OK Theatre

A.L. Wimer launched downtown Newkirk’s first motion picture house, the Edison Electric Theatre, on February 28, 1908 in the Thomas Building. The theatre changed names to the Electric Theatre under a new operator. The Electric Theatre closed in November of 1909 and became two retail operations including a pool hall. The town would be served by another theatre, the Cozy Theatre which closed in the hot summer for the Big Tent Theatre.

George S. Thomas gutted the building which had been the former home to the Electric Theatre in 1920 and created the Palace Theatre which launched on March 1, 1920 with Wallace Reid in “The Valley of the Giants.” The theatre’s stage was extended to allow live shows in addition to films.

In 1928, as the sound era was in a growth period, a decision was made to close the Cozy Theatre and eventually the Palace Theatre was wired for sound. The trade press reported that in 1933 the Palace Theatre became the Newkirk Theatre but by 1937, the theatre was called the O.K. Theatre. The O.K. Theatre was converted to widescreen in 1957 for CinemaScope presentations and closed at the end of March.

It reopened as the OK Theatre and was remodeled again in 1962. The long-running theatre was a fixture on Main Street for many decades before finally closing in 1970.

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