Kirby Theatre
911 Main Street,
Houston,
TX
77002
911 Main Street,
Houston,
TX
77002
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When I was a growing up, back in the nineteen fifties, the Kirby Theater was famous for a big box-office robbery that took place back in the thirties or forties. Adults were still talking about this hold-up in the fifties, but I never heard all the details. It seemed to me that the Lowes, Metropolitan and Majestic got first crack at the major Studio films and the Kirby got first crack at second rate movies. I saw some of the last new Abbott and Costello comedies at the Kirby. This was after the comedy team had been replaced by Martian and Lewis and they were no longer a big draw in theaters.
Interesting photo of the Kirby Theatre,any one notice it says Kirby Lumber Company on the top of the building.
Jesse Jones, currently listed as the architect of this theater, was not an architect but a busnessman and a real estate developer. The architect of the Kirby Theatre was Alfred Charles Finn.
The Kirby was a Publix Theater.
That must have hurt:
http://tinyurl.com/sbajw
Information on the organ originally from this theatre can be found at:
www.wurlitzer1614.homestead.com
‘American Theatres of Today’ Vol 1 published in 1927 gives Alfred C. Finn as the architect of the Kirby Theatre.
“Bwana Devil” was the first 3-D movie and it opened at the Kirby in the first part of 1953, having premiered in New York on 11/26/52. I WAS a lousy movie. I was told by my parents that the Kirby theater became part of the Houston Neiman Marcus. I do remember the long narrow entrance, but the same thing applied to the Metropolitan and Loews State.
The Kirby was still going strong in the mid 1950’s and was the first 3D house in Houston showing “Bhawana Junction” – a lousy movie if I do say so.
The auditorium was located in the rear section of the Kirby Bldg. and was reached from a long, narrow entrance from Main Street.
Neiman Marcus was in the adjacent building next to the Kirby.
Stan Gilmore
The theater closed in the mid 1950’s and became the Houston Neiman Marcus.
The Kirby Theatre was located at 911 Main Street.