The theatre operated as the Pikes Theatre from 1938 to September 3, 1984. Renamed the Next Act Cinema at Pikes Cinema. It relaunched after being home to restaurants on November 1, 2013 with “Gravity” playing in 3D. It closed at the end of 2016.
The theatre re-emerged as the only Black-owned theatre in the Northeast when Anthony Fykes rebranding it as the NextAct Cinema at the Pikes on March 7, 2019 with an official grand opening ceremony on March 27, 2019.
The North Drive-In launched on September 17, 1948 with Sonja Henie in “It’s a Pleasure” supported by a Three Stooges short and a Walt Disney cartoon. The single screen D-I became the North Twin on August 23, 1974 with triple features on both screens (American Graffiti/Oklahoma Crude/Something Big on #1 West and Thunderbolt & Lightfoot/White Lightning/Serpico on #2 East). The North Twin closed on September 16, 2001 after double features of “Rush Hour 2” and “Jeepers Creepers” on Screen #1 West and “Two Can Play That Game” and “Ghosts or Mars” on Screen #2 East.
The Twin City Drive-In Theatre was launched on a 30-year lease by local businessman Kenneth Bale and run by Phil Thompson in 1950. In 1981, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Walbon auctioned off the business. It continued to the year 1988 when Dart Container bought the land and the Twin City D-I was demolished.
James “Jimmy” Zartaludes was one of two early theater magnates of Sapulpa. He built the Victorian Theatre in downtown Sapulpa on March 1, 1924 and operated the Yale Theatre. The opening night of the Victorian wowed patrons as the Louis Silvers Band was brought in from New York City to furnish the music. Strongheart, the dog, starred in “The Love Master.” Madeline Kotz played the mighty Wurlitzer that night as Baby Peggy’s feature, “Such is Life” played as the main feature.
The Depression forced Zartaludes to part with the Victorian closing it in June of 1930 though he retained the Yale. Alexander A. “Speedy” Moulder – who had been in the industry since the first Nickelodeons appeared – would take on the Victorian transitioning it to sound and renaming it as the Criterion theatre in 1930. 1935 did bring a new deco look to the former Victorian turned Criterion. The theatre was doing well and Griffith Amusement began to take steps to block Moulder from major films and undercut his pricing policy.With Griffith Amusement at the Yale, Moulder brought a lawsuit which arose during the era in which block booking was under close scrutiny. The Criterion would get a shocking makeover in 1947 becoming a streamlined moderne theater – a look it carried to the end of its run. The theatre was also equipped for widescreen to play CinemaScope films in 1954.
Zartaludes came back to the Criterion and would be with it to the bitter end which came on April 6, 1976 with David Niven starring in “Old Dracula.” The Criterion sat empty for two years and was effectively demolished with the entire auditorium razed in June of 1978 with its tin ceiling saved and the Criterion neon signage moved. The lobby survived and became home to a number of restaurants including the Criterion Cafe using the theater’s signage followed by a Chinese restaurant and Katie’s Kupboard restaurant.
The Griffith Circuit opened the State Theatre on August 11, 1939 as the “B” theatre to the circuit’s “A” Yale Theatre. When the Teepee Drive-In opened in 1950, the Teepee and the State operated part year. In July of 1954, however, the Yale Theatre burned down and the State reopened that year earlier than normal to take on the Yale bookings.
Video Independent Theatres also equipped the State with widescreen to accommodate the CinemaScope offerings when it relaunched on August 1, 1954. In 1956, the State was demoted to weekend operation only. It closed with Randolph Scott in “Badman’s Territory” and Robert Ryan in “Devil’s Canyon” on May 20, 1956. The theater appeared to stay empty other than a holiday screening until the end of its 20-year lease. In 1959, the theatre was converted to Harrison’s Clothiers retail store.
The Creek Hills Mall Shopping Center launched in time for the Christmas holiday season in 1974. This venue opened as an outparcel building originally as the Creek Hills Twin Theater by Jere W. Murphy on April 16, 1976 with “Return of the Pink Panther” and “The Man Who Would be King.” The architect was Bob Swanson who designed two, 240-seat auditoriums for a total count of 480 seats. In 1981, it was renamed the Creek Hills Cinema. On September 5, 1985, the cinema added home video rentals becoming Creek Hills Cinema & Video until the video store moved to its own location on Main Street late in 1986.
The theater closed as the Creek Hills Cinema on August 30, 1987 with “Living Daylights” and “Masters of the Universe.” The operators ran a survey not long after closing to find out if the city would support a new 4-screen ‘plex and the result must have been clear as there was no new theater built in the city until 2003. The former cinema became home to the Church of God Ministry Center
Harry F. Weaver was the architect of the Lyric Theatre which opened December 31, 1907 with the live play, “The Lion and the Mouse” for the Reis Circuit. This Lyric opened with 920 seats with 290 in the balcony, 140 in the gallery and 490 on the floor. Its stained glass window work was completed by G.A. Paddock & Son.
The theatre hosted dances in its dance hall twice a week and began to show films in the 1910s getting competition from another theater in 1916. On March 16, 1920, M.E. Comerford Amusement Circuit took on the location as it became a full-time movie theater. It gave it an extensive refresh in 1923. The theatre converted to sound continuing operation into the 1960s. The last film to play was on March 22, 1961, with “Ten Seconds to Hell” because the theatre burned on March 23, 1961 just an hour before its scheduled showing of “Gorgo.”
Comerford Circuit replaced the Lyric with the “all new” Capitol Theatre in 1962.
The AMC Ogden 6 opened November 5, 1976 with “Tunnel Vision,” “Alex & the Gypsy,” “Murder by Death,” “The Bad News Bears,” “All the President’s Men,” and Mel Brooks' “Silent Movie.” AMC Theatres left the venue after completing a 20-year leasing agreement.
Classic Cinemas Circuit took on the Ogden 6 on November 4, 1996 as Classic Cinemas Ogden 6. In February of 2020, the theatre announced that it would likely close at year’s end. However, Classic Cinemas closed during showtimes on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A decision was made to shutter the theatre permanently without future movie screenings and announced in June of 2020. The theatre reopened for concession sales in May of 2020 and closed permanently as the Classic Cinemas Ogden 6 after a final weekend of concession sales on June 5-7, 2020. Plans called for demolition.
The original Cozy Theatre was opened by Gerhard von Minden and Irwin W. Speckels on August 4, 1923 with Mildred Harris Chaplin in “Polly of Storm Country.” The pair had operated the Cozy in nearby La Grange since 1917 when von Minden moved to the area.
Von Minden started the new four-story, von Minden Hotel Building in 1924 and finally opened both the New Cozy Theatre in 1927 and the von Minden Hotel in 1928. The New Cozy Theatre opened on November 30, 1927 with Clara Bow in “Rough House Rosie.” An opening speech by Texas Senator Gus Russek launched the evening and Babe Schindler’s Orchestra provided the evening’s musical numbers. The Hotel launched May 22, 1928 – the structure apparently taking longer than expected to complete. The Cozy converted to sound on its way to a 90-year legacy.
Boren and Morrows Theatres announced this project in 1946 but post-War shortages delayed its opening. J. Lee Griffith opened the venue as the Griffith Theatre on April 4, 1947 with Fred Astaire in “Yolando and the Thief.” Griffith would then purchase the competing Gay and Grand theaters from Charles Weisenberg. Tulia Theatres Corp., formed by Jewel Avant and R. T. O'Daniel, purchased the Griffith Theatre and renamed it as the Royal Theatre in 1949 which was still operating in the 2020s.
The Jewel Theatre launched April 3, 1923 in the existing Zimmerman Building. Roy B. Eaton opened the venue with the film, “June Madness.” The theatre became known as the Grand Theatre on August 8, 1924 when A.W. Philips purchased the theatre from Eaton.
The theatre co-existed with the Charles Weisenburg bought the theatre in 1939 and sold it Grand to Bill Middleton in 1945. Weisenburg would launch the Gay Theatre in 1947. In 1957, it was used as a church.
Charlie Weisenburg Theatre Circuit launched the Gay Theatre on January 28, 1947 with “Gallant Bess.” The theatre opened on the east side the town square. It had Super Simplex projectors featuring Western Electric sound. In 1970, the city held a redesign contest to remake the theater’s front as the venue was used for local events.
The original Majestic Theatre was built in 1913 as a neighbor to the Stephenville Tribune Newspaper. It opened in February of 1914 down the street on the same side. The second Majestic Theatre opened on May 14, 1920 with a $5,000 pipe organ. Trans Texas Amusement Circuit took on the location at 190 North Belknap and closed it in 1984 when it opened the Cinema 6. In 1987, the Stephenville Area Little Theatre took over the site for live shows.
R.L. Roberts and W.C. Mauldin launched the Tower Drive-In Theatre on August 6, 1949 with “I Shot Jesse James.” In 1950, a competing ozoner, the Star-Lite Drive-In Theatre opened. Jack J. Arthur took on the entire portfolio of Stephenville’s theatres consisting of the Palace, the Majestic, the Ritz as well as the Tower and the Star-Lite. Overbuilt, he shed the Tower and then the Ritz. The Tower appears to have closed after a double feature of My Dog Shep and Comin' Round the Mountain on November 13, 1951. A news note said that the Tower might be used for outdoor advertisements in 1952.
Technically, this ozoner was the Star-Lite Drive-In Theatre and it opened as Stephenville’s second drive-in along with the competing Tower Drive-In. It opened June 28, 1950 with Glenn Ford in “The Mating of Millie.” Jack J. Arthur Theatres ended up with the entire portfolio of Stephenville theatres with the Palace, the Ritz, the Majestic and both the Star-Lite and the Tower. With the town overbuilt, he would quickly shed the Tower Drive-In followed by the Ritz.
The Star-Lite was never called the Tower Drive-in though Arthur did, however, remove the hyphen rebranding the venue as the Starlite Drive-In. The Starlite appears to have ceased operations on September 30, 1982 with a double feature of “Friday, the 13th, Part 2” and “Friday, the 13th.” If that’s the case, it’s a nice way to go out for a drive-in.
The Leon Theatre launched April 3, 1947 by A.R.Parsons and H.L. Millington in a converted retail spot at 123 North Texas Street. In its planning stages, the pair had considered the name, the Atomic Theatre. A year later, H&H Theatre Circuit of Abilene run by Howard T. Hodge and Homer Hodge took over both the Leon and the Texas Theatre.
Hodge passed away and the theaters were sold to Leonard Scales. Scales launched the Weeping Oak Drive In in 1951 soon closing the Texas Theatre. The Leon closed in 1960. It reopened on March 13, 1963 with Jerry Lewis in “It’s Only Money.” It does not appear to have made it to the end of its 20-year lease. It then became an auto parts store under the Western Auto chain in 1971. The Weeping Oak Drive-In continued to 1983.
The Liberty Theatre was located at 112 North Texas opening at the end of World War I. Patrons entered by the screen and walked up the aisle because of fire codes. The Liberty was equipped with Vitaphone for sound rebranding as the New Liberty on June 14, 1929. Its first talkie played in July of 1929 playing the film, “The Valiant.” The Liberty closed after showings on August 19, 1939 after just about 20 years of operation for an extensive remodeling which included turning the interior around with the screen now at the rear of the building and sound proofing on the ceiling and walls to improve sound reproduction.
It relaunched as the Texas Theatre in 1939. Stewart sold the Texas to J.R. Miller and H. L. Millington. In 1948, Parsons sold it and the one-year old Leon Theatre to Abilene-based H&H Theatre Circuit. Leonard Scales bought both the Leon Theatre and Scales would close the Texas in 1951 just after opening the Weeping Oak Drive-In. The venue became home to Ronald’s Variety Store.
The small town of De Leon could boast of having three open movie theaters in 1951, albeit briefly. That’s not bad for a town off just 2,241 people.
The theatre operated as the Pikes Theatre from 1938 to September 3, 1984. Renamed the Next Act Cinema at Pikes Cinema. It relaunched after being home to restaurants on November 1, 2013 with “Gravity” playing in 3D. It closed at the end of 2016.
The theatre re-emerged as the only Black-owned theatre in the Northeast when Anthony Fykes rebranding it as the NextAct Cinema at the Pikes on March 7, 2019 with an official grand opening ceremony on March 27, 2019.
Launched May 11, 1950 with Roy Rogers in “Down Dakota Way” and Francis, the Talking Mule in “Francis.”
The North Drive-In launched on September 17, 1948 with Sonja Henie in “It’s a Pleasure” supported by a Three Stooges short and a Walt Disney cartoon. The single screen D-I became the North Twin on August 23, 1974 with triple features on both screens (American Graffiti/Oklahoma Crude/Something Big on #1 West and Thunderbolt & Lightfoot/White Lightning/Serpico on #2 East). The North Twin closed on September 16, 2001 after double features of “Rush Hour 2” and “Jeepers Creepers” on Screen #1 West and “Two Can Play That Game” and “Ghosts or Mars” on Screen #2 East.
The Twin City Drive-In Theatre was launched on a 30-year lease by local businessman Kenneth Bale and run by Phil Thompson in 1950. In 1981, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Walbon auctioned off the business. It continued to the year 1988 when Dart Container bought the land and the Twin City D-I was demolished.
This theatre opened July 16, 1953
James “Jimmy” Zartaludes was one of two early theater magnates of Sapulpa. He built the Victorian Theatre in downtown Sapulpa on March 1, 1924 and operated the Yale Theatre. The opening night of the Victorian wowed patrons as the Louis Silvers Band was brought in from New York City to furnish the music. Strongheart, the dog, starred in “The Love Master.” Madeline Kotz played the mighty Wurlitzer that night as Baby Peggy’s feature, “Such is Life” played as the main feature.
The Depression forced Zartaludes to part with the Victorian closing it in June of 1930 though he retained the Yale. Alexander A. “Speedy” Moulder – who had been in the industry since the first Nickelodeons appeared – would take on the Victorian transitioning it to sound and renaming it as the Criterion theatre in 1930. 1935 did bring a new deco look to the former Victorian turned Criterion. The theatre was doing well and Griffith Amusement began to take steps to block Moulder from major films and undercut his pricing policy.With Griffith Amusement at the Yale, Moulder brought a lawsuit which arose during the era in which block booking was under close scrutiny. The Criterion would get a shocking makeover in 1947 becoming a streamlined moderne theater – a look it carried to the end of its run. The theatre was also equipped for widescreen to play CinemaScope films in 1954.
Zartaludes came back to the Criterion and would be with it to the bitter end which came on April 6, 1976 with David Niven starring in “Old Dracula.” The Criterion sat empty for two years and was effectively demolished with the entire auditorium razed in June of 1978 with its tin ceiling saved and the Criterion neon signage moved. The lobby survived and became home to a number of restaurants including the Criterion Cafe using the theater’s signage followed by a Chinese restaurant and Katie’s Kupboard restaurant.
The Griffith Circuit opened the State Theatre on August 11, 1939 as the “B” theatre to the circuit’s “A” Yale Theatre. When the Teepee Drive-In opened in 1950, the Teepee and the State operated part year. In July of 1954, however, the Yale Theatre burned down and the State reopened that year earlier than normal to take on the Yale bookings.
Video Independent Theatres also equipped the State with widescreen to accommodate the CinemaScope offerings when it relaunched on August 1, 1954. In 1956, the State was demoted to weekend operation only. It closed with Randolph Scott in “Badman’s Territory” and Robert Ryan in “Devil’s Canyon” on May 20, 1956. The theater appeared to stay empty other than a holiday screening until the end of its 20-year lease. In 1959, the theatre was converted to Harrison’s Clothiers retail store.
The Creek Hills Mall Shopping Center launched in time for the Christmas holiday season in 1974. This venue opened as an outparcel building originally as the Creek Hills Twin Theater by Jere W. Murphy on April 16, 1976 with “Return of the Pink Panther” and “The Man Who Would be King.” The architect was Bob Swanson who designed two, 240-seat auditoriums for a total count of 480 seats. In 1981, it was renamed the Creek Hills Cinema. On September 5, 1985, the cinema added home video rentals becoming Creek Hills Cinema & Video until the video store moved to its own location on Main Street late in 1986.
The theater closed as the Creek Hills Cinema on August 30, 1987 with “Living Daylights” and “Masters of the Universe.” The operators ran a survey not long after closing to find out if the city would support a new 4-screen ‘plex and the result must have been clear as there was no new theater built in the city until 2003. The former cinema became home to the Church of God Ministry Center
B&B Theatres announced this location in 2003 launching Oct 17, 2003
Closed with “Signs” on September 29, 2002.
July 24, 1958 program by the Perrin Drive-In
Harry F. Weaver was the architect of the Lyric Theatre which opened December 31, 1907 with the live play, “The Lion and the Mouse” for the Reis Circuit. This Lyric opened with 920 seats with 290 in the balcony, 140 in the gallery and 490 on the floor. Its stained glass window work was completed by G.A. Paddock & Son.
The theatre hosted dances in its dance hall twice a week and began to show films in the 1910s getting competition from another theater in 1916. On March 16, 1920, M.E. Comerford Amusement Circuit took on the location as it became a full-time movie theater. It gave it an extensive refresh in 1923. The theatre converted to sound continuing operation into the 1960s. The last film to play was on March 22, 1961, with “Ten Seconds to Hell” because the theatre burned on March 23, 1961 just an hour before its scheduled showing of “Gorgo.”
Comerford Circuit replaced the Lyric with the “all new” Capitol Theatre in 1962.
The AMC Ogden 6 opened November 5, 1976 with “Tunnel Vision,” “Alex & the Gypsy,” “Murder by Death,” “The Bad News Bears,” “All the President’s Men,” and Mel Brooks' “Silent Movie.” AMC Theatres left the venue after completing a 20-year leasing agreement.
Classic Cinemas Circuit took on the Ogden 6 on November 4, 1996 as Classic Cinemas Ogden 6. In February of 2020, the theatre announced that it would likely close at year’s end. However, Classic Cinemas closed during showtimes on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A decision was made to shutter the theatre permanently without future movie screenings and announced in June of 2020. The theatre reopened for concession sales in May of 2020 and closed permanently as the Classic Cinemas Ogden 6 after a final weekend of concession sales on June 5-7, 2020. Plans called for demolition.
The original Cozy Theatre was opened by Gerhard von Minden and Irwin W. Speckels on August 4, 1923 with Mildred Harris Chaplin in “Polly of Storm Country.” The pair had operated the Cozy in nearby La Grange since 1917 when von Minden moved to the area.
Von Minden started the new four-story, von Minden Hotel Building in 1924 and finally opened both the New Cozy Theatre in 1927 and the von Minden Hotel in 1928. The New Cozy Theatre opened on November 30, 1927 with Clara Bow in “Rough House Rosie.” An opening speech by Texas Senator Gus Russek launched the evening and Babe Schindler’s Orchestra provided the evening’s musical numbers. The Hotel launched May 22, 1928 – the structure apparently taking longer than expected to complete. The Cozy converted to sound on its way to a 90-year legacy.
Boren and Morrows Theatres announced this project in 1946 but post-War shortages delayed its opening. J. Lee Griffith opened the venue as the Griffith Theatre on April 4, 1947 with Fred Astaire in “Yolando and the Thief.” Griffith would then purchase the competing Gay and Grand theaters from Charles Weisenberg. Tulia Theatres Corp., formed by Jewel Avant and R. T. O'Daniel, purchased the Griffith Theatre and renamed it as the Royal Theatre in 1949 which was still operating in the 2020s.
This theater closed at the end of the 1981 season at the end of a 30 year lease.
The Jewel Theatre launched April 3, 1923 in the existing Zimmerman Building. Roy B. Eaton opened the venue with the film, “June Madness.” The theatre became known as the Grand Theatre on August 8, 1924 when A.W. Philips purchased the theatre from Eaton.
The theatre co-existed with the Charles Weisenburg bought the theatre in 1939 and sold it Grand to Bill Middleton in 1945. Weisenburg would launch the Gay Theatre in 1947. In 1957, it was used as a church.
Charlie Weisenburg Theatre Circuit launched the Gay Theatre on January 28, 1947 with “Gallant Bess.” The theatre opened on the east side the town square. It had Super Simplex projectors featuring Western Electric sound. In 1970, the city held a redesign contest to remake the theater’s front as the venue was used for local events.
The original Majestic Theatre was built in 1913 as a neighbor to the Stephenville Tribune Newspaper. It opened in February of 1914 down the street on the same side. The second Majestic Theatre opened on May 14, 1920 with a $5,000 pipe organ. Trans Texas Amusement Circuit took on the location at 190 North Belknap and closed it in 1984 when it opened the Cinema 6. In 1987, the Stephenville Area Little Theatre took over the site for live shows.
R.L. Roberts and W.C. Mauldin launched the Tower Drive-In Theatre on August 6, 1949 with “I Shot Jesse James.” In 1950, a competing ozoner, the Star-Lite Drive-In Theatre opened. Jack J. Arthur took on the entire portfolio of Stephenville’s theatres consisting of the Palace, the Majestic, the Ritz as well as the Tower and the Star-Lite. Overbuilt, he shed the Tower and then the Ritz. The Tower appears to have closed after a double feature of My Dog Shep and Comin' Round the Mountain on November 13, 1951. A news note said that the Tower might be used for outdoor advertisements in 1952.
Technically, this ozoner was the Star-Lite Drive-In Theatre and it opened as Stephenville’s second drive-in along with the competing Tower Drive-In. It opened June 28, 1950 with Glenn Ford in “The Mating of Millie.” Jack J. Arthur Theatres ended up with the entire portfolio of Stephenville theatres with the Palace, the Ritz, the Majestic and both the Star-Lite and the Tower. With the town overbuilt, he would quickly shed the Tower Drive-In followed by the Ritz.
The Star-Lite was never called the Tower Drive-in though Arthur did, however, remove the hyphen rebranding the venue as the Starlite Drive-In. The Starlite appears to have ceased operations on September 30, 1982 with a double feature of “Friday, the 13th, Part 2” and “Friday, the 13th.” If that’s the case, it’s a nice way to go out for a drive-in.
R.L. Roberts and W.C. Mauldin launched the Tower Drive-In Theatre on August 6, 1949 with “I Shot Jesse James.”
Once part of the H&H Theatre Circuit.
The Leon Theatre launched April 3, 1947 by A.R.Parsons and H.L. Millington in a converted retail spot at 123 North Texas Street. In its planning stages, the pair had considered the name, the Atomic Theatre. A year later, H&H Theatre Circuit of Abilene run by Howard T. Hodge and Homer Hodge took over both the Leon and the Texas Theatre.
Hodge passed away and the theaters were sold to Leonard Scales. Scales launched the Weeping Oak Drive In in 1951 soon closing the Texas Theatre. The Leon closed in 1960. It reopened on March 13, 1963 with Jerry Lewis in “It’s Only Money.” It does not appear to have made it to the end of its 20-year lease. It then became an auto parts store under the Western Auto chain in 1971. The Weeping Oak Drive-In continued to 1983.
The Liberty Theatre was located at 112 North Texas opening at the end of World War I. Patrons entered by the screen and walked up the aisle because of fire codes. The Liberty was equipped with Vitaphone for sound rebranding as the New Liberty on June 14, 1929. Its first talkie played in July of 1929 playing the film, “The Valiant.” The Liberty closed after showings on August 19, 1939 after just about 20 years of operation for an extensive remodeling which included turning the interior around with the screen now at the rear of the building and sound proofing on the ceiling and walls to improve sound reproduction.
It relaunched as the Texas Theatre in 1939. Stewart sold the Texas to J.R. Miller and H. L. Millington. In 1948, Parsons sold it and the one-year old Leon Theatre to Abilene-based H&H Theatre Circuit. Leonard Scales bought both the Leon Theatre and Scales would close the Texas in 1951 just after opening the Weeping Oak Drive-In. The venue became home to Ronald’s Variety Store.
The small town of De Leon could boast of having three open movie theaters in 1951, albeit briefly. That’s not bad for a town off just 2,241 people.