El Nacional Theatre, San Antonio, Texas

El Nacional Theatre

West Commerce Street and North Santa Rosa Avenue in San Antonio. 

Photographer: Russell Lee, March 1939 United States Farm Security Administration

Boxoffice, March 3, 1945:

"In this progressive southern city, El Nacional Theatre was designed by architect N. Straus Nayfach and erected in 1940 to fit a unique locale and patronage.

"El Nacional is distinctly Latin-American in flavor yet outstandingly modern in conception, a combination of qualities designed to appeal to and win the patronage of San Antonio's large Latin-American population.

"It is a large house, seating approximately 2,000, showing Mexican and other Spanish language pictures as well as American product."

The above photograph, taken in 1939 would dispute Boxoffice's opening date of 1940.

City Streets
Castillos en el aire

Since 1997 theatre historian,  Cezar Del Valle, has conducted a popular series of  theatre talks and walks, available for  historical societies, libraries, senior centers, etc.

Walks also available at Local Expeditions

Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, a three-volume history of borough theatres.

The first two chosen 2010 OUTSTANDING BOOK OF THE YEAR by the Theatre Historical Society. Final volume published in September 2014.

Editing and updating the third edition of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, Volume I.

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Palace Theatre, 201 S. Main Street, McAllen, TX 78501

Uploaded on June 11, 2012, a chrome postcard of South Main Street, in McAllen Texas, is my most popular theatre post on Flickr.

As of August 6, 2013, it has been viewed 9,472 times. The reasons for the card's popularity totally eludes me. No one has chosen it as a favorite. The only comment states "mcallen Texas 1954," the same information included in the caption.

What separates this Main Street from all the others I have on Flickr? Does the Palace Theatre evoke that many memories or is it the street itself?

As concerns the Palace, according to author M. D. John Loomis, it was "one of two theaters in the Anglo part of town" and would not allow Mexicans ( Wandering Heart: A Gay Men's Journey).

Postcard part of the Theatre Talks Collection, please ask permission to copy and/or use.

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

He is available for theatre talks and walks in 2013.