Folly Theatre

125 W. Sheridan Avenue,
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

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Cimarron
Cimarron on February 26, 2014 at 3:39 am

Pic of Folly Theatre post Vaudeville period added to Photo Section.

Cimarron
Cimarron on February 25, 2014 at 3:56 am

1907 Pic of Folly added to Photo Section.

srcshaw1
srcshaw1 on March 6, 2013 at 7:45 pm

Anyone know how to get more info on the Folly in OKC? Like about the organists? I would love that.

srcshaw1
srcshaw1 on March 6, 2013 at 7:43 pm

My grandfather was the pianist/organist at the Folly Theater in OKC in the early 40’s. I have tons of stories….that is how he met my grandmother, she loved to hear him play, so she stayed to watch him finish. They dated, married….and then there is me.

raybradley
raybradley on March 25, 2011 at 7:18 pm

Doug Loudenback’s interesting site serves up this vintage look at the Folly Theatre. Majectic Theatre can be seen six doors to the right.
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seymourcox
seymourcox on July 22, 2010 at 1:01 am

After a 1947 fire destroyed the Folly Theater, Warner Bros. built their new Sooner Theater using the old foundation. See photo on below page;
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missmelbatoast
missmelbatoast on November 10, 2008 at 6:02 pm

Vintage images of the Folly Theatre can be viewed on this site;
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seymourcox
seymourcox on July 22, 2007 at 6:12 pm

From the Oklahoma County Tax Assessor Office comes this vintage picture postcard view of the Folly Theatre (photo center), white structure with stud lighted, arched entrance.
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jchapman1
jchapman1 on April 30, 2007 at 8:02 pm

An exceptionally clear, antique postcard view (plate #32) of the Folly Theatre can be seen in the book “THE VANISHED SPLENDOR, Postcard Views of Early Oklahoma City”, by Jim Edwards and Hal Ottaway, Abalache Book Shop Publishing.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 3, 2007 at 3:49 pm

There was a fire that damaged the theater in 1947:
http://tinyurl.com/2ht56l

Okie
Okie on April 19, 2006 at 12:54 am

Photo Journalist Lewis Wickes Hine took these 1917 snapshots to protest child labor in Oklahoma City. Inadvertantly Hine also captured a little theatre history. From Library Congress Photo Archives.
Newsie at Folly Theatre entrance-
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Western Union Messenger at Folly stage door-
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Folly poster ad-
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Okie
Okie on March 26, 2006 at 2:56 pm

Oklahoman Archive web pages have several pictures of the old Folly Theatre. Check these dates for clearest images- April 22, 1909, and September 23, 1913.

xxx
xxx on March 14, 2006 at 5:12 pm

After carefull study of this old olio curtain it is doughtful that it was inside OKC’s Folly Theater. Observe all those advertisements for businesses located in Bowlegs, Oklahoma, and that notice for State & Liberty theaters in Seminole, which is located not too far from Bowlegs.
Also, OKC’s Folly Theater was atmospheric, so it is more likely that their ad curtain would have contained a rural setting, not a city scene.
Surely this must have been an olio curtain for a long forgotten theater in Bowlegs.

Okie
Okie on February 16, 2006 at 12:38 am

Here is a facsimile image of OKC’s Folly Theatre ad curtain. Also, on this fantastic web site are colorful pictures of stage scenery backdrops.
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xxx
xxx on February 6, 2006 at 6:58 pm

Correct address for the old Folly Theatre should read; 125 W. Sheridan, Okla City

xxx
xxx on November 20, 2005 at 3:25 pm

FOLLY Theater was built by Keith/Albee Theaters and featured Orpheum Vaudeville. 1907 grand opening newspaper notices described a “garden setting” auditorium with “vine covered trellis latticework”, so it most certianly was an early example of atmospheric design. After the FOLLY burned in 1947 news accounts mentioned that the interior had been remodeled many times. Warner Brother’s built their SOONER Theater on site in 1948, last of the big downtown movie houses.