State Theatre
1104-6 Main Street,
Fort Worth,
TX
76102
1104-6 Main Street,
Fort Worth,
TX
76102
1 person
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Additional Info
Previous Names: One Cent New York Vaudeville Theatre, Penny Arcade Theatre, Phillips Picture Show Theatre, Imperial Theatre, Hippodrome Theatre
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Launched on November 30, 1909 as One Cent New York Vaudeville Theatre, the venue rebranded to Penny Arcade Theatre. That concept became the Phillips Picture Show Theatre also in 1909. Within one year of operation, the theatre had its fourth name becoming the Imperial Theatre on January 30, 1910. It closed on April 12, 1912.
On August 31, 1912 it was reopened as the Hippodrome Theatre with Billy Quirk in “Fra Diavolo”. It was equipped with a Kimball organ. The Hippodrome Theatre lasted into the sound era screening exploitation movies and suffering from several police raids. In December 20, 1931 it was renamed State Theatre. It was closed on January 8, 1939 following another police raid. It was later demolished to become a parking lot.
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Renamed Imperial on January 30th, 1910
Full width version of the 1921 photo added credit Jack White Photograph Collection. Courtesy of the Special Collections, UTA Library.
1921 photo added courtesy Vintage Cinema Ads Facebook page.
This actually launched as the One Cent New York Vaudeville Theatre on November 30, 1906. In fairly short order, it moves from the Once Cent Vaudeville Theatre to the Penny Arcade Theatre to the Phillips Picture Show Theatre / Phillips Theatre to the Imperial Theatre. The Imperial lasts the longest from January 30, 1910 to April 12, 1912 when there is a foreclosure.
R.A. Healy takes on the venue rebranded it as the Hippodrome Theatre launching August 31, 1912 with a $10,000 Kimball pipe organ and “Fra Diavolo” with Billy Quirk. The Hippodrome plays a combination of live vaudeville and movies. By the late 1920s, the Hippodrome was reduced to exploitation films as superior theaters were built including the Worth in 1927. The Hippodrome was raided on August 23, 1931 while playing “Married Love” with live models paired with a burlesque show. On December 13, 1931, it ran a renaming contest.
On December 20, 1931, it became the State Theatre. The programming was family-friendly at the beginning but quickly devolved back to exploitation shows and burlesque. Some boxing matches were held on its stage, as well. A January 8, 1939 Midnight Ramble in which a female impersonator irked audiences. It led to a call to the police, a raid, and - apparently - the end of the State Theater. It was closed and the building was later demolished in favor of a parking lot.