Aldine Theatre

Henry H. Elliott was one of Corpus Christi’s early movie theater pioneers. First operating the Lyric Theatre prior to World War I, he would gravitate to such venues as the Rex Theatre and the Amusu Theatre. He also launched the Queen Theatre here on May 17, 1917 during World War I. The 500-seat venue opened with the timely “Pathé War Pictures: Battle of the Somme” supported by Pathé’s News Weekly, a “Lonesome Luke” short with Harold Lloyd, and a Max Linder one-reel comedy.

Elliott would close the venue briefly in 1922 to make major improvements and rename it as the Aldine Theatre. The auditorium was extended by 25 feet but the wider seating aisles kept seat count consistent at 500. Elliott’s Aldine Theatre launched March 20, 1922 with Mary Pickford in “Little Lord Fauntleroy.” And all the kids got free “Kool Kisses,” the chocolate drop confection by the short-lived Cloverdale Ice Cream Company of Corpus Christi.

Bruce Collins and Elliott would team up with the Amusu Theatre and Aldine Theatre before merging with Robb & Rowley’s R&R Theatres in 1926. The Aldine Theatre, under R&R operation, closed quietly on September 21, 1929 with Ben Lyon in “The Quitter” supported by three shorts. Elliott would focus his attention on prepping the Ritz Theatre which would open December 22, 1929. The Aldine Theatre equipment was removed late in 1929 but the venue hosted events into the 1930’s before being converted for other retail uses.

H.H. Elliott would manage the Palace Theatre as well as the Ritz Theatre before leaving what had become the R&R Gulf Entertainment Company. He would create Elliott’s Trailer Camp, “acknowledged” as the finest trailer court in the state in the 1930’s. It is believed that the building is the last one standing on its block and housed a tavern until 2021.

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