Star Theater
114 N. Main Street,
Sand Springs,
OK
74063
114 N. Main Street,
Sand Springs,
OK
74063
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The Star and Harmony are both included in the book Tulsa Movie Theaters, published in 2021.
Contrary to information posted here, The Star operated through the 1960s, and sporadically in the early 1970s. Admission was 35 cents for us kids in the mid and late 1960s.
Newspaper ads begin in 1918 and cease July 13, 1957
Used to go to this theater more often than to the Harmony. In junior high my girl friends and I would go on Saturday afternoons and see the serials they ran and then the feature movie. When they ran horror movies, I’d hide under my coat or sweater and my friends would let me know when it was A&E to watch again…sometimes…other times they’d tell my it was OK when it wasn’t. They got a big kick from that.
In 1939,I took my first date to the Star theater. I was seven years old and she was six. I remember, we shared a popcorn and each had a drink. I don’t remember what the movie was about but I do remember how pretty my date was.
Judging from the interior photos linked earlier, I’d have guessed that the Star Theatre had at least 600 seats. The side section in this photo shows at least 28 rows with six seats per row, so the two side sections alone must have seated over 300, and the center section was probably about the size of the two side sections put together. Perhaps they removed every other row sometime late in the theater’s history.
When I was three, I walked downtown from 6th street to my uncle’s barber shop next door to the Star. He would cut my hair and give me 20 cents change. I would go next door to the Star and for 10 cents would watch movies and eat candy and popcorn until I couldn’t. Then I would walk across the street past the “Rathole” to my aunts cafe, Bob’s Cafe. I’d sit on the counter and talk to the customers. Many would not be able to pay so my aunt put their ticket in a Roi-Tan cigar box. When they had some money, they would come in and she would pull their tickets out of the cigar box and they’d pay their bill. those were the days, when a three year old could walk around without any reason to fear.
I didn’t realize that when the 09-09-07 Star Theatre picture was posted that Tulsa Library constantly changes images. Sorry!
I wonder who is the man in the photo posted by Miss Melba Toast 9/9/07??????
Yes, Great pictures,All. Thanks for getting them on.
What a nice marquee,nice photo posted by Jeff 7/12/07.
This theater has been demolished.
Vintage exterior/interior photos of the Star Theatre can be seen on Roadside Oklahoma web,
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/622
My father owned or ran the Star in 1961-1963. When I was born we lived in an apartment upstairs. Mt Mom would come up and feed me during the show, and be back at the concession between and after them.
a couple more interior shots KM mentioned above. Looks like this theatre may have once been twinned, then returned to a sigle screen cinema -
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B7806.jpg
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B7807.jpg
The little Star Theatre must have suffered from stiff competition since Sand Springs residents could ride streetcars to the big first run theatres in downtown Tulsa -
View link
B7804 through B7807 in the Tulsa Library series are more interior photos of the Star.
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/D9032.jpg
Vintage promotional photo of Star Theatre and Snack Bar.
From this sad photograph of a neglected auditorium inside the Star Theatre, I can’t help but wonder if this theatre was a member of Griffith Amusement. I’ve been told by more than one source that, while Griffith usually kept their theatre facades in tip-top condition, they refused to buget enough money for upkeep of their theatre interiors.
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B7803.jpg
The Star Theatre Building was a wonderful example of glass block streamline. The Sand Bar had cozy booths surrounding a star shaped bar situated in the center of an azure lighted room. All together it was a striking design to spend a night out on the night.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful photo of the STAR Theater.