Broadway Theatre
4940 Broadway,
San Antonio,
TX
78209
4940 Broadway,
San Antonio,
TX
78209
4 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Interstate Theatres Inc. & Texas Consolidated Theaters Inc.
Architects: H. F. Pettigrew, John A. Worley
Firms: Pettigrew & Worley
Functions: Office Space
Styles: Art Deco
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News About This Theater
- Oct 13, 2010 — Happy 55th, Todd-AO & "Oklahoma!"
- Jun 18, 2010 — "Jaws"... Happy 35th!
- May 14, 2010 — Please Post Today, May 14 --- "Jaws," Happy 35th
- Nov 18, 2009 — Happy 50th, "Ben-Hur"
- Oct 30, 2009 — Happy 50th, "Sleeping Beauty"
Opened June 30, 1939, this was a very attractive theatre in the Art Deco style. The large front façade with the upper portion in a dark pink polished granite with the Art Deco lines down each side and two sections in the middle. Large vertical “Broadway” sign. Lower portion of the façade in a cream color polished granite that is rounded on each side leading into the entrance of the theatre. It had a fairly large triangular marquee with three rows for attraction listings. The box office was to the right side of the entrance.
A large lobby with a good sized balcony. Carpeting throughout the theatre was in a burgundy with abstract patterns. A rather plain auditorium. Total seating was 912. The theatre is located in the Alamo Heights area. It was closed in 1977. A very impressive building and in great shape. With the acquisition of the adjoining property it would make a great multiplex using the existing theatre as the main auditorium much like the Esquire Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
This movie house was converted into a spec office building in the late 80’s. Although the building has been converted and large windows penetrate the old theater walls, the marquee and Broadway sign remain without the neon lighting.
As I remember, this was a subrun theater in San Antonio til 1956, when Interstate Theaters Inc renovated the house and made it the reserved seat 70 MM venue for San Antonio. Didn’t it open OKLAHOMA and AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS? I saw 80 DAYS there and what a presentation. I also think it opened BEN HUR.
The Broadway had Todd A-O projectors installed for the first run of “Around The World In 80 Days”. Todd A-O was 70mm projection that ran 30 frames per second as opposed to the normal 24 frames per second. One of the original Brenkert BX-80 setups was left installed to run cartoons and 35mm coming attractions before the great 70mm show. The Broadway ran some of the biggest movies through the 1970s including “The Exorcist” and “Jaws”. There would be lines around the theatre for people to buy tickets for the blockbusters! There was a green curtain in front of the Broadway’s big screen. The houselights were simple stainless steel chandeliers that projected the light upward to the ceiling. There were lights on the side walls too. The Broadway also had a satellite snack bar on the mezzanine to the balcony.
A friend of mine has one of the Todd A-O projectors from the Broadway. They were the very finest projectors ever made. Every gear and bearing are the originals.
Why does it say 1982?
The Broadway opened in 1939, and was one of many theaters designed for the Interstate Circuit during that period by the Dallas firm of Pettigrew & Worley. H.F. Pettigrew and John A. Worley were members of the Advisory Board of Boxoffice Magazine’s Modern Theatre Planning Institute. The Broadway was featured in an illustrated article in Boxoffice’s issue of November 11, 1939.
Here is the article to which Joe referred:
http://tinyurl.com/y9vxmqz
This opened on June 30th, 1939. Grand opening ad posted.
Closed in 1977.