Lamar Art Theatre

3700 Highland Avenue,
Beaumont, TX 77705

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Gulf States Theaters, Jefferson Amusements Company, Martin Theatres

Previous Names: Lamar Theatre

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Lamar Art Theatre

The Lamar Theatre opened on December 25, 1936 with Jack Oakie in “The Texas Rangers”. It was closed in 1958. On August 29, 1968 it reopened as the Lamar Art Theatre with Walter Matthau in “The Secret Life of an American Wife”. Through its life it was operated by Jefferson Amusement Co., East Texas Theatres, Gulf States Theatres and finally Martin Theatres.

The Lamar Art Theatre closed sometime in the early-1980’s. It has since been demolished.

Contributed by Chuck

Recent comments (view all 6 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 20, 2010 at 3:46 pm

Here is a photo taken shortly before the demolition:
http://tinyurl.com/yfpzdqj

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on January 25, 2011 at 9:08 pm

Another photo of the demolition; a dollar store mow occupies the site: View link

tigercat1945
tigercat1945 on December 23, 2012 at 3:22 pm

It’s been apx. 30 years, so my memory’s hazy…the Roman Catholic Diocese of Beaumont purchased an old Protestant church on 9th Avenue in the mid-1970s and re-christened it as Our Lady Queen of Vietnam as a parish to accomodate the swell of refugees settling in Port Arthur. The diocese wanted the old Golden Tri-Cinema across the street to use as a parish community center. The fellow that owned Golden wouldn’t sell unless the diocese also bought, as a package deal, the Lamar Theater in nearby Beaumont, which he also owned. Both theaters were reduced to showing adult flicks by that time; the diocese figured it would get the property they needed AND clean up the respective neighborhoods. They purchased both theaters, closed the Lamar and put the Golden property to better use than screening skin flicks. NOTE: couldn’t find online references, but both the diocese and the local library likely has material in its archives.

MissPickles
MissPickles on May 29, 2018 at 8:38 pm

I remember this theatre. Kinda creepy because it was in a bad section of town. I saw the movie ‘Cruising’ there back in 1980.

rivest266
rivest266 on November 28, 2020 at 11:21 am

The Lamar theatre opened on December 25th, 1936. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on November 28, 2020 at 1:27 pm

Closed in 1958 and reopened as the Lamar Art Cinema on August 29th, 1968. Grand opening ad posted.

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