LOCAL Houston | The City Guide December 2016 | Page 38

Heights Theater – photo by Ray Redding

USHERING

ERA

River Oaks Theatre – photo courtesy Landmark Theatres

GISH AT THE MOVIES
in a new

DeLuxe Theater – photo courtesy Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation

I managed the 1939 River Oaks Theatre in the
1990s so I’ve always had a soft spot for historic
theatres. When it was in danger of being torn down
in 2007, I founded a now-defunct group called “Save
Our Landmarks” that was instrumental in getting the
theatre registered as a city landmark. It’s not a “protected landmark” – something that the owners must
apply for – so its fate is still not sealed. But in the
meantime, we get to enjoy it as Houston’s longestrunning movie theatre.
According to historian DAVID WELLING (author of Cinema
Houston), in the 1930s and 1940s, Houston had
almost two dozen theatres that ranged from Egyptian
temples to exotic Spanish gardens to majestic downtown palaces to art deco beauties. Unfortunately, most
of those theatres are gone, save the River Oaks and a
few others heading for decay. But there are two gems
that have been recently rehabbed and, although they
are no longer showing films, their newfound life pays
homage to their illustrious history in the Houston film
scene. Both theatres will soon be listed in the National
Register of Historic Places, and both theatres have
been re-opened just one year.
The DeLuxe Theater (www.thedeluxetheater.com/) opened
in 1941 as the first African-American movie house

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in Houston and was one of the few theatres blacks
could go to during segregation. It sits in the heart of
Fifth Ward, a 150-year-old historic neighborhood that
KATHY FLANAGAN PAYTON, the vibrant director of the Fifth
Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation, calls
“a community of choice.” The theatre sat vacant for 40
years as a shell, so when the City of Houston acquired
it in 2009, the decision was made to restore it to its
original art deco style as a stimulus to the neighborhood. The FWCRC rents the building for $1 a year
from the City with the agreement that they will program
it and Texas Southern University uses the building for
theatre classes, shows and networking events.

EDWIN CABANISS of Dallas told me his passions include
historic preservation, the arts and neighborhoods so
the 1929 Heights Theater (www.theheightstheater.com) was
a perfect combination of all three. He was thrilled to
be able to purchase it from SHARON and GUS KOPRIVA,
who had already started the historic designation
process. Like the DeLuxe Theatre, the Heights Theater
stands as an anchor in the neighborhood not only for
its connection to history but also as a gathering spot
for the community with a robust schedule of musicians
coming to play, including JOE ELY, SARA WATKINS and
LOS TEXMANIACS.

WANT TO SEE MORE ART FILMS?
CHECK OUT THESE VENUES

14 Pews (www.14pews.org)
Alamo Drafthouse (www.drafthouse.com)
Asia Society (www.asiasociety.org/texas)
Aurora Picture Show (www.aurorapictureshow.org)
Blaffer Art Museum (www.blafferartmuseum.org)
Café Brasil (www.cafe-brasil.net)
Contemporary Arts Museum (www.camh.org)
Discovery Green (www.discoverygreen.com)
DiverseWorks (www.diverseworks.org)
Holocaust Museum (www.hmh.org)
Jewish Community Center (www.erjcchouston.org)
Landmark River Oaks Theatre (www.landmarktheatres.com)
Menil Collection (www.menil.org)
Miller Outdoor Theatre (www.milleroutdoortheatre.com)
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (www.mfah.org/films)
Orange Show (www.orangeshow.org)
Rice Cinema (www.ricecinema.rice.edu)
Sundance Cinemas (www.sundancecinemas.com)
By Sarah Gish | www.gishcreative.com