About Texas Theatre
The Texas Theatre was opened at 231 West Jefferson Boulevard with fanfare on San Jacinto Day, April 21, 1931. The Texas Theatre was the novelty of longtime Oak Cliff resident and entrepreneur, C. R. McHenry, better known in the community as “Uncle Mack.” McHenry’s dream was to build a theater with state-of-the-art projection and sound equipment.
McHenry partnered with four Dallas-area businessmen to help him realize this dream: Harold B. Robb, E. H. Rowley, (Robb & Rowley Theatres) W. G. Underwood and David Bernbaum. Together they hired renowned architect W. Scott Dunne to design the Texas. He opted for a “Venetian” style, quite similar to his earlier Texas Theater in San Angelo. The design included opera boxes in the auditorium under a full night sky, fountains, projected clouds on the ceiling, and of course a giant chandelier. The completed theatre was the largest “suburban” movie house and the third-largest theatre in Dallas.
The Texas’ developers spared no expense and boasted that the theater was “fireproof” – constructed entirely of concrete. The theatre was the first in the area built for talking pictures and it featured the second-largest Barton organ in Dallas. However, McHenry was most proud of the cooling and ventilation system which blew 200,000 cubic feet of air per minute through a water-cooled system pumped from a 4,000-gallon tank. The cooling system made “The Texas” the first theater in Dallas with air conditioning. Billionaire film producer and renowned aviator Howard Hughes and his business partner Harold B. Franklin, another Hollywood producer, briefly owned the Robb & Rowley movie theater chain in the early 30′s during construction and opening of the Texas Theatre.
On November 22, 1963 at approximately 1:45 p.m., nearly 15 Dallas police officers converged on the Texas Theatre in search of a man who had entered without paying. That man was Lee Harvey Oswald – murder suspect in the slaying of Officer J.D. Tippit and later President John F. Kennedy’s accused lone assassin. He ducked into the theatre during an in-progress showing of War Is Hell and sat near the back of the auditorium. John Brewer, the manager of the shoe store a few doors east of the theatre, had seen him loitering suspiciously outside his store and had noticed he matched the description being broadcast over the radio of the man who had shot local beat officer – and off-duty Texas Theatre security guard – J. D. Tippit. Mr. Brewer stepped out of his store and saw Oswald enter the theatre; he alerted Mrs. Julia Postal, who worked in the box office. She called the police and Mr. Brewer stuck around to point Oswald out to the officers when they arrived.
As the Texas Theatre rocketed into the international spotlight, an urgency to hide, deny and destroy it tore its way through Dallas. Shortly thereafter—in what is coined locally among preservationists as the most comprehensive architectural cover-up of the Twentieth Century—the theater’s vibrant designs, false bridges, towers and campaniles, decorative wood railings, and star and cloud painted ceilings were sealed from public view under a Spanish-style stucco re-design. In approximately two months in early 1965, the theatre received a new, six-flags-of-Texas-themed façade, a new screen, and new upholstery in the auditorium. The front stairwell was turned 180 degrees, to prevent others from sneaking in without a ticket. The box office was moved inside the theatre – another local first. Amazingly, all of this work was carried out while the theatre was still open for business. (It did close for a few days after the project was completed – so they could hold a grand re-opening party.)
As technology in moving, talking, and color pictures progressed and drive-ins and multiplex cinema became the rave, the Texas Theatre’s patrons slowly moved on to other entertainment venues. United Artists closed the theater in 1989. In an attempt to save it, the Texas Theatre Historical Society (TTHS) bought the theater in 1990. Acknowledging its importance to the President’s assassination, TTHS allowed Oliver Stone to remodel the exterior façade for his 1990 film, JFK, to match that of 1963. However in 1992, the Society was no longer able to make the mortgage payments and the theater closed once more. Shortly thereafter, former usher and sign changer Don Dubois of Texas Rosewin-Midway Properties saved the theater from the wrecking ball. Nevertheless, two years later in 1995, it was nearly destroyed by a three-alarm fire, forcing the doors shut yet again.
In 1996, Pedro Villa rescued the theater from demolition when he learned of plans to convert it into a furniture warehouse. However, as Villa’s resources were exhausted and his pleas for investments went unheard, the theater defaulted back to Texas Rosewin-Midway Properties. The tattered and torn building remained vacant for three years, succumbing to vandals, stray animals, and hostile weather.
In 2001 the 501 3c The Oak Cliff Foundation purchased the building and began looking for a new permanent tenant. Several areas of the building were renovated and upgraded by the OCF. The Texas Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
In 2009 Jason Reimer was invited to join the OCF as the creative director by then chairmen Stuart Sikes. After rebranding and holding a series of curated free screenings, Reimer was approached by Barak Epstein with a plan to reopen the theater into a fully functional cinema and events center. Epstein collected filmmaker Eric Steele and founded “Aviation Cinemas” (a nod to Hughes) with Reimer transitioning to join the group. The new operations began via a grand re-opening in the fall of 2010. In 2019, The Aviation team acquired the property from the Oak Cliff Foundation in order to continue to restore and update the theatre.
In 2021, Aviation Cinemas completed a $2 million dollar expansion of the theater via a new upstairs second cinema, new seating area in the balcony and a new upstairs full bar. The new upstairs cinema can seat 165 patrons, offers 35mm and Digital Cinema projection, state of the art surround sound and is fully ADA compliant with a chair lift and elevator access, as well as hearing and visual impaired device assistance. The new capacity of the main auditorium was increased to 670.
Theatre Hours
Our normal theater and bar operations are Thursday to Sunday with doors opening 45 min before showtime. If we have a special event, such as a concert, doors may be adjusted by the promoter of the event. We may also open for special screenings and events other days of the week. Please check our calendar for details.
Bar Hours
The Bar opens 45 min before first showtime Thursday through Sunday. We may also open for special screenings and events other days of the week. Please check our calendar for details. Please check our calendar for details.
Directions
The Texas Theatre is located at 231 W Jefferson Blvd, Dallas, TX 75208. We are along the historic Jefferson Blvd shopping district and 3 blocks from the Bishop Arts District in Oak Cliff.
Parking
FREE Parking is available along Jefferson Blvd after 4pm (meters before 4pm are 25 cents/hour).
FREE Parking is available at the Texas Theatre lot adjacent to the Bank of Texas, at the corner of Madison Ave and Centre St.
Downstairs Auditorium
The downstairs main cinema seats 670 people including the balcony seating and wheelchair access. It is equipped with a Dolby Digital/QSC surround sound system.
Upstairs Auditorium
The new upstairs cinema has 165 seats + spaces for 5 wheelchairs. It is equipped with a Dolby Digital/QSC surround sound system.
Behind the Screen
Our "speakeasy" style music venue takes place in the hidden space behind the screen of our main auditorium.
Bar/Lounge
In the Fall of 2010 Aviation Cinemas installed a few upgrades to the already impressive architecture of the Texas Theatre. One of most important ones is our full service bar. Keeping with the original architect’s century modern aesthetic, while providing contemporary convenience for our patrons, the classy bar is a perfect fit for this historic landmark.
Upstairs Bar
In late 2021 we added a second upstairs full bar to complement the renovations. Visit it during large events or book it for your own private upstairs lounge event!
Info about accessibility here.
WHEN ARE YOU OPEN?
Our normal indoor operations, including our bar area, are open any day with movie screenings and ticketed events (comedy shows, book talks, etc). The lobby opens 45 minutes before the first showtime, or at the posted door times for ticketed events. The bar might be inaccessible without a ticket to specific events. Please check our calendar for details.
HOW MUCH ARE MOVIE TICKETS?
Most movie tickets are $11-15 per person. Some special events vary; check individual shows links for details.
HOW MANY AUDITORIUMS ARE THERE AT THE THEATRE?
Two! The downstairs main cinema seats 670 people including the balcony seating and wheelchair access. The new upstairs cinema has 165 seats + spaces for 5 wheelchairs.
THE BATHROOMS ARE LABELED “MEN” AND “WOMEN”. NEITHER LABEL FITS ME. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?
Health code requires the bathrooms to be labeled along those lines, but please use whichever restroom is most comfortable for you.
CAN I SHOW A MOVIE OR HOLD A PRIVATE EVENT AT THE THEATER?
Yes! Please see our Booking page for more information on rentals and private screenings.
WHAT ARE THE HANDICAP SEATING OPTIONS INSIDE THE AUDITORIUM?
The auditorium has several seats removed to provide spaces for wheelchairs, scooters, etc. These are located back of house right, front of house left, and about 2/3 of the way down the right-center aisle. Sprinkled along both of the center aisles are seats with movable armrests, to facilitate sliding or pivoting into them.
Three of the four aisles are raked, but the left-centre aisle does have a stair.
The new upstairs auditorium has ADA wheelchair access via a chair lift and elevator. The upstairs auditorium also has QSC Closed Captioning and assistive listening devices available to use for movies that provide that meta-data.
CAN I BRING MY BEER/WINE INTO THE AUDITORIUM?
Yes, you can bring alcohol purchased at the Texas Theatre bar inside the auditorium; please bus your area and bring back glassware, bottle, or can to the bar after you are done.
DO YOU HAVE A LOST AND FOUND?
Yes, we maintain a lost and found as a courtesy. The Texas Theatre is neither responsible nor liable for items left on the premises. Items found in the Theatre will be held for 30 days, after which they will be donated or discarded.
WHAT IS THE THEATRE’S POLICY ON OPEN CARRY OR CONCEALED CARRY?
The Texas Theatre does not allow weapons of any kind. 30.06 and 30.07 signs are posted out front.
CAN I GET A TOUR OF THE BUILDING?
If we are able to, we’ll be happy to show you the theatre! Contact us at info@aviationcinemas.com and we’ll do our best to set it up. Tours are $100 per group.
WHERE CAN YOU PARK AT THE THEATER?
The theatre’s free parking lot is located at the southeast corner of Centre St. and Madison Ave., adjacent to the Bank of Texas.
Additional, metered parking is available long Jefferson Blvd. Meters are active from 7am-4pm, seven days a week. They can be paid by coins or mobile app. (they are free after 4pm)
Please refer to the map available by clicking “Directions/Parking” in the upper right-hand corner.
WHERE IS OSWALD’S SEAT?
There were at least two. The police first spotted him sitting in the third row from from the rear, five seats in from the south-center aisle. By the time Officer McDonald reached him, Oswald had moved to the second seat off the aisle in that same row. Technically speaking the original seats are long gone. In addition, since he didn’t pay for a ticket, neither was his seat to begin with.
IS THAT THE ORIGINAL SEAT?
No. That is, the specific seats in which Oswald sat have reportedly been removed; the seats in the auditorium do date to a 1953 update to the theatre.
IS THE THEATER HAUNTED?
Probably not.
A SHOW’S TICKET PAGE SAYS “SOLD OUT” OR “OFF SALE.” HOW DO I GET TICKETS?
Once a show is sold out, it is sold out but it might be a glitch in ticketing software, so try re-refreshing and waiting a few min and try again!
I CLICKED ON THE “BUY TICKETS” LINK FOR A SHOW AND IT TOOK ME TO THE FACEBOOK PAGE. HOW DO I GET TICKETS?
When the “Buy Tickets” link directs you to Facebook, usually this means we don’t have an exact screening time set for a film quite yet. Check back in a few days and you should be able to buy tickets. Occasionally, that links takes you to Facebook for a free show.
I BOUGHT TICKETS TO A SHOW BUT CAN’T FIND MY CONFIRMATION EMAIL. CAN I STILL PICK UP MY TICKETS AT WILL-CALL?
For tickets purchased via Diamond or Fandango Ticketing Services (tickets to regular screenings sold via the Texas Theatre website), if you provided your name at check-out, yes. For tickets purchased via Prekindle or Eventbrite, yes.
I BOUGHT TICKETS TO A SCREENING BUT CANNOT MAKE IT OR HAVE CHANGED MY MIND. CAN I GET A REFUND?
Tickets sold for Texas Theatre-produced events – screenings, concerts, etc – are all final sale. If you purchased tickets to a movie with multiple scheduled screenings, you are welcome to email us about attending a different screening; we will re-accommodate you if possible. If you have a special consideration request or issue, please email us at info@aviationcinemas.com.
WAS ANYONE INJURED AT THE THEATER ON NOVEMBER 22, 1963?
Yes. Multiple police officers were invalided out for weeks following; scrambling around and through a theatre in the dark can be a dangerous undertaking! Although Oswald claimed to have received a walloping by Dallas authorities, no one was shot in or at the theater that day. Officer Tippit was shot and killed a few blocks away, at 10th and Patton, before Oswald sought to hide in the theatre.
WHAT MOVIES WERE SCHEDULED TO PLAY ON NOVEMBER 22, 1963?
“Cry of Battle” and “War is Hell”. “War is Hell” is the feature that was playing when Oswald was apprehended. “Cry of Battle” was scheduled to play later, but after Oswald’s arrest, the theatre was closed for the day.
WHAT MOVIE PLAYED ON APRIL 21, 1931, ON THE GRAND OPENING?
A Mickey Mouse cartoon and a newsreel followed by “Parlor, Bedroom & Bath” starring Buster Keaton.
DID HOWARD HUGHES “BUILD” THE TEXAS THEATRE?
Howard Hughes and Harold B. Franklin purchased the Robb & Rowley Movie theater chain about ten weeks before the theater opened in 1931 (almost a year after construction began) and sold the chain back to them less than a year later.
WHAT ABOUT RKO? DIDN’T HUGHES OWN THAT AND DIDN’T THEY OWN MOVIE THEATERS?
Yes and yes. However Hughes didn’t purchase RKO until 1948. RKO was never involved with the Texas Theatre. United Artists acquired half of the Robb & Rowley stock from Mr. Robb, creating Rowley United; United Artists purchased the balance of the stock from Mr. Rowley several years later and absorbed the Rowley United circuit into the larger United Artists portfolio of the cinemas. United Artists operated the theatre until 1989. Hughes’s film, The Outlaw, starring Jane Russell, did play at the Texas Theatre in 1947.
WHAT IS THE TEXAS THEATRE’S CODE OF CONDUCT POLICY?
The Texas Theatre and Aviation Cinemas have no tolerance for harassment and/or sexual harassment of any kind.
WHAT IS THE TEXAS THEATRE’S STAFF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION POLICY?
The Texas Theatre and Aviation Cinemas strives for staff composition and workplace culture to be diverse, inclusive, and equitable.