Bill Welling: Cinema Houston: From Nickelodeon to Megaplex

Perhaps it’s due to a desire to just stay out of the heat, but Houstonians seem to have a particularly strong attachment to the movie theater. Today, as part of their “Authors in Architecture” series, the American Institute of Architects’ Houston chapter presents Bill Welling, author of Cinema Houston: From Nickelodeon to Megaplex. Welling will document this love affair by showing and telling about local theaters, from the vaudeville houses of the early twentieth century to the lavish downtown movie houses of the 1920s to drive-ins, “X-houses” and the still-popular River Oaks Theatre. Welling, a Houstonian who formerly served as art director at Halliburton, will even cover the hulking megaplexes that dominate today’s movie landscape. He’ll present his book at the downtown library before moving over to Architecture Center Houston for a cocktail reception and a book signing. 6 p.m. Central library, 500 McKinney. ArCH, 315 Capitol. For information, call 713-520-0155 or visit www.aiahouston.org. Free.
Wed., May 20, 6 p.m., 2009