The Locke was build using the walls of the Jackson Theatre which burned August 29, 1959. That theatre appears to have launched in 1935 by Locke Bolen replacing another long-running Jackson Theatre. The Jackson was rebuilt by Bolen and relaunching as the Locke Theatre on June 23, 1960 with “The Big Circus.”
This theatre was purchased in 1952 by Harrold Rushville from Ansted, Pearson & Schillin. The trade press says that he gave it a streamlined makeover in 1953 renaming it as the Fayette Theatre. The theatre was destroyed by fire on December 26, 1961 and was demolished thereafter.
A soft launch is the opening of a theatre in advance of an announced first, grand opening booking(s) and date generally to ensure that the operation is fully functional including concession stand (additionally kitchen, bar, wait staff where applicable), projection, HVAC, automation programming, box office, and associated staffing. Hopefully, any service-related bugs will be identified in what, above, is a free admission event to mitigate issues when the fully-ready venue has its official grand opening.
Made headlines for booking “The Evil Thereof” in 1916 only to have the playdates revoked by the Censorship Board of the Women’s Council. After the attention, the playdates were re-established and the board was disbanded.
Launched as the Sky-Way Drive-In on March 29, 1942 with “History is Made at Night. The Sky-Way closed with “The Last Hurrah” on January 20, 1959. A heavy storm January 21, 1959 caused major damage to the facility before the scheduled showing of “Mardi Gras” and the venue never reopened. It was demolished later in the year for a retail shopping center project.
Montgomery and Houston built the new Ritz Theater in 1926. Fred Pickerel, who owned the Murray, Mission and Majestic, purchased the Ritz in 1927. He and his partner converted the Ritz to sound. The Ritz Theatre closed May 15, 1951 with “I Covered the War.”
All of the above information is interesting though not terribly factual. J.C. Murray and his wife established the Murray Theatre as a new-build facility in downtown Ponca City announcing the project in June of 1919. The Murray Theatre launched November 2, 1919 with a policy of motion pictures with live vaudeville two days a week.
The theatre was sold to Fred Pickerel. With Boller Brothers establishing a new movie palace, the Poncan, in 1926, Pickerel and partner Arthur L. Bogan rehabbed the seven-year old venue to freshen it. Pickerel and Bogan Theaters Circuit, Inc. also operated the Majestic, Mission and Ritz in downtown Ponca City.
Bogan Theaters equipped the Murray with Vitaphone and Movietone sound on March 19, 1929 with the first VItaphone talkie shown there being Al Jolson’s “The Singing Fool.” Bogan also gave the Murray a new air conditioning system in 1931.
As the 20-year lease cycle neared it completion, Bogan sold the Murray in 1938 to a group that would later become Video Independent Theatres Circuit. Under new operators, the Murray Theatre closed for remodeling in July of 1949. It re-emerged as the Kay Theatre as Ponca City was located in Kay County. The opening film as the Kay was “Neptune’s Daughter” on September 2, 1949.
On June 30, 1959, the Kay Theatre closed at the end of a second 20-year lease. It went out in style with a double-feature of “The Hot Angel” and “When Hell Broke Loose.” The theatre was gutted for a retailer, Ben Franklin Variety. The operators took on the Center Theatre rebooting it as the Capri Theatre on November 5, 1959 with “Pillow Talk.
Location: 114-116 East Grand Avenue. Griffith Amusements had plans to create a movie palace on the site of the Roxy in 1946 but post-War shortages appear to have changed that concept. The Roxy became the Center Theatre on September 25, 1950. Video Independent Theatres closed its Kay Theatre and converted the Center to the Capri Theatre on November 5, 1959 with “Pillow Talk” as the grand opening feature. The theatre closed as the Capri and was demolished in favor of a modern banking facility.
The Harlem Theater appears to have opened in 1945 at 5 Bell Avenue.The theatre was sold for $5,000 in 1946 with new operators appearing to have completed a ten year lease on the Harlem Theater. It appears to have been demolished for a modern strip retail complex.
The American Theatre launches again at 106 East Broadway in Cushing, Oklahoma on October 4, 1946 under Griffith Amusements Circuit with “Along Came Jones.”
The Driftwood 6 Theatre opened with a soft launch and free movies on November 3 and 4, 1999 followed by a Grand Opening on November 5, 1999. On May 9, 2008, the Showbiz Cinemas operators took over changing its name to the Showbiz Cinemas 6.
The Dixie Theatre was a silent movie theatre operating in downtown Cushing around 1916. Walling & Murphee Circuit of Bristow (aka Walmur) bought the Dixie in the 1920s and the Rialto (aka Columbia and the first Paramount) across the street. Walmur changed the Dixie’s name to the American Theatre.
Hiram Dunkin of the Dunkin Theatre took over the location along with the Columbia and converted the American to sound. Dunkin switched the locations of Columbia and the American theaters. The Columbia Theatre became became the Rialto. The American Theatre converted to sound to stay current. It was a third run venue offering very low pricing, two for one admissions and even lower cost matinees during its run.
On July 13, 1940, a projection booth theatre all but destroyed the American Theatre. It was rebuilt relaunching in 1941. It closed during the War though did have some live events and sessions showing war related films. Griffith Amusements took on the American and relaunched it with a grand opening on October 4, 1946. The theatre closed once again ending its cinematic run. The building did find new life with live plays much later.
Cushing’s second Paramount Theatre replaced an earlier Paramount (aka Rialto and Columbia) theater that burned down on April 20, 1931 also at 109 East Broadway. Griffith Amusement replaced the facility with a new Paramount designed by its architect Gates Corrigan. The new Paramount launched with “The Man in Possession” on August 5, 1931. The Paramount went out of business in 1947. It was completely gutted and became a Western Auto hardware store. The building still stands unrecognizable as a former movie house except at its roof line. (Technically, it wasn’t a Paramount theatre and was a Griffith Amusement venue.)
This long-running entertainment venue in downtown Exira opened in July of 1912 as the Exira Picture Show. It was created after the Exira Opera House experimented successfully with motion pictures in 1911 and 1912.
George Prall purchase the operation changing its name to the Picture Palace on December 26: 1912. The Exira Opera House closed a year later as the town supported film over live events. In 1914, the theatre was called the Palace Theatre. Under new operators, the theatre converted to sound. It closed briefly three times during the Depression but continued as the Palace Theatre.
It received a streamline makeover in 1938 but suffered a fire in 1943 badly damaging the building and closing the venue. New operators repaired the venue relaunching it as the Kozy Theatre in 1944. New operators took on the theatre in 1947 and would change the name of the business to the Exira Theatre which closed in 1955 as TV challenged small town theaters nationwide.
Medford’s first full time movie theatre launched on April 12, 1913 as the Alvo Theatre, J.T. Henderson took on the operation in 1923. The Henderson family operated the town’s cinema business for decades converting it to sound in 1929. The venue got a major refresh in 1938 with new seating. The Alvo moniker lasted into the TV age. They Hendersons operated the local cinema as the Mawil Theatre in the 1950s and 1960s. Eventually the theatre closed and became a florist.
July 26, 1973 was the date of the fire which ended the building.
The Locke was build using the walls of the Jackson Theatre which burned August 29, 1959. That theatre appears to have launched in 1935 by Locke Bolen replacing another long-running Jackson Theatre. The Jackson was rebuilt by Bolen and relaunching as the Locke Theatre on June 23, 1960 with “The Big Circus.”
This theatre was purchased in 1952 by Harrold Rushville from Ansted, Pearson & Schillin. The trade press says that he gave it a streamlined makeover in 1953 renaming it as the Fayette Theatre. The theatre was destroyed by fire on December 26, 1961 and was demolished thereafter.
A soft launch is the opening of a theatre in advance of an announced first, grand opening booking(s) and date generally to ensure that the operation is fully functional including concession stand (additionally kitchen, bar, wait staff where applicable), projection, HVAC, automation programming, box office, and associated staffing. Hopefully, any service-related bugs will be identified in what, above, is a free admission event to mitigate issues when the fully-ready venue has its official grand opening.
Made headlines for booking “The Evil Thereof” in 1916 only to have the playdates revoked by the Censorship Board of the Women’s Council. After the attention, the playdates were re-established and the board was disbanded.
Launched as the Sky-Way Drive-In on March 29, 1942 with “History is Made at Night. The Sky-Way closed with “The Last Hurrah” on January 20, 1959. A heavy storm January 21, 1959 caused major damage to the facility before the scheduled showing of “Mardi Gras” and the venue never reopened. It was demolished later in the year for a retail shopping center project.
Montgomery and Houston built the new Ritz Theater in 1926. Fred Pickerel, who owned the Murray, Mission and Majestic, purchased the Ritz in 1927. He and his partner converted the Ritz to sound. The Ritz Theatre closed May 15, 1951 with “I Covered the War.”
All of the above information is interesting though not terribly factual. J.C. Murray and his wife established the Murray Theatre as a new-build facility in downtown Ponca City announcing the project in June of 1919. The Murray Theatre launched November 2, 1919 with a policy of motion pictures with live vaudeville two days a week.
The theatre was sold to Fred Pickerel. With Boller Brothers establishing a new movie palace, the Poncan, in 1926, Pickerel and partner Arthur L. Bogan rehabbed the seven-year old venue to freshen it. Pickerel and Bogan Theaters Circuit, Inc. also operated the Majestic, Mission and Ritz in downtown Ponca City.
Bogan Theaters equipped the Murray with Vitaphone and Movietone sound on March 19, 1929 with the first VItaphone talkie shown there being Al Jolson’s “The Singing Fool.” Bogan also gave the Murray a new air conditioning system in 1931.
As the 20-year lease cycle neared it completion, Bogan sold the Murray in 1938 to a group that would later become Video Independent Theatres Circuit. Under new operators, the Murray Theatre closed for remodeling in July of 1949. It re-emerged as the Kay Theatre as Ponca City was located in Kay County. The opening film as the Kay was “Neptune’s Daughter” on September 2, 1949.
On June 30, 1959, the Kay Theatre closed at the end of a second 20-year lease. It went out in style with a double-feature of “The Hot Angel” and “When Hell Broke Loose.” The theatre was gutted for a retailer, Ben Franklin Variety. The operators took on the Center Theatre rebooting it as the Capri Theatre on November 5, 1959 with “Pillow Talk.
Location: 114-116 East Grand Avenue. Griffith Amusements had plans to create a movie palace on the site of the Roxy in 1946 but post-War shortages appear to have changed that concept. The Roxy became the Center Theatre on September 25, 1950. Video Independent Theatres closed its Kay Theatre and converted the Center to the Capri Theatre on November 5, 1959 with “Pillow Talk” as the grand opening feature. The theatre closed as the Capri and was demolished in favor of a modern banking facility.
The Harlem Theater appears to have opened in 1945 at 5 Bell Avenue.The theatre was sold for $5,000 in 1946 with new operators appearing to have completed a ten year lease on the Harlem Theater. It appears to have been demolished for a modern strip retail complex.
The American Theatre launches again at 106 East Broadway in Cushing, Oklahoma on October 4, 1946 under Griffith Amusements Circuit with “Along Came Jones.”
The Driftwood 6 Theatre opened with a soft launch and free movies on November 3 and 4, 1999 followed by a Grand Opening on November 5, 1999. On May 9, 2008, the Showbiz Cinemas operators took over changing its name to the Showbiz Cinemas 6.
Address – 106 East Broadway
The Dixie Theatre was a silent movie theatre operating in downtown Cushing around 1916. Walling & Murphee Circuit of Bristow (aka Walmur) bought the Dixie in the 1920s and the Rialto (aka Columbia and the first Paramount) across the street. Walmur changed the Dixie’s name to the American Theatre.
Hiram Dunkin of the Dunkin Theatre took over the location along with the Columbia and converted the American to sound. Dunkin switched the locations of Columbia and the American theaters. The Columbia Theatre became became the Rialto. The American Theatre converted to sound to stay current. It was a third run venue offering very low pricing, two for one admissions and even lower cost matinees during its run.
On July 13, 1940, a projection booth theatre all but destroyed the American Theatre. It was rebuilt relaunching in 1941. It closed during the War though did have some live events and sessions showing war related films. Griffith Amusements took on the American and relaunched it with a grand opening on October 4, 1946. The theatre closed once again ending its cinematic run. The building did find new life with live plays much later.
Restoring and received a grant with a deadline to reopen of Jan. 1, 2020.
Cushing’s second Paramount Theatre replaced an earlier Paramount (aka Rialto and Columbia) theater that burned down on April 20, 1931 also at 109 East Broadway. Griffith Amusement replaced the facility with a new Paramount designed by its architect Gates Corrigan. The new Paramount launched with “The Man in Possession” on August 5, 1931. The Paramount went out of business in 1947. It was completely gutted and became a Western Auto hardware store. The building still stands unrecognizable as a former movie house except at its roof line. (Technically, it wasn’t a Paramount theatre and was a Griffith Amusement venue.)
Destroyed by fire in December of 1923, the Grand was at 103 North Harrison in downtown Cushing.
Opened in 1949
Launched as a silent theatre on September, 1926, operators added vitaphone and Movietone sysyrms for talkies in May of 1929,
This long-running entertainment venue in downtown Exira opened in July of 1912 as the Exira Picture Show. It was created after the Exira Opera House experimented successfully with motion pictures in 1911 and 1912.
George Prall purchase the operation changing its name to the Picture Palace on December 26: 1912. The Exira Opera House closed a year later as the town supported film over live events. In 1914, the theatre was called the Palace Theatre. Under new operators, the theatre converted to sound. It closed briefly three times during the Depression but continued as the Palace Theatre.
It received a streamline makeover in 1938 but suffered a fire in 1943 badly damaging the building and closing the venue. New operators repaired the venue relaunching it as the Kozy Theatre in 1944. New operators took on the theatre in 1947 and would change the name of the business to the Exira Theatre which closed in 1955 as TV challenged small town theaters nationwide.
Medford’s first full time movie theatre launched on April 12, 1913 as the Alvo Theatre, J.T. Henderson took on the operation in 1923. The Henderson family operated the town’s cinema business for decades converting it to sound in 1929. The venue got a major refresh in 1938 with new seating. The Alvo moniker lasted into the TV age. They Hendersons operated the local cinema as the Mawil Theatre in the 1950s and 1960s. Eventually the theatre closed and became a florist.
Also known as the Carlton Theatre
The long-running Carlton Theatre closed in 1959 and was refreshed becoming the Ritz Theatre in March of 1959.
Architect of the theatre was J.C. Wood of Salt Lake City. First film was Zane Grey’s “Desert Gold” and the comedy short “The Grocery Clerk”
Newspaper ads begin in 1918 and cease July 13, 1957