The Dixie Theatre launched May 21, 1926 with Sally O'Neill in “Mike” at 109 North Oak Street. The building appears to have been demolished in the 1970s. J.W. Cotter - operator of the Grand and the Dixie - converted both to sound.
The Dixie to sound on September 14, 1930 with Lila Lee in “Murder Will Out.” Griffith Brothers Amusement Circuit updated the theatre with new projection in 1947 and added a balcony for African American patrons. Both the Grand and Dixie passed into Video Independent operation when it bought out Griffith.
The Universal Theatre opened on September 9, 1914. It changed names to the Liberty Theatre in 1917. Ads were discontinued following the November 5, 1938 showing of “Guilty Trails.”
A note says that Charles Knauf opened the State Theatre in 1938. Fire gutted the building on February 14, 1940 and it was relaunched in the same spot on May 1, 1940 as the “new” State Theatre with a live band performance, a newsreel and “Judge Hardy and Son.”
This venue was the Hill Top Drive-In Theatre. It launched June 8, 1949 for Griffith Amusement Circuit with “River Lady” starring Yvonne DeCarlo. In December of 1949, Video Independent took over the Griffith Circuit.
Barclay Morgan’s the Morgan Theatre launched October 25, 1915 with the live play, “Pair of Sixes" and movies by Paramount just days later. By late 1916, the venue was turning more to motion pictures for its programming. The Henryetta Candy Kitchen and Ice Cream Parlor served as a de facto concession stand for treats prior to and after the show. The Morgan switched to talkies on April 26, 1930 with “The Benson Case Murder.”
The theatre was operated by Griffith Amusement Circuit during its major overhaul in 1941 to a streamline moderne house. In 1954, it was downgraded to twice-a-week operation. The Morgan closed early in 1956 though had some sporadic screenings and events over the next year.
Charles Blaine decided to replace his aging Yale Theatre with a new and larger venue. He took an existing building and created the Blaine Theatre. At launch the Blaine had two Motiograph DeLuxe projectors and 20' tall sign with 400 bulbs. The grand opening featured Colleen Moore in “It Must be Love” supported by Our Gang in “Shivering Spooks,” a cartoon, and a newsreel called the Blaineogram on September 1, 1926. The theatre organ accompanied the films.
Under Griffith Amusement Circuit since 1928, the circuit installed Vitaphone on March 3, 1929 beginning with “Alias Jimmy Valentine.” Griffith gave the venue a major overhaul reopening as the New Blaine on March 6, 1941 with Jean Arthur in “Arizona.”
On August 1, 1954, the Blaine switched to widescreen projection to show CinemaScope titles starting with “The River of No Return.” The theatre was later renamed the Ciné in the 1970s and closed as a twin-screen facility. The Ciné was razed in 2008 following asbestos abatement and the Blaine’s organ was still in place at the time of the demolition.
The Empress Theatre was located at 106 South Main in downtown Shattuck. It began in October of 1913, was totally refreshed in 1928 as the New Empress. On October 27, 1929, the theatre relaunched with Vitaphone and sound films with Al Jolson in “The Singing Fool.”
When the Wilsons opened the new $60,000 Shattuck Theatre in 1946, the Empress' days were numbered. Lee and Garland Wilson’s Wilson Theatres Circuit discontinued regular movies screenings on January 2, 1949 at the Empress Theatre with the “Return of the Lash” with Las LaRue. Religious screenings were offered by a local church in 1950 with with the building offered for sale. Lee and Garland Wilson retrofitted the venue for other purposes in March of 1952.
Garland Wilson built the Drive-In in 1952 with a name-the-theater contest prior to launching. The winning name was the fusion of Ellis County Oklahoma or the El-Co. It opened with 182 spaces for cars on May 18, 1952 with Dinah Shore in “Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick.”
The Dixie Theatre opened in the building at 120-122 Duke Street. It operated under that name from 1909 to November of 1917. Under new sole operator, A.L. Blunt it became the Liberty Theatre on November 11, 1917 with a benefit screening for the local YMCA showing a patriotic film. (The Liberty was a commonly-used World War I moniker for theaters.) But the biggest splash came just weeks later when the Liberty showed “Birth of a Nation” on December 2-3, 1917 at road show prices.
Blunt then sold the Liberty / former Dixie to L.R. Stout in April of 1921 for $16,000. The Liberty fell under the umbrella of O. Gill and Griffith Amusement Circuit next also in the 1920s. Late in 1927, it was reported that new equipment was added to the Liberty. It was gutted by fire in January of 1928. Interestingly, Gill would be arrested for setting fire to the Erie Theatre five years later. The remaining Liberty Theatre structure would then be incorporated into a bus terminal for two different bus lines, the latter of which was the Northeast Texas Motor Lines Inc.
O.A. Simmons and V. Bronaugh announced a new movie theatre late in 1911 and opening January 25, 1912. In 1913, the broadway added an airdome for the summer months. It looks like it closed in 1915
There were two Dixie Theatres - unrelated except in vicinity so two entries needed - one for the silent era and one for the post-War sound era. This can be the “new” / sound era Dixie Theatre. WWII veterans, Raymond McMillan and Clyde Walker, launched the New Dixie Theatre in the former Northeast Texas Motor Lines Inc. depot on with Jane Wyman in “Make Your Own Bed” on December 31, 1946.
It was the second Dixie Theatre in the general area as there was an unrelated Dixie Theatre in the silent era in the the same area. Just six months later in July of 1947, Griffith Consolidated Theatres Inc. Circuit bought out this location to eliminate the new competition as they operated the Erie in Ritz in downtown Hugo. They downgraded the venue to weekend-only operation.
In December of 1949, Video Independent Theatres Circuit took on the Griffith Amusement portfolio. They dropped the Dixie at the end of 1952 with “Hit the Ice” and “Border Saddlemasters.” The venue was used for agricultural trade screenings and meetings in 1953 before being repurposed.
The first Choctaw County fair was held right here in 1914. Tom Morehead of Video Independent Theatres had a new concept for the land in 1950, the Circus Drive-In Theatre. A 30'x40' screen size greeted customers as it launched on August 23, 1950 with Ann Blyth in “Red Canyon.” (However, if the site maintains that this drive-in opened in the mid-1940s, that’s great too!)
The theatre operated seasonally from April to October/November depending on when it got cold.
The Ritz Theatre was built on the North Side of the Jay, Oklahoma business district’s square. The opening film was on August 18, 1939 with Gene Autry in “In Old Monterey.” Air conditioned with 300-seats, operator J.H. Martin felt he could compete with theaters in Miami (Oklahoma) and Joplin. New owner Owen Wingard donated the old screen to a local school when the theatre converted to widescreen beginning with the February 27, 1955 screening of “The Robe.” Wingard ceased advertising late in 1957 likely ending the venue’s run.
The Ritz opened in September of 1926 and bellyflopped closing in October of 1927. It was “reserved” for sporadic, big movie times when the existing theaters couldn’t handle the load. But when it added sound, the Ritz hit its mark.
Western star Monte Hale graced the Trail on May 28, 1948 performing on his guitar and telling stories. It appears that the last roundup for the Trail was June 16, 1949
The Duncan Drive-In Theatre’s grand opening ad is posted from September 13, 1948. On November 10, 1954 it had relaunched with what it claims was the second largest drive-in screen in the world (not my claim) at 5,000 square feet thanks to the addition of two wings to the existing tower. This allowed for CinemaScope presentations. The first Scope title was “River of No Return” on November 18, 1954.
Jack Pierce launched the Meadow Drive-In in May 7, 1953 with the film, “Sky Full of Moon.” Pierce also operated the Lyric, Place, and the Time. And, yes, there were meadows that inspired the naming of the ozoner.
Cliff L. Lance took the El Rancho widescreen on April 2, 1954 with “The Robe” in CinemaScope. It appears to have closed at the end of lease on August 30, 1964 with “Muscle Beach Party.”
The Tower Drive-In Theatre was opened by Griffith Amusement Circuit
The Dixie Theatre launched May 21, 1926 with Sally O'Neill in “Mike” at 109 North Oak Street. The building appears to have been demolished in the 1970s. J.W. Cotter - operator of the Grand and the Dixie - converted both to sound.
The Dixie to sound on September 14, 1930 with Lila Lee in “Murder Will Out.” Griffith Brothers Amusement Circuit updated the theatre with new projection in 1947 and added a balcony for African American patrons. Both the Grand and Dixie passed into Video Independent operation when it bought out Griffith.
The Universal Theatre opened on September 9, 1914. It changed names to the Liberty Theatre in 1917. Ads were discontinued following the November 5, 1938 showing of “Guilty Trails.”
A note says that Charles Knauf opened the State Theatre in 1938. Fire gutted the building on February 14, 1940 and it was relaunched in the same spot on May 1, 1940 as the “new” State Theatre with a live band performance, a newsreel and “Judge Hardy and Son.”
Opened December 22, 1920 with “All of a Sudden Peggy."
The Jewel Drive-In Theatre launched July 25, 1957 with “Beau James.” It was still operating in 1975.
This venue was the Hill Top Drive-In Theatre. It launched June 8, 1949 for Griffith Amusement Circuit with “River Lady” starring Yvonne DeCarlo. In December of 1949, Video Independent took over the Griffith Circuit.
Barclay Morgan’s the Morgan Theatre launched October 25, 1915 with the live play, “Pair of Sixes" and movies by Paramount just days later. By late 1916, the venue was turning more to motion pictures for its programming. The Henryetta Candy Kitchen and Ice Cream Parlor served as a de facto concession stand for treats prior to and after the show. The Morgan switched to talkies on April 26, 1930 with “The Benson Case Murder.”
The theatre was operated by Griffith Amusement Circuit during its major overhaul in 1941 to a streamline moderne house. In 1954, it was downgraded to twice-a-week operation. The Morgan closed early in 1956 though had some sporadic screenings and events over the next year.
Charles Blaine decided to replace his aging Yale Theatre with a new and larger venue. He took an existing building and created the Blaine Theatre. At launch the Blaine had two Motiograph DeLuxe projectors and 20' tall sign with 400 bulbs. The grand opening featured Colleen Moore in “It Must be Love” supported by Our Gang in “Shivering Spooks,” a cartoon, and a newsreel called the Blaineogram on September 1, 1926. The theatre organ accompanied the films.
Under Griffith Amusement Circuit since 1928, the circuit installed Vitaphone on March 3, 1929 beginning with “Alias Jimmy Valentine.” Griffith gave the venue a major overhaul reopening as the New Blaine on March 6, 1941 with Jean Arthur in “Arizona.”
On August 1, 1954, the Blaine switched to widescreen projection to show CinemaScope titles starting with “The River of No Return.” The theatre was later renamed the Ciné in the 1970s and closed as a twin-screen facility. The Ciné was razed in 2008 following asbestos abatement and the Blaine’s organ was still in place at the time of the demolition.
The Empress Theatre was located at 106 South Main in downtown Shattuck. It began in October of 1913, was totally refreshed in 1928 as the New Empress. On October 27, 1929, the theatre relaunched with Vitaphone and sound films with Al Jolson in “The Singing Fool.”
When the Wilsons opened the new $60,000 Shattuck Theatre in 1946, the Empress' days were numbered. Lee and Garland Wilson’s Wilson Theatres Circuit discontinued regular movies screenings on January 2, 1949 at the Empress Theatre with the “Return of the Lash” with Las LaRue. Religious screenings were offered by a local church in 1950 with with the building offered for sale. Lee and Garland Wilson retrofitted the venue for other purposes in March of 1952.
Garland Wilson built the Drive-In in 1952 with a name-the-theater contest prior to launching. The winning name was the fusion of Ellis County Oklahoma or the El-Co. It opened with 182 spaces for cars on May 18, 1952 with Dinah Shore in “Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick.”
The Shattuck Theatre launched on September 15, 1946 with Linda Darnell in “Centennial Summer.”
The Dixie Theatre opened in the building at 120-122 Duke Street. It operated under that name from 1909 to November of 1917. Under new sole operator, A.L. Blunt it became the Liberty Theatre on November 11, 1917 with a benefit screening for the local YMCA showing a patriotic film. (The Liberty was a commonly-used World War I moniker for theaters.) But the biggest splash came just weeks later when the Liberty showed “Birth of a Nation” on December 2-3, 1917 at road show prices.
Blunt then sold the Liberty / former Dixie to L.R. Stout in April of 1921 for $16,000. The Liberty fell under the umbrella of O. Gill and Griffith Amusement Circuit next also in the 1920s. Late in 1927, it was reported that new equipment was added to the Liberty. It was gutted by fire in January of 1928. Interestingly, Gill would be arrested for setting fire to the Erie Theatre five years later. The remaining Liberty Theatre structure would then be incorporated into a bus terminal for two different bus lines, the latter of which was the Northeast Texas Motor Lines Inc.
Ad for the name change November 21, 1934 from the Hugo to the Ritz is posted with Barbara Stanwyck in “The Gambling Lady.”
O.A. Simmons and V. Bronaugh announced a new movie theatre late in 1911 and opening January 25, 1912. In 1913, the broadway added an airdome for the summer months. It looks like it closed in 1915
There were two Dixie Theatres - unrelated except in vicinity so two entries needed - one for the silent era and one for the post-War sound era. This can be the “new” / sound era Dixie Theatre. WWII veterans, Raymond McMillan and Clyde Walker, launched the New Dixie Theatre in the former Northeast Texas Motor Lines Inc. depot on with Jane Wyman in “Make Your Own Bed” on December 31, 1946.
It was the second Dixie Theatre in the general area as there was an unrelated Dixie Theatre in the silent era in the the same area. Just six months later in July of 1947, Griffith Consolidated Theatres Inc. Circuit bought out this location to eliminate the new competition as they operated the Erie in Ritz in downtown Hugo. They downgraded the venue to weekend-only operation.
In December of 1949, Video Independent Theatres Circuit took on the Griffith Amusement portfolio. They dropped the Dixie at the end of 1952 with “Hit the Ice” and “Border Saddlemasters.” The venue was used for agricultural trade screenings and meetings in 1953 before being repurposed.
The first Choctaw County fair was held right here in 1914. Tom Morehead of Video Independent Theatres had a new concept for the land in 1950, the Circus Drive-In Theatre. A 30'x40' screen size greeted customers as it launched on August 23, 1950 with Ann Blyth in “Red Canyon.” (However, if the site maintains that this drive-in opened in the mid-1940s, that’s great too!)
The theatre operated seasonally from April to October/November depending on when it got cold.
The 270 Drive-In is listed as a Robb & Rowley property in 1950
The Ritz Theatre was built on the North Side of the Jay, Oklahoma business district’s square. The opening film was on August 18, 1939 with Gene Autry in “In Old Monterey.” Air conditioned with 300-seats, operator J.H. Martin felt he could compete with theaters in Miami (Oklahoma) and Joplin. New owner Owen Wingard donated the old screen to a local school when the theatre converted to widescreen beginning with the February 27, 1955 screening of “The Robe.” Wingard ceased advertising late in 1957 likely ending the venue’s run.
The Ritz opened in September of 1926 and bellyflopped closing in October of 1927. It was “reserved” for sporadic, big movie times when the existing theaters couldn’t handle the load. But when it added sound, the Ritz hit its mark.
Western star Monte Hale graced the Trail on May 28, 1948 performing on his guitar and telling stories. It appears that the last roundup for the Trail was June 16, 1949
The Duncan Drive-In Theatre’s grand opening ad is posted from September 13, 1948. On November 10, 1954 it had relaunched with what it claims was the second largest drive-in screen in the world (not my claim) at 5,000 square feet thanks to the addition of two wings to the existing tower. This allowed for CinemaScope presentations. The first Scope title was “River of No Return” on November 18, 1954.
Bonus - it’s the precursor to the Thompson in Wilson - the Empress Theatre circa 1924
Jack Pierce launched the Meadow Drive-In in May 7, 1953 with the film, “Sky Full of Moon.” Pierce also operated the Lyric, Place, and the Time. And, yes, there were meadows that inspired the naming of the ozoner.
Cliff L. Lance took the El Rancho widescreen on April 2, 1954 with “The Robe” in CinemaScope. It appears to have closed at the end of lease on August 30, 1964 with “Muscle Beach Party.”