“Odeum Theater”
114 West Grand Street

Acquired by Hubbards October 16, 1998

History of Movie Theaters in Whitewright

Scenic

Movies first came to Whitewright via the tent in the early 1900s. A few were also shown in the school. A small theater called the Scenic, which the Whitewright Sun called a “first class playhouse,” opened in September 1912 but didn’t last very long.

Odeon

Whitewright’s first historical theater, the Odeon, was opened at 114 West Grand Street [CORRECT?] by Morehead and Mangrum on May 22, 1914. Ticket prices were 5 and 10 cents.

The Odeon was purchased in the early 1920s by Roscoe Pace and B. Legg, theater men from Denison who at the time owned the Lyric in Van Alstyne and theaters at Denison and Clarksville. The two operated the Odeon until February 11, 1926.

Fire in Odeon, 1925

R&R

Pace and Legg sold the Odeon to the Robb and Rowley movie chain. Mr. Rowley’s mother, Mrs. Edward Rowley, moved to Whitewright to become manager of the theater. The new owners immediately changed the theater’s name to simply R&R. The building was remodeled and made into a fine movie house. After operating the R&R for only one year, Mrs. Rowley became ill and had to return to Dallas.

Palace

Now the R&R was sold to Theodore Miller of Mount Vernon, Texas. He changed its name to the Palace. In the 1930s, Miller sold the Palace to Cloy Horton and Joe Johnson, who operated it for a few seasons.

On August 21, 1941, Marshall B. Hasty and Mary Hasty, from Dardanelle, Arkansas, purchased the Palace. They completely remodeled the theater, replacing equipment and seats at a cost of several thousand dollars. A new canopy was raised outside, complete with Whitewright’s first fluorescent lights and neon sign. On April 12, 1943, the night watchman, W. M. Gates, turned in a fire alarm when he discovered fire in the Palace building. The building was owned by Mrs. P. J. Pearce.

The Hastys immediately began to rebuild the Palace, although encountering many problems. Supplies were hard to get during wartime. Five local men were hired to do the carpentry work. Even so, with new picture machines, sound equipment, and cooling system, as well as good second-hand seats, the Palace reopened in grand style on August 27, 1943.

In the later part of 1947, the Hastys sold the Palace to Mr. and Mrs. George Hite. The Hites also owned the Arcadia at Bells. The Hites operated the Palace for the next three years, then sold it.

Linda

The new owners changed its name to the Linda. This theater was an exciting meeting place on Saturday afternoons in Whitewright. During the 1940s and 1950s, there were Saturday afternoon matinees (mainly for younger audiences), a Saturday night movie, and a midnight movie (late show, which usually ended at midnight) which was especially popular with teenagers.

During these years before television and sports became popular, a large number of families looked forward to coming to town on Saturday afternoons and staying until late at night. It was a time when people visited, shopped, and took a break from their everyday chores.

The Linda closed in the late 1960s. J. B. House bought the theater in 1971 from George Hite.

Odeum

In 1998, Kenneth and Patricia Hubbard purchased the old Linda Theater building from Mrs. Buford House. Rebuilding of the theater, to be rechristened the Odeum, began in February 2000, taking over six months to complete. After a special preview showing the night before, the Odeum opened to the public on September 16, 2000.

Largo Construction Company of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, was the theater’s construction contractor. State-of-the-art theater equipment included a $50,000 Dolby Digital Surround-Ex Sound system, premium seating providing extraordinary comfort, and the newest projection equipment available. The theater accommodated 154 seats and a small lobby with concession stand. The feature changed every Friday.

Reflecting the Hubbards’ enthusiasm for Egyptian history and culture, the theater’s decor was organized around Egyptian motifs. Stained-glass panels were created by Mike Williams of Old Katy Glassworks in Denison. Kimberley Minchey of Inspirations by Design in Sherman did wall textures and faux finishes. Mart Means of Bonham contributed murals. Jim Mustard, who served as consultant for Largo, remained in Whitewright to manage the theater.

Sources:

“New Theater Opens,” Whitewright Sun, September 27, 1912.

“Palace Theatre Destroyed by Fire,” Whitewright Sun, April 15, 1943.

“Palace Theatre Opens Friday,” Whitewright Sun, August 26, 1943.

“History of W’wright’s Theater,” Whitewright Sun, March 12, 1992.

“Let’s Go to the Movie! Whitewright’s New Movie Theater to Open Sept. 16th,” Whitewright Sun, August 31, 2000.

Gary Carter, “Night Life Returning to Whitewright: Old Theater Will Soon Be Reopened in Downtown,” Herald Democrat, September 4, 2000.

“Whitewright’s New Movie Theater Odeum to Open Saturday, Sept. 16,” Whitewright Sun, September 14, 2000.

Gary Carter, “Odeum Opens to Packed House,” Herald Democrat, September 17, 2000.

Pokey Combs, “It Was a Night to Remember! Hubbards Unveil New Odeum Theater,” Whitewright Sun, September 21, 2000.