La Rita Performing Arts Theatre
311 Denrock Avenue,
Dalhart,
TX
79022
311 Denrock Avenue,
Dalhart,
TX
79022
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The La Rita Theatre opened its doors on February 4, 1931 with Nancy Carroll in “Laughter” along with MGM’s Dogville short “The Dogway Melody” and the Paramount Screen Song “Chinatown, My Chinatown” (listed as simply “China Town” on ad).
Original information about the theater goes as follows: The brick, tile, and steel faced with light-colored brick, terra cotta and fancy tile building measures 50x120ft with the theater being 30x120ft with an office located above the theater. Installations of RCA sound were installed and inside the auditorium has an original capacity of 800 seats as of 1931. The decorations of the theater inside were mainly triangular-shaped globes. W.L. Hamilton who also owns the Mission Theatre was the original owner of the La Rita as well, with Otis Parks being the first operator of the theater.
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Sept. 19, 1962: “Don Gilbert and his partner Ross Erlow have reported that they have closed the LaRita, Delhart, Tex., and the building has been sold.”
Other Voices, Other Towns: The Traveler’s Story, by Caleb Pirtle III, says that the La Rita Theatre closed as a movie house in 1957 and remained dark for nearly a third of a century, finally being renovated for use by the Dalhart Community Theatre in 1989.
Charles, I’ve been listing as closed things that are no longer movie theaters. I don’t see much difference between retail and music shows as far as cinema goes. Of course one preserves the venue better, but neither shows any movies, which is what the site is about. I also am not sure about listing the performing arts places under their current names. After all, this was just the La Rita Theater, and we should list it as such. We don’t list the MacArthur Theater in DC as a CVS.