That large Spanish style, gray building with all those arches (1532 S. Main) appears to have been a former theatre, more than the brown brick corner structure. Perhaps this was the actual location of the Electric Theatre, and through time the street numbers shifted? View link
J. Schehrer looked up the Lyric Theatre in the 1941 Commerce City Directory, the address was 214 Commerce. Mr. Sschehrer also wrote that the building was demolished years ago.
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Population.html
In 1922 Oklahoma City had a population of only 92,000. The Warner Theater was really the only “big time” theatre OKC had. Perhaps the Criterion and Liberty came close to first class, but neither had that extra pizzazz needed to rate top notch.
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Population.html
1922 Picher population was listed as 9,676, just about the right amount to be able to support four movie houses. In those days Hollywood and New York were churning out a dozen new feature films weekly.
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Population.html
Commerce population for 1922 was listed as 2,555, more than enough to support two cinemas.
I was once told by William Landis (whose family owned Landis Mining Car Manufacturing Co.) that movies were not popular amoungst mining communities. After working twelve-hour shifts underground, six days a week, miners preferred outdoor entertainment, such as baseball, rodeos, swimming, hunting, fishing, etc.
J. Schehrer recently wrote to me saying;
“It seems to me like that there was a theater on the south side of Commerce Ave and it was right near where the old Black Cat Cafe was located. I am not sure about that since I lived at Miami back then."
This may have been the Lyric Theatre. If so, then the Electric Theatre was a completely different cinema.
Certianly I would agree that (with all those poster ads and boxoffice) this is indeed an image of an old movie house, but the closer view indicates the theatre name was Electric. Perhaps the Lyric & Electric were one and the same. http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Commerce8.html
Seems to me if a theatre sold tickets to movies (no matter what the time length), then it was once a movie house,
From LIFE come these Lillian Gish photos with a connection to the Golden Theatre – View link
and, View link
I saw a picture at this theatre in 1983 when it was called the Laemmle. Don’t remember the film title, but do remember the entire interior was red; red carpeting, red seats, red valour covered every inch of wall space, everything red, red, red.
From the LIFE Archives come these photos when this cinema was known as KTLA Studio Theatre, View link
That large Spanish style, gray building with all those arches (1532 S. Main) appears to have been a former theatre, more than the brown brick corner structure. Perhaps this was the actual location of the Electric Theatre, and through time the street numbers shifted?
View link
This interting site has 1920s street views of Quapa;
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Quapaw4.html
J. Schehrer looked up the Lyric Theatre in the 1941 Commerce City Directory, the address was 214 Commerce. Mr. Sschehrer also wrote that the building was demolished years ago.
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Population.html
In 1922 Oklahoma City had a population of only 92,000. The Warner Theater was really the only “big time” theatre OKC had. Perhaps the Criterion and Liberty came close to first class, but neither had that extra pizzazz needed to rate top notch.
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Population.html
Tulsa had a population of only 72,000 in 1922, yet it had four first class theatres, the Akdar being one of them!
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Population.html
1922 Picher population was listed as 9,676, just about the right amount to be able to support four movie houses. In those days Hollywood and New York were churning out a dozen new feature films weekly.
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Population.html
Commerce population for 1922 was listed as 2,555, more than enough to support two cinemas.
I was once told by William Landis (whose family owned Landis Mining Car Manufacturing Co.) that movies were not popular amoungst mining communities. After working twelve-hour shifts underground, six days a week, miners preferred outdoor entertainment, such as baseball, rodeos, swimming, hunting, fishing, etc.
J. Schehrer recently wrote to me saying;
“It seems to me like that there was a theater on the south side of Commerce Ave and it was right near where the old Black Cat Cafe was located. I am not sure about that since I lived at Miami back then."
This may have been the Lyric Theatre. If so, then the Electric Theatre was a completely different cinema.
Certianly I would agree that (with all those poster ads and boxoffice) this is indeed an image of an old movie house, but the closer view indicates the theatre name was Electric. Perhaps the Lyric & Electric were one and the same.
http://schehrer2.homestead.com/Commerce8.html
Seems to me if a theatre sold tickets to movies (no matter what the time length), then it was once a movie house,
From LIFE come these Lillian Gish photos with a connection to the Golden Theatre –
View link
and,
View link
1971 LIFE image -
View link
A close-up shot – View link
Is this 1986 LIFE photo an image of this porn house? View link
1952 LIFE image – View link
LIFE 1952 shot – View link
LIFE 1954 shot of the Criterion – View link
1944 Selwyn view from LIFE -
View link
Don’t know if this 1944 LIFE photo is the same Mayfair listed here -
View link
From a 1944 LIFE photo can be seen an unusual view of the Victoria -
View link
From LIFE (1944), an unusaul view of Loew’s State can be seen here -
View link
I saw a picture at this theatre in 1983 when it was called the Laemmle. Don’t remember the film title, but do remember the entire interior was red; red carpeting, red seats, red valour covered every inch of wall space, everything red, red, red.
From the LIFE Archives come these photos when this cinema was known as KTLA Studio Theatre,
View link
Thanks, Ken!
Early day LIFE image when still known as Music Box,
View link
Other clear views of the Maynard. A nice looking cinema!
1-
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2-
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3-
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Can anyone provide info on the KTLA Studio Theatre?
View link
This LIFE shot show that the Maynard was closed in 1951,
View link