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Paramount Theatre (photo credit Volker Schubert)

Paramount Theatre

Abilene, Texas, United States

First Opened: 19th May 1930 (93 years ago)

Reopened as the Paramount Opry: 12th January 1980

Reopened as the Paramount Country Music Hall: 24th May 1980

Reopened as a performing arts center: 21st May 1987

Atmospheric Style: Hispano-Italian

Architect: David S. Castle

Former Names: Paramount Opry, Paramount Country Music Hall

Website: paramount-abilene.org Link opens in new window

Address: 352 Cypress St, Abilene, TX 79601 Link opens in new window

National Register of Historic Places: #82001739 Link opens in new window (added 27th December 1982)


Overview

The Paramount Theatre was built by local philanthropist Horace O. Wooten for the exhibition of first-run movies and stage shows. Wooten engaged local architect David Castle to design the 1,500-seat theatre in an Atmospheric style, with a mixed Spanish and Italian courtyard theme, for $100,000.

Wooten had established his grain business in Abilene in the late 1800s, from which he began to build his fortune establishing a grocery company which was invaluable to the newly developing community and the West Texas area. Wooten’s business interests were diverse, including farming, ranching, and a railroad business. He was instrumental in the establishment of Abilene’s McMurray College and was the first president of the college’s Board of Trustees.

The Atmospheric interior was noted for its sky-effect ceiling and patio walls “hung with thousands of roses, magnolia blossoms, Spanish creeper and red bougainviglia [sic]”. Behind the faux garden walls rose Italian cypress trees. The predominant colors were “Spanish browns, reds and yellows”. The auditorium was reminiscent of a Spanish hacienda augmented with Italian decorative pieces. Interior decoration work was carried-out by Otto Bowmen, Dallas interior decorator.

In August 1942 the theatre hosted the premiere of Unusual Occupations Link opens in new window. In November 1963 it hosted the premiere of Take Her, She’s Mine Link opens in new window with stars Jimmy Stewart and Sandra Dee attending in person.

The Paramount closed as a movie theatre in September 1979 and was sold by the Wooten family to the Wolfe Investment Company in October of that year. The theatre was subsequently leased to the Paramount Opry of Abilene, Inc., and reopened in January 1980 as the Paramount Opry. After a three-and-a-half month unsuccessful run as the Opry, and another unsuccessful short run starting in mid-May of the same year as the Paramount Country Music Hall, the Paramount was purchased by the Abilene Preservation League on 31st December 1980.

The Abilene Preservation League formed the Paramount Committee to prevent the building from eminent demolition and successfully applied to have the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Paramount reopened in May 1987 as a performing arts center, having received funding from Julia Matthews and the Dodge Jones Foundation.

Further Reading

Online

Historic Photos & Documents
Five page feature on the theatre’s opening, as printed in the 18th May 1930 edition of the <i>Abilene Daily Reporter</i> (4MB PDF)
Five page feature on the theatre’s opening, as printed in the 18th May 1930 edition of the Abilene Daily Reporter (4MB PDF)
Sketch of the theatre’s exterior as featured in the 18th May 1930 edition of the <i>Abilene Daily Reporter</i> (JPG)
Sketch of the theatre’s exterior as featured in the 18th May 1930 edition of the Abilene Daily Reporter (JPG)
Discussion of the theatre’s future as featured in the 11th November 1980 edition of the <i>Abilene Reporter-News</i> (270KB PDF)
Discussion of the theatre’s future as featured in the 11th November 1980 edition of the Abilene Reporter-News (270KB PDF)
Files displayed in this section may be subject to copyright; refer to our Copyright Fair Use Statement regarding our use of copyrighted media.

Photos of the Paramount Theatre

Photo credits are noted where data was available at the time of inclusion. Photos displayed here may be subject to copyright; refer to our Copyright Fair Use Statement regarding our use of copyrighted media and contact us Contact Us with any concerns.

Auditorium
Paramount Theatre: Auditorium, courtesy <i>Volker Schubert</i> via Google
Auditorium, courtesy Volker Schubert via Google
Paramount Theatre: Auditorium, courtesy <i>Paramount Abilene</i>
Auditorium, courtesy Paramount Abilene


Photographs copyright © 2002-2023 Mike Hume / Historic Theatre Photos unless otherwise noted.

Text copyright © 2017-2023 Mike Hume / Historic Theatre Photos.

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