CHAPTER 05 Houston's Shamrock Hotel, Downtown Movie Theaters

SHAMROCK HOTEL, MOVIE THEATERS, TSU SIT-IN

On St. Patrick's Day in 1949 the glamorous Shamrock Hotel opened in Houston. Built by the wealthy and flamboyant Texas oil wildcatter, Glenn McCarthy, it was the finest hotel in Texas at the time. For the grand opening ceremonies and parties, McCarthy brought in more than 175 Hollywood celebrities who arrived by plane and special trains. He arranged for actress Dorothy Lamour to do her national radio show live from the hotel ballroom, the Emerald Room. The crowds were so big and so rowdy that even the governor of Texas could not get in for the opening ceremonies.  Because of the clamor, Lamour's radio show was cut off by radio executives and she left the room in tears.

The grand opening attracted national attention to Texas and author Edna Ferber included it in her sensational new novel "Giant." The book was banned in Texas libraries, but later in 1956, it became a movie classic starring Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. The character of Jett Rink, played by James Dean in the movie, was modeled after Glenn McCarthy. In the movie the opening of Jett Rink's hotel was influenced by the real opening of McCarthy's Shamrock.

Built a few miles south of downtown Houston, in a resort-like setting, the hotel had eighteen stories and more than 1,100 guest rooms. The people of Houston loved the Shamrock, however, some critics described it as being outrageously vulgar. Nevertheless, to the rest of the world, it became an extravagant symbol of Texas during that era. McCarthy used the Irish theme throughout the hotel and designers selected more than sixty different shades of green for the interior décor.

With its impressive lobby, grand ballrooms, lively nightclubs, big name entertainment, and fine-dining restaurants, the Shamrock Hotel became the epicenter of Houston high society. Surrounded by landscaped terraces and tropical gardens, the Olympic-sized swimming pool was large enough to hold boat shows and water skiiers. Local society debutantes, as well as the rich and famous, could be seen in the pool or lounging in one of the poolside cabanas.

As time moved on, newer hotels were built and tastes changed; Glenn McCarthy and the Shamrock fell on hard times.  The Hilton Corporation took over the hotel, renaming it the Shamrock Hilton. Convention facilities were added and the hotel became popular for trade shows and meetings. Trader Vic's Restaurant, with its Polynesian theme, was added to the hotel and became a favorite night spot. The Shamrock remained one of Houston's premier hotels, and a favorite lodging place for visiting celebrities and royalty until the 1980s. Even though the once-grand Shamrock was demolished in 1987, it is still fondly remembered by Houstonians as a colorful era in Texas history.

Houston had three large and elegant downtown movie palaces built in the 1920s--the Majestic (1923), the Metropolitan (1926), and the Loew's State (1927).  Operated by Interstate Theaters of Texas, the Majestic and Metropolitan also had live shows.  The spectacular Egyptian-themed Metropolitan was built by Houston financier Jesse Jones as part of his new Lamar Hotel complex. The Loew's, which was next door and faced Main Street, was considered one of the finest theaters in the Loew's chain outside of New York City.  Sadly, all three of these opulent Houston movie palaces closed in the 1970s and have been demolished.

In March of 1960, students from Texas Southern University, a predominantly African American college in Houston, bravely staged a sit-in at the lunch counter at a Weingarten's grocery store near downtown. It was the first sit-in Texas had experienced and the students demanded equal rights and the end of the racial injustice that prevented blacks from sitting at the counter and eating with white patrons. It was the beginning of the end of racial segregation of businesses and public facilities in Houston.

All of this history is contained in the photo collections at the Houston Metropolitan Research Center in the Texas Room at the Houston Public Library.  Video scenes are from the documentary, "In Search of Houston History," produced by the Friends of the Texas Room and aired on HoustonPBS.