The former Isis & McCrory’s is now the Mercury Room—an upscale night club, which still contains tidbits from the Isis.
About the River Oaks issue, preservationists DID attaend the City Council meeting, on 8/2. So did State Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. She spoke out in favor of preservation. Houston Chronicle, of 8/3, ran an article stating that, “with the Landmark River Oaks Theatre threatened, more are joining the drive to change preservation laws.”
Apparently, tho—tenants have gotten this info from THEIR leasing agents. Seems like THEY would know the inside scoop.
About 12 ppl went to the City Council meeting yesterday. Some of the 12 were from a property owners' rights lobbying group, though.
US Representative Sheila Jackson Lee was there—speaking up for the center, too. Good to have her aboard.
Read about The Ritz, also in Houston. That was apparently a 4th theatre connected by Horowitz' tunnels. It still operates as The Majestic, albeit as a banquet hall.
Poor Les, who wasn’t a young man, did a LOT of walking. Because he WAS so good—he couldn’t keep a decent assistant manager, either. He’d train them so well, that the company would transfer them out, to other assignments—as soon as he got them thru training.
I’ve lost track of him. Last time I saw him—he was managing a $ cinema—years ago.
I & II opened in 1970. Five Easy Pieces, with Jack Nicholson, sizzling in his first starring role, after his first oscar nomination, for Easy Rider—was one of the 2 films showing.
I saw some kind of invitational sneak of Star Wars there—one day before it opened.
III & IV had a Mickey D’s across from it, too, & it also was near an exit to the parking garage.
GC put this great old manager, Les Coulter, in charge of all 4 audsitoriums, which, as you said were on diff floors of diff segments of the Galleria. ( continued )
I drove by it tonight—just to check it out. Looks sad.
Marquee Man, I just read, on the Garden Oaks page, that the church group which currently owns it—is restoring it to it’s glory, to use as a performance center—faith-based, no doubt.
Well, Ennis—we’ve awakened from our slumber. We’re rallying behind efforts to save the River Oaks Theatre AND the art deco shopping center. Weingarten’s Realty is rumored to be considering demolishing the theatre to build a highrise—using the theatre’s facade.
We need to draft stronger preservation laws in Houston. They suck here!
Stan—anyone on here, who lives in Houston—why can I find nothing on here about the Oak Village Theatre, which was on Long Point @ Gessner or the Windsor Cinerama?
Were they both too new?
The Oak Village was planned as the first twin screen theatre in town. They even had the 2nd projection booth—but they never got around to building the 2nd auditorium.
Roger
The Bellaire was renamed the Bel-Air, & included a bar. It closed & has been the Discovery Zone.
The Garden Oaks is still standing & may be the closest to its original form. It is a Latino church now.
RIGHT now, there’s trouble brewing. The Weingarten Realty Company, formerly my neighborhood grocery store chain, is considering razing the historic Art-Deco River Oaks Shopping Center—-including the old Interstate River Oaks Theatre, which has been operated for the last 30 years, as ‘specialty cinema’, by, first Movies Inc, & then Landmark Cinema.
Apparently, someone offered them a bundle for the properties, which are currently profitable, but not AS profitable as the new offer by the developers, who want to put in a multi-story Barnes & Ignoble & as high rise where the theatre stands, while, insultingly, using the entrance to the theatre as the lobby to the dwellings. nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn who knows a thing about the theatre would live there.
I’m 54 & a Houston native. I used to ride the bus downtown, during the school breaks, in the early ‘60s, w/my buds. We’d go to the Metropolitan, Majestic & Loew’s State to catch a flick. In the '70s, I went to the Delman, which was on Main @, I think, Wheeler, to catch mainstream flicks, &, later, I saw 'Superfly’ there. It’s gone now. There is one left downtown. It is called the Majestic Metro, @ 911 Preston. It’s currently used as a banquet facility. During the ‘70s, it was solely showing blaxploitation flicks.
Yes, we have a prob in Houston. During the '70s, multiplexes burgeoned in the malls—in the burbs. No one had the vision to see a purpose for these grand buildings. I’ll continue.
eadkins, you said that the R.O. was, from the 50’s, an art house, but, when they transferred you, in ‘61, it was showing a procession of Disney features. Clarify, please.
Did you ever know Ross Vallone? He was managing there in the early '70s.
Rog
Actually, robnrva, don’t credit Barnes & Ignoble with this. The Bookstop Corp converted The Alabama Theatre into the Bookstop. B& N bought The Bookstop Corp & simply retained the marquee—-probably considering it cost-prohibitive to alter it. I’m SURE they have historical respect for it.
fnydude, Whole Foods Market, the health food store, is on the end—not the theatre. The Discovery Zone WAS there concurrently. I have no idea what it is now.
The former Isis & McCrory’s is now the Mercury Room—an upscale night club, which still contains tidbits from the Isis.
About the River Oaks issue, preservationists DID attaend the City Council meeting, on 8/2. So did State Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. She spoke out in favor of preservation. Houston Chronicle, of 8/3, ran an article stating that, “with the Landmark River Oaks Theatre threatened, more are joining the drive to change preservation laws.”
Apparently, tho—tenants have gotten this info from THEIR leasing agents. Seems like THEY would know the inside scoop.
About 12 ppl went to the City Council meeting yesterday. Some of the 12 were from a property owners' rights lobbying group, though.
US Representative Sheila Jackson Lee was there—speaking up for the center, too. Good to have her aboard.
DEoes anyone recall a live music club in Windsor Plaza called The Agora Ballroom? I saw Hall & Oates there in the Early 80’s.
BTW, I also saw Cyndi Lauper @ the Tower, while it was called Clubland.
I got to know Ross Vallone in the early 70’s. He was managing the River Oaks, when it was still owned by Interstate.
Read about The Ritz, also in Houston. That was apparently a 4th theatre connected by Horowitz' tunnels. It still operates as The Majestic, albeit as a banquet hall.
I casually looked for it, the other day—when driving by. I think it’s demolished.
I saw ‘The Lion in Winter’ there, with my high school English Class.
Poor Les, who wasn’t a young man, did a LOT of walking. Because he WAS so good—he couldn’t keep a decent assistant manager, either. He’d train them so well, that the company would transfer them out, to other assignments—as soon as he got them thru training.
I’ve lost track of him. Last time I saw him—he was managing a $ cinema—years ago.
I & II opened in 1970. Five Easy Pieces, with Jack Nicholson, sizzling in his first starring role, after his first oscar nomination, for Easy Rider—was one of the 2 films showing.
I saw some kind of invitational sneak of Star Wars there—one day before it opened.
III & IV had a Mickey D’s across from it, too, & it also was near an exit to the parking garage.
GC put this great old manager, Les Coulter, in charge of all 4 audsitoriums, which, as you said were on diff floors of diff segments of the Galleria. ( continued )
I drove by it tonight—just to check it out. Looks sad.
Marquee Man, I just read, on the Garden Oaks page, that the church group which currently owns it—is restoring it to it’s glory, to use as a performance center—faith-based, no doubt.
Thanks.
I just found out that the church group which owns the Garden Oaks is restoring it, to use as a performing arts & community guidance center.
Well, Ennis—we’ve awakened from our slumber. We’re rallying behind efforts to save the River Oaks Theatre AND the art deco shopping center. Weingarten’s Realty is rumored to be considering demolishing the theatre to build a highrise—using the theatre’s facade.
We need to draft stronger preservation laws in Houston. They suck here!
Wow! That’s amazing!
Well—someone needs to do something with it. Galveston could use a showplace.
Rog
Stan—anyone on here, who lives in Houston—why can I find nothing on here about the Oak Village Theatre, which was on Long Point @ Gessner or the Windsor Cinerama?
Were they both too new?
The Oak Village was planned as the first twin screen theatre in town. They even had the 2nd projection booth—but they never got around to building the 2nd auditorium.
Roger
I, too, saw the Exorcist @ the Village Theatre. Houston has no sense of history.
I saw Cyndi Lauper @ the Tower Theatre—as a live venue.
eadkins—what Paramount decree?
The Bellaire was renamed the Bel-Air, & included a bar. It closed & has been the Discovery Zone.
The Garden Oaks is still standing & may be the closest to its original form. It is a Latino church now.
RIGHT now, there’s trouble brewing. The Weingarten Realty Company, formerly my neighborhood grocery store chain, is considering razing the historic Art-Deco River Oaks Shopping Center—-including the old Interstate River Oaks Theatre, which has been operated for the last 30 years, as ‘specialty cinema’, by, first Movies Inc, & then Landmark Cinema.
Apparently, someone offered them a bundle for the properties, which are currently profitable, but not AS profitable as the new offer by the developers, who want to put in a multi-story Barnes & Ignoble & as high rise where the theatre stands, while, insultingly, using the entrance to the theatre as the lobby to the dwellings. nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn who knows a thing about the theatre would live there.
I’m 54 & a Houston native. I used to ride the bus downtown, during the school breaks, in the early ‘60s, w/my buds. We’d go to the Metropolitan, Majestic & Loew’s State to catch a flick. In the '70s, I went to the Delman, which was on Main @, I think, Wheeler, to catch mainstream flicks, &, later, I saw 'Superfly’ there. It’s gone now. There is one left downtown. It is called the Majestic Metro, @ 911 Preston. It’s currently used as a banquet facility. During the ‘70s, it was solely showing blaxploitation flicks.
Yes, we have a prob in Houston. During the '70s, multiplexes burgeoned in the malls—in the burbs. No one had the vision to see a purpose for these grand buildings. I’ll continue.
Where was the Santa Rosa? I know the Garden Oaks.
Rog
eadkins, you said that the R.O. was, from the 50’s, an art house, but, when they transferred you, in ‘61, it was showing a procession of Disney features. Clarify, please.
Did you ever know Ross Vallone? He was managing there in the early '70s.
Rog
Actually, robnrva, don’t credit Barnes & Ignoble with this. The Bookstop Corp converted The Alabama Theatre into the Bookstop. B& N bought The Bookstop Corp & simply retained the marquee—-probably considering it cost-prohibitive to alter it. I’m SURE they have historical respect for it.
fnydude, Whole Foods Market, the health food store, is on the end—not the theatre. The Discovery Zone WAS there concurrently. I have no idea what it is now.