Arcadia Theater

Opened Nov. 4, 1927, Saenger Amusement and Dent Theaters created the Arcadia to be an experimental workshop to perfect theater management skills. Built for just $95,000, the theatre put another 50% into equipment including top of the line Simplex projectors, Brenkert spotlights, dual-dissolving lantern projection for pre-show, and a large Renter 12-pipe organ with echo organ and a multitude of instruments.

The Mediterranean garden themed atmospheric interior was punctuated with six different colors of chairs (orchid, cafe-au-lait, green, Chinese Red, sky blue, desert sand and black) to add to its creative flair. Wrought iron was found everywhere from lighting fixtures to mirrors to poster frames to railing. The rustic tree stump sign out front was another quirky calling card supported by railroad ties and featuring a high-tech one-line scrolling text attractor.

The neighborhood Arcadia and Dent would get a plum when the Queen Theatre decided to discontinue a foray as Dallas' first theater to equip for Vitaphone. The management wasn’t pleased with the quality or the release schedule leaving the door open for another Vitaphone theater. When the downtown theater passed, the Arcadia became the Vitaphone theater. Its success would quickly be imitated by the all of the downtown palaces almost instantly except for the Queen.

Two fires would change the course of the original W. Scott Dunne look. One in 1940 leading to a new auditorium in 1941 and the final in 2006 leading to the demolition of the Arcadia.

I took a couple of photos of the 2 story organ chamber building behind the Arcadia Theater. There was a 4 keyboard/14ranks of pipes installed in the theater when it opened November 4, 1927. After sound came in, the organ was finally sent to Baylor University in Waco and was combined with a 2/12 Pilcher organ from the old Hippodrome/Strand theater that had been donated to Baylor Univ. The ranks of pipes usually were about 72 per rank ranging from the size of a pencil to 32 feet tall ones. So interesting how these theater organs were enormous in the amount of parts, blowers, relays and more. Fascinating too were the incredible sounds they could produce.

I saw several hard rock / heavy metal acts there in the late 80s including Fishbone, Soundgarden, Slayer, Anthrax, Motorhead, Grim Reaper and Exodus. Anthrax did an in-store at the record store next to the theater and released at least one live track from that show on their I’m The Man EP.

Here is a 1983 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/d5qxqt

Here is a June 2006 article about the fire:
http://tinyurl.com/y44fee

Also, it’s always a good idea when using BBS code to hit the “Preview” button first instead of the “Submit” button, and then test the link before submitting the post, to make sure it’s been set up right and that it actually works! I didn’t do that just now, and ended up using the wrong URL for my link! Here’s the right link to the CNET forum page: BBS Code.

D'OH!

Unsure as to who you are adressing your question to Lost, but closed or demolished is something else that I did not enter in my description……………….

Don Lewis……….

The Arcadia anchored a cultural and nightlife center on lower Greenville Avenue. Over the years it lived a variety of lives and touched many. My wife and I attended a Lene Lovitch concert there in the 80’s. BTW Angus Wynne was the original founder and owner of Six Flags amusement park. (I worked there in the 60’s.) When asked where anything in the area was the answer always started with “You know where the the Arcadia is?…” Over the last couple of years my radio group performed at a number of venues near the old theater. I guess now when asked I’ll have to start with “You remember where the Arcadia was?…” Sad………

Keisha Curtis,
My dad, Ramon Medrano partly owned the Arcadia Theater in the mid to late 70’s to early 80’s.It was opened as a spanish movie theater back then. Three of my brothers and my older sister and I all worked there. My 1st job as a ticket taker.. This place will be sorely missed.. I’m mad at myself for never making it out there to go inside and see it since . My brothers and I explored alot of this place…The Arcadia’s backstage was creepy of course the ladder that took you to the roof or attic was really scary, it looked like it was never ending.. I never made it to the top, just halfway, but my brothers, I believe made it up there, and doors that took you I dont know where, to me at that time, one door seemed to be in an odd place, next to the ladder, not quite at the top> in between sorta..What I remember the most is the velvety curtains and seats, opening up to some funny spanish movie of La India Maria or Cantinflas.. The carpet and wall decor were all unique too, very rich yet old.. all of this is something I wish I could have shared with my kids.

I remember me and my little cousins going to this theater no less than 10 times to see Help! (Beatles movie). Then, in the 90s visiting it when it was a great disco. Sorry to see it go and wish I had visited it more often. Lower Greenville Avenue holds alot of history for me and my family. My mammaw’s house was on Willis Ave. and we would walk to Wilson’s Supermarket. Go to eat at Orange Julius. Watch movies at the Granada and the Arcadia. Remember Here Tis Burgers? Going to the Ice House (a 7-11 built around a concrete and steel ice room where the blocks of ice were stored)? I really must be dating myself. Just feeling a little nostalgic right now.

I’ve had a love for old theaters since my childhood in the 1960s. As a fairly new resident of DFW it was heartbreaking to watch the live WFAA ABC 8 and KDFW FOX 4 helicopter shots of the building on fire this afternoon and evening. About 6 the roof burst open with flames as well as the screen/staging area. The video of the Arcadia sign on top of the 4 story structure surrounded by flames was almost cinematic as featured in so many great films. I’ve seen many turned into nightclubs or other venues but always am saddened someone doesn’t save more of them in preservation efforts. Its true most’s land or area value exceeds its restoration potential – but the real death nail seems to be its adjoining tennents with restaurants and kitchen fires taking the final toll. That seems to be the case this afternoon.

I’ve been a part of saving several theaters in my time, the Plaza in El Paso, the Yucca in Midland, and a friend once owning the Ritz in Big Spring Texas. There are still gems all over the metroplex worth saving as well as Texas. Some operate as performing arts centers. If I just had the budget as a television producer (struggling businessman) I’d mutli-purpose one here in the mid cities or outlying bedroom communities (towns) as a multi-camera studio and arts and/or classic film house, community theater, melodrama theater or again multipurpose with the ability to maintain/restore them to former glory. Sadly, by the time they’ve had one, two or three nightclubs they are pretty well on the way towards a careless demise. RIP Arcadia –

Thanks, Jake. I’ll see if I can find an exact date.