Paramount Theatre -- Austin TX
N 30° 16.168 W 097° 44.530
14R E 620990 N 3349314
Three grotesques decorate the frieze above the entrance to the Paramount Theatre, Austin's famed restored performing arts jewel.
Waymark Code: WMH4CG
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 05/20/2013
Views: 11
Austin's famed Paramount Theatre, built in 1915 as a Vaudeville stage theatre, was converted after the end of the burlesque era in the 1930s into a movie palace. Today the Paramount hosts both movies and live stage shows.
It has a frieze with two dates, 1885 and 1915. Between these dates is the name Joseph Nalle. But who is Joseph Nalle, and why the two dates?
The super blogger-sleuths at Texas Escapes have the answer: (
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"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." [end]
Joseph Nalle was Mayor of Austin from 1887-1890. Source: (
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BUT -- what about the grotesques? They are all alike, older bearded men with exaggerated features and fierce expressions. Are they depictions of Mayor Nalle? Unlikely, since his son Ernest built the theatre in 1915.
Perhaps these are depictions of Dionysus, the Greek (or Roman) god of theater? No -- he is clean-shaven.
Maybe these are idealized depictions of theatre critics -- yeah! That's the ticket!! :)