Amusu Theatre
608 Mesquite Street ,
Corpus Christi,
TX
78401
608 Mesquite Street ,
Corpus Christi,
TX
78401
No one has favorited this theater yet
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Robb & Rowley-United Inc., Rowley United Theatres Inc.
Firms: Dale & Smith
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Nearby Theaters
L.G. Collins built the Amusu Theatre at a cost of 20,000 dollars.
The Amusu Theatre opened on August 15, 1914. The first films shown were “A Romance of Normandy” and Herbert Brenen in “Circle 17”. Over 4,000 people attended the showings during the first twenty-four hours the theatre was open. It was taken over by Rob & Rowley-United Inc., who closed it on October 8, 1927. It was converted into a bowling alley which closed in June 1935. It was refurbished to the plans of architect W. Scott Dunne in a Streamline Moderne style. It reopened on October 4, 1936 with Gloria Stewart in “The Girl on the Front Page”. By 1957 it was operated by Rowley United Theatres Inc. The Amusu Theatre was closed on February 4, 1962 with Scilla Gabel in “The Fruit is Ripe” & the documentary “Primitive Paradise”.
From February 12, 1971 it reopened screening adult movies which lasted until November 12, 1973. It went back to regular movies, but was closed for the final time on December 4, 1973 with Charles Starrett in “Frontier Fury”, John Agar in “Tarantula!” & Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in “Sons of the Desert”. It was demolished in 1979 to make room for a parking garage.
Contributed by
jphagan
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Held a reopening on October 4th, 1936. Grand opening ad posted.
Closed in 1962.
Reopened as the Amusu adult theatre on February 12th, 1971. Grand opening ad posted.
Architects Dale & Smith designed the new-build Amusu Theatre opening August 17, 1914 with Mary Pickford in “A Normandy Romance” supported by “Circle 17” starring Herbert Brenon (ad in photos). The neighboring Amusu Confectionery served as the venue’s de facto concession stand. Robb & Rowley (R&R) took on the venue from the Collins' family and gave it a $15,000 Hope Jones Wurlitzer Pipe Organ at its relaunch on April 14, 1923 with Otto Moellering at the console and “The Prisoner” on the big screen. But the theater was closed on October 8, 1927 not making the transition to sound. The theater was disassembled and converted to the Amusu Bowling Center Lanes.
n June of 1935, the Amusu Bowling Center closed permanently. The Collins family decided to re-convert the venue back to a movie house and, for the first time, with a sound system. The New Amusu Theatre was remodeled to the plans of architect W. Scott Dunne in 1936 becoming a streamline moderne facility. After a nine-year hiatus from film, its reboot was complete with its Grand Reopening as the Amusu on October 4th, 1936 with Gloria Stuart in “The Girl on the Front Page.”
The Amusu scuffled through the 1950s as western films lost favor due to television and adult films were a bit of a tough sell in town. It closed on February 4, 1962 with Scilla Gabel in “The Fruit is Ripe” and Lewis Cotlow’s “Primitive Paradise.”
During the porno chic era of movie exhibition, the theater got one more chance as a movie house. After its second nine-year hiatus, it would return with adults films. Relaunching for a third time - now under the Amusu Adult Theatre banner - the venue reopened on February 12th, 1971 with adult films. It was a lightning rod of controversy. And the City of Corpus tried to rid the city of objectionable film content following the Supreme Court’s landmark Miller v. California case. On November 12, 1973, the Amusu voluntarily ceased showing adult films. Its final attempt to remain viable occurred with a programming policy consisting of repertory fare on 16mm films. That lasted for less than a month with the Amusu closing permanently on December 4, 1973 with “Frontier Fury,” “Tarantula!” and “Sons of the Desert.”
In 1975, plans were unveiled to demolish the vacant Amusu. Preservation efforts were carried out over the next four years. While film aficionados wanted to reboot the theatre with an announced plan in 1979 (hopefully rebooting in 1982 - which would have been the theater’s hat trick with three reopenings following nine-year hiatuses), it was not meant to be. The Collins' long-running Amusu Theatre was razed in 1979 and its bricks repurposed for another project.