Katy Theatre

dallasmovietheaters on December 9, 2020 at 6:24 pm

Homer H. Daniels launched the Liberty Theatre here on May 9, 1919. The opening film was William S. Hart in “The Hell Hound of Alaska.” Dickinson Theatres Circuit took on the venue closing it in 1928. When the circuit closed the Best for a refresh and name change to the Uptown on June 16, 1928, Dickinson reopened the Liberty on June 18, 1928 to carry the Best/Uptown bookings.

After Dickinson closed the Liberty in 1929, Daniels reacquired the venue equipping it with Photophone to project sound films. It reopened September 13, 1929 with “We Americans” as a new named revealed to those patrons for the first time as the Gala Theatre. Daniels closed the Gala for the summer of 1931 but sold it in October. The theatre chairs were sold at 50 cents each as the theatre redecorated.

With new seating and a refresh, the Gala nameplate was jettisoned in favor of the Ritz Theatre. It debuted on November 23, 1931 with Jaynet Gaynor with “Daddy Long Legs” and Glenn Tryon “The College Racket” supported by a Graham McNamee sports short and newsreel.

H.J. Griffith Amusements merged with Dickinson creating Griffith-Dickinson in 1939. Griffith decided to refresh the front of the building to a streamlined moderne look. After a naming contest, the name Katy was chosen with the Katy Theatre debuting June 20, 1941 with Henry Fonda in “Chad Hanna” and Roy Rogers in “The Sheriff of Tombstone.”

Address has typo - 1911 Main is correct.