Warner Theatre
213 W. Sheridan Avenue,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
213 W. Sheridan Avenue,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 29 comments found
Photo of original Overholser Opera House under construction added to photo section.
1920’s photo scene with the original Overholser Opera House looking east on Grand just included in photo section.
Warner Theater Oklahoma City, Photo’s of original Overholser Opera House as well as the later conversion to Orhpeum Theater prior to becoming the Warner have been added to the photo section.
c1930 photo of the Warner Theater with original lightbulb marquee,
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Shown here are 1943 newspaper ads for the Warner,
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‘SKATING VANITIES of 1947’ may have played the Warner Theatre since live stage productions were presented up till Cinerama euipment was installed in 1952. To have a look at a wall sign advertising this show go to oklahomo coboyz 08-07-07 post and type “421 w main, oklahoma city”
From Doug Loudenback’s fun web site come these vintage imges of the Warner
(AKA-Overholser, Orpheum) Theatre,
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and
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Roadside Oklahoma shows several vintage views of the old Warner Theatre;
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/487
Other OKC theatres that contained full working stages (and multiple dressing rooms) behind their screens were the Capitol, Centre, Circle, Criterion, Delmar Garden, Empire, Empress, Folly, Home-State, Liberty, Majestic, Metropolitan, Midwest, Tower, and Victoria.
The Warner was a historical monument in the main vein of downtown OKC and was the only movie theater in OKC with an unbelivable history that grew with not only the City but, the state of OK. Also, it was the only theater that had not only a full stage behind the screen but, below the stage, multiple dressing rooms that were about
10x10 and each had hot and cold running water / sinks. There also was a trap door in the floor of the stage that opened to the basement. Too bad the City allowed it to be bull dozed!
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Population.html
In 1922 Oklahoma City had a population of only 92,000. The Warner Theater was really the only “big time” theatre OKC had. Perhaps the Criterion and Liberty came close to first class, but neither had that extra pizzazz needed to rate top notch.
Several vintage views of the Warner Theater can be viewed on this updated site;
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Also on the site posted just above this comment check out other interesting photographs.
Type in word ‘architecture’ or ‘drawing’ to see non theatre designs by noted theatre architects such as Layton, Smith, & Forsyth, Parr & Hawks, Leon Senter, and William Wells.
One of the images you’ll see is Springlake Ballroom which also contained a silent picture theatre.
Type in word ‘overholser’ to look at interior views of that fabulouse mansion.
Better photos of the Warner Theater can be seen on the Oklahoma Historical Society pages. Type in word “warner”, then hit search.
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Shown here is a 1970 shot of the 1903 Overholser Mansion. Henry Overholser built the 1889 Opera House, 1903 Overholser Opera House, 1913 Colcord Airdome, and was held an interest in Stanley-Warner stock.
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and an essay on Overholser.
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1918 Overholser Opera House program ad inside 1925 scrapbook
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B1651.jpg
a direct photo route -
Orpheum Theatre c1921
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Warner Cinerama 1956
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Historic photographs can be seen of this theatre as the Overholser, Orpheum, and Warner. Click on individual images for larger views -
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While early 1903 advertisements appeared for films shown inside a tent at the Barnum Circus, and later at the 1903 Oklahoma State Fair, the earliest newspaper ad I’ve been able to locate that promote a moving picture shown inside an established Oklahoma City theatre is dated March 12, 1904. On that date Overholser Opera House (AKA- Orpheum, Warner) presented a Kinodrome movie entitled “Cinderella”.
From September 4th thru the 11th, 1908, the Overholser advertised “Moving Talking Pictures”.
Amoungst these antique postcards can be found images of OKC’s Liberty (AKA-Harbor, Cooper), Market Theatre, and original 1903 facade of the Overholser Opera House (AKA-Orpheum, Warner) before John Eberson’s 1919 renovation.
Of interest to theatre buffs; note the Ramsey Building postcard. This skyscraper was designed by architect W.W. Ahlschlager who also created NYC’s famed Roxy Theatre.
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Please excuse above typo. Click this address for image-
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In 1917 photo journalist Lewis W. Hine exposed child labor through pictures. Some of his prints also captured OKC theatre history. Here one of Hine’s pictures illustrates a coming attractions poster for Overholser Opera House (AKA-Orpheum, Warner);
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Click here to see result of John Eberson’s 1920 renovation;
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An architectural sketch of the Orpheum renovation, along with good shots of the newly remodelled interior, can be located on oklahoman archive web site, January 23, 1921. pages.
Correct address for the downtown Warner Theater should read;
213 W Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City