Fox Theatre

dallasmovietheaters on September 23, 2024 at 6:35 pm

The Fox Theatre operated consecutively for 35 years opening in May of 1924 on a grind house policy playing exploitation films and third-tier double-features of Hollywood fare. It called itself the “dime theater” in its earliest days because of its ultra low admission price. Not associated with the Fox Theatre Circuit, the independent movie house was located on Waco’s Square at 105 South Third Street first advertising in 1924. However, in 1926 owner J.A. Lemke expanded the Fox and its seating into the Rosenberg Building at 103 South Street. Lemke also operated Waco’s Crystal Theater and the Palace Theatre in West, Texas.

The Fox converted to sound to remain viable on September 25, 1930 with The Marx Brothers in “The Coconuts” supported by the comedy short, “Whirls and Girls.” During its run, the theater survived a screen fire, a projection room fire, and the massive tornado of May 11, 1953 that caused death and destruction while destroying some of the 100 block of Third Street. Somehow the Fox was spared as the twister opened only a major hole in the Fox’s roof and decimated businesses

As then-owner W.R. Phillips was repairing the tornado-damaged roof, burglars went in during off-hours through the roof’s hole and stole the change from both the peanut vending machine and the penny scale. Undaunted, the Fox continued past its third decade of operation. It tried Spanish language films on weekdays in the late 1950s, exploitation films on weekends. The venue even had a brief run as the Mexico Theatre. The Fox initially closed following the Feb. 28, 1959 screenings of “The Curse of Frankenstein” and “Johnny Trouble.” Likely an end-of-lease situation and probably a 35-year run though could be longer for the Fox.

It used for non-cinematic purposes into the early 1960s. But it came back from non-cinematic operation in the 1960s before closing permanently on September 15, 1966 with a double-feature of “Yo, el Mujeriego” and “Suicidate mi Amor.” The building became home to a furniture store before an urban renewal demolition plan in the 1970s. At that point it became home to a parking lot; but the former theater’s location houses the Waco Chamber of Commerce built in 2008.