Grand Theatre

dallasmovietheaters on July 19, 2025 at 7:13 pm

The Grand Electric Theater opened on March 20, 1908 showing movies. According the news reports of the day, it looks like it moved to new digs in 1911/2. This third location was its first new build and was created to the plans of Lang, Raugland, & Lewis of Minneapolis (plans in photos).

The New Grand was built at a cost of $45,000 opening on October 5, 1925 with “California Straight Ahead.” It was equipped with a Smith Unit organ Grand “#3” (aka New Grand) converted to sound to remain commercially viable. Katherine Greenman was brought in from Minneapolis for the first week due to her familiarity with the console and afterwards was played by regular house organist, Mrs. L.O. Patterson.

The theater kept its name as the New Grand for almost 16 years from 1925 to 1941. It then closed as the Grand Theatre on April 25, 1954 with “The Seige at Red River.” It was the new home of a Gamble’s Variety Store in September of 1954.

Joe Vogel on September 27, 2015 at 4:06 pm

The May 14, 1909, issue of the Worthington Advance had this item:

“James Mott has disposed of his interests in the Grand theatre to Will Boddy who will continue to conduct the popular little playhouse along the same progressive lines that have been characteristic of the partnership.”

The Grand changed hands again in 1916, when the July 22 issue of The Moving Picture World reported that new owners Edward McCracken and E. M. Ehlers planned to change policy and run the house as a movie theater.