 15th Anniversary with “Back to the Beach” on September 30, 1987 citing financial reasons. The tiny theater was repurposed for other retail uses.
Stanley Warner Theatres 174th theater was the $500,000 Telephone Road Twin Drive-In north of Pearland. A champagne opening night benefit for the Boys Harbor of Houston featured Miss Texas Beauty Judi Lackey and music from Uni labels' The Fever Tree (who had a top 100 charted hit the next year) and Billy Gibbon’s The Moving Sidewalks who had the hit “99th Floor” before Gibbons moved on to form ZZ Top.
Opening shows were a triple feature of “For a Few Dollars More,” “The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming” and “The Fortune Cookie” on Screen One and “The War Wagon,” “Texas Across the River,” and “Shenahoah” on Screen Two.
The H & H Drive-In Theatre launched September 29, 1949 with Henry Fonda in “Trail of the Lonesome Pine.” AKA the S & S Drive-In Theatre. It closed during the 1984 season with an adult double-feature. The theatre showed mainstream films on the weekend and adult films Tuesday-Thursday.
The Gateway Theatre closed January 3, 1971 with “Ben Hur” at the end of a 30-year leasing cycle.
Stanley Warner Theatres 174th theater was the $500,000 Telephone Road Twin Drive-In north of Pearland. A champagne opening night benefit for the Boys Harbor of Houston featured Miss Texas Beauty Judi Lackey and music from Uni labels' The Fever Tree (who had a top 100 charted hit the next year) and Billy Gibbon’s The Moving Sidewalks who had the hit “99th Floor” before Gibbons moved on to form ZZ Top.
Opening shows were a triple feature of “For a Few Dollars More,” “The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming” and “The Fortune Cookie” on Screen One and “The War Wagon,” “Texas Across the River,” and “Shenahoah” on Screen Two.
This was purportedly Debbie Reynolds' own United General automated theatre. Reynolds, Glenn Ford, and Agnes Moorehead were the primary actors who lent their names to the fledgling franchised theater gambit in the early 1970s. This theater launched on February 16, 1972 with “Tora, Tora, Tora.” But then the theatre had its Grand Opening celebration two weeks later on March 4th with “The RA Expeditions” and said to be under the operation of franchisee, Bill Webb. It helped kept costs low by using 16mm film projectors.
The theater was the sixth for the circuit and the first of 20 in the Valley for United General which actually appears to have opened just three of the locations before disgruntled investors filed lawsuits finally helping end the operation. Reports said that they had 200 franchisees signed on. The Central Plaza Shopping Centre housed theatre appears to have gone out of business in February 20, 1973. It looks to have been used by the Camarillo Community Campus of Moorpark College for educational purposes soon thereafter.