I remember when you opened the Plaza back in 72', before the conversion. I remember seeing “What’s up Doc” with Barbara Streisand and Ryan O'Neal. I also saw “The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County”, with Dan Blocker. And also lived across the hall from you for several months. I remember you were a true fan of Ray Price. Your post brings back memories. About that conversion, did you extend the balcony and put two smaller screens up there? That is how they converted the River Oaks Theater in Houston from one screen to three.
~ken
giray, thank you for posting this information.Of the indoor theaters you mention I saw movies in all but the Strand in Orange. I never saw a movie at the Circle drive in but I saw quite a few at the Don in Port Arthur. Also, Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf is so very tame compared to anything on TV these days.
John, I just read through the postings again and I note that you earlier mentioned you thought this must have been a nice movie house. As such, I do believe your are referring to the quality of the photograph. While, I still don’t think it looks like crap, I agree it is not the best. Also, I apologize for not reading all of the posts again before I posted. I stand by everything else I wrote.
Ken
JohnMessick, if you are referring to the quality of the photograph, then you are correct. If you are referring to the content of the photograph then I must disagree. Neither look like crap. The theater had a full balcony and two isles on the main floor. The remodeling and additions made the Village look more up to date.
It was not as magnificent as the Loew’s State and the Metropolitan next to it in Houston. Both were demolished some time ago, sadly.
Photos of the interior of these classic movie houses seem to be in short supply. Some that haven’t been demolished have been restored and offer more than movies. This is true of the Silver theater in Silver Spring, Maryland. The American Film Institute was instrumental in saving that grand full size theater.
The Jefferson theater in Beaumont, TX has been restored to a very polished look without destroying the classic roman interior.
I suppose crap is in the eye of the beholder.
John, it was a nice movie house. I watched movies in the balcony of the Village, the Jefferson and just about every theater in Jefferson county. It wasn’t until I started college in Wharton Texas that I discovered the segregation between the balcony and the main floor. In my time there I sat in the balcony with friends and on the main floor with friends of every race, color, creed, etc. I don’t know the reason the practice wasn’t in Jefferson. We had our share of racial difficulties, but the theaters weren’t party to it.
In 1974 I and a date warmed up in the Snuggery at Martin’s Carriage House, then went to the Key to watch Mel Brook’s “The Critic” (see it on YouTube), followed by Lenny Bruce Performance Film (that is Lenny Bruce performing, not the Dustin Hoffman film “Lenny” that was in theaters at the same time. I’m a little older and I might not laugh as much as I did at the time, but I do love the memory.
Bob, the track used in “Two Boys” crossed N. Alabama Rd. The tracks ran along side Santa Fe Street. The view was to the north and the train was moving eastward. I don’t know if the train was a Santa Fe. BTW, I worked for Mae Jensen at the Rio back in ‘69-'70 for a while.
The theater was converted into a three screen cinema after the roof of the original caved in one rainy Saturday morning. The cave in happened a couple of hours before the Saturday kids showing was to screen.
A television pilot was filmed in Wharton in 1970. The Rio was closed to the public for three days while filming was done inside. Sadly, this footage was left on the cutting room floor. I saw the pilot when it aired. It began with a passing train. As the last car went by there was a city limit sign, “Wharton Wisconsin”. The only information I have ever found on this pilot is linked below.
Greg100,
I remember when you opened the Plaza back in 72', before the conversion. I remember seeing “What’s up Doc” with Barbara Streisand and Ryan O'Neal. I also saw “The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County”, with Dan Blocker. And also lived across the hall from you for several months. I remember you were a true fan of Ray Price. Your post brings back memories. About that conversion, did you extend the balcony and put two smaller screens up there? That is how they converted the River Oaks Theater in Houston from one screen to three. ~ken
OCRon, thank you for adding the specifics on the time line.
~ken
giray, thank you for posting this information.Of the indoor theaters you mention I saw movies in all but the Strand in Orange. I never saw a movie at the Circle drive in but I saw quite a few at the Don in Port Arthur. Also, Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf is so very tame compared to anything on TV these days.
John, I do agree with you. My apologies for not thinking longer about what you had written.
John, I just read through the postings again and I note that you earlier mentioned you thought this must have been a nice movie house. As such, I do believe your are referring to the quality of the photograph. While, I still don’t think it looks like crap, I agree it is not the best. Also, I apologize for not reading all of the posts again before I posted. I stand by everything else I wrote. Ken
JohnMessick, if you are referring to the quality of the photograph, then you are correct. If you are referring to the content of the photograph then I must disagree. Neither look like crap. The theater had a full balcony and two isles on the main floor. The remodeling and additions made the Village look more up to date. It was not as magnificent as the Loew’s State and the Metropolitan next to it in Houston. Both were demolished some time ago, sadly. Photos of the interior of these classic movie houses seem to be in short supply. Some that haven’t been demolished have been restored and offer more than movies. This is true of the Silver theater in Silver Spring, Maryland. The American Film Institute was instrumental in saving that grand full size theater. The Jefferson theater in Beaumont, TX has been restored to a very polished look without destroying the classic roman interior. I suppose crap is in the eye of the beholder.
John, it was a nice movie house. I watched movies in the balcony of the Village, the Jefferson and just about every theater in Jefferson county. It wasn’t until I started college in Wharton Texas that I discovered the segregation between the balcony and the main floor. In my time there I sat in the balcony with friends and on the main floor with friends of every race, color, creed, etc. I don’t know the reason the practice wasn’t in Jefferson. We had our share of racial difficulties, but the theaters weren’t party to it.
In 1974 I and a date warmed up in the Snuggery at Martin’s Carriage House, then went to the Key to watch Mel Brook’s “The Critic” (see it on YouTube), followed by Lenny Bruce Performance Film (that is Lenny Bruce performing, not the Dustin Hoffman film “Lenny” that was in theaters at the same time. I’m a little older and I might not laugh as much as I did at the time, but I do love the memory.
Bob, the track used in “Two Boys” crossed N. Alabama Rd. The tracks ran along side Santa Fe Street. The view was to the north and the train was moving eastward. I don’t know if the train was a Santa Fe. BTW, I worked for Mae Jensen at the Rio back in ‘69-'70 for a while.
The theater was converted into a three screen cinema after the roof of the original caved in one rainy Saturday morning. The cave in happened a couple of hours before the Saturday kids showing was to screen.
A television pilot was filmed in Wharton in 1970. The Rio was closed to the public for three days while filming was done inside. Sadly, this footage was left on the cutting room floor. I saw the pilot when it aired. It began with a passing train. As the last car went by there was a city limit sign, “Wharton Wisconsin”. The only information I have ever found on this pilot is linked below.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455821/