Est. 1924 · National Register of Historic Places · Texas State Landmark · Saenger Theatre Chain (1924) · Italian Renaissance Architecture
The theater was built by the Saenger Amusement Company and opened November 18, 1924, marketed by the chain as its 'Gateway to the West.' Architect Emil Weil designed the house in Italian Renaissance style; the building's ornamental plasterwork, painted ceiling, and detailed proscenium arch have been preserved through multiple restoration campaigns. In its first years the Saenger hosted live vaudeville and stage productions in addition to silent films, with performers including John Drew Barrymore, Will Rogers, Annie Oakley, and Douglas Fairbanks.
The Paramount chain acquired the theater in 1931, and it operated as a first-run movie house for decades before closing. A $2.5 million restoration between 1979 and 1980 returned the building to live performance use. Following restoration, the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places and granted Texas State Landmark status. It was subsequently renamed for Texas billionaire Ross Perot.
Since 1980, the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council has operated the Perot as the region's primary performing arts venue. The Library of Congress holds Carol M. Highsmith photographs of the theater's interior and exterior.
Sources
- https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/690
- https://www.perottheatre.org/
- https://www.loc.gov/item/2014630239/
Phantom applause from empty houseWhispering voicesPhantom footstepsApparitions of two childrenApparition of male figure (Mitch)Doors opening autonomouslySensation of being watched
The Perot's paranormal accounts center on a presence known as 'Mitch,' described by staff as a former theater employee who died at the property and continues his habit of backstage mischief. Reports attribute to Mitch a range of activity: doors opening on their own, objects displaced overnight, and the sense of being watched in the dimly lit corridors between the stage and the dressing rooms. A commenter who worked at the venue has described the basement and the tunnel areas beneath the stage as particularly unsettling.
Separate accounts describe phantom applause rising from an empty house — the sound of a full audience clapping in an auditorium where no audience sits — and whispering voices that seem to be reading through pages of scripts backstage. The swishing of costumes and footsteps in empty corridors have been noted by multiple staff members working late.
The most specific visual accounts involve two child-sized apparitions reported by actors and crew: a small boy and a girl described as playing hide-and-seek in the wings. At least one actor reported following what appeared to be a real person through the backstage area, only to watch the figure walk directly into a wall. TRAHC has institutionalized the theater's paranormal reputation through annual Halloween ghost tours that walk participants through the building's dark interior.
Notable Entities
Mitch (former employee)Child apparitions (boy and girl)