Thanks for the correction panhandle. The Lamar did open in 1930 on Bonham St. Claude Musselman was responsible for opening most of the movie theaters in Paris.
The seating capacity was 452 downstairs and over a hundred upstairs.
As with so many other theaters, televison finished the Lamar off.
“The Poly was built around 1950 by Boyd and Imogene Millican, who also built the 7th Street Theater. They leased the 7th Street to Interstate Theaters, a first-run syndicate. (It could be that they owned and operated a number of other neighborhood theaters in town, since they used a discount card for ages 12-17 honored by the other places.) They personally operated the Poly, open 7 days a week, as a second-run venue. It, along with the Varsity, were located in Southeast Fort Worth, a working-class neighborhood. The Poly’s signature colors were red and green. (The discount card was printed red on green.) The box office was a five-window bay with green venetian blinds with red tapes; the marquee sign’s letters were red and green neon lights. The Millicans appeared to not like children…or anyone else, for that matter…which was an odd circumstance for a family that operated two movie theaters. In retrospect, I suppose they had to be stern since in the 1950s and 1960s families felt comfortable dropping off their kids relatively unsupervised for 3 hours and 45 minutes of two features, coming attractions, and a cartoon. For some reason, I wanted to be there when they opened on Saturday at noon…the box office girl raising the blinds seemed somehow magical. The automatic ticket machine and the teller’s change machine were exotic technology. The concession stand was where I could buy a bag of pop corn for 10 cents and a small coke for 5 cents…admission under 12 was 25 cents, leaving me with 10 cents to call home when I was ready…50 cents was my Saturday "movie money,” left on the dining room table every week. Monday-Friday, the Poly opened at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Obviously, I spent far too much time there! The Millicans died in the early 2000s, and the 7th Street was razed by distant relatives in order to sell the premier location. The Poly building was sold to a neighborhood church which has since disappeared, and the county tax office has no record as to the owner of the property may now be. I suspect the building will ultimately be condemned and torn down too."
It may be curtains for the iconic old Circle Theater building in Dallas. It appears to be in the construction path of a new commuter rail line. More images here, here and here.
A 1987 view of the location of the former Centre Theater. Words fail me in describing how UGLY the “Cinema” is compared to its former self as the Centre. Leveling it would have been more dignified than this deplorable re-do.
An image from the early 1940s of Gene Autry along with a lot of young fans at the Hill Theater in Cockrell Hill.
Views from 2008 of the remains of the Ranger Drive In.
1/6, 2/6, 3/6, 4/6, 5/6 and 6/6.
Thanks for the correction panhandle. The Lamar did open in 1930 on Bonham St. Claude Musselman was responsible for opening most of the movie theaters in Paris.
The seating capacity was 452 downstairs and over a hundred upstairs.
As with so many other theaters, televison finished the Lamar off.
The orignal home of the Majestic Theatre in Eastland was at 108 W. Commerce St. in this building.
A 2008 view of the Paramount Theatre and the box office in Abilene.
A 2008 view of the former Alhambra Theater building in Eastland.
Two more views; here and here.
A 1947 view of the Hollywood Theater in Detroit.
A 1992 close up of the Azle Theatre sign in Ft Worth.
A 1996 view of the State Theatre in Easton.
A 1996 view of the Dixie Theater (4) in Staunton.
A frontal view of the Haltom here and an exterior view of the auditorium which is connected to the side of the theater building.
Images from 2008 of the Tower Theater in Post here and here.
A 2008 view of the Garza Theater in Post.
A 2005 view of the Park Theatre in Vanouver.
A 2008 view of the Roanoke Theatre building here and here.
A 2009 view of the Palace Theatre in Grapevine.
A 1984 image of the Rialto Theater in Denison.
A view of the Gaslight when it was the Cinema 1 & 2 from 1987.
And your point would be ??
“The Poly was built around 1950 by Boyd and Imogene Millican, who also built the 7th Street Theater. They leased the 7th Street to Interstate Theaters, a first-run syndicate. (It could be that they owned and operated a number of other neighborhood theaters in town, since they used a discount card for ages 12-17 honored by the other places.) They personally operated the Poly, open 7 days a week, as a second-run venue. It, along with the Varsity, were located in Southeast Fort Worth, a working-class neighborhood. The Poly’s signature colors were red and green. (The discount card was printed red on green.) The box office was a five-window bay with green venetian blinds with red tapes; the marquee sign’s letters were red and green neon lights. The Millicans appeared to not like children…or anyone else, for that matter…which was an odd circumstance for a family that operated two movie theaters. In retrospect, I suppose they had to be stern since in the 1950s and 1960s families felt comfortable dropping off their kids relatively unsupervised for 3 hours and 45 minutes of two features, coming attractions, and a cartoon. For some reason, I wanted to be there when they opened on Saturday at noon…the box office girl raising the blinds seemed somehow magical. The automatic ticket machine and the teller’s change machine were exotic technology. The concession stand was where I could buy a bag of pop corn for 10 cents and a small coke for 5 cents…admission under 12 was 25 cents, leaving me with 10 cents to call home when I was ready…50 cents was my Saturday "movie money,” left on the dining room table every week. Monday-Friday, the Poly opened at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Obviously, I spent far too much time there! The Millicans died in the early 2000s, and the 7th Street was razed by distant relatives in order to sell the premier location. The Poly building was sold to a neighborhood church which has since disappeared, and the county tax office has no record as to the owner of the property may now be. I suspect the building will ultimately be condemned and torn down too."
Ouote reprintd with permission of Dan Washmon
A mid 1970’s postcard image of the Million Dollar Theater in Los Angeles.
It may be curtains for the iconic old Circle Theater building in Dallas. It appears to be in the construction path of a new commuter rail line. More images here, here and here.
A 1987 view of the location of the former Centre Theater. Words fail me in describing how UGLY the “Cinema” is compared to its former self as the Centre. Leveling it would have been more dignified than this deplorable re-do.
Don..
A 1992 view of the Paramount Theater in Bristol.
A 1984 image of Plaza Theatre when it was still a movie theater and before the marquee had been removed.