Historic Paramount Theatre

by Steve Templeton

Title

Historic Paramount Theatre

Artist

Steve Templeton

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photograph

Description

This lightpainting of the Historic Paramount Theatre is actually "Take #2." The first version was done from the ground floor, just under the edge of the balcony. I used a wider angle lens and moved up to the front of the balcony for the image you see here.

My favorite thing about this grand old lady (which my father worked in as an usher back in the day) is all the twinkling stars and clouds that move about the ceiling during performances.

The Paramount was built in 1930 by H. O. Wooten, adjacent to his Hotel Wooten. Opening night was May 19, 1930, with the film, Safety in Numbers starring Carole Lombard.

The Paramount continued to operate as a movie theater until the 1970s, when the decline of downtown Abilene resulted in declining box office revenue. The theater was closed in 1979 for the first time since opening in 1930. The Abilene Preservation League formed the Paramount Committee to prevent the building from eminent demolition by working with the National Register of Historic Places.

The Paramount was later restored with funding from Julia Matthews and the Dodge Jones Foundation in 1986.

Uploaded

June 1st, 2022

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