Worth Theatre
306 W. 7th Street,
Fort Worth,
TX
76102
306 W. 7th Street,
Fort Worth,
TX
76102
6 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc.
Architects: John Adolph Emil Eberson, Alfred Charles Finn, Wyatt C. Hedrick
Styles: Art Deco, Atmospheric, Egyptian
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The Worth Theatre and adjoining Worth Hotel were designed by Alfred Charles Finn and Wyatt C. Hendrick, who would also team up a year later to design the Electric Theatre and Hollywood Theatre Building and in 1930, the twenty-story Fair Building, all three marvels of early-Art Deco style architecture in downtown Fort Worth. Additional design contributions were by John Eberson.
The 2,484-seat Worth Theatre was opened on November 27, 1927 with Bebe Daniels in “She’s a Sheik”. It was equipped with a 3 manual Wurlitzer organ which was opened by organist Paul Forster. The Worth Theatre was like its contemporaries on the Seventh Street ‘theatre row’, the Hollywood Theatre and Palace Theatre, were major showplaces for several decades for both live and on-screen entertainment. In the early-1940’s, the Worth Theatre was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Hoblitzelle & O'Donnell.
It wasn’t until the late-1960’s and early-1970’s, when multiplexes in the suburbs began to draw theater-goers away from downtown that the huge movie palaces of Fort Worth, like so many others around the country, began to fall into decline.
The Worth Theatre was closed on October 31, 1971 with Paul Newman in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and Barry Newman in “Vanishing Point”. The Wurlitzer organ, which had not been used for decades, was played by Melody Muth Schenck, daughter of organist Billy Muth who had been resident organist at the Worth Theatre for many years.
The Wurlitzer organ was removed from the building in March 1972 and was installed in Casa Manana, Fort Worth. The theatre was demolished in late Spring of 1972. In 1975, the historic Fort Worth Club Building (also designed in part by Hendrick) of 1926 was expanded a half-block west, with a fourteen-story addition on the site of the former Worth Theatre and Hotel.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
1963 photo added courtesy of the Special Collections, UTA Library.
Photo & copy added: Interior of the Worth Theater, shortly before it was demolished, 1972. Fort Worth Star-Telegram photo. (In Photos Section)
I have two beautiful sconces from the theatre that I purchased in mid 1980s. They are bronze parrots with stained glass. I need to sell as I am moving out of country. I can vaguely see them on old photos. I have them in my living room and they are quite beautiful. They are definitely Art Deco-Egyptian.
Mr Radominski do you want to sell the scones badly enough to post some photos & contact info?
Didn’t think so….
At the University of North Texas, we are preserving the local television news station of Fort Worth (WBAP/KXAS/NBC), and I found this great footage of Elvis fans lined up outside of the Worth… https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc938275/
I have a friend that her father passed away recently he purchased some egyptian style statues out of what we think was the Worth Theatre ….. just needing some info and find out if there is any kind of historical significance they are and egyptian statue and 2 lions !
This May 30, 1964 news story from WBAP-TV shows the exterior and interior of the theatre when it hosted live television coverage of the Indianapolis 500! https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1062738/
This opened on November 27th, 1927. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
The Worth was announced as closing with two X-rated films on October 28, 1971. But public pressure was such that the well-regarded house booked a double feature of “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Ki” and “Vanishing Point” closing permanently on October 31, 1971. The Wurlitzer was removed in March of 1972 just prior to its demolition.
The hydraulically operated organ - installed for the opening and played that night by Paul Forster or Syracuse on Nov. 27, 1927 - rose from the pit one last time and was played by Melody Muth Schenck, the daughter of long-time Worth organist Billy Muth. All but a few pipes rose to the final occasion of testing the instrument after its large period of dis-use. The theater’s Egyptian themed flourishes, artwork, and appointments - however - went down for the count.