Vernon Plaza Theatre

1717 Cumberland Street,
Vernon, TX 76384

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DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 21, 2017 at 6:06 am

Here is the new page for the Vernon Theater. They need to update about the 1952 fire.

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/55332

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 20, 2017 at 8:36 pm

I submitted a CT page for the Vernon Theater based on VernonTexasHistory’s above description. I have located 2 photo’s from 1944 & 1945, which I will add after the page is accepted by the CT Admins. I will post the link to that page here as well.

VernonTexasHistory
VernonTexasHistory on October 21, 2015 at 11:54 am

The Pictorium Theatre in Vernon, Wilbarger County, Texas is not the same as the theater pictured above.

The Pictorium Theatre was located on Pease Street between F. W. Woolworth and the Herring National Bank. One of my 3rd Great Grand-Uncles was the doorman for the Pictorium in 1933.

The Vernon Theater was located on Main Street and was formerly known at the More Theater. It was located between the Municipal Building and the Pendleton Music Store in 1917.

Photographs of both of these theatres as they existed in their time can be seen in the book Vernon, by Preston Cary.

robboehm
robboehm on January 28, 2011 at 7:08 pm

The theatre is shown in a national pharmaceutical commercial set in Vernon, TX along with other parts of town.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on October 28, 2010 at 8:46 pm

Nice marquee shots.

chspringer
chspringer on March 4, 2010 at 3:07 pm

There is a HealthMart Pharmacy commercial currently running (3\3\2010) that has a nice view of the front of this theater. Saw the ad on General Hospital.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 5, 2010 at 1:51 am

The February 28, 1977, issue of Boxoffice reported that Mr. and Mrs. James G. Barton had bought the Plaza Theatre and had “…plans to split the 1,100-seat theatre from front to back into two 30-foot auditoriums within the next several months.”

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 14, 2009 at 8:57 pm

The Plaza Theatre was built in 1953. A photo of the auditorium appeared in Boxoffice Magazine’s issue of July 7, 1956, as part of a feature about wide screens. The caption included the line: “The Plaza, erected in 1953, is said to be the first new theatre especially designed for widescreen and stereosound.”

A March 12, 1949, Boxoffice item about the opening of the El Rancho Drive-In had information about other theaters in Vernon. There were four indoor houses in operation then, these being the 350-seat Majestic and the 400-seat Mecca, both operated by Cortez Hamm, and the 1000-seat Vernon and 500-seat Pic, operated by Interstate Theatres. A second drive-in was already under construction as well.

A 1941 Boxoffice item mentions a Pictorium Theatre at Vernon. That was probably the Pic’s earlier name.

The Vernon Theatre was destroyed by fire in September, 1952, and a January 31, 1953, Boxoffice item said that a new theater was being built to replace it. The item called the new house the Vernon Theatre, but I’ve found no later mentions of a Vernon Theatre in Vernon, so I’m wondering if perhaps the new theater was named the Plaza instead. The new house was described in Boxoffice as having a front of tan face brick, which the Plaza has, and the opening year is certainly right.

MarkFinn
MarkFinn on August 30, 2008 at 10:00 pm

The Plaza Twin is now The Vernon Plaza Theater. I don’t know when Seth Gaines added The Plaza Twin to Cinema Treasures but it was closed for about 15 months before being reopened in March of 2007. I am going to add The Vernon Plaza Theater to the Cinema Treasures site with updated information.

MarkFinn
MarkFinn on April 22, 2007 at 7:08 am

Okay, folks, lots of changes here. First off, it’s been renamed The Vernon Plaza Theater. The new phone number is 940-553-3999 (that’s the movieline). The website is still being worked on, but otherwise, we’re up and running.

As for this “Blue Menace” person above, I can only say that I taught him everything he knows.

Mark Finn
Owner/Manager
The Vernon Plaza Theater

teheidel
teheidel on March 29, 2007 at 3:08 am

The Vernon Plaza is having their grand re-opening this weekend, showing “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” The Finns really do have big plans for the theater (full disclosure, Mark is a good friend of mine).

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on February 20, 2007 at 5:33 pm

any news on this …………

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on December 6, 2006 at 3:11 am

its been sold as of 12-1-06

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on August 8, 2006 at 7:02 pm

The longest in contract,,,,,,,,,,,

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on July 23, 2006 at 8:21 pm

been in contract a long time……..

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on May 5, 2006 at 3:08 am

Nice to hear ,looks like a nice twin

kenraney
kenraney on May 3, 2006 at 11:01 am

Just heard the Plaza is being purchased and will re-open.
Mark Finn and his wife are relocating to Vernon from Austin TX and have vast plans which include showing films once again. I hope to be there for the Grand Opening! Let’s all wish them well and hope others will follow their lead in bringing back older theaters.
Ken

Michael Furlinger
Michael Furlinger on March 5, 2006 at 6:24 pm

any updates on this theater

newtexas
newtexas on October 20, 2005 at 1:24 pm

The Vernon Plaza Theatre now has a website with an old graphic that was used for marketing when the theatre first opened in the 50’s. The web address is www.vernonplaza.com.

newtexas
newtexas on September 26, 2005 at 1:49 pm

The correct phone number for the Vernon Plaza is 940-553-4853; for some reason the phone number is incorrectly listed in a lot of the local search engines' search results.