Aztec Theatre

Does anyone have any information relating to the ownership of this cinema during the 1940s and 1950s?

Does anyone know where the Aztec’s Wurlitzer came from? Several months ago I heard that the instrument originally was in the Paramount Theatre (still standing) in Boston MA. Anyone know for sure?

My photograph of the AZTEC sign View link

I happened to be in San Antonio on opening day and I convinced my companions to stop by. I must say that the lobby renovations are spectacular. I was very impressed. The theater aparently has a program of Aztec history and the price is $12.95. I didn’t have time to see it and unless you pay the fee, you cannot see the interior. From the open door I could see that there did not appear to be a screen in the theater and all of the seats appeared to be missing. I’m not sure how the show is presented. I hope someone from San Antonio can stop by and let us know. They did have a free show in the lobby that, in my opinion, was cheezy. I don’t know if this theater will be able to support itself with this show only. There did not appear to be many people present when I was there in late afternoon. Hopefully, they do have the ability to show movies as well. If I lived in San Antonio I would very much like to see a movie here.

Whoever is responsible for the renovation, kudos to you! Beautiful job! Luis

Here’s what’s up: The interior is almost entirely restored back to original. A 3/21 Wurlitzer (not the original Robert Morton) is installed and is FULLY operational. The iWerks screen and the many special effects are 90% complete. Barring unforseen construction and City occupancy permit delays, the Aztec will open in mid-MArch, 2006. See you there!

Hey love the photos but does anyone have any info on the status of the renovations on the aztec? I do know that plans called for the big chandaller to be restored infact last time i knew they had already lowered it to the floor in the lobby and disassembled it and but thats all i know. I also was told that they were going to restore it back into a single screen with IWERKS Equipment installed along with all the wiring had to be replaced inside. If anyone has anymore info please let me know cause i was told this back in 2003 and since then not even the website for the project has been updated. www.aztecontheriver.com

The Aztec Theatre was done by a consortium of architects which included Meyer & Holler , so yes, the statement that Robert Kelly and R.O. Koenig designed the auditorium is most likely correct. The auditorium is in an atmosphric style, set in Mayan Revival styled surroundings.

The Film Daily Yearbook,1943 lists it as being operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Hoblitzelle & O'Donnell with a seating capacity given as 2,451.

There is a page for this theater at the web site of the San Antonio Conservation Society, which says that the theater interior was designed by Robert Kelley and R.O. Koenig. There is no mention of Meyer and Holler at that site. I suppose that the building as a whole might have been built by Meyer and Holler’s firm, the Milwaukee Building Company, but I think we can trust the preservationists of San Antonio to know who deserves credit for designing the theater’s interior.

does anyone know about the statys of this project?

I saw Shirley MacLaine in “Woman Times Seven” there while an officer cadet at Lackland AFB in 1967. Later saw “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” there while stationed at Randolph AFB in late 67 or early 68. A few years later it had gone to porno. The lobby defies description. Last time I was in town (about 1997) it was closed pending renovation.

I keep seeing this theatre attributed to Meyer & Holler, but I have never seen anybody cite or describe the documentary evidence for that attribution. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who knows what the evidence is and where it is (Building permits? Blueprints? Newspaper accounts from the 1920s?). Please email me at: Thanks!