Comments from Rodney

Showing 1 - 25 of 75 comments

Rodney
Rodney commented about Empress Theatre on Apr 29, 2008 at 10:26 am

Instead of selling the Wurlitzer piecemeal, Paramount donated the organ to a small church located on either NW 11th or NW 12th, East of Pennsylvania Ave, this fine instrument is still there to this very day.
Look on this site for vintage shots of the Empress Theatre;
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Empire Theater on Apr 29, 2008 at 10:19 am

This site has a vintage image of the former Empire Theater;
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Rialto Theater on Apr 29, 2008 at 10:17 am

A vintage image can be seen on this fine site;
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Jewel Theatre on Apr 28, 2008 at 10:51 am

There are photos of the (ruined) Jewel Theatre on the Cinema Tour

Rodney
Rodney commented about Westside Drive-In on Apr 28, 2008 at 10:27 am

Above mentioned second drive in was called the EASTSIDE DRIVE-IN. It was a rather nice theatre with an elaborate neon marquee, along with quite colorful lighting effects along side fences.

Rodney
Rodney commented about Loew's Sheridan Theatre on Feb 22, 2008 at 12:03 pm

Recenty while browsing Oklahoma University Library I came across color demolition photos for the Sheridan in the Feb (Valentine) issue of Life Magazine. Altough I can’t remember exactly what year it was, I think it was 1969.
Also in the same issue were color images of the NY Paramount and Atlanta Fox.

Rodney
Rodney commented about RKO Chester Theatre on Nov 22, 2007 at 4:14 pm

For a fleeting second the RKO Chester is quite visible in the background of the Frank Sinatra & Gene Kelly musical “ON the TOWN”, while on the el they are singing “Bronx is up and the Battery down”.

Rodney
Rodney commented about Paris Arts Theatre on Oct 30, 2007 at 6:43 pm

Hear an actual Gypsy Rose Lee burlesque routine here -
View link
as presented on this site -
http://www.unicornmeat.com/

Rodney
Rodney commented about Joy Theatre on Oct 30, 2007 at 6:40 pm

Hear an actual Gypsy Rose Lee burlesque routine -
View link
as presented on this site -
http://www.unicornmeat.com/

Rodney
Rodney commented about Reno Theatre on Oct 30, 2007 at 6:37 pm

Listen to an actual Gypsy Rose Lee strip routine -
View link
as presented on these pages -
http://www.unicornmeat.com/

Rodney
Rodney commented about Gaiety Theatre on Oct 30, 2007 at 6:35 pm

Listen on this site to an actual Gypsy Rose Lee strip routine -
View link
provided on this site -
http://www.unicornmeat.com/

Rodney
Rodney commented about President Follies Theatre on Oct 28, 2007 at 12:08 pm

With all due respect to the 05/15/04 comment about Lon Chaney making his 1912 stage debut at this theater. Mr. Chaney’s first theatre job was in 1902 as a stage hand at Colorado Springs Opera House. Soon after he acted in a national tour stock company before settling for awhile in Oklahoma City to be near his beautiful 16 year-old sweetheart, Cleva Creighton. Around 1909 he appeared in his first film with Tom Mix at the Bison 101 Studios in Ponca City, OK.
bio
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and
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Paris Theatre on Oct 28, 2007 at 11:34 am

Adult film “FLESH and LACE” must have been quite the controversial boxoffice blockbuster for photos to be made of theatres exhibiting it. Below is a photo of the Sooner Theater (a former WB house), Oklahoma City.
OKC Sooner c1966 -
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SF Paris c1966 -
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and
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Pantages Theatre on Oct 28, 2007 at 11:11 am

From a Roloff posting on the Paramoung page comes this 1957 color picture postcard of Market Street showing several cinemas. Left can be seen the former Pantages Vaudeville Theater that had been converted into a Kress five & dime. Does this building still stand?
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Paramount Theatre on Oct 28, 2007 at 11:03 am

Also seen on the above color picture postcard view is Kress Variety Store that was formerly the Pantages Vaudeville Theatre. Does this building still stand?

Rodney
Rodney commented about Ritz Theatre on Oct 25, 2007 at 4:37 pm

Used inside the four-million-dollar atmospheric Casa Bonita Restuarant were many decorative details salvaged from both the Ritz and Orpheum. Pimk clouds were projected onto a violet plaster sky by the Ritz Brenograph. This fabulous eatery was also a quisi cinema in that the amusement arcade had a miniature kiddie theatre that presented continuous cartoons.
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Orpheum Theater on Oct 25, 2007 at 4:27 pm

Today the Orpheum kinda sorta still lives inside the (hopefully) temporarily shuttered Casa Bonita Restaurant as many ornate fixtures from both the Orpheum and Ritz were incorporated into this fantastic atmospheric eatery. As part of the amusement arcade Casa Bonita had a kiddie cinema that showed continuous cartoons. View link
and
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Orcutt Airdrome on Oct 17, 2007 at 5:06 pm

By 1917 real estate this amusement park occupied became much too valuable for only seasonal use. Soon after Orcutt Park was dismantled up scale Mission and Craftsman style homes were built around the romantic lake.
Main entrance c1910 …
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Lake view…
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Photo left can be seen rustic stage house of airdrome …
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Modern day look of Swan Lake with complete history …
http://bestoftulsa.com/landmarks/swan_lake.shtml

Rodney
Rodney commented about Esquire Theatre on Oct 14, 2007 at 10:19 am

In that 1928 auditorium view notice the handsome uniformed usher gaurding (under the neon clock) exit doors.

Rodney
Rodney commented about Midtown Theater on Sep 29, 2007 at 1:33 pm

Here is a 1930 view of the Elgin Hotel, long before ground floor convertion into the Midtown Adult Cinema,
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Kay Theatre on Sep 29, 2007 at 12:56 pm

Cosmic:
Are you sure you aren’t thinking of Governor Marland? Amoungst the vast Marland empire were theatre holdings. His elegant Ponca City villa is pictured here -
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Lyric Theatre on Sep 29, 2007 at 12:40 pm

Here are c1893 photos showing the Lyric Theatre when it was still an upstairs Wild West Opera House. After the show patrons could enjoy a cool treat down in the basement Ice Cream Parlor.

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This is stricly a guess, but it probably wasn’t until after the disastrous fire that the theatre expanded to occupy the entire building interior.

Rodney
Rodney commented about Chief Theatre on Sep 28, 2007 at 9:17 pm

Click title to see Belle Starr image,
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Rodney
Rodney commented about Ritz Theatre on Sep 28, 2007 at 1:23 pm

What difference does it make if Video Independent Theatres operated one or a dozan porn theatres? Everyone knows they regularly booked X-rated product into several of their theatres.
Anyway, both the Pix and Reno were closed long before 1968, and before hard-core films came out of the closet,
Nuf sed!

Rodney
Rodney commented about Twi-Light Gardens Drive-In on Sep 10, 2007 at 5:56 pm

Vintage construction shots of Twilight Gardens can be seen by typing in word ‘twilight.
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