HUNTSVILLE HISTORY
75 years of entertainment
Historic Old Town Theatre continues to be a beacon of community
STORY & PHOTOS BY JOSEPH BROWN
2020 was a torrid year for theatres across America , having been mostly shut since March due to the coronavirus pandemic .
That includes the iconic Old Town Theatre in Huntsville , which dates its history back nearly 75 years .
The then Town Theatre made its debut back in May 1947 , touted as “ Huntsville ’ s newest and finest motion picture house .” A 2 p . m . showing of “ Billy the Kid ,” Outlaw and an 11 p . m . showing of “ Sinbad the Sailor ” were the first two movies at the theatre at a price of 35 cents for adults and nine cents for kids .
In about 1950 , the theatre featured Huntsville ’ s first X-rated movie , playing to a packed house at a midnight performance attended by the football boys and other young men from the Sam Houston State Teachers College .
The theatre remained open until 1974 , and was then transformed into a church and later a Kentron , Inc . — a traffic signal manufacturer . Kentron remained open for just over 15 years , until a fire destroyed the roof and parts of the interior .
In 1993 , the theatre was turned into Pokey ’ s Town , a nightclub that featured live bands in the open air . The entertainment spot was closed later that year .
The next year , Jim Standefer purchased the building and began a tedious restoration process . After three years of labor and a considerable investment , Standefer sold the former theatre to Friends of the Old Town Theatre , who own and operate the theatre to this day .
The Town Theatre didn ’ t just show movies in those early days . Live performers also entertained audiences from the auditorium ’ s stage , which still takes place to this day .
A list of upcoming performances can be found at www . oldtowntheatre-huntsville . org .
36 | HUNTSVILLE LIVING | WINTER 2021