25th St. Theatres

… g n i r e b Remem A WACO LANDMARK

A HISTORY OF WACO’S 25th STREET THEATER

Remembering A Waco Landmark Copyright © 2020 Bill Foster, Waco, Texas All Rights Reserved

A WACO LANDMARK

25th Street Theater Timeline 1944 – Construction of the theater building begins at 1000 North 25th Street Owned by: Interstate Theaters, operators of 150 theaters in Texas November 29, 1945 – Theater opens Number of seats: 780 Ticket Prices: 30¢ – Matinees, Monday thru Friday 40¢ – Nights and Weekends 12¢ – Children First Movie: Thrill of Romance Most Popular attraction: Disney’s Old Yeller, 1957 May, 1977 – Star Wars begins a 14-week run Last Movie: Disney’s Bambi (Reissue of 1942 animated feature) July 4, 1982 – Theater Closed 1985 – Theater purchased from Plitt Theaters by Richard Olsen and Richard Keiffer 1986 – After the building is remodeled, it reopens as a nightclub, 25th Street, that operates until July 25, 1992 1986-2019 – Building vacant – Purchased by the City of Waco in 2018, then condemned and scheduled for destruction October 14, 2019 – Demolition of building begins

to him as “Little Richard. I had tried to buy it, but he beat me to it as I was not able to arrange financing as quickly as he had. Harold Kelly was the realtor who handled the deal. His office was on Waco Drive and he had two sons, twins, who had their own real estate business at a Valley Mills Drive location.

Little Richard and his partner Richard Keiffer (I called him Big Richard) did some remodeling and reopened the 25th Street Theater as a club and dance hall in 1995. “Little” Richard had previous experience operating a club near the Baylor University campus that he called The Library.

The two Richards only had one employee, a bartender. Big Richard ran the box office while Little Richard put together and operated the equipment needed to show music videos. Customers drank, danced, and were entertained. If something broke down, Little Richard was a bit of a genius and apparently could fix anything.

The new enterprise was supported by a good number of Baylor students came, but many high school students became customers too. The crowds became uncontrollable at times and it was apparent that most of them were underage and had no business being in a night club.

The location attracted a number of rowdy patrons, probably kids who were refused admission, and there was vandalism. On several occasions, windows of the Waco Citizen were smashed. I became tired of my windows being broken out and let the authorities know that I suspected illegal drugs were being sold in and around the club.

So I met with officers from the Waco Police Department and a drug raid was planned. On the night of the raid, the officers involved met around midnight near Cameron Park. I watched from my car which I had parked a short distance down the street, as the drug law enforcers moved in. People scattered in all directions as the cops approached and entered the theater building. It was quite a spectacle.

The very next day Big Richard said he has had with Waco, and was moving to Dallas. He soon established a club on Greenville Avenue, but it didn’t last long. The business failure threw Big Richard into a tailspin and nobody could get him to come to his senses. His problems quickly landed on his dad, Charles Olsen, who by that time had moved back to Clifton, from Las Vegas. He was certainly no angel and did not want any additional problems. What’s more, he and his son had their own conflicts and definitely did not get along.

25th Street Memories

Spent many Saturday mornings there watching Flash Gordon serials followed by great kid movies.

Back then one dollar would get you in, buy you a drink, and candy and still have change left over. Contests before show included yo-yo contests. I won one and the prize was‌ a Duncan yo-yo. I remember once a contestant was doing the Around the World yo-yo trick and the string broke sending the wooden yo-yo flying out into the audience. No serious injuries but I noticed no more contests after that. Great hang out, on Saturday mornings especially.

Jack Brenner, 73 years young

ÒThank you Mr. Foster for all the great work you are doing to preser ve the memory of the 25th Street Theater.Ó Bobby J. Tatum Jr. EFO Former Fire Chief City of Waco

Elvis Goes to the 25th Street Theater Before he was a big star, Elvis Presley was on a publicity tour that brought him to Dallas. While making the rounds of the radio stations in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, Elvis met a disc jockey named Ed Fidel.

Ed treated Elvis kindly, played his records, and gave him airtime plus encouragement which left a lasting impression.

The year 1956 was Elvis's breakout year which started with the hit record "Heartbreak Hotel."

He had left Sun Records and was now in the big-time as an RCA Victor recording artist.

That year, returning to Texas, Elvis was the headline attraction at the Heart of Texas Fair in Waco.

After the show, Ed Fadel, who had moved back to Waco and was already a big Elvis fan, went backstage after the show curious to see if

Elvis remembered him. Ed approached a security guard and asked if he would tell Elvis that Ed Fadel was there. Ed wondered if Elvis would remember him. Not only did Elvis remember Ed, he eagerly invited Ed into his dressing room for a chat which became the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Three years later, after Elvis was inducted into the U.S. Army, he was stationed at Fort Hood, about an hour's drive from Waco. When he had time off, Elvis would make the drive and spend a day or two with Ed and his wife LaNelle at their home at 2807 Lasker Avenue in Waco. In order to make Elvis feel at home, Ed redecorated the bedroom where Elvis stayed in the singer's favorite colors and LaNelle prepared several of Elvis' favorite meals. Also, on his visits to Waco, Elvis liked to eat at the Elite Cafe on the Circle and the nearby Health Camp drive in.

On one of his visits, Elvis told Ed that he would like to go to the movies and see the Andy Griffith comedy about Army life titled “No Time for Sergeants." Wanting to keep the trip as private as possible, Ed and Elvis hatched a plan for seeing the movie, at the 25th Street Theater, with as few people knowing about it as they could.

With the help of the theater's manager, they entered the theater from the parking lot, through a back door, with very little notice. Everything was going as planned, but somehow word had gotten out that Elvis Presley was at the 25th Street Theater and a crowd began to gather on the street outside.

Knowing that Ed and Elvis were trying to avoid a scene, the theater manager let them know what was going on outside. So Ed exited the theater through the back door where they had entered, fearing there might be a crowd in the parking lot as well. Seeing that there was no crowd there, Ed moved his car right up to the door and tooted his horn to let Elvis know he was there.

The two of them drove off and settled down at Ed's hideaway on Lasker Avenue.

They left it for the theater manager to tell the crowd waiting out front that "Elvis has left the building."

Ed Fadel and his friend, Elvis Presley

Congratulations on your new Waco Fire Station and Headquarters.

Texas State Representative, Charles ÒDocÓ Anderson, District 56 Ð Waco

25th Street Association

• EOAC Charter School, 753-0331

• Vallejo’s Auto Sales, 235-2423

• Julia’s Bazaar, 618 N 25th Street

• M & S Grocery, 25th & Morrow

• Robollar Imports, 1212 N 25th

• 901 Convenience Store

• Katy Groceres, 12312 N. 25th

• G A’s Auto Glass, 752-2307

• Barber Shop,

• Alamo Real Estate

• Devoa’s Waco Car, 426 Bosque

• Mike Meadows, 717-7234

• Alma Yasmeen, 235-1695

• Anahi’s Disenous, 751-4440

• Peter’s Toy Appliances, 2418 Cole

• Casa Bonito Imports 732-6500

• Bingo place

• ARC Smoke Shop,25th & Grim

• 803 Meat Market Grocery

• Berbhi Bakery & Restaurant -

• Rudy’s Transmissions 750 N. 25th • 25th Street Furniture, 742-6744

was closed

• Katy Groceries, 1212 N. 25th Street

• Bella’s Decorations, 405-1892

• Barbara Shop, vacant

• Corner Store,

• 25th St. Bazzar,714 0255, Mary.

26th

and Cole

• Brookview Car M, 26th & Morrow • Riveras Tire Shop, 254 349-2435 • Tax Service in old sandwich shop.

• Valeria’s Party Room, 715-0025

Calls to Mexico on Red Phones.

• Waco Bhai Faith. 25th and Bosque B;vd.

• Ead Diaz

The Charioteers murals on the theater’s walls were designed by artist Eugene Gilbo.

The first film exhibited at the new, modern 25th Street Theater in 1945

Meet Chief Summers

Waco Fire Chief Gregory Summers In April, 2020, Waco City Manager Wiley Stem announced the appointment of Gregory Summers as the eighth person to serve as WacoÕs Fire Chief. Summers was confirmed by the City Council.

Chief Summers is a veteran firefighter who began his career in Little Rock, in 1984. He served for almost thirty-five years, rising through the ranks and became the Arkansas cityÕs Fire Chief in 2011, a position he held for eight years.

During his tenure in Little Rock, Chief Summers led his firefighters as an effective leader and saw the departmentÕs performance achieve the Insurance Service OfficeÕs Class One rating.

ISO recognizes the nationÕs top fire departments through statistical analysis and high performance standards. Under his leadership, the Little Rock Fire Department also received international accreditation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. The United States has over 30,000 fire departments, but only fifty-seven have earned this honor plus the ISOÕs top rating. The Waco Department has been top rated by the Insurance Service Office and Chief SummersÕ goal is to qualify Waco for accreditation by the Center for Public Safety Excellence as well.

Artists conception of the new Waco Fire Station

25th Street Memories

I saw Mary Poppins there when I was 6 or 7! –

Kathy Riley Kirk

I remember seeing “Tommy” there! –

Paula Huffman

The Theater’s Second Act On Labor Day weekend in 1986, the team of Richard Keiffer (Big Richard) and Richard Olsen (Little Richard) moved their club called The Outers Limits into the theatre building, and named their dance club 25th Street.

The club was unlike anything Waco had ever seen. It quickly gained popularity, with students from Baylor and the area’s high school age kids. Its, "new wave" and "progressive" format was popular during the 1980s in many cities, but not so much in ultra conservative Waco.

Another draw was the club’s Friday night live radio broadcasts on KWTX-FM and a TV dance show called “25th Dimension” which aired on KWKT-TV, channel 44, and later on KCEN-TV, channel 6.

In addition to young people from the MacLennan County area, the club also attracted a clientele from as far away as Dallas and Austin.

Like most nightclubs, its time ran out, and 25th Street closed on July 25th of 1992.

Owners Olsen and Keiffer moved their operation to Dallas' Arcadia Theatre. They intended to move back into Waco in two to three years, but after Richard Olsen was murdered his estate went into legal limbo. dancers at 25th Street.

Still from a video of dancers at 25th Street.

25th Street Memories

A friend of mine and I went to the 25th St. theater to see the Mel Brooks movie “Blazing Saddles.” We could not believe what we were watching because it was so outlandish, but we laughed our fool heads off all the way to the end. We also saw another comedy called “The Groove Tube,” which was a parody of television programs and commercials.

Both movies fit the times, but I don't know how well they would be received now.

Tom Kilbride, Waco

1957’s Old Yeller was the most popular movie shown at the 25th Street Theater.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Old Yeller is a 1957 American drama film produced by Walt Disney. It stars Tommy Kirk, Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker, and Beverly Washburn. It is about a boy and a stray dog in post-Civil War Texas. The film is based upon the 1956 Newbery Honor-winning book of the same name by Fred Gipson.

Gipson also co-wrote the screenplay along with William Tunberg. The film's success led to a 1963 sequel, Savage Sam, which was based on a 1962 book

by Gipson.

In 2019, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

25th Street Memories

Oh, how I loved that theater. With nine children in our family, any treat like going to the movies was very special. I believe our admission was 25¢.

One of my favorite memories was when I was seven or eight years old.They had an occasional Saturday morning talent show at the theater. It was a big move for this little girl to get on the big stage and sing “The Yellow Rose of Texas.“ I won a grand total of either 25¢ or 50¢. I was so excited. That was a lot of money 65 years ago.

Hardly any of us had TVs in the early 50s, so going to the 25th St. theater was the thrill of our lives. I so fondly remember the joy that theater brought into my life. As a teen, I saw what was my first “older” racytype movie, “Rebel Without a Cause” with James Dean.

By today's standards, it is a mild innocent movie.

Mary Jane Smith Valentino

25th Street Memories

Our family lived in Waco from Fall, 1951 to Fall, 1954. My brother and I used to go to the Saturday afternoon matinees at the 25th St. I remember seeing ÒHondoÓ and ÒCharge at Feather RiverÓ in 3-D there.

I also saw my first CinemaScope film at the 25th StreetÑÒRiver of No ReturnÓ.

Other films I remember seeing there from 1951-1954 were: ÒArrowhead,Ó ÒDuel in the Sun,Ó ÒAbbott & Costello Go to Mars,Ó, ÒThe Caddy,Ó ÒMy Pal Gus,Ó ÒShane,Ó ÒTake the High Ground,Ó ÒPony Express,ÓÒHell and High Water,Ó and ÒDangerous When WetÓ. Also Walt DisneyÕs features ÒThe Living Desert,Ó ÒThe Vanishing Prairie,Ó ÒRob Roy,Ó and ÒPeter Pan.Ó

Gerald Lyda, San Antonio

25th Street Trivia* ★ What stood where the Theatre now stands before construction began in 1944? ★ What movie played fourteen weeks in the summer of 1977? ★ What were the dimensions of the club’s dance floor? ★ What was the date when the Theatre/Club closed for good? ★ What song received the most airplay and could be defined as The Song of 25th Street? ★ What business sat directly behind from the theatre in 1990? ★ What song was playing when the tear gas bomb forced evacuation of the club in September, 1989? ★ What was the cover charge for minors and adults? ★ What were the colors of the curtains, both in front and behind the screen? * Sorry, we don’t have answers, just questions.

1424 NEW ROAD WACO, TEXAS 254-776-6662

25th Street Memories My brothers and I spent a lot of Saturday’s there. I just remember getting 25 ¢to get in. Do you remember my brother Joe Bob Morris?

He would always sing a song, usually “I’m LookingOver a Four Leaf Clover,” during the talent contests. He would sing loud and off key. I don’t recall him ever winning.

Barry Morris

I loved the classical wallpaper depicting a Greek God (assuming Greek, could be Roman) on a horse. Still think it inspired my a very brief art career.

Judy Smith