The original Wigwam Theatre was opened by H.K. Smith on the North side of the square on December 13, 1913. Due to ventilation issues, Smith launched the Wigwam Airdome on North Main Street for the warm summer months. On January 9, 1921 the “new” Wigwam launched likely in the same location.
The original Thompson Theatre opened in an existing retail location in downtown Atoka on November 5, 1940. In 1953, this new Thompson Theatre was built in a prefabricated steel building was constructed. The “old” Thompson Theatre closed on January 14, 1954. The New Thompson Theatre opened the next day on January 15, 1954 with Lloyd Bridges in “The Tall Texan” projected on a radiant Astrolite curved screen ideally selected to play the many 3D films that were promised to come over the next decade… until they didn’t.
The New Thompson Theatre opened in an existing retail location in downtown Atoka on November 5, 1940 with Richard Dix in “Cherokee Strip” for the Glen Thompson Theatre Circuit. The theatre featured nu-wood paneling, a 25 foot stage and an RCA MagicScreen. In 1953, a new Thompson Theatre in a prefabricated steel building was constructed and opened January 15, 1954. The “old” Thompson Theatre closed on January 14, 1954 with the Weaver Brothers in “In Old Missouri” supported by “Bugs Bunny All Star Review.”
The Broncho Theatre opened March 20, 1946 for Raphen Cross replacing the town’s earlier theatre, the Bennington Theatre (Liberty Theatre in the silent era) that had closed in December of 1941. A year later, James E. Davis took on the Broncho changing its name to the Rialto Theatre. It appears to have gone out of business in 1950. Because the town’s population dropped a precipitous 30% that year to just about 360 citizens, the closure seems like a sound business decision.
Mr. and Mrs. Roy McAmis opened the Sa-Roy Theatre as the silent film house to complement their Princess Theatre that had converted to sound. The Sa-Roy launched in 1929 and closed in November of 1931 often advertised without the hypen as the Saroy Theatre. It did receive a second-hand sound system but the Depression mad two-theater operation a challenge and it closed in November,mber of 1931.
The Saroy remained closed from December of 1931 to Feb. 17, 1934 when it was relaunched by George Stovall as the Rio Theatre. The Rio would become part of the Griffith Bros. Amusement Circuit. The Rio closed June 24, 1950 to coincide with the opening of the new Stovall Theatre. Mrs. Stovall retired the night that the Rio closed. The building was repurposed that year for other purposes.
Opened on June 3, 1922 as the Princess Theatre with Priscilla Dean in “Conflict” supported by a two-reel comedy.It was located in the existing Dugger Building and was converted from a grocery store. Operators Mr. and Mrs. Roy McAmis installed Western Electric sound beginning June 8, 1930 with the film, “The Big Pond.”
George Stovall took on the venue which reopened August 12, 1936 with the announcement of the naming contest winner who chose “Ute.”A large neon sign followed and was installed within months. Griffith Amusement Circuit soon was the operator of the venue which later passed to Video Independent. The theatre closed in the 1950s and was briefly reopened on a sublease independently in the Summer of 1958 closing before Fall of 1958. The sale of the theater’s seating in January of 1959 signaled the end of the line.
The Grand Opera House launched June 11, 1900 with the live play, “A Home Affair.” In another location, the Electric Theatre made its debut with short one-reel films on August 23, 1906. The Electric Theatre then moved to the Grand Opera House with a launch on May 6, 1908. The theatre appears to have fulfilled a 15-year leasing closing February 10, 1923.
In 1924, the venue was remodeled and became the Grand Theatre for three years. It was purchased and renamed the Rialto Theatre on September 5, 1927 with Conway Tearle in “Moulders of Men.” It appears to have operated with silent films and some live content as the Rialto to the end of 1931 with Homer C. Jones of the Temple in charge. The name of Temple-Rialto appears for a brief period indicating a potential merging of both operations in the Temple location - although that’s not certain. However, it does not appear that the Rialto / Grand Opera House was ever converted to sound films likely ending its viability and its operation.
The Electric Theatre made its debut with short one-reel films on August 23, 1906. The Electric Theatre then moved to the Grand Opera House with a launch on May 6, 1908.
Waukomis' Scott Opera House launched on October 20, 1903 with a sold out performance of “The Run Away Tramp,” a live stage play. The venue seated 400. Films were first brought into the opera house as part of traveling shows in 1904. In 1918, the theatre went from sporadic motion pictures to twice a week film exhibition. 1921, Harold Barlow found success with movies and, by 1922, the Opera House was predominately showing films and changed names to the Waukomis Opera House.
The Waukomis Opera House discontinued films without making the conversion to sound. It switched back to live events which were schedule through the year 1936. There is no evidence that the venue ever operated under the banner of the Waukomis Theatre.
Smithey and Schults launched the Rialto in an existing downtown Hammon, Oklahoma building in 1924 with Simplex Mazda projection equipment. The theater made the transition to sound to remain viable. It continued under new ownership in 1937 after a brief closure to refresh the venue.
Ed,White launched the brand new $7,000 movie House, the Gem Theatre, on February 14, 1929 with Richard Dix in “Sporting Goods.” On May 1, 1929, the theater celebrated a second grand opening after installing Vitaphone to play sound films beginning with “The Canary Murder Case.” The operator appears to have left town taking the equipment. This left the theatre scheduling vaudeville and other live events in early 1930 before Reintroducing sound films on May 16, 1930. The theatre closed in 1933 and the Rialto in Hammon became the film destination for locals.
On Sept. 12,, 1946, the theater reopened under the moniker of the Butler Theatre with “Wanderer of the Wasteland.” It later,closed as television proved to be more popular.
The Princess Theatre was a movie theatre in downtown Custer City next to the Parker Hotel that launched on April 13, 1912 with Kathlyn Williams and Winifred Greenwood in “The Two Orphans.” J.R. Wilson sold the venue to Pearl White who refreshed the theatre which reopened September 1, 1916 as the Rex Theatre presenting Bluebird Studio photoplay supported by Monogram shorts.
Big news took place under operator Chester Kelley at the Rex on May 18, 1930 when sound films were shown beginning with Will Rogers in “They Had to see Paris.” The Rex nameplates ceased after the November 29, 1944 showing of Gary Cooper in “The Story of Dr. Wassell” supported by a cartoon. Kelley sold the theatre to Elmo C. Rankin who refreshed the venue with a streamline modern front reopening as the Elmo Theatre on January 4, 1945 with Doroth Lamour in “Rainbow Island” supported by.a Disney cartoon short and a newsreel. Both shows sold out for Rankin, who also operated the town’s mill and - in 1947 - taking on the town’s newspaper, the Custer City Courier.
In 1954, Elmo Rankin moved to Kansas and that appears to be either the end of the theatre or the end of the free newspaper ads - or, most likely, both. The last film does appear to be Judy Canova in “The WAC of Walla Walla” on May 29, 1954. For a town with fewer than 500 at that point, 32 years of movie theater operation was quite an achievement.
The theatre was on Main Street one building away from Broadway and appears to have been at 631 Main Street - since demolished - if that is correct.
The Fun locations all closed after screenings on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with many other theaters. Fun MacArthur Marketplace Irving was one of the first four hardtop theatres to relaunch in the DFW area on May 15, 2020 along with its Fun Carrollton, iPic Fairview and America Cinemas in Fort Worth. The Fun Carrollton closed permanently on October 31, 2020. The Fun Macarthur Marketplace soldiered on but closed abruptly after showings on July 23, 2021 promising to convert the theatre to half movie screens and have family entertainment including bowling, arcade and laser tag. With many auditoriums carrying very longstanding Hollywood titles with little chance of patrons since Fun took over the venue on June 22, 2019, the move - if it transpired - seemed sound.
aka Marquee Cinemas Macarthur Marketplace Previously operated by Marquee Cinemas
The Nusho opened November 3, 1935 with Will Rogers in “Steamboat ‘round the Bend.” It appears to have launched on a 25-year lease. It was the third theatre in town with the Crystal and Rialto which had each been open in the silent era.
The venue hosted the World Premiere of “Broken Arrow” starring James Stewart & Jeff Chandler on July 21, 1950 which started a minute later at selected Oklahoma theaters including the Criterion in Tulsa. In 1954, it was converted to widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. The Nusho closed with Walt Disney’s “White Wilderness” on February 15, 1959 citing that it lost its lease. Within months it was gutted and remodeled as a mortgage firm.
May 18, 1939 grand opening of the New Arrow Theatre with a streamlined makeover occurred with Robert Taylor in “Stand Up and Fight” supported by “Surf Heroes” and “Always Kicking.“ Burl Terrell was the architect.
The original Wigwam Theatre was opened by H.K. Smith on the North side of the square on December 13, 1913. Due to ventilation issues, Smith launched the Wigwam Airdome on North Main Street for the warm summer months. On January 9, 1921 the “new” Wigwam launched likely in the same location.
The Kiamichi Drive-In launched July 31, 1953 with “Kansas Pacific.” 160 cars showed up the first night supporting Mrs. J.L. Cooper’s o-zoner.
Opened August 6, 1948 in the James A. Elliott Building with Gene Autry in “The Strawberry Roan.” That also ended the run of the Antlers Theatre.
The original Thompson Theatre opened in an existing retail location in downtown Atoka on November 5, 1940. In 1953, this new Thompson Theatre was built in a prefabricated steel building was constructed. The “old” Thompson Theatre closed on January 14, 1954. The New Thompson Theatre opened the next day on January 15, 1954 with Lloyd Bridges in “The Tall Texan” projected on a radiant Astrolite curved screen ideally selected to play the many 3D films that were promised to come over the next decade… until they didn’t.
The New Thompson Theatre opened in an existing retail location in downtown Atoka on November 5, 1940 with Richard Dix in “Cherokee Strip” for the Glen Thompson Theatre Circuit. The theatre featured nu-wood paneling, a 25 foot stage and an RCA MagicScreen. In 1953, a new Thompson Theatre in a prefabricated steel building was constructed and opened January 15, 1954. The “old” Thompson Theatre closed on January 14, 1954 with the Weaver Brothers in “In Old Missouri” supported by “Bugs Bunny All Star Review.”
The Pix Theatre launched for Glen D. Thompson Theatre Circuit on November 7, 1937 with “A Star is Born.”
The new Choctaw Drive-In launched September 23, 1951 with Jimmy Cagney in “White Heat.”
The Broncho Theatre opened March 20, 1946 for Raphen Cross replacing the town’s earlier theatre, the Bennington Theatre (Liberty Theatre in the silent era) that had closed in December of 1941. A year later, James E. Davis took on the Broncho changing its name to the Rialto Theatre. It appears to have gone out of business in 1950. Because the town’s population dropped a precipitous 30% that year to just about 360 citizens, the closure seems like a sound business decision.
Mr. and Mrs. Roy McAmis opened the Sa-Roy Theatre as the silent film house to complement their Princess Theatre that had converted to sound. The Sa-Roy launched in 1929 and closed in November of 1931 often advertised without the hypen as the Saroy Theatre. It did receive a second-hand sound system but the Depression mad two-theater operation a challenge and it closed in November,mber of 1931.
The Saroy remained closed from December of 1931 to Feb. 17, 1934 when it was relaunched by George Stovall as the Rio Theatre. The Rio would become part of the Griffith Bros. Amusement Circuit. The Rio closed June 24, 1950 to coincide with the opening of the new Stovall Theatre. Mrs. Stovall retired the night that the Rio closed. The building was repurposed that year for other purposes.
Opened on June 3, 1922 as the Princess Theatre with Priscilla Dean in “Conflict” supported by a two-reel comedy.It was located in the existing Dugger Building and was converted from a grocery store. Operators Mr. and Mrs. Roy McAmis installed Western Electric sound beginning June 8, 1930 with the film, “The Big Pond.”
George Stovall took on the venue which reopened August 12, 1936 with the announcement of the naming contest winner who chose “Ute.”A large neon sign followed and was installed within months. Griffith Amusement Circuit soon was the operator of the venue which later passed to Video Independent. The theatre closed in the 1950s and was briefly reopened on a sublease independently in the Summer of 1958 closing before Fall of 1958. The sale of the theater’s seating in January of 1959 signaled the end of the line.
The Grand Opera House launched June 11, 1900 with the live play, “A Home Affair.” In another location, the Electric Theatre made its debut with short one-reel films on August 23, 1906. The Electric Theatre then moved to the Grand Opera House with a launch on May 6, 1908. The theatre appears to have fulfilled a 15-year leasing closing February 10, 1923.
In 1924, the venue was remodeled and became the Grand Theatre for three years. It was purchased and renamed the Rialto Theatre on September 5, 1927 with Conway Tearle in “Moulders of Men.” It appears to have operated with silent films and some live content as the Rialto to the end of 1931 with Homer C. Jones of the Temple in charge. The name of Temple-Rialto appears for a brief period indicating a potential merging of both operations in the Temple location - although that’s not certain. However, it does not appear that the Rialto / Grand Opera House was ever converted to sound films likely ending its viability and its operation.
The Electric Theatre made its debut with short one-reel films on August 23, 1906. The Electric Theatre then moved to the Grand Opera House with a launch on May 6, 1908.
Waukomis' Scott Opera House launched on October 20, 1903 with a sold out performance of “The Run Away Tramp,” a live stage play. The venue seated 400. Films were first brought into the opera house as part of traveling shows in 1904. In 1918, the theatre went from sporadic motion pictures to twice a week film exhibition. 1921, Harold Barlow found success with movies and, by 1922, the Opera House was predominately showing films and changed names to the Waukomis Opera House.
The Waukomis Opera House discontinued films without making the conversion to sound. It switched back to live events which were schedule through the year 1936. There is no evidence that the venue ever operated under the banner of the Waukomis Theatre.
Smithey and Schults launched the Rialto in an existing downtown Hammon, Oklahoma building in 1924 with Simplex Mazda projection equipment. The theater made the transition to sound to remain viable. It continued under new ownership in 1937 after a brief closure to refresh the venue.
Ed,White launched the brand new $7,000 movie House, the Gem Theatre, on February 14, 1929 with Richard Dix in “Sporting Goods.” On May 1, 1929, the theater celebrated a second grand opening after installing Vitaphone to play sound films beginning with “The Canary Murder Case.” The operator appears to have left town taking the equipment. This left the theatre scheduling vaudeville and other live events in early 1930 before Reintroducing sound films on May 16, 1930. The theatre closed in 1933 and the Rialto in Hammon became the film destination for locals.
On Sept. 12,, 1946, the theater reopened under the moniker of the Butler Theatre with “Wanderer of the Wasteland.” It later,closed as television proved to be more popular.
The Princess Theatre was a movie theatre in downtown Custer City next to the Parker Hotel that launched on April 13, 1912 with Kathlyn Williams and Winifred Greenwood in “The Two Orphans.” J.R. Wilson sold the venue to Pearl White who refreshed the theatre which reopened September 1, 1916 as the Rex Theatre presenting Bluebird Studio photoplay supported by Monogram shorts.
Big news took place under operator Chester Kelley at the Rex on May 18, 1930 when sound films were shown beginning with Will Rogers in “They Had to see Paris.” The Rex nameplates ceased after the November 29, 1944 showing of Gary Cooper in “The Story of Dr. Wassell” supported by a cartoon. Kelley sold the theatre to Elmo C. Rankin who refreshed the venue with a streamline modern front reopening as the Elmo Theatre on January 4, 1945 with Doroth Lamour in “Rainbow Island” supported by.a Disney cartoon short and a newsreel. Both shows sold out for Rankin, who also operated the town’s mill and - in 1947 - taking on the town’s newspaper, the Custer City Courier.
In 1954, Elmo Rankin moved to Kansas and that appears to be either the end of the theatre or the end of the free newspaper ads - or, most likely, both. The last film does appear to be Judy Canova in “The WAC of Walla Walla” on May 29, 1954. For a town with fewer than 500 at that point, 32 years of movie theater operation was quite an achievement.
The theatre was on Main Street one building away from Broadway and appears to have been at 631 Main Street - since demolished - if that is correct.
Launched with Gene Kelly in “The Pirate” on Aug. 6, 1948.
The Fun locations all closed after screenings on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with many other theaters. Fun MacArthur Marketplace Irving was one of the first four hardtop theatres to relaunch in the DFW area on May 15, 2020 along with its Fun Carrollton, iPic Fairview and America Cinemas in Fort Worth. The Fun Carrollton closed permanently on October 31, 2020. The Fun Macarthur Marketplace soldiered on but closed abruptly after showings on July 23, 2021 promising to convert the theatre to half movie screens and have family entertainment including bowling, arcade and laser tag. With many auditoriums carrying very longstanding Hollywood titles with little chance of patrons since Fun took over the venue on June 22, 2019, the move - if it transpired - seemed sound.
aka Marquee Cinemas Macarthur Marketplace Previously operated by Marquee Cinemas
Status - I’d go for Closed / Renovating
The Nusho opened November 3, 1935 with Will Rogers in “Steamboat ‘round the Bend.” It appears to have launched on a 25-year lease. It was the third theatre in town with the Crystal and Rialto which had each been open in the silent era.
The venue hosted the World Premiere of “Broken Arrow” starring James Stewart & Jeff Chandler on July 21, 1950 which started a minute later at selected Oklahoma theaters including the Criterion in Tulsa. In 1954, it was converted to widescreen to present CinemaScope titles. The Nusho closed with Walt Disney’s “White Wilderness” on February 15, 1959 citing that it lost its lease. Within months it was gutted and remodeled as a mortgage firm.
No problem- Hans Teichert was the artist of this mural.
May 18, 1939 grand opening of the New Arrow Theatre with a streamlined makeover occurred with Robert Taylor in “Stand Up and Fight” supported by “Surf Heroes” and “Always Kicking.“ Burl Terrell was the architect.
Reopened after a streamlined moderne makeover as the Queen Theatre on February 23, 1939 for the K. Lee Williams Circuit.
The Pines Theatre launched May 11, 1939 with Peter Byrne’s “The Valley of the Giants.”
Style - Rustic (at opening)
Celebrated a transformation by Griffith Amusements to widescreen and presentation of CinemaScope films in November 1954
Celebrated a transformation by Griffith Amusements to widescreen and presentation of CinemaScope films on October 23, 1954