This one opened on February 28, 1936 with “The Milky Way” starring Harold Lloyd. The first manager was Frank Long and the first ticket was sold to then mayor of Alvin, E.C. Kimmons. One neat thing about the Alvin was that it had a popular coffee shop inside of it. Ad for the shop posted in the pictures.
Hey Mr. Vogel, I can help out here. It opened July 28, 1931 with “Whoopee” starring Ed Cantor and ran its final show on December 20, 1946 with a midnight showing of “The Phantom Speaks” . The owner’s name was actually J.H. Hughes. One thing I’ve found neat is that when the Texas closed, the entire staff simply put on new t-shirts and walked on over to the new Cherokee and started working. Now, the Astor, that one has plagued me for a few years now trying to find info on.
Yeah, this is 100% the Greenspoint one. Maybe they staged the marquee like others say, but the floor alone gives it away because I stared at it daily for 6 years.
There were two Majestics. The Empire became the Majestic and after the Berryman building fire, they built another Majestic. I’ll post the first Majestic pictures here if someone with the power could make a Majestic II page please so I can share those pics too.
Trike’s previous comment is true, I was the final owner of this place until a car that was going too fast to navigate the circle by it did what weather couldn’t for 90 years and demolished it in July 2022. Any chance of getting this changed to the real name of Sky-Vue (with an E)? It was never known as New Theater for even a day. Most the bio is correct, it opened as the Circle Theater in 1934 by Gil Nelson and was a popular spot for local workers who stayed in town during the week. It definitely wasn’t always an air-dome and had a roof until the 2000s. Around 1955, it became Teatro Batesville until sold to Dudley White Sr. in 1960. Mr. White ran the only mechanic shop in town in there from 1960 until his retirement in 2005, using the Sky-Vue as a garage. Still very alive and enjoying his rest, Mr. White sold the half of his plot the theater was on to me in August 2021. You know the rest. RIP Sky-Vue.
Wrong city completely, the Tejas was in Grapeland, TX and the building still stands. Also, it screened mostly English westerns and stayed open until at least 1966. Here is a current view of the building:
https://goo.gl/maps/XD8K9DnktaMUX9fZA
This one closed in February of 1998. I worked in this mall at this Casa Ole and frequented this theater 4-5 times a week. It was in the south section of the mall across from a Piccadilly’s cafeteria for years. I’m sure of the date because the last film I saw there was Dark City the day it came out (2/27/98) and the next morning, some of the theater employees came to my restaurant in uniform and over lunch explained that it was closed without warning.
Re-named Gay Theatre in the 60s and demolished in 1994. Was located at the northern most tip of the town. Was home to the local Boy Scout troop at the end.
Demolished in the late 70s. Was located one block north of main street from the town’s famous drug store. That entire stretch of buildings is long gone. Home of the local Boy Scouts after the theater closed and when it was knocked down, the Scouts moved to the former Wallace/Gay Theater.
The building that was once the Rita of Abernathy is actually still there. 306 Main Street 79311 across from the Nu-Vue. It closed June 1950 as the much larger Nu-Vue became the main theater. It became a Newton’s TV & Radio for decades after and currently is vacant.
Quicksand. Great flick. Filmed in 1949 by the look of the marquee with “South of St. Louis” and Jack Benny’s “The Lucky Stiff”
135 N Munday Ave
Munday, TX 76371
This one opened on February 28, 1936 with “The Milky Way” starring Harold Lloyd. The first manager was Frank Long and the first ticket was sold to then mayor of Alvin, E.C. Kimmons. One neat thing about the Alvin was that it had a popular coffee shop inside of it. Ad for the shop posted in the pictures.
2023, this one is now gone.
118 W. California Street, Floydada, TX 79235
Very short life span. Burned down in 1935.
Hey Mr. Vogel, I can help out here. It opened July 28, 1931 with “Whoopee” starring Ed Cantor and ran its final show on December 20, 1946 with a midnight showing of “The Phantom Speaks” . The owner’s name was actually J.H. Hughes. One thing I’ve found neat is that when the Texas closed, the entire staff simply put on new t-shirts and walked on over to the new Cherokee and started working. Now, the Astor, that one has plagued me for a few years now trying to find info on.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth291498/m1/1/ (open) https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth326134/m1/1/ (close)
The Cherokee of Rusk opened on December 20, 1946 with “In Old Sacramento” starring Bill Elliott.
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth326134/m1/10/
Yeah, this is 100% the Greenspoint one. Maybe they staged the marquee like others say, but the floor alone gives it away because I stared at it daily for 6 years.
Teatro Azteca
201 Aubrey St., Natalia, TX 78059
Building stands as of 2023
113 Broadway Ave.
Winnie, Texas 77665
There were two Majestics. The Empire became the Majestic and after the Berryman building fire, they built another Majestic. I’ll post the first Majestic pictures here if someone with the power could make a Majestic II page please so I can share those pics too.
Trike’s previous comment is true, I was the final owner of this place until a car that was going too fast to navigate the circle by it did what weather couldn’t for 90 years and demolished it in July 2022. Any chance of getting this changed to the real name of Sky-Vue (with an E)? It was never known as New Theater for even a day. Most the bio is correct, it opened as the Circle Theater in 1934 by Gil Nelson and was a popular spot for local workers who stayed in town during the week. It definitely wasn’t always an air-dome and had a roof until the 2000s. Around 1955, it became Teatro Batesville until sold to Dudley White Sr. in 1960. Mr. White ran the only mechanic shop in town in there from 1960 until his retirement in 2005, using the Sky-Vue as a garage. Still very alive and enjoying his rest, Mr. White sold the half of his plot the theater was on to me in August 2021. You know the rest. RIP Sky-Vue.
Wrong city completely, the Tejas was in Grapeland, TX and the building still stands. Also, it screened mostly English westerns and stayed open until at least 1966. Here is a current view of the building: https://goo.gl/maps/XD8K9DnktaMUX9fZA
This one closed in February of 1998. I worked in this mall at this Casa Ole and frequented this theater 4-5 times a week. It was in the south section of the mall across from a Piccadilly’s cafeteria for years. I’m sure of the date because the last film I saw there was Dark City the day it came out (2/27/98) and the next morning, some of the theater employees came to my restaurant in uniform and over lunch explained that it was closed without warning.
Re-named Gay Theatre in the 60s and demolished in 1994. Was located at the northern most tip of the town. Was home to the local Boy Scout troop at the end.
Got the old address. It was at 209 N Scharbauer St. Goldsmith, TX 79741
Demolished in the late 70s. Was located one block north of main street from the town’s famous drug store. That entire stretch of buildings is long gone. Home of the local Boy Scouts after the theater closed and when it was knocked down, the Scouts moved to the former Wallace/Gay Theater.
Not demolished, just closed.
The building that was once the Rita of Abernathy is actually still there. 306 Main Street 79311 across from the Nu-Vue. It closed June 1950 as the much larger Nu-Vue became the main theater. It became a Newton’s TV & Radio for decades after and currently is vacant.