89er Theatre

This is a December 18, 2005 article on the 89er Theater. In case the link doesn't work, here is the text:

Published: December 18, 2005 12:38 am

Lights, camera, action: 89er Theater set to reopen in downtown Kingfisher

THUMBS UP

Kingfisher residents were stunned and saddened March 27, 2004, when the historic 89er Theater burned down.

But movie lovers in Kingfisher soon will receive an early Christmas present when the 89er reopens later this week.

The theater will cost more than $900,000 and will feature three screens.

But the best thing is, people in Kingfisher will no longer have to drive to Enid or Oklahoma City to go to the movies, but instead can enjoy first-run films in the new theater, located just a block from the old one.

Thumbs up to all those in the Kingfisher community who worked to rebuild the 89er Theater, and pass the popcorn.

This 89er theater burned down in 2004. Now, a new 89er theater was built at a different location from the old one. The address that I found for the new theater is 304-306 North Main Street. The new theater is a triplex. Should we list the new 89er theater or just combine it with this listing? The website for the new 89er theater is here.

The Film Daily Yearbook;1950 edition lists a Thomas Theatre, 113 N. Main Street, Kingfisher, OK with a seating capacity of 465. Same theatre?

I'm sure that this theater had a prior name. I was reading the movie theater history of Kingfisher, OK and I'm still not sure which prior name belonged to the 89er. The Thomas theater was named after its owners, John H. and Eudoxie Thomas. They owned other theaters in Kingfisher besides the Thomas theater. They also owned the Temple theater (became the New Temple later on) which was located next door to the Thomas theater. If 113 N. Main Street is the address for the "old" 89er theater then its previous name would be the Thomas theater. The exact address for the Temple theater isn't given. Both the Thomas and Temple were operating in 1937. Across the street was the State theater which closed in 1941. I don't think these other theaters are listed here.

Lost Memory;Some further details on the other Kingfisher theatres.....
The 350 seat Temple Theatre is listed in the Film Daily Yearbook; 1950 edition at 111 North Main Street. It is also in the 1943 edition but not in 1941. The State Theatre is listed in 1941 and 1943 as having 250 seats. but had dropped from listings by 1950. No address is given for the State Theatre.

Thanks for the additional info Ken. I pretty much have the Temple theater figured out except for the year that it becomes the New Temple theater and its closing date. Is the State theater listed as closed in the FDYbook after 1941? The history I found on the State theater claims that it closed in 1941. Reads as follows: "The theater across the street, the “State”, closed and presented its last show on Saturday, April 26, 1941, with William Boyd in the Hopalong Cassidy western “Three Men from Texas” and the number 9 episode of the comedy “Sky Raiders”.


Since the addresses do match, I would put an aka name of Thomas theater for this 89er theater.

Before I submit the Temple theater, is there any listing that shows it as the New Temple theater? I'm wondering if "New" was really part of its name or just something that people called it after it was remodeled.

No listing for 'New' as a prefix in F.D.Y. editions 1943 or 1950.

Okay Ken, the Temple is a done deal. The State theater is next. Do the FDYbooks show the State theater open after 1941?

The State Theatre is listed as open in 1943.

I was afraid of that Ken. As I mentioned above, the Kingfisher Daily Free Press shows the State theaters last show being April 26, 1941. Maybe I should put the State theater on hold. I also found a few other theaters that showed movies in Kingfisher. I could just type them up and send them to you and see if your info matches what I found. I hate to submit these theaters and then find out that the dates are wrong.

That was probably a bad idea. I'll just submit them with the info that I have.

For history of the cinema rebuilding project and also a vivid picture of the fire, please see http://www.89ertheatre.com Scroll to links at bottom of page.

From Boxoffice magazine, May 1950. Perhaps Thomas should be removed as the aka.

KINGFISHER, OKLA-The Thomas Theater here has been purchased by Don Abernathy, a partner in Marcy, Inc. Possession was to be taken by the new owner April 30. Another local theater, known as the 89er, was bought last July by Marcy, Inc.

There is no 89er Theater listed for 1950. It had to be a later name for another theater.