The film which opened The Campus Theatre in 1949 was the national premiere of I WAS A MALE WARBRIDE, starring Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan. The premiere was held at the new theatre because Ann Sheridan was really Clara Lou Sheridan, a Denton native. And yes, John Wayne, Jeff Chandler, a couple of other stars, and some starlets, one of whom was Mary Murphy, came to Denton and The Campus in the fifties in an effort to lure people away from their tv sets and back into the theatres—exciting stuff for then small town Denton. For years the theatre held Saturday morning Kiddie Shows, which included an old movie (usually a western or horror film—I saw many Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney classics there), lots of cartoons, and sometimes a live talent show. The Kiddie Shows, ostensibly for children, became very popular with teenagers, who really went, of course, to meet and greet school friends and classmates more than to see a movie. The Campus was a beautiful art deco house; the girls and women especially loved the pink tinted mirror in the ladies room because it made them look great! Thanks for letting me reminisce about this wonderful old theatre. M Elliott
The film which opened The Campus Theatre in 1949 was the national premiere of I WAS A MALE WARBRIDE, starring Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan. The premiere was held at the new theatre because Ann Sheridan was really Clara Lou Sheridan, a Denton native. And yes, John Wayne, Jeff Chandler, a couple of other stars, and some starlets, one of whom was Mary Murphy, came to Denton and The Campus in the fifties in an effort to lure people away from their tv sets and back into the theatres—exciting stuff for then small town Denton. For years the theatre held Saturday morning Kiddie Shows, which included an old movie (usually a western or horror film—I saw many Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney classics there), lots of cartoons, and sometimes a live talent show. The Kiddie Shows, ostensibly for children, became very popular with teenagers, who really went, of course, to meet and greet school friends and classmates more than to see a movie. The Campus was a beautiful art deco house; the girls and women especially loved the pink tinted mirror in the ladies room because it made them look great! Thanks for letting me reminisce about this wonderful old theatre. M Elliott