Texas Theatre
{{Short description|Movie theater in Dallas, scene of Lee Harvey Oswald's arrest}}
{{Update|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox venue
| name = Texas Theatre
| image = TexasTheatre.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| caption = Texas Theatre during restorations in 2006
| image_map =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Texas#USA
| pushpin_map_caption=
| pushpin_relief = yes
| address = 231 W. Jefferson Blvd.
| city = Dallas, Texas
| country = United States
| designation =
| coordinates = {{coord|32|44|36|N|96|49|32|W|region:US-TX_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| acreage = {{convert|0.2793|acre}}
| architect = W. Scott Dunne
| builder = Oak Cliff Amusement Co.
| owner = Oak Cliff Foundation
| tenant =
| operator = Aviation Cinemas
| capacity =
| screens = 2
| type = movie palace
| opened = {{Start date|1931|4|21}}
| reopened =
| yearsactive =
| rebuilt =
| closed =
| demolished =
| othernames =
| production =
| currentuse = Cinema
| parking =
| publictransit =
| website = {{Official website|url=http://www.thetexastheatre.com|name=The Texas Theatre}}
| nrhp = {{Infobox NRHP
| embed = yes
| name = Texas Theatre
| nrhp_type =
| architecture = Italian Renaissance
| added = April 1, 2003
| refnum = 03000187{{NRISref|version=2013a}}
| mpsub = [https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/AdvancedSearch/MPS?mpsid=74 Oak Cliff MPS]
| designated_other1 = Texas
| designated_other1_date = 2013
| designated_other1_number = [https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/Details/5507017723 17723]
| designated_other1_num_position = bottom
| designated_other2 = Dallas Landmark
| designated_other2_date = October 10, 2001{{cite web|title=Ordinance No. 24750|url=http://dallascityhall.com/departments/sustainabledevelopment/historicpreservation/HP%20Documents/Landmark%20Structures/Texas%20Theater%20Ordinance%2024750.pdf|author=Madeleine B. Johnson|date=October 10, 2001|publisher=City of Dallas|access-date=August 25, 2018}}
| designated_other2_number = [http://dallascityhall.com/departments/sustainabledevelopment/historicpreservation/Pages/Dallas-Landmark-Structures.aspx H/112]
| designated_other2_num_position = bottom
}}
}}
The Texas Theatre is a movie theater and Dallas landmark located in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. It gained historical significance on November 22, 1963, as the location of Lee Harvey Oswald's arrest over the suspicion he was the killer of Dallas Police Officer J. D. Tippit and President John F. Kennedy. Today, it hosts a mix of repertory cinema and special events.
History
The Texas Theatre opened on April 21, 1931. The Texas Theatre was the largest suburban movie theater in Dallas and was part of a chain of theaters financed by Howard Hughes. It was the first theater in Dallas with air conditioning and featured many state-of-the-art luxuries.
The theater is most famous for being the site of Lee Harvey Oswald's arrest on November 22, 1963. Warren "Butch" Burroughs, manager and concession stand attendee the afternoon of Oswald's arrest, said that Oswald came into the theater between 1:00 and 1:07 pm. Burroughs further claimed he sold Oswald popcorn at 1:15 p.m.{{sfn|Douglass|2010|pp=290, 466}}Turner, Nigel. The Men Who Killed Kennedy, Part 4, "The Patsy", 1991. Julie Postal, the ticket seller, who was posted out in front of the entrance, told the Warren Commission that Burroughs initially told her the same thing although, when she later discussed the event with him, she became skeptical about his version.{{cite web|url=http://history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh7/html/WC_Vol7_0011a.htm|title=History Matters Archive - Warren Commission Hearings, Volume VII, pg|website=history-matters.com|accessdate=25 March 2018}} Julia Postal, however, never saw Oswald enter the theater, relying on the account of Johnny Calvin Brewer, a manager at Hardy's Shoe Store's which, according to the official government report, happened at 1:35 p.m.. Texas Theatre patron Jack Davis also corroborated Burroughs' time, claiming he observed Oswald in the theater prior to 1:20 pm.{{sfn|Marrs|1989|p=353}} The films presented that day were Cry of Battle and War Is Hell,{{cite magazine|magazine=Variety|title=Lee Oswald Nabbed In Rowley Flagship|date=November 25, 1963|page=3}} which Oswald briefly viewed.
As a commemoration of the historic capture, the words "Lee Harvey Oswald, November 22, 1963" were later inscribed in gold paint on the chair Oswald (supposedly) occupied — three rows from the rear, five seats from the aisle. However, the actual chair was removed by then manager "Butch" Burroughs, who took it home and replaced it with another which the FBI confiscated the next day for evidence thinking it was the original Oswald seat.{{Cite web| title=Aisle 2, Row 3, Seat 5, Texas Theatre, 231 West Jefferson Boulevard, Dallas, Texas| url=http://iconicphotos.wordpress.com/tag/lee-harvey-oswald/| publisher=Iconic Photos| last=Selwyn-Holmes| first=Alex| date=22 November 2013| accessdate=2013-03-14}}
The theater closed in 1989 and the Texas Theatre Historical Society (TTHS) purchased it the following year. This allowed Oliver Stone to remodel the exterior façade for his 1991 film, JFK. However, by 1992, the Society was no longer able to fund the property and the theater closed again. Former usher and sign changer Don Dubois of Texas Rosewin-Midway Properties saved the theater from the wrecking ball in 1993, but two years later, it was nearly destroyed by a five-alarm fire, forcing another closure. In 1996, Pedro Villa stepped in to rescue the theater from another plan which would have demolished the structure and replaced it with a furniture warehouse. However, he was unable to obtain financing to restore the theater and it defaulted to Texas Rosewin-Midway Properties. The fire-damaged building remained vacant for three years, open to vandals, stray animals, and the elements.{{cite web| title=History of the Texas Theatre| url=http://www.historictheatres.org/texas-thrdallas-tx/| publisher=Theatre Historical Society of America| date=28 April 2010| accessdate=2014-03-14| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://archive.today/20140314193632/http://www.historictheatres.org/texas-thrdallas-tx/| archivedate=14 March 2014}}
In 2001, the Oak Cliff Foundation acquired the structure and began renovations after receiving $1.6 million from the Dallas Neighborhood Renaissance Partnership. Since then, the board of the Oak Cliff Foundation has raised an additional $2 million of the estimated $9 million needed for the complete renovation of the theater.{{cite web| title=History| url=http://www.oakclifffoundation.org/history.html| publisher=Oak Cliff Foundation| accessdate=2014-03-14}} The foundation used the funds to secure and restore the building needed after years of neglect and fire damage and the venue began hosting movies and special events soon after.{{cite web| title=Historic Texas Theatre — New Lease on Life| url=http://www.historictheatres.org/historic-texas-theatre-new-lease-on-life/| last=Donaughey| first=Adam| publisher=Theatre Historical Society of America| date=6 September 2010| accessdate=2014-03-14}}
In September 2010, Aviation Cinemas, Inc. signed a lease to operate the theater as an independent and repertory cinema, with hopes of presenting live theater and concerts in the future.{{cite news| title=Dallas-Fort Worth filmmakers to take Texas Theatre in new direction| url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/oak-cliff/2010/09/03/Dallas-Fort-Worth-filmmakers-to-take-6915| last=Appleton| first=Roy| work=Dallas Morning News| date=3 September 2010| publisher=dallasnews.com| accessdate=2014-03-14}}
In November 2017, a historical marker was installed in front of the theater which read "On November 22, 1963, following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald was apprehended in the auditorium".{{Cite web |date=2017-11-22 |title=Oak Cliff's Texas Theatre gets new JFK historical marker that fixes the record |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2017/11/22/oak-cliff-s-texas-theatre-gets-new-jfk-historical-marker-that-fixes-the-record/ |access-date=2022-07-29 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}
After being closed for most of 2020, during the height of the COVID pandemic, the theater was remodeled{{Cite web |date=2020-12-22 |title=Texas Theatre Expands During COVID-19 Pandemic In Hopes Of Luring More Folks To The Movies |url=https://www.keranews.org/arts-culture/2020-12-22/texas-theatre-expands-during-covid-19-pandemic-in-hopes-of-luring-more-folks-to-the-movies |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=KERA News |language=en}} and reopened in September 2021 as a two-screen venue, with main theater capacity of 670 seats and 165 balcony theater seats.{{Cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Danny |title=Texas Theatre Officially Opens Its Second Floor, 165-Seat Screen |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/take-a-first-look-at-the-newly-renovated-texas-theatre-12321341 |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=Dallas Observer |language=en}}
On November 22, 2023, the theater organized several "JFK 60 Day" memorial events.{{Cite web |title=11-22-63- JFK 60 Day |url=https://thetexastheatre.com/film/11-22-63-jfk-60-day/ |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=The Texas Theatre |language=en-US |quote=JFK - Directors Cut + “He Shoulda’ Bought a Ticket” Live Staged Reading of the Warren Report}}{{Citation |title=WFAA: Texas movie theater to reenact Lee Harvey Oswald's arrest in JFK assassination |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3VR4e9FptQ |access-date=2023-11-21 |language=en}}
Image:TexasTheater oswaldsSeat.jpg | The seat Lee Harvey Oswald briefly occupied before his arrest
Image:TexasTheater interior.jpg | Theatre interior in 2005
Image:Texastheater.JPG | A replica marquee, added c. 2006, and restored facade in 2008
See also
{{Portal|National Register of Historic Places|Texas}}
References
{{Reflist|1}}
External links
{{Commons category|Texas Theatre (Dallas)|Texas Theatre}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110520002830/http://theatrehistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/texas-thrdallas-tx/ History of the Texas Theatre]
- {{cite web|url=https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/NR/pdfs/03000187/03000187.pdf|title=National Register of Historic Places Program: Nomination Form|last1=McCoy|first1=Nancy|date=April 1, 2003|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=August 25, 2018}}
- {{cite web|url=http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/map/show_map.aspx?Layer=3&Query=REFNUM='03000187'|title=Texas Theatre - Dallas|date=April 1, 2003|website=Texas Historic Sites Atlas|publisher=Texas Historical Commission}}
{{Dallas}}
{{NRHP in Texas}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Cinemas and movie theaters in Texas
Category:Buildings and structures associated with the assassination of John F. Kennedy
Category:Buildings and structures in Dallas
Category:National Register of Historic Places in Dallas
Category:Repertory cinemas in the United States
Category:1931 establishments in Texas
Category:Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas