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Built
in 1915, remodeled in 1930 and 1959
TE Photo |
The
beauty of this building makes it one of the jewels of Congress Avenue.
The theater was built in 1915, but the date inscribed over the windows
shows the date the Nalle family acquired the property. The name is
that of Joseph Nalle, a former Mayor of Austin, but the theater
was the idea of his son, Ernest. It opened on October 11, 1915,
only eight short months after the bid was accepted
The cost was $150,000. |
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The
Paramount Theater
TE photo |
John
Eberson
was a Chicago architect who specialized in theaters In addition to
the Paramount, he also designed theaters in Dallas, Houston and San
Antonio, many of them still standing today. (See San Antonio's Majestic
Theater - Coming soon.)
In 1930, The property was bought and the theater was renamed the Paramount.
Air conditioning replaced the ceiling fans and the huge organ, which
had accompanied silent films, was donated to a local church. The ticket
kiosk was eliminated and the lobby was altered to accommodate a refreshment
stand.
The roster of names to perform at the theater includes Helen Hays,
Katherine Hepburn, and Anna Pavlova.
Live
performances decreased as popularity waned, but they continued up
until 1960, about the time the theater underwent another remodeling.
Despite the several remodelings, Austinites who attended movies and
performances there in the 1920s would probably still recognize the
building today.
In 1975 The Paramount Theater for the Performing Arts Inc. leased
the building and currently shows selected movies and hosts occasional
live performances.
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© John Troesser
September 2001
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