Wes-Ten Theater

3925 NW 10th Street,
Oklahoma City, OK 73107

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rivest266
rivest266 on August 26, 2018 at 8:35 am

Was listed as selling war bonds per article from May 11th, 1945. War bond theatre saleWar bond theatre sale Fri, May 11, 1945 – 11 · The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) · Newspapers.com

No regular ads for this theatre found.

Cimarron
Cimarron on August 28, 2014 at 9:18 pm

Nice work on finding a 1949 under new management ad for the Oklahoma City Wes-Ten Theater. Should you discover the initial Grand Opening Ad in the 1945 time frame please post if possible. Thanks

rivest266
rivest266 on April 6, 2014 at 1:01 pm

1949 Grand opening ad in photo section.

Cimarron
Cimarron on March 16, 2014 at 8:29 pm

Wes-Ten was in operation as early as 1945 with a seat count of 350 seats per Film Daily Yearbook. Could have been in operation even prior. Not sure where the profile date of 1949 was derived but, it was at least 1945.

Grandcanyon1999
Grandcanyon1999 on July 17, 2012 at 11:26 am

Wes-Ten had a Saturday kids day for 10 cents/kid during the 50’s. My brother and I attended most Saturdays. We had a lot of fun. We normally walked to the theater from 18th & Tulsa.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on March 28, 2011 at 7:22 pm

Thanks Guys.hope he shared the profits with an overworked Staff.

raybradley
raybradley on March 23, 2011 at 9:30 pm

George Shanbour also used profits made from the Wes-Ten Theatre to purchase the extremely popular Beverly’s (downtown) Diner, next door to the Colcord Bldg.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on August 8, 2010 at 1:51 pm

They ran a 512 seat theatre with that staff.let’s take the projectionist out of the picture,A cashier doubled as a concession girl how on earth did they serve a sell-out with that few of people.I can see it on a tuesday evening in Febuary,but i assume the weekends must have been a mad house.I guess the Box office girl sold and tore tickets that can quickly turn to thief if one chooses to do it.What a operation, Longest Day.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on July 20, 2010 at 1:25 pm

Great story Longest Day on what a owner could do.

seymourcox
seymourcox on July 16, 2010 at 11:54 am

Modern photos of the former Wes-Ten Theatre can be found on Roadside Oklahoma site. Facade has been altered beyong recognition.

http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/486

raybradley
raybradley on June 27, 2010 at 1:02 pm

LongestDay:
Yes, that large white buidling is the former WesTen Theatre. Appearance was extensively altered when the structure was converted to a homeless shelter. Original WesTen Threatre had a typical neon outlined, movie house facade, with a large, V shaped, flashing neon marquee.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on January 25, 2010 at 4:03 pm

Is is the two story white building seen in the map view?

missmelbatoast
missmelbatoast on November 2, 2009 at 11:51 am

Speaking of Wes-Ten’s well stocked concession stand, their house specialty were frozen malts. In a choich of three tasty flavors.
As detailed above, horror movies were showcased at the Wes-Ten. Here is a site devoted to William Catle’s amusing promotional ideas –
http://www.horror-wood.com/castle.htm

kpdennis
kpdennis on April 22, 2009 at 12:02 pm

As an elementary school student in the mid-1960s, my enduring memory is that the Wes-Ten theater would sometimes give out free admission tickets at our suburban OKC school.

I distinctly remember seeing Yellow Submarine and Help! at separate times, but the atmosphere was the same: a packed auditorium full of rambunctious kids dropped off by their parents. Of course, little attention was paid to the film, and most attendees were engaged in food fights, scurrying up and down the aisle and crowding the tiny lobby and its concession stand. These were among my earliest movie-going experiences.

missmelbatoast
missmelbatoast on December 8, 2006 at 3:26 pm

My mother remembered this theatre for its William Castle publicity gimmicks. For “House on Haunted Hill” a skeleton with red light bulb eyes flew over the audience. “The Tingler” had pre-selected electrified theatre chairs that shocked some viewers and caused them to jump to their feet screaming during scary scenes. Other films used other corny techniques to garner ballyhoo.

missmelbatoast
missmelbatoast on December 5, 2006 at 4:06 pm

Judging from old newspaper movie ads the Westen speicialized in cheap B-product from production companies like Roger Corman, William Castle, Kroger Babb, etc.

raybradley
raybradley on November 7, 2006 at 3:02 pm

Soon after closing the Wes Ten Theatre was renovated into a homeless shelter.