Opened 1920 by Keith/Albee to present silent film/vaude combo, OKC’s downtown Rialto Theatre was built inside the shell of a former telegraph building. A one isle shooting gallery type auditorium had little in way of decoration, but did have a small stage and seven piece orchestra to accomodate vaudeville acts.
When converted to talking pictures in 1928 vaude was discontinued and the name changed (for a short while) to RKO Rialto.
While some theatre “experts” insist on calling that massive roofsign which once crowned Tulsa’s late Majestic Theatre the largest “marquee” (I’d call it a roof sign) ever installed in the state, the Rialto had a gigantic box style marquee that covered the entire second story of the structure, and was perhaps the largest ever- – – in Oklahoma City anyway. The Rialto also sported a roof sign, but it was a towering Coca-Cola red neon sign that drawfed the theatre building it sat atop.
Railto was torn down in 1971 to make way for a Sheridan Hotel.
During its last few years of operation the stucco screen tower of the lovely Skyview Drive-In Theater was painted to resemble tan terra cotta. Judging from this vintage picture postcard it originally carried a blue & cream color scheme. See it now… http://66.221.1.53/states/ok.htm
Built as a single screnn drive-in by L. E. Snider, the Modernaire Drive-In opened May 21, 1951 with opening film “Oh, Suzanna” starring Chill Wills. Twinned & renamed Admiral Twin when taken over by Alex Blue in 1953. General Cinema bought this theatre in 1966 shortly before the Blue Family built their Village Cinema at Admiral & Garnet.
Mr. Blue also owned, in partnership with United Artist, the Okla and V theatres in McAlester, OK.
See- View link
Link below has color photos of OKC’s enchanting Skyview Drive-In Theatre falling to ruin. So sad to see those once well manicured grounds now overgrown in weeds. http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/okskyv
A sad fact is there is a lot of inaccurate Tulsa theatre history reported by sources who should know better and can’t seem to bother with double checking their information. Research in the Tulsa World Newspaper archives would confirm most of these facts!
This house opened 1907 as the Orpheum Theatre, and in 1917 was apparently renamed Empress when the New Orpheum opened on East Fourth Street. Then in 1921 it became known as Rialto and operated under this name till razed in in 1973.
Twilight Gardens Drive-In Theatre was charming. Fragrant pine trees and foliage lined winding, white gravel entrance drives. Boxoffice lines were made less stressful when one could watch cool dancing water spill over an exquisite five tier fountain.
The concession stand was nondescript until darkness fell to reveal that it was outlined in soft blue indirect lighting.
Situated beneath a massive screen tower was a joyous play-land that enticed children with a miniature train, a carrousel, a ferris wheel, boat rides, a playhouse maze, and (for the first 150 children) free toy balloons and/or whistles.
View crisp pictures of the Ritz Theatre on the below web link. Go to Browse the Collection, then see images 281, 290, and 291.
By the way, 281 photo list the name as Rich Theatre, but the structure seen in left background is definately the Ritz Bldg on West Fourth Street; http://www.tulsalibrary.org/BFC/index.htm
Here is a link with a clear vintage photo of the Majestic Theatre and its lighted roof sign which some sources called the largest “marquee” in the state. Go to Browse the Collection, then see page 20, image 235; http://www.tulsalibrary.org/BFC/index.htm
Unfortunately some theatre history reported by Tulsa Historical Society is not correct. Tulsa had two Orpheum theatres, the first Orpheum (AKA-Empress, Rialto) opened 1907 on West Third Street, and the second Orpheum (nee-New Orpheum) was designed by famed architect John Eberson and opened 1917 on East Fourth Street. Here is a link with vintage pictures of the Fourth Street Orpheum. Go to Browse the Collection, then see pages 85, and 273; http://www.tulsalibrary.org/BFC/index.htm
Originally called Billings Theatre, this movie house was also known as Criterion, Chief, Cinema Twin, and Gaslight. Go into this link for a vintage picture; http://www.gaslighttheatre.org/history.html
Here is a quasi burlesque history web site fitting for a theatre like Uptown Burlesque,
http://www.anatomyofburlesque.com/
Famed burlesque dancers Virginia Bell, Lili St Cyr, Candy Barr, and Gypsy Rose Lee all performed on the Gaiety stage
View link
Opened 1920 by Keith/Albee to present silent film/vaude combo, OKC’s downtown Rialto Theatre was built inside the shell of a former telegraph building. A one isle shooting gallery type auditorium had little in way of decoration, but did have a small stage and seven piece orchestra to accomodate vaudeville acts.
When converted to talking pictures in 1928 vaude was discontinued and the name changed (for a short while) to RKO Rialto.
While some theatre “experts” insist on calling that massive roofsign which once crowned Tulsa’s late Majestic Theatre the largest “marquee” (I’d call it a roof sign) ever installed in the state, the Rialto had a gigantic box style marquee that covered the entire second story of the structure, and was perhaps the largest ever- – – in Oklahoma City anyway. The Rialto also sported a roof sign, but it was a towering Coca-Cola red neon sign that drawfed the theatre building it sat atop.
Railto was torn down in 1971 to make way for a Sheridan Hotel.
This c1940 photo belies a cavernous interior inside Muskogee’s Broadway Theatre;
View link
Mid page on this online gallery can be seen an image of the Beacon Drive-In Theater…
http://66.221.1.53/states/ok.htm
During its last few years of operation the stucco screen tower of the lovely Skyview Drive-In Theater was painted to resemble tan terra cotta. Judging from this vintage picture postcard it originally carried a blue & cream color scheme. See it now…
http://66.221.1.53/states/ok.htm
Online gallery below has several 1950’s photographs of Tulsa’s modernist style Modernaire Drive-In Theatre…
http://66.221.1.53/states/ok.htm
Built as a single screnn drive-in by L. E. Snider, the Modernaire Drive-In opened May 21, 1951 with opening film “Oh, Suzanna” starring Chill Wills. Twinned & renamed Admiral Twin when taken over by Alex Blue in 1953. General Cinema bought this theatre in 1966 shortly before the Blue Family built their Village Cinema at Admiral & Garnet.
Mr. Blue also owned, in partnership with United Artist, the Okla and V theatres in McAlester, OK.
See-
View link
Link below has color photos of OKC’s enchanting Skyview Drive-In Theatre falling to ruin. So sad to see those once well manicured grounds now overgrown in weeds.
http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/okskyv
Lauren:
The black owned Regal Theatre was the one located in north Tulsa at 1431 N. Lansing Ave. Below link has a color picture;
View link
A sad fact is there is a lot of inaccurate Tulsa theatre history reported by sources who should know better and can’t seem to bother with double checking their information. Research in the Tulsa World Newspaper archives would confirm most of these facts!
This house opened 1907 as the Orpheum Theatre, and in 1917 was apparently renamed Empress when the New Orpheum opened on East Fourth Street. Then in 1921 it became known as Rialto and operated under this name till razed in in 1973.
Probably this was the old Billings (AKA-Criterion, Chief, Cinema Twin, & Gaslight) Theatre;
http://www.gaslighttheatre.org/history.html
Twilight Gardens Drive-In Theatre was charming. Fragrant pine trees and foliage lined winding, white gravel entrance drives. Boxoffice lines were made less stressful when one could watch cool dancing water spill over an exquisite five tier fountain.
The concession stand was nondescript until darkness fell to reveal that it was outlined in soft blue indirect lighting.
Situated beneath a massive screen tower was a joyous play-land that enticed children with a miniature train, a carrousel, a ferris wheel, boat rides, a playhouse maze, and (for the first 150 children) free toy balloons and/or whistles.
Look into this link for vintage images and a brief history of this old movie house;
http://www.gaslighttheatre.org/history.html
Yes, it would be one and the same.
Nee-Billings, AKA-Chief, Cinema Twin, Gaslight
View crisp pictures of the Ritz Theatre on the below web link. Go to Browse the Collection, then see images 281, 290, and 291.
By the way, 281 photo list the name as Rich Theatre, but the structure seen in left background is definately the Ritz Bldg on West Fourth Street;
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/BFC/index.htm
Here is a link with a clear vintage photo of the Majestic Theatre and its lighted roof sign which some sources called the largest “marquee” in the state. Go to Browse the Collection, then see page 20, image 235;
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/BFC/index.htm
Unfortunately some theatre history reported by Tulsa Historical Society is not correct. Tulsa had two Orpheum theatres, the first Orpheum (AKA-Empress, Rialto) opened 1907 on West Third Street, and the second Orpheum (nee-New Orpheum) was designed by famed architect John Eberson and opened 1917 on East Fourth Street. Here is a link with vintage pictures of the Fourth Street Orpheum. Go to Browse the Collection, then see pages 85, and 273;
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/BFC/index.htm
North Tulsa hotspots, including the Peoria theatre, can be traced here on this link;
View link
Interesting info on North Tulsa theatre history, including the Dreamland, can be found here;
View link
Early day Akdar Theatre pictures can be seen on this link, BROWSE COLLECTION- pages 45, 46, 47, 260;
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/BFC/index.htm
Originally called Billings Theatre, this movie house was also known as Criterion, Chief, Cinema Twin, and Gaslight. Go into this link for a vintage picture;
http://www.gaslighttheatre.org/history.html
Near the bottome of these web pages can be seen a color photo of the Tulsa’s Airview Drive-In Theatre;
http://www.losttulsa.com/
Recent color photographs can be seen on this link of Tulsa’s lost twin cinemas;
http://www.losttulsa.com/