The Globe Theatre launched on January 22, 1913. Silent films were discontinued on March 15, 1930 with “The Last Performance” and sound equipment was installed. The final showings for the Globe were with burlesque and art films. It closed October 28, 1962 with the film, “Forbidden Paradise.” Days later, it appeared in a forced auction including all interior items and exterior signage.
Harthorn and Walker launched the California with Bebe Daniels in “ Ducks and Drakes” on April 30, 1921. On October 1, 1924, it became the Mark Strand Theatre relaunching with the film, “Daughters of Pleasure.” Its name was shortened not long after to the Strand Theatre. Movies showed until August 20, 1978 with the final double feature of “Brothers and Sisters” and “Celebrating at Big Sur.” Live music was tried in 1979 before wrestling completed the theater’s lifecycle in 1980 through May of 1981.
It was run by Pacific Theatres at the end and operated as a single screen in its final days.
Though the Fox lease on the Cabrillio expired in 1961, the circuit closed the theatre on August 13, 1957 with “Gun Glory” and “Man on Fire.” The city acquired the property and demolished it in 1962 for a parking lot project.
Pierson and Adler launched the Victoria Theatre on May 28, 1918 on a ten year lease. The opening program was Wm. S. Hart in “Wolves of the Rail,” Fatty Arbuckle in “The Bell Boy,” and the Christie Comedy, “Somebody’s Baby.” The theater didn’t convert to sound and was downgraded to showing exploitation films and live vaudeville in its final six months of operation. It closed on May 30, 1927. It was retrofitted becoming home to the San Pedro Athletic Club with the stage used for wrestling and boxing matches in 1930 and was home to retail stores.
The Barton launched August 1, 1924 with Strongheart in “Love Master.” It closed and was torn down in November of 1988 due to not being earthquake safe.
E. B. Bugher launched the Wonderland Theatre in downtown Sallisaw in 1911. It burned down in 1912. The same operator rebuilt a new Wonderland launching in January of 1916. On January 29, 1931, the theatre added sound with the film, “Moby Dick” becoming the New Wonderland Theatre. The New Wonderland ceased operations after showing Tex Ritter in “The Pioneers” on August 30, 1941 at end of lease.
On September 8, 1941, the “old” Wonderland re-emerged as the State Theatre with Abbott and Costello’s “Buck Privates.”
The Ritz Theatre opened with 300 seats on June 2, 1937 by Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Smith with Gene Autry in “Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm.” Regular screenings ended at the end of a 20-year lease on April 22, 1957 with “Giant” and permanently closed after a special holiday screening on December 4, 1957. The Ritz was retrofitted for a retail store, a third location for Kimberlee’s Dollar Saver in March of 1958.
This listing is in error as it was not the home of the 1939-era Plaza Theatre. That was located in the Community Building. This venue is open as the Greenfield Opera House and opened as the Opera House. Dedicated on August 8, 1888. Regular programming was discontinued in 1917 though sporadic events took place soon thereafter.
The old opera house was purchased in 1987 by a group trying to rekindle its past.In August of 1988, the theatre re-launched with a live play. It also served as a home for country music until 2010. That building was brought back to usage in 2018 with live music and local events.
This venue is open as the Greenfield Opera House and opened as the Opera House.
The Bijou Theatre launched in 1911 in downtown Greenfield likely on a ten-year lease. The venue became the Strand Theatre under new ownership on October 8, 1921 when C.B. “Curley” Hudson bough the Bijou from Smith and Howard. The theatre converted to disc-based sound in 1929. An improved sound system and interior renovation in 1931 led to the venue being marketed as the “New” Strand Theatre from 1931 to 1934 before reverting to the Strand Theatre.
Hudson sold the theatre to Crump Taylor on June 1, 1938 ending the Strand’s run. Taylor also bought the Wilson Theatre. The Strand and Wilson were merged into a single location in the Community Building with the operation called the Plaza Theatre which operated until fire destroyed the building in 1978.
The Orient Theatre in Dunmore launched by Comerford Theatres and Joseph Golo on November 18, 1933 with “The Bowery.” The theatre was closed April 24, 1969 with “The Subject Was Roses.” It was offered for sale thereafter selling for $50,000 by the Golo family.
This theatre launched as the Coaldale Theatre in the silent era. John McTague and his wife took over the location and called it the McTague Theatre. Mr. McTague installed sound in 1929 but was injured decorating the theatre and passed away. Under new operator Peter A. Magazzu, the theatre relaunched as the Ritz Theater in 1933. He refurbished the location with new seats and a grand relaunch on September 24, 1934.
On December 26, 1948, the Ritz Theatre burned down and Magazzu built the new Angela Theatre on October 11, 1949 and, among many other theaters, he operator the local drive-in until his death in 1965.
The new Rita Theatre launched August 18, 1934 on a thirty year lease. A major fire gutted the theatre on January 7, 1947. The theatre was rebuilt relaunching on May 27, 1948 with a new look. The Rita survived into the TV age likely opting out of its final ten years on the lease. It closed on May 31, 1954 with a double feature of “New Faces” and “Two for the Record” and a Bugs Bunny cartoon. In 1957, the YMCA had been permitted use of the building. It was demolished in November of 1964.
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 Globe Theatre launched on January 22, 1913. Silent films were discontinued on March 15, 1930 with “The Last Performance” and sound equipment was installed. The final showings for the Globe were with burlesque and art films. It closed October 28, 1962 with the film, “Forbidden Paradise.” Days later, it appeared in a forced auction including all interior items and exterior signage.
Harthorn and Walker launched the California with Bebe Daniels in “ Ducks and Drakes” on April 30, 1921. On October 1, 1924, it became the Mark Strand Theatre relaunching with the film, “Daughters of Pleasure.” Its name was shortened not long after to the Strand Theatre. Movies showed until August 20, 1978 with the final double feature of “Brothers and Sisters” and “Celebrating at Big Sur.” Live music was tried in 1979 before wrestling completed the theater’s lifecycle in 1980 through May of 1981.
It was run by Pacific Theatres at the end and operated as a single screen in its final days.
Though the Fox lease on the Cabrillio expired in 1961, the circuit closed the theatre on August 13, 1957 with “Gun Glory” and “Man on Fire.” The city acquired the property and demolished it in 1962 for a parking lot project.
Pierson and Adler launched the Victoria Theatre on May 28, 1918 on a ten year lease. The opening program was Wm. S. Hart in “Wolves of the Rail,” Fatty Arbuckle in “The Bell Boy,” and the Christie Comedy, “Somebody’s Baby.” The theater didn’t convert to sound and was downgraded to showing exploitation films and live vaudeville in its final six months of operation. It closed on May 30, 1927. It was retrofitted becoming home to the San Pedro Athletic Club with the stage used for wrestling and boxing matches in 1930 and was home to retail stores.
The Barton launched August 1, 1924 with Strongheart in “Love Master.” It closed and was torn down in November of 1988 due to not being earthquake safe.
Closed
E. B. Bugher launched the Wonderland Theatre in downtown Sallisaw in 1911. It burned down in 1912. The same operator rebuilt a new Wonderland launching in January of 1916. On January 29, 1931, the theatre added sound with the film, “Moby Dick” becoming the New Wonderland Theatre. The New Wonderland ceased operations after showing Tex Ritter in “The Pioneers” on August 30, 1941 at end of lease.
On September 8, 1941, the “old” Wonderland re-emerged as the State Theatre with Abbott and Costello’s “Buck Privates.”
The Ritz Theatre opened with 300 seats on June 2, 1937 by Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Smith with Gene Autry in “Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm.” Regular screenings ended at the end of a 20-year lease on April 22, 1957 with “Giant” and permanently closed after a special holiday screening on December 4, 1957. The Ritz was retrofitted for a retail store, a third location for Kimberlee’s Dollar Saver in March of 1958.
This listing is in error as it was not the home of the 1939-era Plaza Theatre. That was located in the Community Building. This venue is open as the Greenfield Opera House and opened as the Opera House. Dedicated on August 8, 1888. Regular programming was discontinued in 1917 though sporadic events took place soon thereafter.
The old opera house was purchased in 1987 by a group trying to rekindle its past.In August of 1988, the theatre re-launched with a live play. It also served as a home for country music until 2010. That building was brought back to usage in 2018 with live music and local events.
This venue is open as the Greenfield Opera House and opened as the Opera House.
The Bijou Theatre launched in 1911 in downtown Greenfield likely on a ten-year lease. The venue became the Strand Theatre under new ownership on October 8, 1921 when C.B. “Curley” Hudson bough the Bijou from Smith and Howard. The theatre converted to disc-based sound in 1929. An improved sound system and interior renovation in 1931 led to the venue being marketed as the “New” Strand Theatre from 1931 to 1934 before reverting to the Strand Theatre.
Hudson sold the theatre to Crump Taylor on June 1, 1938 ending the Strand’s run. Taylor also bought the Wilson Theatre. The Strand and Wilson were merged into a single location in the Community Building with the operation called the Plaza Theatre which operated until fire destroyed the building in 1978.
The Orient Theatre in Dunmore launched by Comerford Theatres and Joseph Golo on November 18, 1933 with “The Bowery.” The theatre was closed April 24, 1969 with “The Subject Was Roses.” It was offered for sale thereafter selling for $50,000 by the Golo family.
This theatre launched as the Coaldale Theatre in the silent era. John McTague and his wife took over the location and called it the McTague Theatre. Mr. McTague installed sound in 1929 but was injured decorating the theatre and passed away. Under new operator Peter A. Magazzu, the theatre relaunched as the Ritz Theater in 1933. He refurbished the location with new seats and a grand relaunch on September 24, 1934.
On December 26, 1948, the Ritz Theatre burned down and Magazzu built the new Angela Theatre on October 11, 1949 and, among many other theaters, he operator the local drive-in until his death in 1965.
The new Rita Theatre launched August 18, 1934 on a thirty year lease. A major fire gutted the theatre on January 7, 1947. The theatre was rebuilt relaunching on May 27, 1948 with a new look. The Rita survived into the TV age likely opting out of its final ten years on the lease. It closed on May 31, 1954 with a double feature of “New Faces” and “Two for the Record” and a Bugs Bunny cartoon. In 1957, the YMCA had been permitted use of the building. It was demolished in November of 1964.
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.