By Jack Houvouras
HQ 134 | SUMMER 2026
Our cover story in this edition about the restoration of the historic Keith-Albee Theatre allowed me to travel back in time and recall some fond memories from my youth. Growing up in Huntington,
I spent a lot of time at the Keith snacking on popcorn and Milk Duds while taking in scores of motion pictures. And like all moviegoers, what I experienced on the big screen ultimately shaped numerous aspects of my life.
My sense of humor was heavily influenced by the films of the 1970s and 1980s. The period between 1970 and 1980 yielded some of the greatest comedies of all time, including M*A*S*H, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The Bad News Bears, Animal House, The Jerk, Airplane! and Caddyshack. I still quote lines from those movies as witty allusions, including: “You’re all worthless and weak,” “The Lord loves a working man,” “You’ll get nothing and like it,” and “I am serious … and don’t call me Shirley.”
Two movies released in 1978 and 1979 served as coming-of-age experiences for me. The first was Grease starring Olivia Newton-John. The Australian beauty became my first big-screen crush, and I played songs from the Grease soundtrack on my record player until the vinyl wore thin. The second was the movie 10 featuring stunning newcomer Bo Derek. By then, the Keith-Albee had been converted into a multiplex with four screens. Because I wasn’t old enough to see the R-rated film, I bought a ticket to another movie in the main theater and later snuck into the smaller venue where 10 was playing. I stood in the back long enough to catch the steamiest scenes with Bo Derek, and my life was forever changed.
My fond memories of the Keith-Albee are not confined to the movies that entertained me in my youth. For the fifth-anniversary edition of Huntington Quarterly, we published an article about a low-budget horror flick filmed in Huntington in 1964 titled Teenage Strangler. Back then, members of the local cast had been promised a red-carpet premiere, but it never materialized. So, as part of our anniversary celebration, we decided to host a screening of the movie at the Keith-Albee complete with limousines, searchlights, photographers and, yes, a red carpet. The day of the event, ticket sales were lagging, but by showtime a line had formed from the box office all the way down to the Cabell County Courthouse. Huntington residents filled the downstairs portion of the main theater and more than half of the balcony. In all, some 1,600 people attended the Hollywood-style premiere and laughed their way through the one-hour movie.
A few years later, I was back at the Keith, this time co-hosting a Halloween costume party on the mezzanine level. Theater owner Derek Hyman was kind enough to do me a favor and rent out the space for the night. Unfortunately, scores of people I didn’t know showed up, and it wasn’t long before things got out of hand. Couples were sneaking off to the balcony and other parts of the building to smoke and engage in other questionable behavior. Needless to say, Derek declared that I was persona non grata at the Keith after that — and deservedly so.
But my fondest memory of the Keith took place on Dec. 12, 2006. That was the date Hollywood came to Huntington for the premiere of We Are Marshall. Following weeks of filming in Huntington, and news that the movie’s stars would be attending the event at the Keith-Albee, the excitement in the air was palpable. I will never forget walking the green carpet in my tuxedo, taking my seat in the theater and feeling an immense sense of pride as I watched my hometown portrayed in such a positive light on the silver screen. It was simply a perfect evening.
In two years, the Keith-Albee — which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places — will mark its 100th anniversary. Because of that, I am grateful to the many individuals and companies who took part in restoring the crown jewel of our downtown to its former glory. Hopefully, it will continue to entertain and inspire the people of Huntington for the next 100 years.
