They say seeing is believing, according to these 1940s photos the actual name must have been Home State Theatre. The Kimball pipe organ was so massive it had three separate consoles, and apparently was played up to the end.
Although the site is listed above I will re-enter it here for ease of navigation. To see upper floor auditorium type in word “stage”. To view Home State Theatre images enter word “theatre”- View link
The Movietone was another incarnation of the old 1907 Alva Opera House, which underwent several name changes during its long run.
To see a vintage image of the Movietone click below, type in word “theatre”, then hit enter - View link
This is the last remaining Continental Theatre. The Continental in Tulsa was torn down in 1981, and Oklahoma City’s was razed only a few months back.
All three designs were exact duplicates of one another. Seen on site below are photos of the one in OKC - http://cinerama.topcities.com/ctcontinental.htm
Tulsa Town Hall Meetings usually took place at the Brady, as above posted photos depict. The first image shows the subdued elegance of the original 1914 auditorium design, by Rose & Peterson of Kansas City. The second image shows the Bruce Goff 1930 Art Deco interior remodel.
On below site, historic photo of the Shawnee Bison Theatre is mistakenly listed as the one in Oklahoma City.
In search field type in word “theatre”, then press enter - View link
Vintage image of the Bison Theatre shown on this site is erroniously labelled as the one in Oklahoma City, when it it actually the Bison Theatre located in Shawnee, OK.
In search area type in word “theatre”, then hit search - View link
Roadsideok:
In 1969, at the OU School of Architecture Library I saw vintage exterior/interior photos of your (10/31/06) mystery theatre. It was the Norman Opera House located a few doors East of the Sooner Theatre. On the ground floor were shops, upper floors held a Victorian styled auditorium.
Mister Robert Furniture dates back to at least 1968.
One example of the kind of problems the Continental experienced was when they spent a lot of money booking and promoting an exclusive, reserved seat engagement of Julie Andrew’s new big budget, road show attraction “STAR”, at advanced prices. I was a high school student when I went to see this movie on opening night. Surprisingly there were only about a hundred people in attendance. One of the ushers told me advanced tickets sales were sluggish for every performance, and since the film had been promoted as reserved seating, no walk in trade was showing up. By the time the Continental got radio spots and newspaper ads out announcing open ticket sales at popular prices, word had spread that “STAR” was a stinker.
See the Oklahoma City Continental listing for good exterior/interior photos. Both houses were identical.
From the Beryl Ford Collection comes this c1940 photo of the Pryor Theatre. Architectural styling differs from that of the Allred, leading to the conclusion that these were two separate houses. http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B9047.jpg
Each of these comments are most entertianing to read. After viewing those (4/29/07) Regent interior photos my compliments go out to Seymour Cox for his (11/26/06) observations. It is amazing that after 25 years Seymour is able to remember such detail. His vivid recollections and those recent photos match one another exactly.
A color postcard view (plate #177) of this great hulk of a building can be seen in the interesting book “VANISHED SPLENDOR, Postcard Views of Early Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards and Hal Ottaway
Further history of the building shown in the 04/29/07 photo link, built in 1902 as an India Temple. Renamed the Wright Bldg after the Masons vacated in 1910, this would have left a generous time period for that upstairs auditorium to be used for cinema use, if indeed it ever was used for that purpose.
A sharp color postcard view (plate #92) can be seen in the fun book “VANISHED SPENDOR, Postcard Views of Early Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards & Hal Ottaway. Be sure to check postcard #93 of that atmospheric cafeteria. It has to be an Eberson design!
Don’t let the above 1930 photo mislead you, old time theatre folk tell that this theatre was always kept in first class condition.
To read the history and see a wonderful color postcard view (plate #34) of the new Metropolitan Theatre go to your local library and check out the fun coffee table book “THE VANISHED SPLENDOR – Postcard Views of Early Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards & Hal Ottaway
An exceptionally clear, antique postcard view (plate #32) of the Folly Theatre can be seen in the book “THE VANISHED SPLENDOR, Postcard Views of Early Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards and Hal Ottaway, Abalache Book Shop Publishing.
Bijou Theatre newspaper ads did give this vaudeville house a big build up. So, after I finally located a period postcard* view it came as quite a surprise to see just how modest the Bijou actually was. Located on the Northside of Main Street, about 50 yards East of Broadway, the Bijou facade was only a pink wood frame structure with an electric sign. Hopefully the auditorium upheld high expectation.
*postcard plate 9 from “THE VANISHED SPLENDOR, Postcard Views of Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards & Hal Ottaway
To view c1930s exterior & interior photographs of The Elk Theatre go to below site. Enter the word ‘theatre’ in search field. Once Elk Theatre images appear, click on small photo to see a much larger views - View link
Until the downtown Sooner Theater switched over to showing X-rated product, it catered to teen-age taste.
A c1957 photograph of the Sooner Theater can be seen on below page. In search area type in word “theatre”, then click on small image for an enlargement - View link
To see a c1929 Paramount publicity shot of their new Circle Theatre go to below page, then type in word “theatre”. Once Circle Theatre image pops up click on it again for a large view - View link
Check out these pages for c1949 photos of this neighborhood theatre when it was still known as Knob Hill Theatre. In search area type in word “theatre”, once image downloads click on it again for larger shots - View link
They say seeing is believing, according to these 1940s photos the actual name must have been Home State Theatre. The Kimball pipe organ was so massive it had three separate consoles, and apparently was played up to the end.
Although the site is listed above I will re-enter it here for ease of navigation. To see upper floor auditorium type in word “stage”. To view Home State Theatre images enter word “theatre”-
View link
Not sure this shot is worth posting, but a partial view of the Gem Theatre can be seen in this image, photo left -
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B4800.jpg
In this 1925 shot the streetcar is stopped in front of the Broadway Theatre, photo left -
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/A1635.jpg
These two 1953 images of the Akdar lobby are from the Tulsa Library/Beryl Ford Collection.
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/D1401.jpg
This New Year’s Eve shot shows that the ceiling had been lowered covering over mezanine levels.
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B9638.jpg
Courtesy of Tulsa Library comes this vintage image of the Airview Drive-In Theatre screen tower, and Story Book Lane -
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/D4039.jpg
The Movietone was another incarnation of the old 1907 Alva Opera House, which underwent several name changes during its long run.
To see a vintage image of the Movietone click below, type in word “theatre”, then hit enter -
View link
This is the last remaining Continental Theatre. The Continental in Tulsa was torn down in 1981, and Oklahoma City’s was razed only a few months back.
All three designs were exact duplicates of one another. Seen on site below are photos of the one in OKC -
http://cinerama.topcities.com/ctcontinental.htm
Tulsa Town Hall Meetings usually took place at the Brady, as above posted photos depict. The first image shows the subdued elegance of the original 1914 auditorium design, by Rose & Peterson of Kansas City. The second image shows the Bruce Goff 1930 Art Deco interior remodel.
On below site, historic photo of the Shawnee Bison Theatre is mistakenly listed as the one in Oklahoma City.
In search field type in word “theatre”, then press enter -
View link
Vintage image of the Bison Theatre shown on this site is erroniously labelled as the one in Oklahoma City, when it it actually the Bison Theatre located in Shawnee, OK.
In search area type in word “theatre”, then hit search -
View link
Roadsideok:
In 1969, at the OU School of Architecture Library I saw vintage exterior/interior photos of your (10/31/06) mystery theatre. It was the Norman Opera House located a few doors East of the Sooner Theatre. On the ground floor were shops, upper floors held a Victorian styled auditorium.
Mister Robert Furniture dates back to at least 1968.
One example of the kind of problems the Continental experienced was when they spent a lot of money booking and promoting an exclusive, reserved seat engagement of Julie Andrew’s new big budget, road show attraction “STAR”, at advanced prices. I was a high school student when I went to see this movie on opening night. Surprisingly there were only about a hundred people in attendance. One of the ushers told me advanced tickets sales were sluggish for every performance, and since the film had been promoted as reserved seating, no walk in trade was showing up. By the time the Continental got radio spots and newspaper ads out announcing open ticket sales at popular prices, word had spread that “STAR” was a stinker.
See the Oklahoma City Continental listing for good exterior/interior photos. Both houses were identical.
From the Beryl Ford Collection comes this c1940 photo of the Pryor Theatre. Architectural styling differs from that of the Allred, leading to the conclusion that these were two separate houses.
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B9047.jpg
Each of these comments are most entertianing to read. After viewing those (4/29/07) Regent interior photos my compliments go out to Seymour Cox for his (11/26/06) observations. It is amazing that after 25 years Seymour is able to remember such detail. His vivid recollections and those recent photos match one another exactly.
From the Beryl Ford Collection, this 1940’s photograph serves to illustrate that the Odeon exterior was Spartan in decor.
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B2014.jpg
This c1940 photo of Chandler’s Odeon serves to illustrate how humble some small town theatres could be.
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B2014.jpg
A color postcard view (plate #177) of this great hulk of a building can be seen in the interesting book “VANISHED SPLENDOR, Postcard Views of Early Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards and Hal Ottaway
Further history of the building shown in the 04/29/07 photo link, built in 1902 as an India Temple. Renamed the Wright Bldg after the Masons vacated in 1910, this would have left a generous time period for that upstairs auditorium to be used for cinema use, if indeed it ever was used for that purpose.
A sharp color postcard view (plate #92) can be seen in the fun book “VANISHED SPENDOR, Postcard Views of Early Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards & Hal Ottaway. Be sure to check postcard #93 of that atmospheric cafeteria. It has to be an Eberson design!
Don’t let the above 1930 photo mislead you, old time theatre folk tell that this theatre was always kept in first class condition.
To read the history and see a wonderful color postcard view (plate #34) of the new Metropolitan Theatre go to your local library and check out the fun coffee table book “THE VANISHED SPLENDOR – Postcard Views of Early Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards & Hal Ottaway
An exceptionally clear, antique postcard view (plate #32) of the Folly Theatre can be seen in the book “THE VANISHED SPLENDOR, Postcard Views of Early Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards and Hal Ottaway, Abalache Book Shop Publishing.
Bijou Theatre newspaper ads did give this vaudeville house a big build up. So, after I finally located a period postcard* view it came as quite a surprise to see just how modest the Bijou actually was. Located on the Northside of Main Street, about 50 yards East of Broadway, the Bijou facade was only a pink wood frame structure with an electric sign. Hopefully the auditorium upheld high expectation.
*postcard plate 9 from “THE VANISHED SPLENDOR, Postcard Views of Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards & Hal Ottaway
To view c1930s exterior & interior photographs of The Elk Theatre go to below site. Enter the word ‘theatre’ in search field. Once Elk Theatre images appear, click on small photo to see a much larger views -
View link
Until the downtown Sooner Theater switched over to showing X-rated product, it catered to teen-age taste.
A c1957 photograph of the Sooner Theater can be seen on below page. In search area type in word “theatre”, then click on small image for an enlargement -
View link
To see a c1929 Paramount publicity shot of their new Circle Theatre go to below page, then type in word “theatre”. Once Circle Theatre image pops up click on it again for a large view -
View link
Check out these pages for c1949 photos of this neighborhood theatre when it was still known as Knob Hill Theatre. In search area type in word “theatre”, once image downloads click on it again for larger shots -
View link