Empire Theater

Oklahoma City, OK

120 W. Main Street

, Oklahoma City, OK 73102 United States

(map)

Status:	Closed/Demolished
Screens:	Single Screen
Style:	Art Nouveau

Function:	Unknown
Seats:	1100
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	Unknown
Firm:	Unknown

On May 27, 1906, gay fanfare surrounded grand opening ceremonies for the new Empire Vaudeville Theater, a class act house that promised the best in stage entertainment.

A sweeping arched entryway was the focal point for the iron facade of the five story office structure in which the Empire Theater was situated. Interior detailing was of Art Nouveau styling, with plaster fruited vines that climbed across a barrel vaulted lobby. A shallow shelf balcony ran across auditorium rear, but the majority of the 1100 seats were ground floor level in a wide auditorium, framed in a series of exposed "tree branch" iron arches that vaulted over orchestra sections. These intertwined iron branches bore orange, red, and yellow light bulb fruit. Embroidered wisteria enhanced emerald-green valour stage drapery that dressed a steeply arched, plaster vined proscenium.

During the autumn of 1907 the Empire became a movie/vaude combo house, but by January, 1908, large display ads began touting "Something New! Something Different! ~ NO MOVING PICTURES!!!~"

By mid-1910 the Empire had slid down into a second run movie house that no longer bothered to advertise. Then, after the holiday season of 1912, the owner converted the Empire auditorium into what became Oklahoma City's fanciest pool hall. Rechristend the Century Billiards Parlor, this thinly disguised gambling casino lasted up to the time the building was razed in 1971.

Contributed by Jeff Chapman

YOUR COMMENTS

Here is a Library of Congress 1910 panaramic view of downtown Oklahoma City. Near photo center can be seen the Empire Theatre. Directly behind the Empire sits the stagehouse of the Folly Theatre. Several other theatres can be seen in this image, but one would have to be extremely familiar with OKC to be able to spot them all-
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?pan:10:./temp/~ammem_iZgI::@@@=mdb,gottscho,detr,nfor,wpa,aap,cwar,bbpix,cowellbib,cal
In 1919 the Criterion Theatre would be built this side of the Empire.

posted by Seymour Cox on Mar 31, 2007 at 2:49pm

Here is a 1940's snapshot of the former Empire after conversion to the Century Pool- Billiard-Snooker Parlor. Criterion Theatre is seen in background.
http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Projects/Downtown/MainSt/Mainst_Criterion.jpg

posted by Seymour Cox on Mar 31, 2007 at 7:17pm

Take this express line to the L of C 1910 image. Once photo downloads click on it again for supersize vew,
http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/pan/6a14000/6a14200/6a14272r.jpg

posted by Cosmic Ray on Apr 9, 2007 at 6:39am

In the 6/5/40 Criterion Theatre photo can be seen the former Empire Theatre, photo right.
Enter word 'theatre', then enter to see image,
http://okhistory.cuadra.com/starweb3/b.archives/servlet.starweb3?path=b.archives/STARArchives.public.web

posted by Miss Melba Toast on May 21, 2007 at 1:06pm

From the Oklahoma County Tax Assessor Office comes this 1930s postcard view of the former Empire Theatre (phot left). Partial view of the Criterion Theatre can also be made out.
http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Projects/Downtown/MainSt/Dust_Storm_MainSt.jpg
One note of interest; in John Ford's "The Grapes of Wrath", this is the street corner where the Jode's truck turns onto when they set out for California.

posted by Seymour Cox on Jul 22, 2007 at 9:44am

This site has a vintage image of the former Empire Theater;
http://dougdawg.blogspot.com/2006/07/lets-go-downtown-to-movies.html

posted by Oklahomo Cowboy on Apr 29, 2008 at 10:19am

Note: Please read our comment policy before posting. Comments which are off-topic, obscene, spam, or personal attacks will be removed. Help us keep the discussion productive!

Search

Theater Guide

Add Your Cinema Treasure!

Newest Theaters

Recent Comments

Updated Theaters

Empire Theater

YOUR COMMENTS

Notify me when someone replies to my comment?