May Theatre

story

Seymour, none of the Roadsdie Oklahoma links seem to be working. Did they redo the website or something?

Photos of the May and three other Corgan-designed theaters appeared in Boxoffice of December 6, 1947. The other houses featured in the article are the Agnew, Oklahoma City; the Boomer, Norman; and the Plains, Rosswell, New Mexico.

Here is another 1985 photo.

1985 night photo of the May Theatre.
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In the early 50’s, popcorn and pop all over me and my brother at the May Theatre….

We were kids watching a western with a box of pop corn and pop when a loud “BANG” with a flash of light coming only 3 rows of seats in front of us startled us so much that we jumped straight up, pop corn and pop flying all over us….One of two individuals who were planning on a hold up accidently shot himself in the leg while showing the other his revolver…

The wounded fellow was carried to the lobby and laid out on a couch while his buddy ran off down May Av.

The movie was resumed shortly there after and we went back to our seats some what wet!

It was a great Saturday kids movie theatre in the 50’s and later as an adult, I saw the movie “The Graduate” in the same theatre which was upgraded from grade B movies to first run hits.

I saw so many great movies at the May, but the one I remember most vividly was THE WARRIORS in ‘79. Does anyone else remember seeing it there?

To see more period shots of the May Theatre, go to below site and type in word “theatre”, then search…
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My photograph of the MAY theater sign.
www.flickr.com/photos/lastpictureshow/293156850

Several establiments around this stretch of the May Avenue business district were decorated in tropical themes; amoung them were the Palm Room Lounge, Zanzi Bar, Tropicana Cafeteria, Veezee Drug Store, and May Theatre.
While the May Theatre exterior was executed in 1940’s streamline styling, the original interior motif was tropic.
I remember attending this theatre as a small child and remember noticing that woven into lobby carpeting were green & yellow banana leaves with an orange background, spotlighted potted palms brightened corner areas, and a stuffed blue parrot perched inside a hoop above the concession stand.
Low lighting levels enhanced exotic jungle silhouettes that were painted onto standee walls, with banana leaf carpeting, and a spattering of bamboo accents that made this area mysterious, and a bit spooky too.
Auditorium walls were arranged in zigzag order, decorated with colossal stencilled banana leaves accented by indirect lighting. Color wheel lighting danced across lush stage drapes, and a green neon advertising clock reminded kids what time mom would pick them up.
This tropic theme came together nicely to create a pleasant environment in which to view a movie.

The May Theatre, on May Avenue, was built by Griffith Amusement Company, later called Video Independent Theatres, as a suburban neighborhood theatre playing second run product. In the late 50’s and early 60’s the May was given a facelift and began playing upscale first run “adult/art” fare. “The Graduate” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” both had long and profitable runs at the May. The May was a sister theatre to Video’s Will Rogers, also a suburban neighborhood theatre in Oklahoma City. By the time Martin Theatres (Carmike) bought Video Theatres the May and Will Rogers were history. The May should not be confused with the Mayflower Theatre,
which was located on 23rd Street. The May is still standing, but is now an antique mall.

Thanks LM. I was beginning to wonder until I saw your post and found the Mayflower on CT.