John Carnakis built the Virginia Theatre in 1919 and opened the venue in 1920. At its tenth year, it was remodeled relaunching with Western Electric Sound in November 20, 1930 and the film, “The Squealer.”
The original Wigwam Theatre and Penny Arcade launched with 625 seats on November 17, 1909 with both motion pictures and films. Persons of color had their own entry and seating area. In 1911, the Wigwam launched an adjacent Airdome for more comfortable screenings in 1911. The Wigwam Circuit opened four venues in the 1910s in downtown Muskogee including Wigwam #2 in the Barnes Building launching February 12, 1910 and taking over the Lenhart Theatre on March 2, 1912. While the Wigwam Airdome closed after the summer season of 1917, it appears that the Wigwam Theatre to closed in 1921.
Alexander Hinton created the Hinton Theatre launching with a live play on April 18, 1905. On October 25, 1920, its name was changed to the Orpheum Theatre playing the Orpheum Circuit vaudeville which had been playing at the Broadway Theatre. Films became the more prevalent choice for the Orpheum. On October 4, 1928, Vitaphone was installed in the venue for talking films and it was renamed the Ritz Theatre. The first sound film, however, was shown October 10, 1928.
Architects Corgan and Moore gave the Ritz a major streamlined moderne makeover including Art Deco fountain in 1938. The theatre would have a 70-plus year run before closing and being demolished.
If the trade press is accurate, this was the location of of the Gem Theatre that launched in March of 1934 by V.E. Hamm. The theatre was totally unrelated to the 1908 Gem Theatre except that both were independently owned. Hamm’s Gem would bring suit against the operator of the Broadway, Ritz and Yale when the Yale lowered prices to counter the new Gem’s low admission prices. It also complained that the Bank Night that was shared by those three theaters was akin to a lottery. Hamm’s suits were dismissed and the theatre got new ownership and switched to the Roxy nameplate.
The competitor, P&M, then added the venue to its portfolio under the Roxy Theatre nameplate. The theatre was destroyed by fire in 1945. The operator wanted to rebuild quickly but war shortages slowed the plans. With the larger and aging nearby Lyric Theatre reaching its 40th anniversary, P&M decided that the New Roxy Theatre would supplant the Lyric after the War.
The new Roxy was constructed at 220 W. Okmulgee Avenue (which the local paper says was the site of the original Roxy Theatre, BTW) in 1947 before running into some delays including brick shortages delaying the New Roxy’s opening to 1948. The Lyric closed at the end of February of 1949 and its interior was dismantled to create a storage facility. The New Roxy continued into the 21st Century and has its own Cinema Treasures listing.
Located at 314 West Broadway in the Runyan Building, operator Dan Myers launched the Strand Theatre with a charity screening of Edna May starring in “Salvation Joan” on December 8, 1916. The Strand closed likely after a five-year lease expired in 1921 and was replaced by a cigar store and Pierce’s Fountain Lunch in 1922.
The Grand Theatre launched September 23, 1909 with short films from Pathé, Selig and Biograph as well as vaudeville acts interspersed. Oklahoma Governor Charles N. Haskell and Muskogee Mayor McGarr were on hand. It converted to sound films and had a 60-year lifecycle.
he Lenhart Moving Picture Theatre launched March 8, 1909 playing Edison films and seating 360 patrons. Illustrated songs with never an immoral film were among the promises made by management.
The Lenhart Theatre closed February 28, 1912 and was briefly replaced by Wigwam Theatre #4 on March 2, 1912. Wigwam #4 closed shortly thereafter and the Chicago Drug Company moved across the street to the theatre location.
The Lyric Theatre launched in downtown Muskogee on May 14, 1906 likely on a 20-year lease. The Lyric converted to sound to stay current and like renewed another 20-year lease.
With the theatre’s 40th anniversary came details for a new theatre. The Roxy Theatre was the heir apparent to the Lyric after the War. The Roxy was constructed in 1947 before running into some delays including brick shortages before launching in 1948.
The Lyric was downgraded to sub-run discount status briefly. The local paper reports that the Lyric Theatre closed after showings on February 26, 1949 and its interior was dismantled to create a storage facility.
The P&M drive in was built by Proctor and Marsh Circuit in 1947 and launched in 1948 on a ten-year lease. A competing drive-in, the 64, was also built in 1947 and opened in 1948. The 64 Drive-In was bought out becoming part of the same portfolio as the other local theaters including the P&M. The P&M closed August 27, 1958 after a final showing of “The Ten Commandments.” A new ozoner, the Sunset Drive-In, then opened to compete with the 64 Drive-In.
The Yale Electric Theatre launched in the Ayres Building at 208 Broadway Street on January 29, 1908 with Edison motion pictures and a mirrored screen. It showed three reels of movies followed by a vaudeville show. Its name was shorted to the Yale Theatre. The audience demand was greater than the Yale’s size as people loved the movies and the larger, New Yale opened on September 16, 1911. The New Yale took advantage of the new Surety Building skyscraper location one block away from the previous location.
The previous Yale Theatre became the Velvet Pool Hall. But on July 15, 1915, the previous Yale Theatre was reacquired and remodeled by the original operator of the Yale Theatre Circuit, L. Brophy. It became a sub-run discount operation which had periods of inactivity but used the name the Yale Theatre (sometimes referred to as the “Old” Yale Theatre with the competing theatre listed as the New Yale Theatre). Meanwhile, the New Yale was remodeled and under Texas Enterprises Circuit operation, it changed its name to the Palace Theatre on October 10, 1920. The Circuit played Paramount films.
The previous Yale Theatre which had been dormant was put back into operation a third time at 208 Broadway as a discounted sub-run location. Meanwhile, the Palace converted to sound under Robb & Rowley to stay current in 1928. R&R would also purchase the Broadway and Yale theaters converted each to sound. There appear to be no further listings for the Yale following an October 3, 1936 showing of John Wayne in “King of the Pecos.”
The New Yale Theatre opened on Broadway Street near Third Street at 305 West Broadway in downtown Muskogee on September 16, 1911. It took advantage of the new Surety Building skyscraper location one block away from the previous location. And it followed the lead of its predecessor, Yale Theatre, with a mirrored screen and three reels of films followed by a vaudeville show.
The New Yale was remodeled in 1916 and would become a Dubinsky Brothers location. Texas Enterprises Circuit bought the New Yale Theatre on October 1, 1920 and changed its name to the Palace Theatre on October 10, 1920. The Circuit played Paramount films. The previous Yale Theatre was put back into operation at 208 Broadway as a discounted sub-run location. Meanwhile, the Palace converted to sound under Robb & Rowley to stay current.
The photo on page 35 is 82.2 KB, is likely taken from a digital thumbnail, and has the incorrect date. The one above is from a photograph that is stamped original, has the correct date, and is 4.5mb. If I understand the comment, calling the original photo above as the “duplicate” versus the low res thumbnail as the original is a bit vexing.
The Elberta Theatre launched with “Whoso Findeth a Wife” on March 2, 1917. On January 12, 1930, the theatre switched to talkies with “The Virginian.” On September 7, 1934, the theatre changed names to the Capitol Theatre with the film Jean Harlow with “The Girl From Missouri.” Inter mountain Theatres expanded the theatre to 620 seats with a relaunch on August 9, 1942 that added more than 200 new seats.
Launched as the Auto View Drive-In Theatre on May 29, 1949 with the film, “Scudda Ho, Scudda Hay" by operator George Craghead. That name was changed later that summer to the Auto Vu Drive-In Theatre. When the theatre opened for the 1959 season, it had changed to the Canyon Auto-Vu Theatre. In 1961, the theatre was simply the Canyon Drive-In Theatre. The theatre was closed following the 1963 season as competition from the Big See appears to have been a challenge.
In 1932, the 19th Century building that had been home to Rosenbaum Hall and then the R.L. Fishburn & Sons Store from 1894 to 1932 was transformed into what was going to be called theRoxy Theatre. The Fishburn block had held City Hall in earlier years. During the project, Harmon Perry ran out of money and the project stalled.
Nielson Theatre Circuit bought the facility continuing the project and opening it as the New Grand Theatre on Christmas Day 1932. The first film at the venue was “Blonde Venus.” Under new operators, Intermountain Theatres, the theatre was renamed the Roxy Theatre beginning on November 13, 1936. In 1949, the Nielsons were back and refurbished the venue.
The Price Theatre launched October 14, 1937 by the Huish Circuit with the film, “You Can’t Have Everything.” The long running theatre continued past its 80th anniversary in 2017 and is still going.
The Eko Theatre launched December 18, 1912, A March 5, 1925 ad announces a naming contest for the theater as the Eko underwent a refurbishing. The venue relaunched as the Lyric Theatre on March 29, 1925 showing “The Devil’s Cargo,”
New operators took on the location renaming it as the Utah Theatre on September 17, 1938 with Joe E. Brown in “The Gladiator.” The Utah nameplate was discontinued in February of 1949:with bids accepted to refurbish the theatre once again. In 1950, it relaunched as the Crown Theatre. It remained the Crown until closing in 2009.
The Star Theatre launched in 1917 in downtown Price on a 20-year lease. It converted to sound. Under new owners, it was renamed the Carbon Theatre relaunching after a streamline modern refresh on November 28, 1937 with the film, “The Texas Rangers”. It closed as the Carbon briefly after an April 27: 1952 showing of “Oklahoma Annie,” On September 4, 1952 it was taken on by Motor-Vu operator Joe Santi and renamed the New Cinema Theatre showing “Flesh and Fury” with “Colorado Sundown.” In 1955, it was equipped with a widescreen projection to show CinemaScope films.
The Cinema Theatre closed in 1960 and was auction in 1961 to raise funds for back taxes owed. An optometrist moved into the building.
In 1957, Video Independent Theaters and Vumore transformed the Lyric Theatre to the Telemovie Theatre, billed as “the first telemovie service in the world.”
The Long Theatre opened May 31, 1947 with the film “Trail Street.” Historically, the theatre opened as Hollywood’s Golden Era was ending and the TV age was about to begin. An oil boom post-War both was the reason the theatre was established and would help the theatre survive as population increased by almost 90% by decade’s end and added another 60% by the end of the 1950s. But that growth was followed by population declines which were among the reasons the theater’s viability became more challenging. The theatre eventually closed and the town’s population began a descent taking it to around its pre-oil boom size.
I would assume that this was the Liberty Theatre launching December 15, 1917 converted to sound in 1930 and renamed the Harmony Theatre.
John Carnakis built the Virginia Theatre in 1919 and opened the venue in 1920. At its tenth year, it was remodeled relaunching with Western Electric Sound in November 20, 1930 and the film, “The Squealer.”
The original Wigwam Theatre and Penny Arcade launched with 625 seats on November 17, 1909 with both motion pictures and films. Persons of color had their own entry and seating area. In 1911, the Wigwam launched an adjacent Airdome for more comfortable screenings in 1911. The Wigwam Circuit opened four venues in the 1910s in downtown Muskogee including Wigwam #2 in the Barnes Building launching February 12, 1910 and taking over the Lenhart Theatre on March 2, 1912. While the Wigwam Airdome closed after the summer season of 1917, it appears that the Wigwam Theatre to closed in 1921.
The theatre closed in the mid 1950s.
Alexander Hinton created the Hinton Theatre launching with a live play on April 18, 1905. On October 25, 1920, its name was changed to the Orpheum Theatre playing the Orpheum Circuit vaudeville which had been playing at the Broadway Theatre. Films became the more prevalent choice for the Orpheum. On October 4, 1928, Vitaphone was installed in the venue for talking films and it was renamed the Ritz Theatre. The first sound film, however, was shown October 10, 1928.
Architects Corgan and Moore gave the Ritz a major streamlined moderne makeover including Art Deco fountain in 1938. The theatre would have a 70-plus year run before closing and being demolished.
If the trade press is accurate, this was the location of of the Gem Theatre that launched in March of 1934 by V.E. Hamm. The theatre was totally unrelated to the 1908 Gem Theatre except that both were independently owned. Hamm’s Gem would bring suit against the operator of the Broadway, Ritz and Yale when the Yale lowered prices to counter the new Gem’s low admission prices. It also complained that the Bank Night that was shared by those three theaters was akin to a lottery. Hamm’s suits were dismissed and the theatre got new ownership and switched to the Roxy nameplate.
The competitor, P&M, then added the venue to its portfolio under the Roxy Theatre nameplate. The theatre was destroyed by fire in 1945. The operator wanted to rebuild quickly but war shortages slowed the plans. With the larger and aging nearby Lyric Theatre reaching its 40th anniversary, P&M decided that the New Roxy Theatre would supplant the Lyric after the War.
The new Roxy was constructed at 220 W. Okmulgee Avenue (which the local paper says was the site of the original Roxy Theatre, BTW) in 1947 before running into some delays including brick shortages delaying the New Roxy’s opening to 1948. The Lyric closed at the end of February of 1949 and its interior was dismantled to create a storage facility. The New Roxy continued into the 21st Century and has its own Cinema Treasures listing.
Located at 314 West Broadway in the Runyan Building, operator Dan Myers launched the Strand Theatre with a charity screening of Edna May starring in “Salvation Joan” on December 8, 1916. The Strand closed likely after a five-year lease expired in 1921 and was replaced by a cigar store and Pierce’s Fountain Lunch in 1922.
The Grand Theatre launched September 23, 1909 with short films from Pathé, Selig and Biograph as well as vaudeville acts interspersed. Oklahoma Governor Charles N. Haskell and Muskogee Mayor McGarr were on hand. It converted to sound films and had a 60-year lifecycle.
he Lenhart Moving Picture Theatre launched March 8, 1909 playing Edison films and seating 360 patrons. Illustrated songs with never an immoral film were among the promises made by management.
The Lenhart Theatre closed February 28, 1912 and was briefly replaced by Wigwam Theatre #4 on March 2, 1912. Wigwam #4 closed shortly thereafter and the Chicago Drug Company moved across the street to the theatre location.
The Lyric Theatre launched in downtown Muskogee on May 14, 1906 likely on a 20-year lease. The Lyric converted to sound to stay current and like renewed another 20-year lease.
With the theatre’s 40th anniversary came details for a new theatre. The Roxy Theatre was the heir apparent to the Lyric after the War. The Roxy was constructed in 1947 before running into some delays including brick shortages before launching in 1948.
The Lyric was downgraded to sub-run discount status briefly. The local paper reports that the Lyric Theatre closed after showings on February 26, 1949 and its interior was dismantled to create a storage facility.
The P&M drive in was built by Proctor and Marsh Circuit in 1947 and launched in 1948 on a ten-year lease. A competing drive-in, the 64, was also built in 1947 and opened in 1948. The 64 Drive-In was bought out becoming part of the same portfolio as the other local theaters including the P&M. The P&M closed August 27, 1958 after a final showing of “The Ten Commandments.” A new ozoner, the Sunset Drive-In, then opened to compete with the 64 Drive-In.
The Yale Electric Theatre launched in the Ayres Building at 208 Broadway Street on January 29, 1908 with Edison motion pictures and a mirrored screen. It showed three reels of movies followed by a vaudeville show. Its name was shorted to the Yale Theatre. The audience demand was greater than the Yale’s size as people loved the movies and the larger, New Yale opened on September 16, 1911. The New Yale took advantage of the new Surety Building skyscraper location one block away from the previous location.
The previous Yale Theatre became the Velvet Pool Hall. But on July 15, 1915, the previous Yale Theatre was reacquired and remodeled by the original operator of the Yale Theatre Circuit, L. Brophy. It became a sub-run discount operation which had periods of inactivity but used the name the Yale Theatre (sometimes referred to as the “Old” Yale Theatre with the competing theatre listed as the New Yale Theatre). Meanwhile, the New Yale was remodeled and under Texas Enterprises Circuit operation, it changed its name to the Palace Theatre on October 10, 1920. The Circuit played Paramount films.
The previous Yale Theatre which had been dormant was put back into operation a third time at 208 Broadway as a discounted sub-run location. Meanwhile, the Palace converted to sound under Robb & Rowley to stay current in 1928. R&R would also purchase the Broadway and Yale theaters converted each to sound. There appear to be no further listings for the Yale following an October 3, 1936 showing of John Wayne in “King of the Pecos.”
The New Yale Theatre opened on Broadway Street near Third Street at 305 West Broadway in downtown Muskogee on September 16, 1911. It took advantage of the new Surety Building skyscraper location one block away from the previous location. And it followed the lead of its predecessor, Yale Theatre, with a mirrored screen and three reels of films followed by a vaudeville show.
The New Yale was remodeled in 1916 and would become a Dubinsky Brothers location. Texas Enterprises Circuit bought the New Yale Theatre on October 1, 1920 and changed its name to the Palace Theatre on October 10, 1920. The Circuit played Paramount films. The previous Yale Theatre was put back into operation at 208 Broadway as a discounted sub-run location. Meanwhile, the Palace converted to sound under Robb & Rowley to stay current.
The photo on page 35 is 82.2 KB, is likely taken from a digital thumbnail, and has the incorrect date. The one above is from a photograph that is stamped original, has the correct date, and is 4.5mb. If I understand the comment, calling the original photo above as the “duplicate” versus the low res thumbnail as the original is a bit vexing.
My bad: Reed Walker launched the Big See Drive-In Theatre on May 13, 1961 with a double-feature of “Pillow Talk” and “4D Man.”
The Elberta Theatre launched with “Whoso Findeth a Wife” on March 2, 1917. On January 12, 1930, the theatre switched to talkies with “The Virginian.” On September 7, 1934, the theatre changed names to the Capitol Theatre with the film Jean Harlow with “The Girl From Missouri.” Inter mountain Theatres expanded the theatre to 620 seats with a relaunch on August 9, 1942 that added more than 200 new seats.
Launched as the Auto View Drive-In Theatre on May 29, 1949 with the film, “Scudda Ho, Scudda Hay" by operator George Craghead. That name was changed later that summer to the Auto Vu Drive-In Theatre. When the theatre opened for the 1959 season, it had changed to the Canyon Auto-Vu Theatre. In 1961, the theatre was simply the Canyon Drive-In Theatre. The theatre was closed following the 1963 season as competition from the Big See appears to have been a challenge.
In 1932, the 19th Century building that had been home to Rosenbaum Hall and then the R.L. Fishburn & Sons Store from 1894 to 1932 was transformed into what was going to be called theRoxy Theatre. The Fishburn block had held City Hall in earlier years. During the project, Harmon Perry ran out of money and the project stalled.
Nielson Theatre Circuit bought the facility continuing the project and opening it as the New Grand Theatre on Christmas Day 1932. The first film at the venue was “Blonde Venus.” Under new operators, Intermountain Theatres, the theatre was renamed the Roxy Theatre beginning on November 13, 1936. In 1949, the Nielsons were back and refurbished the venue.
Still advertising 7-days a week in 1977 so possibly out of business in 1978 likely on a 25-year lease.
The Price Theatre launched October 14, 1937 by the Huish Circuit with the film, “You Can’t Have Everything.” The long running theatre continued past its 80th anniversary in 2017 and is still going.
The Eko Theatre launched December 18, 1912, A March 5, 1925 ad announces a naming contest for the theater as the Eko underwent a refurbishing. The venue relaunched as the Lyric Theatre on March 29, 1925 showing “The Devil’s Cargo,”
New operators took on the location renaming it as the Utah Theatre on September 17, 1938 with Joe E. Brown in “The Gladiator.” The Utah nameplate was discontinued in February of 1949:with bids accepted to refurbish the theatre once again. In 1950, it relaunched as the Crown Theatre. It remained the Crown until closing in 2009.
The Star Theatre launched in 1917 in downtown Price on a 20-year lease. It converted to sound. Under new owners, it was renamed the Carbon Theatre relaunching after a streamline modern refresh on November 28, 1937 with the film, “The Texas Rangers”. It closed as the Carbon briefly after an April 27: 1952 showing of “Oklahoma Annie,” On September 4, 1952 it was taken on by Motor-Vu operator Joe Santi and renamed the New Cinema Theatre showing “Flesh and Fury” with “Colorado Sundown.” In 1955, it was equipped with a widescreen projection to show CinemaScope films.
The Cinema Theatre closed in 1960 and was auction in 1961 to raise funds for back taxes owed. An optometrist moved into the building.
Launched March 31, 1950 with “The Fighting Man of the Plains” and a Mighty Mouse cartoon
In 1957, Video Independent Theaters and Vumore transformed the Lyric Theatre to the Telemovie Theatre, billed as “the first telemovie service in the world.”
The Long Theatre opened May 31, 1947 with the film “Trail Street.” Historically, the theatre opened as Hollywood’s Golden Era was ending and the TV age was about to begin. An oil boom post-War both was the reason the theatre was established and would help the theatre survive as population increased by almost 90% by decade’s end and added another 60% by the end of the 1950s. But that growth was followed by population declines which were among the reasons the theater’s viability became more challenging. The theatre eventually closed and the town’s population began a descent taking it to around its pre-oil boom size.