Lost Theatres

To fully list all of the Houston theatres that are now lost would take a whole website to itself. The sad fact is that most all of the historic theatres that the city once possessed are now gone. While a few still stand, they are mostly abandoned buildings that have long since been used to run a motion picture.

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The ones intact and in use can be counted on one hand: The 1926 Ritz Theatre, later rechristened as the Majestic Metro, is used for special events. It is the only theatre from the silent era still intact in its original condition. The River Oaks Theatre is still used for motion pictures, and is beloved by film lovers across the city. The Alabama Theatre underwent a full restoration when converted into a Bookstop retail store in 1984, retaining its original decor. It was then repurposed into a Trader Joe’s with less regard to its interior design.

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The grand downtown picture palaces – the Majestic, Loew’s State, Metropolitan, Queen, and Kirby – are all gone (see the Picture Palaces page), as are many others.

 

The newer multicinemas heve not been immune to obsolescence. The Cineplex Odeon Spectrum lasted far under two decades and its River Oaks Plaza only twelve years. General Cinema’s rebuilt Meyerland Theatre opened its doors in 1995, closed in 2003, and was subsequently razed.

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Stadium seating brought about the demise of many of these newer cinemas but even that did not save the Cinemark Tinseltown USA Westchase at Beltway 8 and Richmond Avenue. It opened in 1996 and was torn down in ?????? for new development.

 

Below are just a few of the lost.