he Lenhart Moving Picture Theatre launched March 8, 1909 playing Edison films and seating 360 patrons. Illustrated songs with never an immoral film were among the promises made by management.
The Lenhart Theatre closed February 28, 1912 and was briefly replaced by Wigwam Theatre #4 on March 2, 1912. Wigwam #4 closed shortly thereafter and the Chicago Drug Company moved across the street to the theatre location.
The Lyric Theatre launched in downtown Muskogee on May 14, 1906 likely on a 20-year lease. The Lyric converted to sound to stay current and like renewed another 20-year lease.
With the theatre’s 40th anniversary came details for a new theatre. The Roxy Theatre was the heir apparent to the Lyric after the War. The Roxy was constructed in 1947 before running into some delays including brick shortages before launching in 1948.
The Lyric was downgraded to sub-run discount status briefly. The local paper reports that the Lyric Theatre closed after showings on February 26, 1949 and its interior was dismantled to create a storage facility.
The P&M drive in was built by Proctor and Marsh Circuit in 1947 and launched in 1948 on a ten-year lease. A competing drive-in, the 64, was also built in 1947 and opened in 1948. The 64 Drive-In was bought out becoming part of the same portfolio as the other local theaters including the P&M. The P&M closed August 27, 1958 after a final showing of “The Ten Commandments.” A new ozoner, the Sunset Drive-In, then opened to compete with the 64 Drive-In.
The Yale Electric Theatre launched in the Ayres Building at 208 Broadway Street on January 29, 1908 with Edison motion pictures and a mirrored screen. It showed three reels of movies followed by a vaudeville show. Its name was shorted to the Yale Theatre. The audience demand was greater than the Yale’s size as people loved the movies and the larger, New Yale opened on September 16, 1911. The New Yale took advantage of the new Surety Building skyscraper location one block away from the previous location.
The previous Yale Theatre became the Velvet Pool Hall. But on July 15, 1915, the previous Yale Theatre was reacquired and remodeled by the original operator of the Yale Theatre Circuit, L. Brophy. It became a sub-run discount operation which had periods of inactivity but used the name the Yale Theatre (sometimes referred to as the “Old” Yale Theatre with the competing theatre listed as the New Yale Theatre). Meanwhile, the New Yale was remodeled and under Texas Enterprises Circuit operation, it changed its name to the Palace Theatre on October 10, 1920. The Circuit played Paramount films.
The previous Yale Theatre which had been dormant was put back into operation a third time at 208 Broadway as a discounted sub-run location. Meanwhile, the Palace converted to sound under Robb & Rowley to stay current in 1928. R&R would also purchase the Broadway and Yale theaters converted each to sound. There appear to be no further listings for the Yale following an October 3, 1936 showing of John Wayne in “King of the Pecos.”
The New Yale Theatre opened on Broadway Street near Third Street at 305 West Broadway in downtown Muskogee on September 16, 1911. It took advantage of the new Surety Building skyscraper location one block away from the previous location. And it followed the lead of its predecessor, Yale Theatre, with a mirrored screen and three reels of films followed by a vaudeville show.
The New Yale was remodeled in 1916 and would become a Dubinsky Brothers location. Texas Enterprises Circuit bought the New Yale Theatre on October 1, 1920 and changed its name to the Palace Theatre on October 10, 1920. The Circuit played Paramount films. The previous Yale Theatre was put back into operation at 208 Broadway as a discounted sub-run location. Meanwhile, the Palace converted to sound under Robb & Rowley to stay current.
The Elberta Theatre launched with “Whoso Findeth a Wife” on March 2, 1917. On January 12, 1930, the theatre switched to talkies with “The Virginian.” On September 7, 1934, the theatre changed names to the Capitol Theatre with the film Jean Harlow with “The Girl From Missouri.” Inter mountain Theatres expanded the theatre to 620 seats with a relaunch on August 9, 1942 that added more than 200 new seats.
Launched as the Auto View Drive-In Theatre on May 29, 1949 with the film, “Scudda Ho, Scudda Hay" by operator George Craghead. That name was changed later that summer to the Auto Vu Drive-In Theatre. When the theatre opened for the 1959 season, it had changed to the Canyon Auto-Vu Theatre. In 1961, the theatre was simply the Canyon Drive-In Theatre. The theatre was closed following the 1963 season as competition from the Big See appears to have been a challenge.
In 1932, the 19th Century building that had been home to Rosenbaum Hall and then the R.L. Fishburn & Sons Store from 1894 to 1932 was transformed into what was going to be called theRoxy Theatre. The Fishburn block had held City Hall in earlier years. During the project, Harmon Perry ran out of money and the project stalled.
Nielson Theatre Circuit bought the facility continuing the project and opening it as the New Grand Theatre on Christmas Day 1932. The first film at the venue was “Blonde Venus.” Under new operators, Intermountain Theatres, the theatre was renamed the Roxy Theatre beginning on November 13, 1936. In 1949, the Nielsons were back and refurbished the venue.
The Price Theatre launched October 14, 1937 by the Huish Circuit with the film, “You Can’t Have Everything.” The long running theatre continued past its 80th anniversary in 2017 and is still going.
The Eko Theatre launched December 18, 1912, A March 5, 1925 ad announces a naming contest for the theater as the Eko underwent a refurbishing. The venue relaunched as the Lyric Theatre on March 29, 1925 showing “The Devil’s Cargo,”
New operators took on the location renaming it as the Utah Theatre on September 17, 1938 with Joe E. Brown in “The Gladiator.” The Utah nameplate was discontinued in February of 1949:with bids accepted to refurbish the theatre once again. In 1950, it relaunched as the Crown Theatre. It remained the Crown until closing in 2009.
The Star Theatre launched in 1917 in downtown Price on a 20-year lease. It converted to sound. Under new owners, it was renamed the Carbon Theatre relaunching after a streamline modern refresh on November 28, 1937 with the film, “The Texas Rangers”. It closed as the Carbon briefly after an April 27: 1952 showing of “Oklahoma Annie,” On September 4, 1952 it was taken on by Motor-Vu operator Joe Santi and renamed the New Cinema Theatre showing “Flesh and Fury” with “Colorado Sundown.” In 1955, it was equipped with a widescreen projection to show CinemaScope films.
The Cinema Theatre closed in 1960 and was auction in 1961 to raise funds for back taxes owed. An optometrist moved into the building.
In 1957, Video Independent Theaters and Vumore transformed the Lyric Theatre to the Telemovie Theatre, billed as “the first telemovie service in the world.”
The Long Theatre opened May 31, 1947 with the film “Trail Street.” Historically, the theatre opened as Hollywood’s Golden Era was ending and the TV age was about to begin. An oil boom post-War both was the reason the theatre was established and would help the theatre survive as population increased by almost 90% by decade’s end and added another 60% by the end of the 1950s. But that growth was followed by population declines which were among the reasons the theater’s viability became more challenging. The theatre eventually closed and the town’s population began a descent taking it to around its pre-oil boom size.
The Ritz Theatre launched September 10, 1937 with the film, “Slim.” The downtown theatre replaced the Strand Theatre. Owner Ed Rowland decided to move into the larger location in the Diffey Building and closed the Strand on September 6, 1937. In 1955, the Ritz transformed to widescreen CinemaScope projection. The Ritz appears to have folded after October 29, 1962 screening of “The Hustler” likely at the end of a leasing cycle.
F.H. Wozencraft launched the Liberty Theatre during World War I in 1916 and had no competition. But ten years later, an oil boom brought several new theatres – the Rex, Ritz, State and Rialto to town. Outmatched, Wozencraft expanded the Liberty by 400 seats in 1927 and added sound later. But the approach failed and the Liberty Theatre closed September 6, 1930 with a double feature of “Swell Head” and “Call of the West.” The space was converted to a toy store that was open for the Christmas shopping season.
The roots of this venue date back to 1915 when the Jackson Brothers launched the Airdome Theatre in downtown Heavener. The Airdome had a Powers 6-A projector launching May 1, 1915 with Mary Pickford in “White Roses,” Sidney Drew in “Who Was Who in Hogg’s Hollow” and Herbert Prior in “Dick Potter’s Wife.” G.D. Hughes bought the Airdome and converted it to the Liberty Theatre on December 12, 1918. In 1921, the theatre was reversed and expanded. It added sound and during the Depression ran a “Bank Holiday Show” during the banking holiday in 1934 where people could pay whatever admission they could afford.
Hughes upgraded to new projection in 1939 and RCA sound in 1945. But the 41 year streak of the Hughes ended when they sold the theatre to Paul Maxwell on December 31, 1959. But the Maxwell’s run lasted less than a year and the Hughes family was back in 1960.
The University Theatre replaced a silent-era University Theatre that dated back to at least 1918 in Norman. This venue was launched by Griffith Amusements in December of 1930.
The B.H. Rackely Building is a late 19th Century structure that originally housed the city’s Opera House. The building was among the few spared in a major fire on November 19, 1895. It appears to have been taken over by Walter and G.W. Brown who called it Brown’s Opera House and – when motion pictures were coming into fashion – the Browns also launched Brown’s Theatre and the Mystic Theatre dedicated to silent films. With newer movie theaters constructed in downtown Purcell, the opera house hosted live events and basketball games until being converted to the town’s court house in 1922.
Court and other city functions moved elsewhere and eventually Levi Metcalf and K. Lee Williams Theatres purchased the venue and converted it to the moderne Canadian Theatre. The 800-seat venue cost $50,000 to convert and was named after the nearby Canadian River. It opened in December of 1946.
The Canadian survived an arson attack by an 11-year old in August of 1957 that caused extensive damage. Metcalf would launch the Skyvue Drive-In and would be sued by all eight Hollywood studios in 1974 for what they claimed was box office financial fraud. The theatre closed and became an antique mall which – at one point – had the original popcorn popper from the theatre.
The State Theatre launched March 7, 1927 at the height of Seminole’s oil boom with Buster Keaton in “The General” as well as live music from Si Wilk’s Hicksville Band.
he Lenhart Moving Picture Theatre launched March 8, 1909 playing Edison films and seating 360 patrons. Illustrated songs with never an immoral film were among the promises made by management.
The Lenhart Theatre closed February 28, 1912 and was briefly replaced by Wigwam Theatre #4 on March 2, 1912. Wigwam #4 closed shortly thereafter and the Chicago Drug Company moved across the street to the theatre location.
The Lyric Theatre launched in downtown Muskogee on May 14, 1906 likely on a 20-year lease. The Lyric converted to sound to stay current and like renewed another 20-year lease.
With the theatre’s 40th anniversary came details for a new theatre. The Roxy Theatre was the heir apparent to the Lyric after the War. The Roxy was constructed in 1947 before running into some delays including brick shortages before launching in 1948.
The Lyric was downgraded to sub-run discount status briefly. The local paper reports that the Lyric Theatre closed after showings on February 26, 1949 and its interior was dismantled to create a storage facility.
The P&M drive in was built by Proctor and Marsh Circuit in 1947 and launched in 1948 on a ten-year lease. A competing drive-in, the 64, was also built in 1947 and opened in 1948. The 64 Drive-In was bought out becoming part of the same portfolio as the other local theaters including the P&M. The P&M closed August 27, 1958 after a final showing of “The Ten Commandments.” A new ozoner, the Sunset Drive-In, then opened to compete with the 64 Drive-In.
The Yale Electric Theatre launched in the Ayres Building at 208 Broadway Street on January 29, 1908 with Edison motion pictures and a mirrored screen. It showed three reels of movies followed by a vaudeville show. Its name was shorted to the Yale Theatre. The audience demand was greater than the Yale’s size as people loved the movies and the larger, New Yale opened on September 16, 1911. The New Yale took advantage of the new Surety Building skyscraper location one block away from the previous location.
The previous Yale Theatre became the Velvet Pool Hall. But on July 15, 1915, the previous Yale Theatre was reacquired and remodeled by the original operator of the Yale Theatre Circuit, L. Brophy. It became a sub-run discount operation which had periods of inactivity but used the name the Yale Theatre (sometimes referred to as the “Old” Yale Theatre with the competing theatre listed as the New Yale Theatre). Meanwhile, the New Yale was remodeled and under Texas Enterprises Circuit operation, it changed its name to the Palace Theatre on October 10, 1920. The Circuit played Paramount films.
The previous Yale Theatre which had been dormant was put back into operation a third time at 208 Broadway as a discounted sub-run location. Meanwhile, the Palace converted to sound under Robb & Rowley to stay current in 1928. R&R would also purchase the Broadway and Yale theaters converted each to sound. There appear to be no further listings for the Yale following an October 3, 1936 showing of John Wayne in “King of the Pecos.”
The New Yale Theatre opened on Broadway Street near Third Street at 305 West Broadway in downtown Muskogee on September 16, 1911. It took advantage of the new Surety Building skyscraper location one block away from the previous location. And it followed the lead of its predecessor, Yale Theatre, with a mirrored screen and three reels of films followed by a vaudeville show.
The New Yale was remodeled in 1916 and would become a Dubinsky Brothers location. Texas Enterprises Circuit bought the New Yale Theatre on October 1, 1920 and changed its name to the Palace Theatre on October 10, 1920. The Circuit played Paramount films. The previous Yale Theatre was put back into operation at 208 Broadway as a discounted sub-run location. Meanwhile, the Palace converted to sound under Robb & Rowley to stay current.
My bad: Reed Walker launched the Big See Drive-In Theatre on May 13, 1961 with a double-feature of “Pillow Talk” and “4D Man.”
The Elberta Theatre launched with “Whoso Findeth a Wife” on March 2, 1917. On January 12, 1930, the theatre switched to talkies with “The Virginian.” On September 7, 1934, the theatre changed names to the Capitol Theatre with the film Jean Harlow with “The Girl From Missouri.” Inter mountain Theatres expanded the theatre to 620 seats with a relaunch on August 9, 1942 that added more than 200 new seats.
Launched as the Auto View Drive-In Theatre on May 29, 1949 with the film, “Scudda Ho, Scudda Hay" by operator George Craghead. That name was changed later that summer to the Auto Vu Drive-In Theatre. When the theatre opened for the 1959 season, it had changed to the Canyon Auto-Vu Theatre. In 1961, the theatre was simply the Canyon Drive-In Theatre. The theatre was closed following the 1963 season as competition from the Big See appears to have been a challenge.
In 1932, the 19th Century building that had been home to Rosenbaum Hall and then the R.L. Fishburn & Sons Store from 1894 to 1932 was transformed into what was going to be called theRoxy Theatre. The Fishburn block had held City Hall in earlier years. During the project, Harmon Perry ran out of money and the project stalled.
Nielson Theatre Circuit bought the facility continuing the project and opening it as the New Grand Theatre on Christmas Day 1932. The first film at the venue was “Blonde Venus.” Under new operators, Intermountain Theatres, the theatre was renamed the Roxy Theatre beginning on November 13, 1936. In 1949, the Nielsons were back and refurbished the venue.
Still advertising 7-days a week in 1977 so possibly out of business in 1978 likely on a 25-year lease.
The Price Theatre launched October 14, 1937 by the Huish Circuit with the film, “You Can’t Have Everything.” The long running theatre continued past its 80th anniversary in 2017 and is still going.
The Eko Theatre launched December 18, 1912, A March 5, 1925 ad announces a naming contest for the theater as the Eko underwent a refurbishing. The venue relaunched as the Lyric Theatre on March 29, 1925 showing “The Devil’s Cargo,”
New operators took on the location renaming it as the Utah Theatre on September 17, 1938 with Joe E. Brown in “The Gladiator.” The Utah nameplate was discontinued in February of 1949:with bids accepted to refurbish the theatre once again. In 1950, it relaunched as the Crown Theatre. It remained the Crown until closing in 2009.
The Star Theatre launched in 1917 in downtown Price on a 20-year lease. It converted to sound. Under new owners, it was renamed the Carbon Theatre relaunching after a streamline modern refresh on November 28, 1937 with the film, “The Texas Rangers”. It closed as the Carbon briefly after an April 27: 1952 showing of “Oklahoma Annie,” On September 4, 1952 it was taken on by Motor-Vu operator Joe Santi and renamed the New Cinema Theatre showing “Flesh and Fury” with “Colorado Sundown.” In 1955, it was equipped with a widescreen projection to show CinemaScope films.
The Cinema Theatre closed in 1960 and was auction in 1961 to raise funds for back taxes owed. An optometrist moved into the building.
Launched March 31, 1950 with “The Fighting Man of the Plains” and a Mighty Mouse cartoon
In 1957, Video Independent Theaters and Vumore transformed the Lyric Theatre to the Telemovie Theatre, billed as “the first telemovie service in the world.”
The Long Theatre opened May 31, 1947 with the film “Trail Street.” Historically, the theatre opened as Hollywood’s Golden Era was ending and the TV age was about to begin. An oil boom post-War both was the reason the theatre was established and would help the theatre survive as population increased by almost 90% by decade’s end and added another 60% by the end of the 1950s. But that growth was followed by population declines which were among the reasons the theater’s viability became more challenging. The theatre eventually closed and the town’s population began a descent taking it to around its pre-oil boom size.
The Ritz Theatre launched September 10, 1937 with the film, “Slim.” The downtown theatre replaced the Strand Theatre. Owner Ed Rowland decided to move into the larger location in the Diffey Building and closed the Strand on September 6, 1937. In 1955, the Ritz transformed to widescreen CinemaScope projection. The Ritz appears to have folded after October 29, 1962 screening of “The Hustler” likely at the end of a leasing cycle.
F.H. Wozencraft launched the Liberty Theatre during World War I in 1916 and had no competition. But ten years later, an oil boom brought several new theatres – the Rex, Ritz, State and Rialto to town. Outmatched, Wozencraft expanded the Liberty by 400 seats in 1927 and added sound later. But the approach failed and the Liberty Theatre closed September 6, 1930 with a double feature of “Swell Head” and “Call of the West.” The space was converted to a toy store that was open for the Christmas shopping season.
The local paper during the silent era mentions the Electric Theatre opening in 1915, the Lyric Theatre and the Joy Theatre but no Adair Theatre.
The roots of this venue date back to 1915 when the Jackson Brothers launched the Airdome Theatre in downtown Heavener. The Airdome had a Powers 6-A projector launching May 1, 1915 with Mary Pickford in “White Roses,” Sidney Drew in “Who Was Who in Hogg’s Hollow” and Herbert Prior in “Dick Potter’s Wife.” G.D. Hughes bought the Airdome and converted it to the Liberty Theatre on December 12, 1918. In 1921, the theatre was reversed and expanded. It added sound and during the Depression ran a “Bank Holiday Show” during the banking holiday in 1934 where people could pay whatever admission they could afford.
Hughes upgraded to new projection in 1939 and RCA sound in 1945. But the 41 year streak of the Hughes ended when they sold the theatre to Paul Maxwell on December 31, 1959. But the Maxwell’s run lasted less than a year and the Hughes family was back in 1960.
The University Theatre replaced a silent-era University Theatre that dated back to at least 1918 in Norman. This venue was launched by Griffith Amusements in December of 1930.
Advertised as the Okla Drive-In Theatre from 1957 and into the 1960s likely until closing.
Still open and advertising in 1977
The B.H. Rackely Building is a late 19th Century structure that originally housed the city’s Opera House. The building was among the few spared in a major fire on November 19, 1895. It appears to have been taken over by Walter and G.W. Brown who called it Brown’s Opera House and – when motion pictures were coming into fashion – the Browns also launched Brown’s Theatre and the Mystic Theatre dedicated to silent films. With newer movie theaters constructed in downtown Purcell, the opera house hosted live events and basketball games until being converted to the town’s court house in 1922.
Court and other city functions moved elsewhere and eventually Levi Metcalf and K. Lee Williams Theatres purchased the venue and converted it to the moderne Canadian Theatre. The 800-seat venue cost $50,000 to convert and was named after the nearby Canadian River. It opened in December of 1946.
The Canadian survived an arson attack by an 11-year old in August of 1957 that caused extensive damage. Metcalf would launch the Skyvue Drive-In and would be sued by all eight Hollywood studios in 1974 for what they claimed was box office financial fraud. The theatre closed and became an antique mall which – at one point – had the original popcorn popper from the theatre.
The State Theatre launched March 7, 1927 at the height of Seminole’s oil boom with Buster Keaton in “The General” as well as live music from Si Wilk’s Hicksville Band.