Texas Theatre

33 W. Twohig Avenue,
San Angelo, TX 76903

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Robb & Rowley-United Inc., Rowley United Theatres Inc., United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.

Architects: W. Scott Dunne

Styles: Atmospheric, Mission Revival, Streamline Moderne

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News About This Theater

Texas Theatre

The Texas Theatre opened on Thanksgiving day November 28, 1929 with Conrad Nagel in “The Hollywood Revue of 1929”. It was first owned by R&R Theatres of Dallas, TX. This is a mammoth theatre for a small city. I’d guess it’s four to five stories tall. The façade was your typical Mission Revival style with bell towers and tile roofs, but at some point, perhaps during the 1940’s, a Streamline Moderne style façade covered all but the top story. This façade features a huge outline of Texas which looks as though it had neon tubing at one point. The marquee is most impressive, even if all the tubing is gone.

United Artists Theatre bought it in 1956, and it closed in 1983.

The theatre appears to have been derelict for some time, and it looked like someone was working on it in 2004, but nothing happened. The interior looks rather stripped down, and the lobby was glassed in at some point with the removal of the external ticket booth. Old painted advertisements are still visible on the back which proclaim that the Texas Theatre is ‘the largest and finest in the West’.

The theatre is for sale at $150,000.00 but it would need $6m for restoration.

Contributed by Seth Gaines, Glen Carr

Recent comments (view all 43 comments)

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on July 13, 2010 at 12:28 am

That theatre MUST be saved!

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on September 25, 2010 at 3:08 pm

From 1961 a movie ad from the Texas Theatre in San Angelo.

spectrum
spectrum on December 16, 2010 at 5:34 am

Still closed, but the facade and marquee look in good shape – very fancy marquee! Looks like the building is a converted church.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on December 17, 2010 at 7:28 pm

Thanks Don,for the ad.

sharlee420
sharlee420 on February 2, 2013 at 6:54 am

I would love to get my grandfather back in here. He is always telling me stories about all the theaters in San Angelo that were run by Rowley United. I was showing him the pictures that Mrs. Durbin posted on here. he told me about the ceiling, and how they changed the lights, the bolier in the basement, and the building on the roof.

pnelson
pnelson on July 4, 2015 at 2:38 am

Handsome interior detail and great proscenium. Did ceiling have lights for stars? Should have been restored. Exterior was nicer before art moderne conversion.

cbmonte87
cbmonte87 on September 2, 2015 at 10:42 pm

Hey Everyone,

After looking at the website, I am Just putting this out there, would anyone be interested in making a co-op theater? I mean I was a part of one that is located in Canada and it worked out fairly well, I am sure that this theater would be just the same.

What they did was form a co-op and then get the theater, and run it by having either memberships or bonds that where sold. We can come up with some ideas and things, this is to great of a theater to just let sit there.

What do you guys think?

malcolmdbc39
malcolmdbc39 on November 24, 2015 at 9:15 pm

How many balconies does this theater have?

Chris1982
Chris1982 on November 25, 2015 at 4:43 am

From the photos on the photo page it looks like one balcony.

rivest266
rivest266 on August 27, 2021 at 7:19 pm

Grand opening ad posted.

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