Motion pictures were shown in Egyptian temples, exotic Spanish gardens, and downtown picture palaces fit for a king. Art deco theatres could be found in neighborhoods across the city, and kiddie shows were standard fare for a Saturday morning. Summer evenings could be spent at the drive-in, of which there were nearly two dozen to choose from. Most all of these theatres are gone, with only a precious few intact such as the Alabama, River Oaks, Capitan, and Ritz/Majestic Metro. From the early nickelodeons and movie palaces to the modern megaplex cinema, these are the venues where Houstonians sought out their movie entertainment.

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"We sell tickets to theatres, not movies." – Marcus Loew HOME Lost Theatres The Palaces Majestic Metro River Oaks Theatre Alabama Bookstop NOW SHOWING AT YOUR FAVORITE BOOKSTORE by David Welling See larger image Cinema Houston celebrates a vibrant century of movie theatres and moviegoing in Texas's largest city. Illustrated with more than two hundred historical photographs, newspaper clippings, and advertisements, it traces the history of Houston movie theatres from their early twentieth-century beginnings to the present. While preserving the glories of Houston's lost movie palaces, Cinema Houston also vividly re-creates the moviegoing experience, chronicling midnight movie madness, summer nights at the drive-in, and all those tasty snacks at the concession stand.   AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS Julia Ideson Award 2008 Friends of the Texas Room Antoinette Forrester Downing Award, 2009 Society of Architectural Historians Read more >> Contact Neighborhood Theatres Multicinemas Drive-ins Alvin Related Links Silent Film Sites About Cinema Houston

© 2016 David Welling