Victoria Theatre
1901 N. Classen Boulevard,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73106
1901 N. Classen Boulevard,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73106
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Clarence Castleman Bulger, architect of the Victoria Theatre, began his career in 1903 as the junior partner in the firm of C. W. Bulger & Son, after completing his BA degree at the University of Chicago. His father, Charles William Bulger, died in 1922.
Clarence Bulger was best known for designing churches, he and his father between them having completed more than 75 of them in at least 20 states. They also designed many impressive houses for well-to-do clients, and what is considered the first skyscraper in Texas, the 15-story Praetorian Building in Dallas, completed in 1909. Clarence Bulger died in 1956.
Became Vogue on January 24th, 1950 and closed later in 1950. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Full page ad below: (Zoomable)
Victoria theatre opening Wed, Jul 4, 1928 – 7 · The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) · Newspapers.com
Beautiful building. I wish this theater would re-open showing classic movies such as the Castro Theater does in San Francisco. Sure there would be an audience for this being that 23rd St and the Plaza area has experienced a revival. The storefronts deserve better, too.
July 4th, 1928 grand opening ad in photo section.
Here is an early notice about the Victoria Theatre, from Motion Picture News of October 28, 1927:
Here’s a then and now shot of the building. The “then” was taken soon after it opened in 1928, and the now was taken in 2009:
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Here is an article dated 1/8/50 from the Daily Oklahoman:
‘Claudia’ to Be first Stock Company Show at the Vogue
EXTENSIVE redecoration and refurnishing is under way at the
Vogue theater, formerly the Victoria and still later used as a church, which returns soon to the entertainment field. The neighborhood playhouse at Classen and NW 17 opens January
24 with a stock company presenting six shows a week, drawn from
the established hits of recent years. First offering of The Piper Players will be “Claudia,” long a favorite with theater goers. Succeeding productions will be of equal caliber.
The Piper Players, a company of 20, have had wide experience In
stage presentations on both coasts and are now on a successful road
tour of the midwest. Charles Freeman, general manager of The Cooper
Foundation theaters here, has booked them for an extended stay
on the theory the city is ready for legitimate theater again.
Price scales have not been decided, but they will be in the popular
price range.
More recent photos of this beautiful building:
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Check out the web site for Oklahman Archives to see great images of the Victoria Theatre. A fantastic architectural drawing of the Gothic auditorium is shown January 29, 1928, and an exterior photo can be seen July 4, 1928.
Click here for 1955 photo of Victoria Theater after it had been converted into Television Station KTVO, channel 25-
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Bryan, your updated information is very much appreciated. My sources were 1927/28 news articles and grand opening ads obtained from the ‘Oklahoman Archive’ web pages.
Actually the VICTORIA Theater opened in mid-1928 and closed early-1953. Dallas Architect Clarence Bulger was responsible for the Gothic design, strongly influenced by London’s Victoria Station. Seating capacity was 1500, not 806, and was stadium style. The Victoria opened with a $35,000 Robert Morton “Wonder” Organ.
The Victoria Theatre was operated in the 1940’s by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Ed Rowley.