Perot Theatre
219 Main Street,
Texarkana,
TX
75501
219 Main Street,
Texarkana,
TX
75501
6 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council -- Perot Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount-Publix, Saenger Amusement Company
Architects: Emile Weil
Functions: Concerts, Live Performances
Styles: Italian Renaissance, Neo-Classical
Previous Names: Saenger Theatre, Paramount Theatre
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
903.792.4992
Nearby Theaters
The Perot Theatre was built in 1924 by the Saenger Amusement Company, but was purchased a few years later, in 1931, by the Paramount chain. As admissions dried up in the 1970’s, the theater became a second-run house, eventually closed in 1977.
Reopening after a $2.5 million restoration in 1979-80, the Perot Theatre was granted state and national landmark status and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Former Presidential candidate and Reform Party founder Ross Perot dedicated a statue of his brother, who died at the age of 3, in the Perot Theatre.
This statue, of a small boy waving, has been placed on the theater’s second floor.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
The Perot Theatre web site can be found at http://www.trahc.org/perot.htm
Originally being a Saenger theatre, this theatre must have once had a Robert Morton pipe organ in it. Does anyone know what happened to the organ? I would guess the siaze of the organ was somewhere between 6 and 10 ranks.
Yes, according to the Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ, Vol. II, this theatre had a 2m/6r Robert Morton organ installed in the 1920’s.
Does anyone know what became of this organ?
Here are a series of articles from the Texarkana Gazette that discuss this theater:
http://tinyurl.com/39w57j
This is a 1987 photo of Saenger Theatre in Texarkana.
http://landmarkhunter.com/121634-saenger-theater/
According to the TheatreOrgans dot com online searchable database of organ installations, the Saenger Theatre in Texarkana originally had a 2/8 Hillgreen-Lane theatre pipe organ, opus 424, installed in 1916 at a cost of $2,475. It is possible that the Robert-Morton later replaced it.
[note: in this entry, “Saenger” is misspelled “Saeger”, which is why you probably couldn’t find it, Lost Memory]
I would love to know what happened to both organs! The earlier organ’s blower # was 6827, if that helps.
OH WAIT I just noticed that this theatre was built in 1924. D'oh! Was there another “Saenger” or “Saeger” theatre in Texarkana in 1916???
When I lived in Texarkana from 58 to 63, I remember me and my mom and my brother would go to that theater a lot.I remember going to the popeye buddy club Saturday morning show.Isaw House on haunted hill, Abbot, and Costello’s Jack and the bean stalk, flat version of house of wax.I also saw the regular feature, like the day of the Triffids. I remember sneaking into the balcony that was closed .Seeing the second time Cleopatra, we saw it in Shreveport earlier.I had confronted segregation when I saw a black ticket lady on the left side of the building, for the balcony seats.I was wondering why there were two ticket stands.This was in 60 or 59.I’m glad it was restored and fixed up.I had assumed they might have made it into a multiplex, but they didn’t or torn it down.I’ve seen the website .the auditorium is beautiful than ever before .