Note: I think I would simply replace the entire two sentence synopsis of the venue’s 1950 to 1952 timeline and the muddled transfer of names (didn’t quite stick that factually) with the better information above. I think it’s far more solid from the 1910s to 1956 - although feel free to stick with the original.
There were two Eltex Theaters in diminutive Elgin, Texas. The second was opened in 1941 lasting until a fire in April of 1983 - a streamline moderne house that has its own CinemaTreasures page. This entry contains the original Eltex which began as the silent-era Imp Theatre and ended as the Elgin Theatre.
This venue began in the the nickelodeon era by the E.W. Nichols family as the 250-seat Imp Theatre - according to some reports - in 1911. It co-existed with the town’s more fancy live event house, the Bassist Opera House. One of the Nichols’ five sons, John E., returned from his World War I duty and was assigned theatre operation duties.
The Imp reduced to four day a week operation in January of 1918 as a result of “Hooverization” - a national World War I strategy to save food in order to win the War effort. On October 10, 1918, it closed briefly along with the great majority of U.S. movie houses for the Spanish Influenza pandemic. Other than those anomalies, the Imp operated on a daily basis into the late 1920s.
As the film industry was transitioning to sound and looking for names to call the fledgling talkies industry, Nichols suggested Seephonic Pictures as a possible branding of the new technology. The Imp closed in 1930. The closing was a confluence of many issues including the lack of attendance for the Imp’s silent film and live programming fare, the great cost of transitioning the Imp to sound technology for a small town cinema, and the onset of the Depression - to say nothing of the passing of father, E.W. Nichols in late 1928. But the non-support of the term “Seephonic" suggest by Nichols must have also stung somewhat. The Nichols lost the theatre to a receivership auction and the venue ended up with new operator Dale Wilson.
Wilson wired the Imp for sound calling it the New Theater temporarily. He changed the name to the Eltex (sometimes El-Tex, short for Elgin, Texas). Wilson operated it for most of the decade (although he had hired two managers in the early 1930s neither of whom lasted long in their positions). By the 1940s, with the town’s two brick factories heating up and Camp Swift nearby, Wilson would create a new build cinema in 1941. The new showplace was ready September 25, 1941 opening as the New Eltex. The original Eltex closed on September 24, 1941 with Constance Moore in “Las Vegas Nights.”
Less than a year later, Wilson would refresh the shuttered Imp turned Eltex - creating a second theater to accommodate the War effort and the larger crowds. It was scaled back to 210 seats as the Elgin Theatre relaunching in February of 1942. The venue struggled in the TV age converting to Spanish language theaters. It appears to have closed on September 23, 1956 with María Elena Marqués in “El Marido de mi Novia.” The newer Eltex would continue into the 1980s.
The New Eltex opened on September 25, 1941 with Edward G. Robinson and Marlene Dietrich in “Manpower.” The New Eltex replaced the former nickelodeon-era Imp Theatre that had been wired for sound and renamed the New Theatre and the Eltex Theatre in the early 1930s.
Operater Dale Wilson and partner Joe I. Diddy built the new streamline moderne moviehouse here in the existing Standifer Building in 1941. They closed the nickelodeon-era venue and original Eltex on September 24, 1941. Less than a year later, Wilson would reopen the original Eltex to accommodate the WW2 era crowds as the Elgin Theatre. In the 1950s, the Elgin closed as the town continued with one hardtop theater.
The venue operated with a balcony for African American and Hispanic patrons. There were no rest room facilities provided for non-White customers. That policy changed in the 1960s. Art Gomez was the final Eltex Theatre operator. It was twice set afire by an arsonist or arsonists in the 1980s. The final Eltex Theatre showtime was April 24, 1983 when the second fire gutted the interior. The building was considered a total loss and later demolished. By all accounts, it had a single operational name as the Eltex Theatre.
Closed permanently on November 30, 2025 with Santa in the house and “Zootopia 2” and “Polar Express” on Screen 1 and “Wicked for Life” and “Elf” on Screen 2.
This is listed as closed for repairs. It is / was not a second run theatre.
Music hall / live events. Not a second run house. Not an adult house. Not a indy movie house.
Not a cinema at all. Definitely not a second run cinema. This is a former cinema now live events center.
This is a revival house. It is definitely not a second run house.
Definitely not a second run cinema.
Closed for renovations.
This is a live events space that does revival screenings only. It is none of the above functions - not second run, not indy, not foreign.
This is a first run cinema. This is definitely not a second run cinema.
They play current Japanese features. It doesn’t appear to be a second run cinema.
They are running first run and sporadic revival. This is definitely not a second run cinema.
This is a live event house and is not a second run cinema.
It’s been closed due to roof issues since 2024. It is not a second run cinema.
This is not a second run house.
Google lists it as closed and it’s not one of the cinemas listed on the PlayArte website.
This is definitely not a second run cinema. It is a repertory, festival house.
This is a first run, revival and indy theater. It is definitely not a second run house.
This is a live theatre. It is not a second run cinema.
First run and revival film titles along with sporadic live events. Definitely not a second run house.
Definitely only a first-run house. Not a second run house.
Ray Pace - fourth person with Jack Dickerson to his right
You can delete this one - I added the comments to the Elgin Theatre as it housed the Imp, Eltex and Elgin theaters.
Note: I think I would simply replace the entire two sentence synopsis of the venue’s 1950 to 1952 timeline and the muddled transfer of names (didn’t quite stick that factually) with the better information above. I think it’s far more solid from the 1910s to 1956 - although feel free to stick with the original.
There were two Eltex Theaters in diminutive Elgin, Texas. The second was opened in 1941 lasting until a fire in April of 1983 - a streamline moderne house that has its own CinemaTreasures page. This entry contains the original Eltex which began as the silent-era Imp Theatre and ended as the Elgin Theatre.
This venue began in the the nickelodeon era by the E.W. Nichols family as the 250-seat Imp Theatre - according to some reports - in 1911. It co-existed with the town’s more fancy live event house, the Bassist Opera House. One of the Nichols’ five sons, John E., returned from his World War I duty and was assigned theatre operation duties.
The Imp reduced to four day a week operation in January of 1918 as a result of “Hooverization” - a national World War I strategy to save food in order to win the War effort. On October 10, 1918, it closed briefly along with the great majority of U.S. movie houses for the Spanish Influenza pandemic. Other than those anomalies, the Imp operated on a daily basis into the late 1920s.
As the film industry was transitioning to sound and looking for names to call the fledgling talkies industry, Nichols suggested Seephonic Pictures as a possible branding of the new technology. The Imp closed in 1930. The closing was a confluence of many issues including the lack of attendance for the Imp’s silent film and live programming fare, the great cost of transitioning the Imp to sound technology for a small town cinema, and the onset of the Depression - to say nothing of the passing of father, E.W. Nichols in late 1928. But the non-support of the term “Seephonic" suggest by Nichols must have also stung somewhat. The Nichols lost the theatre to a receivership auction and the venue ended up with new operator Dale Wilson.
Wilson wired the Imp for sound calling it the New Theater temporarily. He changed the name to the Eltex (sometimes El-Tex, short for Elgin, Texas). Wilson operated it for most of the decade (although he had hired two managers in the early 1930s neither of whom lasted long in their positions). By the 1940s, with the town’s two brick factories heating up and Camp Swift nearby, Wilson would create a new build cinema in 1941. The new showplace was ready September 25, 1941 opening as the New Eltex. The original Eltex closed on September 24, 1941 with Constance Moore in “Las Vegas Nights.”
Less than a year later, Wilson would refresh the shuttered Imp turned Eltex - creating a second theater to accommodate the War effort and the larger crowds. It was scaled back to 210 seats as the Elgin Theatre relaunching in February of 1942. The venue struggled in the TV age converting to Spanish language theaters. It appears to have closed on September 23, 1956 with María Elena Marqués in “El Marido de mi Novia.” The newer Eltex would continue into the 1980s.
The New Eltex opened on September 25, 1941 with Edward G. Robinson and Marlene Dietrich in “Manpower.” The New Eltex replaced the former nickelodeon-era Imp Theatre that had been wired for sound and renamed the New Theatre and the Eltex Theatre in the early 1930s.
Operater Dale Wilson and partner Joe I. Diddy built the new streamline moderne moviehouse here in the existing Standifer Building in 1941. They closed the nickelodeon-era venue and original Eltex on September 24, 1941. Less than a year later, Wilson would reopen the original Eltex to accommodate the WW2 era crowds as the Elgin Theatre. In the 1950s, the Elgin closed as the town continued with one hardtop theater.
The venue operated with a balcony for African American and Hispanic patrons. There were no rest room facilities provided for non-White customers. That policy changed in the 1960s. Art Gomez was the final Eltex Theatre operator. It was twice set afire by an arsonist or arsonists in the 1980s. The final Eltex Theatre showtime was April 24, 1983 when the second fire gutted the interior. The building was considered a total loss and later demolished. By all accounts, it had a single operational name as the Eltex Theatre.
Closed permanently on November 30, 2025 with Santa in the house and “Zootopia 2” and “Polar Express” on Screen 1 and “Wicked for Life” and “Elf” on Screen 2.