Texas Theatre
The Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas;
during renovations in March 2006 |
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| Address | 231 West Jefferson Boulevard Dallas, Texas United States |
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| Owner | Oak Cliff Foundation |
| Operator | Aviation Cinemas |
| Type | movie palace |
| Screens | 1 |
| Current use | Cinema |
| Opened | 1931 |
| Website | |
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Texas Theatre
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| Coordinates | 32°44′36″N 96°49′33.5″W / 32.74333°N 96.825972°WCoordinates: 32°44′36″N 96°49′33.5″W / 32.74333°N 96.825972°W |
| Architect | W. Scott Dunne |
| NRHP Reference # | 03000187 |
| RTHL # | 17723 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 1, 2003 |
| Designated RTHL | 2013 |
The Texas Theatre is a movie theater and Dallas Landmark located in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. It gained historical significance on November 22, 1963 as the location of Lee Harvey Oswald's arrest for the Assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy and the killing of Dallas police officer J. D. Tippit. Today, it hosts a mix of repertory cinema and special events.
When first opened in 1931, the Texas Theatre was the largest suburban movie theater in Dallas and was part of a chain of theaters financed by Howard Hughes. It was the first theater in Dallas with air conditioning and featured many state-of-the-art luxuries.
On November 22, 1963, Warren "Butch" Burroughs, who ran the concession stand at the Texas Theater where Oswald was arrested, said that Oswald came into the theater between 1:00 and 1:07 pm; he also claimed he sold Oswald pop-corn at 1:15 p.m.. Julia Postal told the Warren Commission that Burroughs initially told her the same thing although he later denied this.http://history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh7/html/WC_Vol7_0011a.htm Theatre Patron, Jack Davis, also corroborated Burroughs' time, claiming he observed Oswald in the theatre prior to 1:20 pm.The films presented that day were Cry of Battle and War Is Hell, which Oswald briefly viewed.
As a commemoration of the historic capture, the words "Lee Harvey Oswald, November 22, 1963" were later inscribed in gold paint on the chair Oswald (supposedly) occupied — three rows from the rear, five seats from the aisle. However, the actual chair was removed by then manager "Butch" Burroughs, who took it home and replaced it with another which the FBI confiscated the next day for evidence thinking it was the original Oswald seat.
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