Chuck, it’s my present opinion that someone, way back, got “Plaza” and “Varity/Fine Arts” mixed up, possibly because of the latter’s location in “Snider PLAZA.” There was a well-known and long-advertised theater located on McKinney Ave. across the street from North Dallas High School called the Plaza. It ceased operation, I believe, sometime in the early 1960’s and is now long-demolished. I cannot pinpoint a time span when the Varsity/Fine Arts could have been called Plaza when the McKinney Ave. Plaza wasn’t also in operation. If you’ll check Lost Memory’s photo of the McKinney Plaza on its C/T page, you’ll see that it is, in all probability, a photo of the Fine Arts. Confusing, yes? The fact that the marquee in the photo shows “Light Up The Plaza Theater” may merely indicate an informal reference (i.e. the theater in Snider Plaza), as the McKinney Ave. Plaza closed long before nostalgia-minded groups existed to try to save old theaters. This is my best guess – I would love to read a response by someone more knowledgeable than I.
INTERESTING INFO, JOE – I SUSPECT YOU MAY HAVE SOMETHING. If so, the Melrose had long ceased to be talked about when I was growing up in Dallas and attending the Esquire semi-regularly (lovely theater). I first heard of the Melrose name when I came across it in the interviews section of Jeanette Crumpler’s book on Dallas' Elm Street theaters, “Street of Dreams.”
Address is wrong for this theater. The White was not on Forest LANE in North Dallas. More like Forest AVENUE in South Dallas, though I’m not sure of the street number.
I read that the Tower auditorium was actually housed in a completely separate, purpose-built building (built 1937) that sat behind the Tower Petroleum Building (built 1931) that housed the theater’s Elm Street boxoffice, entrance, and lobby; and that in 1951 the Corrigan Tower building was constructed to sit over and around the auditorium building (http://www.dallasarchitecture.info/towerpet.htm).
Can anyone comment on the arrangement (lease, easement, part ownership?) that must have been made between Interstate Amusement Corp. and ownership/management of these other two buildings in order to effect this type of situation?
Saw the original roadshows of Sound of Music and Hawaii here, as well as Dallas 1st run exclusive of Jaws – and many more, too numerous to list – beautiful theater.
“The Melrose Theatre had gone from listings by 1950, possibly due to the opening of the nearby Esquire Theatre in August 1947.”
Chuck, Ken, I would peg that as a certainty rather than a possibility, as the two theaters were the same seating capacity, right next door to each other, and operated by the same company. My question is, what was so wrong with the Melrose that it had to be done away with at less than 20 years old? Anyone out there have the answer to that one?
Right you are, Ennis – also opened THE CARDINAL in 1963, as well as MIDNIGHT COWBOY in 1968. Like the Wilshire, the Esquire was a class act all the way.
The building may have burned, but I believe it still stands, having a stair-stepped pyramid motif in its street elevation (see street view in map link).
Mike – forgot to mention in the above post – I think (could be wrong) optical superiority of Panavision optics to those produced by Bausch & Lomb was a contributing factor to the demise of CinemaScope which, if I understand correctly, is an identical optical anamorphic process to Panavision but which used lenses that produced an inferior image in close-up shots due to the use of a cylindrical focusing element in the camera lens. Somehow, engineers at Panavision overcame this drawback soon after the introduction of CinemaScope, and also came up with a way to produce NON-anamorphic wide-screen images on 35mm film, all of which made the film-makers' jobs easier/cheaper and afforded them more flexibility of image size choice.
Mike – this was after the heyday of 70mm motion picture PRODUCTION, but 70mm PRESENTATION was still a good marketing gimmick, if that makes sense. I believe THE SAND PEBBLES (1966) was the first such example, at least that I know of. Panavision lenses had become so darn good that a picture could actually be shot in regular anamorphic 35mm, and enlarged to 70mm for first-run exclusives with no significant loss of image quality. THE COWBOYS was one such production. I saw it at Loew’s in 70mm/6-track stereo, and again several months later at a neighborhood venue (forget which) in standard 35mm Panavision – I guarantee you, I could not tell the difference visually. Therefore, I think by the time of THE COWBOYS' release, 70mm had been relegated to a marketing ploy.
I saw more movies at the Tower than at all the other downtown Dallas theaters combined – isn’t it odd, then, that I have such vivid memories of what the Majestic, Capri, and Palace looked like inside and have virtually no memory of what the Tower looked like. Could it have been that plain?
Saw many films here as well as at the Tower, Capri, and Majestic. My first memory of going to the Palace was when I was 12 in 1966 and I accompanied projectionist Ruben White to work here – I had never seen such a huge or ornate theater and I was absolutely overwhelmed by the visual impact of the auditorium. Then he took me up to the spacious balcony and up that damned little iron ladder to that cramped little fire trap of a projection room! I couldn’t believe that such a lovely theater would have such a small space for the vital machinery that gave the whole place its reason to be! Two huge Norelcos just about took up the whole space! What wonderful memories.
Saw many films at the Majestic over the years – first one I remember is “North to Alaska.” Then “McLintock;” Then “A Hard Day’s Night” opening with about 2,000 screaming teenage girls rushing the stage to kiss the close-ups of Paul and John; Then “Thunderball,” “The War Wagon” world premiere with John Wayne in person, and I believe the last picture I saw there was Burt Lancaster in “Valdez Is Coming” in 1971. For some reason, missed the final feature, “Live and Let Die” with Roger Moore as 007 (that’s probably why I missed it) in 1973. Hated to see it close, but glad the old girl survives.
Saw many films at the Melba, but my days only go back as far as when it was named Capri.
First film I remember seeing here was “The Alamo” in it’s reserved seat Todd A-O run; then “King of Kings” after it had ended it’s reserved seat 70mm run at the Tower next door; then “How The West Was Won” in Cinerama; then a re-issue of “Bridge On The River Kwai” in Cinemascope, but projected on the huge Cinerama screen without the masking being pulled back down for regular 2.35:1 widescreen; then a reissue of “The Longest Day” followed by “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Here is a link to a photo in the Dallas Public Library digital archives that shows the Capitan Theater at night, 1952 – marquee says “Member of the Wedding.”
The Medallion was the first in a planned new generation of Interstate suburban venues dedicated to prestige exclusive first-run bookings; included in this plan were new single-screen suburban showplaces to replace the old downtown prestige venues, Palace, Tower, and Majestic, all of which were scheduled for closing and/or demolition. This plan was never carried to ultimate fruition and, though the three downtown venues were indeed eventually shuttered, only the Medallion was constructed before Interstate itself ceased to exist. Everything about the Medallion was first-class except, IMHO, for the screen, which was ruler-flat instead of curved. Overall, not much to complain about.
Chuck, it’s my present opinion that someone, way back, got “Plaza” and “Varity/Fine Arts” mixed up, possibly because of the latter’s location in “Snider PLAZA.” There was a well-known and long-advertised theater located on McKinney Ave. across the street from North Dallas High School called the Plaza. It ceased operation, I believe, sometime in the early 1960’s and is now long-demolished. I cannot pinpoint a time span when the Varsity/Fine Arts could have been called Plaza when the McKinney Ave. Plaza wasn’t also in operation. If you’ll check Lost Memory’s photo of the McKinney Plaza on its C/T page, you’ll see that it is, in all probability, a photo of the Fine Arts. Confusing, yes? The fact that the marquee in the photo shows “Light Up The Plaza Theater” may merely indicate an informal reference (i.e. the theater in Snider Plaza), as the McKinney Ave. Plaza closed long before nostalgia-minded groups existed to try to save old theaters. This is my best guess – I would love to read a response by someone more knowledgeable than I.
Here is a photo from the Rialto’s opening, May 21, 1948: View link
Here is another photo, this one from 1949:
View link
fturner, I’m getting a Page Not Found result for all issuu.com links. My browser is Firefox – do you think that is the problem?
Joe, I’m with you on the architect – it is much more representative of Pettigrew’s taste/style than Eberson’s.
Thanks for posting the nice pictures. As a correction to my previous post, Midnight Cowboy opened in 1969, not 1968.
INTERESTING INFO, JOE – I SUSPECT YOU MAY HAVE SOMETHING. If so, the Melrose had long ceased to be talked about when I was growing up in Dallas and attending the Esquire semi-regularly (lovely theater). I first heard of the Melrose name when I came across it in the interviews section of Jeanette Crumpler’s book on Dallas' Elm Street theaters, “Street of Dreams.”
Address is wrong for this theater. The White was not on Forest LANE in North Dallas. More like Forest AVENUE in South Dallas, though I’m not sure of the street number.
I read that the Tower auditorium was actually housed in a completely separate, purpose-built building (built 1937) that sat behind the Tower Petroleum Building (built 1931) that housed the theater’s Elm Street boxoffice, entrance, and lobby; and that in 1951 the Corrigan Tower building was constructed to sit over and around the auditorium building (http://www.dallasarchitecture.info/towerpet.htm).
Can anyone comment on the arrangement (lease, easement, part ownership?) that must have been made between Interstate Amusement Corp. and ownership/management of these other two buildings in order to effect this type of situation?
Was this theater also known as (and probable opened as) the Encore?
Saw the original roadshows of Sound of Music and Hawaii here, as well as Dallas 1st run exclusive of Jaws – and many more, too numerous to list – beautiful theater.
Bob, at what time was it called the East Pike?
“The Melrose Theatre had gone from listings by 1950, possibly due to the opening of the nearby Esquire Theatre in August 1947.”
Chuck, Ken, I would peg that as a certainty rather than a possibility, as the two theaters were the same seating capacity, right next door to each other, and operated by the same company. My question is, what was so wrong with the Melrose that it had to be done away with at less than 20 years old? Anyone out there have the answer to that one?
Right you are, Ennis – also opened THE CARDINAL in 1963, as well as MIDNIGHT COWBOY in 1968. Like the Wilshire, the Esquire was a class act all the way.
The building may have burned, but I believe it still stands, having a stair-stepped pyramid motif in its street elevation (see street view in map link).
Address should be changed from 661 to 616 E. Jefferson, in accordance with address published in newspaper ads.
Also, map link takes you to W. Jefferson, which is nowhere near Lancaster, where the Cliff Queen was.
Mike – forgot to mention in the above post – I think (could be wrong) optical superiority of Panavision optics to those produced by Bausch & Lomb was a contributing factor to the demise of CinemaScope which, if I understand correctly, is an identical optical anamorphic process to Panavision but which used lenses that produced an inferior image in close-up shots due to the use of a cylindrical focusing element in the camera lens. Somehow, engineers at Panavision overcame this drawback soon after the introduction of CinemaScope, and also came up with a way to produce NON-anamorphic wide-screen images on 35mm film, all of which made the film-makers' jobs easier/cheaper and afforded them more flexibility of image size choice.
Mike – this was after the heyday of 70mm motion picture PRODUCTION, but 70mm PRESENTATION was still a good marketing gimmick, if that makes sense. I believe THE SAND PEBBLES (1966) was the first such example, at least that I know of. Panavision lenses had become so darn good that a picture could actually be shot in regular anamorphic 35mm, and enlarged to 70mm for first-run exclusives with no significant loss of image quality. THE COWBOYS was one such production. I saw it at Loew’s in 70mm/6-track stereo, and again several months later at a neighborhood venue (forget which) in standard 35mm Panavision – I guarantee you, I could not tell the difference visually. Therefore, I think by the time of THE COWBOYS' release, 70mm had been relegated to a marketing ploy.
I saw more movies at the Tower than at all the other downtown Dallas theaters combined – isn’t it odd, then, that I have such vivid memories of what the Majestic, Capri, and Palace looked like inside and have virtually no memory of what the Tower looked like. Could it have been that plain?
Saw many films here as well as at the Tower, Capri, and Majestic. My first memory of going to the Palace was when I was 12 in 1966 and I accompanied projectionist Ruben White to work here – I had never seen such a huge or ornate theater and I was absolutely overwhelmed by the visual impact of the auditorium. Then he took me up to the spacious balcony and up that damned little iron ladder to that cramped little fire trap of a projection room! I couldn’t believe that such a lovely theater would have such a small space for the vital machinery that gave the whole place its reason to be! Two huge Norelcos just about took up the whole space! What wonderful memories.
Forgot to mention seeing Charlton Heston here in his football flick, “Number One” in 1969.
Saw many films at the Majestic over the years – first one I remember is “North to Alaska.” Then “McLintock;” Then “A Hard Day’s Night” opening with about 2,000 screaming teenage girls rushing the stage to kiss the close-ups of Paul and John; Then “Thunderball,” “The War Wagon” world premiere with John Wayne in person, and I believe the last picture I saw there was Burt Lancaster in “Valdez Is Coming” in 1971. For some reason, missed the final feature, “Live and Let Die” with Roger Moore as 007 (that’s probably why I missed it) in 1973. Hated to see it close, but glad the old girl survives.
Saw many films at the Melba, but my days only go back as far as when it was named Capri.
First film I remember seeing here was “The Alamo” in it’s reserved seat Todd A-O run; then “King of Kings” after it had ended it’s reserved seat 70mm run at the Tower next door; then “How The West Was Won” in Cinerama; then a re-issue of “Bridge On The River Kwai” in Cinemascope, but projected on the huge Cinerama screen without the masking being pulled back down for regular 2.35:1 widescreen; then a reissue of “The Longest Day” followed by “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
Here is a link to a photo in the Dallas Public Library digital archives that shows the Capitan Theater at night, 1952 – marquee says “Member of the Wedding.”
View link
The Medallion was the first in a planned new generation of Interstate suburban venues dedicated to prestige exclusive first-run bookings; included in this plan were new single-screen suburban showplaces to replace the old downtown prestige venues, Palace, Tower, and Majestic, all of which were scheduled for closing and/or demolition. This plan was never carried to ultimate fruition and, though the three downtown venues were indeed eventually shuttered, only the Medallion was constructed before Interstate itself ceased to exist. Everything about the Medallion was first-class except, IMHO, for the screen, which was ruler-flat instead of curved. Overall, not much to complain about.
Well, thanks, Mike, that’s more info than I had.