State Theatre

20 N. Robinson Avenue,
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

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Additional Info

Architects: W.T. Vahlberg

Styles: Streamline Moderne

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News About This Theater

State Theatre

Opened on March 5, 1937 with Grace Moore in “When You’re in Love”. The State Theatre was one of only a handful of theatres built to exclusively showcase Columbia Pictures. In fact, within the State’s logo design was the prominent slogan “HOME TO COLUMBIA PICTURES!”.

Architect W.T Vahlberg designed the State Theatre in a Streamline/Moderne style. At the far end of a Hollywood chic lobby was a dramatic, sunken lounge.

The auditorium carried a rust colour scheme, featured stadium style seating with gradual floor rake that became quite steep near the rear of the house, resulting in excellent sight lines. Gorgeous, heavy drapes adorned a fully curved screen. Indirect lighting throughout the interior bathed the space in soft hues.

Short sighted urban development caused the State Theatre to be razed in late-December 1971, a sad loss to downtown Oklahoma City.

Contributed by Jeff Chapman

Recent comments (view all 31 comments)

Cimarron
Cimarron on March 3, 2014 at 9:13 pm

1965 Day Time Pic of State Theater added to Photo Section.

Cimarron
Cimarron on March 13, 2014 at 10:55 pm

1971 Pic of State Finale added to Photo Section

rivest266
rivest266 on April 6, 2014 at 2:38 pm

1937 grand opening ad in photo section.

Cimarron
Cimarron on November 1, 2014 at 10:37 pm

1930’s Pic of North Robinson Street with State Theater added to Photo Section.

Cimarron
Cimarron on February 1, 2015 at 8:33 pm

Oops, technology glitch earlier uploaded wrong photo’s..these are correct State Theater Photo’s in Pic Section.

OKCdoorman
OKCdoorman on October 27, 2015 at 4:51 pm

The last ever active listing for this theater was Tuesday, September 7, 1971, when it was showing MGM’s screen adaptation of John Herbert’s prison-set play FORTUNE AND MEN’S EYES. The next two day’s ads state “Temporarily Closed due to Storm Damage—OPEN SOON.” It never reopened. [Oklahoma Journal]

Cimarron
Cimarron on October 27, 2015 at 11:03 pm

Yeah, the steep seating was way tooo comfortable for the period…My buddy and I spent late hours on a Fri. nite and would go the to State on Sat. afternoon but, fell asleep in those seats often after a fun nite…It wAS A FIRST CLASS theater with the most comfortable seating of any theater at that time in OKC….Thanks

Cimarron
Cimarron on June 24, 2016 at 10:24 pm

Pic added to photo section of 1953 fire.

Cimarron
Cimarron on March 11, 2017 at 10:12 pm

Pic added to Photo section of State Theater showing of 1937’s “DEAD END”

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