Cinema Vegas Theatre

5219 NW 10th Street,
Oklahoma City, OK 73127

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whorton
whorton on October 7, 2021 at 9:57 pm

This theatre was never known as the “Three ball Cinema” as another poster asserted, AS you can see from the posted images, especially the article from 1976, the theatre was originally known as the Cinema Vegas Theatre. Nor did it ever have three screens.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on February 23, 2019 at 8:39 am

Is there anyone called Mr Roarke or Tattoo in the Fantasy Island Pole Dancing Club?

fdaveokc
fdaveokc on August 9, 2011 at 12:32 am

Midway originally started out as the Animal House and occupied the eastern end of the building, with the cinema occupying the western ¾. Then, it became Midway and the cinema closed and remained empty for many years. The owner of Midway secured the entire building and moved the bar into the western portion, with plans to renovate the original area and incorporate it into the larger portion, but this has yet to happen.

raybradley
raybradley on March 24, 2011 at 3:12 am

Today the former Three Ball XXX Cinema is a business named Midway.
View link

missmelbatoast
missmelbatoast on July 23, 2010 at 3:22 am

Screen three tended to push the limits by showing gay porn, along with 1950s gay beefcake films represented in this spicy montage.
Law enforcement didn’t bother to bust gay screenings, for to do so would be the same as admitting that queens actually dwelt within “butch” OKC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNKGN5GMw4s

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on June 7, 2010 at 8:16 pm

Interesting Name for a Cinema.

raybradley
raybradley on June 13, 2009 at 5:14 pm

A most reliable source recently infomed me that the actual name of this cinema was Fine Arts Cinema, 5219 NW. 10th.
The Fine Arts was located within a large entertainment complex that opened around 1970 and was suppose to attract a family trade. It originally featured an ice skating rink, a vaudeville theatre that featured both new and classic acts, a large game arcade, an ornate nightclub centered arouand an indoor swimming pool, and the Fine Arts Cinema 3.
For one reason or another every enterprize within this mall was a complete dud. The ice rink and vaudeville theatre quickly folded and were made over into girley show bars. The Fine Arts Cinema 3 went X-rated. After conversion into an adult enterprise the whole affair was a profitable success.
During its last few years the cinema was converted to a single screen auditorium and renamed Vegas Adult Video & Cinema.

Rodney
Rodney on March 18, 2007 at 2:08 pm

Within the enormous Habana Inn Gay Resort complex a “family” adult news stand and gift shop called Jungle Reds has operated successfully since the mid 1980’s.
Rumors frequently surface about a proposal to install a gay theater next to Jungle Reds. Gossip reports this cinema will offer projection DVD and live male strippers, and at last fill the void left by the long ago closure of the Chieftain, Paris, and Three Ball.
Everyone in the gay community is hoping this hearsay will actually materialize in the not too distant future.

jessiearcher
jessiearcher on December 2, 2006 at 7:46 pm

After reading these comments I called my gay Uncle Mumford in NYC to talk about this joint. Uncle said that while earning his BS at OCU he used to go to see gay movies in the #3 screening room. He described the decoration as walls painted a rich golden brown, trimmed in rust tones, with brown fiberglass upholstered theatre chairs. He told me that a couple of months before his 1984 graduation this adult theatre halted gay film presentation when walls were ripped down from the two smaller auditoriums in order to make the viewing area into one single screen cinema. At that point the lobby was also expanded to include a video rental outlet, and hard porn video projection replaced soft core films.

ButchHart
ButchHart on December 2, 2006 at 2:32 pm

At the tres cajones I saw gay double features produced by Kris Films, “Motor Cycle Hero”, and “Blue Rose” which had recieved honorable mention at the Cannes Film Festival.

missmelbatoast
missmelbatoast on December 2, 2006 at 12:51 pm

Everybody in the gay community always referred to this porn horn house as Cinema C.A. Jones.
Auditorium three, the one that showed gay features, was nothing more than a screening room with maybe fifty seats.
Below are links that illustrate the type of gay fare shown at this establishment,

http://www.vintagegaymale.com/

http://www.bigkugels.com/content/BeefFrame.html

View link

After OKC’s vast Habana Inn Gay Resort complex opened in the mid 80’s it took away the unique niche offered by these adult cinemas that begrudgingly offered gay film entertianment, at inflated prices.

raybradley
raybradley on November 11, 2006 at 6:59 pm

I don’t think this theatre ever had an actual name other than Adult Cinema, but three ball was a slang term locals used for this house because (for one reason or another) copper pawn shop balls hung over the entryway. Located in a shopping center, this was a three screen venue. One auditorium presented soft core porn, the other showcased sexploitation, and the smallest screened B&W vintage beefcake films.
Probably the location listed is a bit off the mark. I thought it was located at Portland at NW 10th, but I could very well wrong!

scottfavareille
scottfavareille on November 8, 2006 at 4:10 pm

Was this an older movie theater that went XXX or was this a “storefront” theater?