Texas Theater

825 S. Main Street,
Del Rio, TX 78840

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc., Rowley United Theatres Inc., United Artists Theater Circuit Inc., Val Verde Theatres Circuit

Previous Names: Strand Theater, Victory Theater, Rio Theater

Nearby Theaters

Texas Theatre exterior

The Texas Theater was a Robb & Rowley-United Inc. theater which opened originally as the Strand Theater, later became the Victory Theatre, then Rio Theater until at least 1950. By 1957 it had become the Texas Theater, operated by Rowley United Theatres Inc. It was refurbished/remodeled by the Val Verde Theatres Circuit in August 1959. It closed on June 4, 1972.

Contributed by Billy Holcomb / Billy Smith / Don Lewis

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on July 11, 2009 at 11:02 pm

A view of downtown Del Rio and the Texas Theater.

Neubauer
Neubauer on August 28, 2013 at 8:55 pm

The Texas ran Spanish movies in the 1960’s until it’s closing in the late 60’s. I was a projectionist at all 3 theaters in early to mid 60’s. UA and the Poag Family were partners in all Del Rio Theaters at that time.

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on February 21, 2018 at 3:30 pm

The second Texas Theatre appears to have closed on June 4, 1972. When Val Verde Theatres refurbished the property in 1959, it showed its commitment to Spanish language films with a statuette of Cantinflas at the box office. Spanish language films were programmed from 1943 to 1972 (full time 1959-1972 and two days a week beginning in 1943).

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 21, 2018 at 10:27 pm

Did Del Rio have two theaters called the Strand? The house that was rebuilt as the Rita Theatre in 1941 opened in 1931 as the Strand.

Prior to being called the Rio, the house that later became the Texas Theatre had been called the Victory Theatre. The name change was noted in the July 17, 1945, issue of the Del Rio News Herald.

The mission style theater in the photo currently displayed above must have been the first Texas Theatre. That assortment of display posters wouldn’t have been seen in the post-war era. If the other photo (the one uploaded by Don Lewis) is correct, the Victory/Rio/Texas is still standing in the 800 block of Main Street, and its address is probably 827 Main.

rivest266
rivest266 on November 1, 2020 at 5:46 pm

February 28th, 1943 grand opening ad posted.

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