Arcadia Theater - Temple, TX
Posted by: WalksfarTX
N 31° 05.779 W 097° 20.379
14R E 658357 N 3441460
Built in 1928, the Arcadia Theater was designed with a Spanish Atmospheric style interior, and featured both vaudeville and silent films. Within a couple years of its opening, it began showing talkies.
Waymark Code: WMVK89
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 04/28/2017
Views: 0
Cinema Treasures
The Arcadia Theater features a large stage, and among the stars to appear on it over the years have been Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Robert Mitchum and Sandra Dee. Live performances continued to be presented at the Arcadia Theater along with movies into the 1950’s, when a larger screen was installed, greatly reducing the stage space. From at least the early-1940’s it was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Hoblitzelle & O'Donnell.
The Arcadia Theater closed in 1978, on the exact day it had opened fifty years earlier. The theater soon fell into disrepair, which included a roof collapse and subsequent heavy damage to the interior.
In 2000, the Friends of the Arcadia organization was formed and purchased the theater. In 2003, the group replaced the roof and has since added new signage to the facade of the Arcadia.