Uptown Theater
18 S. Main Street,
Tulsa,
OK
18 S. Main Street,
Tulsa,
OK
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Shown here are the type of burleque shows that were presented on the Uptown Theatre stage.
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In 1955 the Uptown Theater had 308 seats.
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This peppy album plays snappy burlesque tunes,
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Hear an actual Gypsy Rose Lee burlesque routine here -
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as presented on this site -
http://www.unicornmeat.com/
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Photo right of this 1910 image, where the “Tulsa” arch joins onto the drug store/hotel, is where the Uptown Theatre would later be built. Lyric Theatre is visible photo left.
Usually the Uptown Theatre kept their display cases loaded with advertising cards and posters. For one reason or another poster baords are empty in this forlorn image -
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/E0081.jpg
This 1957 photo illustrates that the Uptown Theatre had a new paint job that restored the edicafe to its 1930 look. Further up Main Street can be seen the Cozy Theatre.
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B1690.jpg
c1945 photo -
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B0437.jpg
Even toward the sad end, in a most run down condition, this crappy burlesque house supplied its burlesque queens with live music. The band was made up of an organ, drums, sax, and clarinet.
On the below sites one can listen to samples of classic burlesque music-
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and another site-
http://www.spaceagepop.com/lester.htm
I just noticed that in the above reproduction can also be seen the corner Lyric Theatre (photo right), upright sign and marquee are clearly visible, though not legible.
Under the title “Main Street, Circa 1929” can be seen a fuzzy image of the Uptown when it was still known as Gayety. As can be seen, by ‘29 this area was alreayd tough and seedy, including the shown theatre.
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/BFC/index.htm
Here is a quasi burlesque history web site fitting for a theatre like Uptown Burlesque,
http://www.anatomyofburlesque.com/
Basically the Uptown Theatre was a burlesque house known under various names at various times. Apparently this theatre took on a new name whenever it strived to be a respectable movie house, but somehow always seemed to revert back to bump & grind burlesque stage shows. The Uptown ended its days as Paris Art, a run down strip joint which also exhibited adult films between risque acts.
This was one of the coolest theater designs I ever saw. The UPTOWN Theater was constructed near the top of a railroad viaduct, and had a long auditorium with an extremely steep rake in order for rear exit doors to meet an alley far below the front facade.
On the other end of the same viaduct was the COZY Theater, with pretty much the same floor plan, but nearly as high off the ground as the UPTOWN.
Both theaters were located near Union Train Depot, and benefitted by attracting travelers killing time on layover.
This was one of the coolest theater designs I ever saw. The UPTOWN Theater was constructed near the top of a railroad viaduct, and had a long auditorium with an extremely steep rake in order for rear exit doors to meet an alley far below the front facade. Located near the Union Train Depot, this house attracted travelers killing time on layover.
On the other end of the same viaduct was the COZY Theater, with pretty much the same floor plan, but nearly as high off the ground as the UPTOWN.