Chief Theatre

111-115 S. Main Street,
Eufaula, OK 74432

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1940 Pontiacs on delivery truck in front of Chief Theatre. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration via Library of Congress via Shorpy FB page.

The Chief Theatre was opened November 16, 1937 with Frederick March in “A Star is Born”. It was closed in January 1956. The building was still standing as a vacant store in May 2019.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 13 comments)

jessiearcher
jessiearcher on December 3, 2006 at 12:20 am

Belle Starr the infamous bandit queen is buried near Eufaula.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 22, 2007 at 4:19 am

That was Bart Starr’s wife, wasn’t it?

Rodney
Rodney on September 29, 2007 at 5:17 am

Click title to see Belle Starr image,
View link

Floyd66
Floyd66 on March 13, 2010 at 12:40 am

I am doing some research on The Palace Movie Theater that was in Eufaula, OK. I am trying to find some of the old monthly calendars that the theater would put out. It would have what was playing for that month. I would like to find the months of June, July, August, for the years, 1960, 1961, 1962. I would like to find any old pictures or even movie posters or handbills for this theater. I can be reached at the following email address. If you have anything like this that you would be willing to sell, I would be interested in talking with you. Floyd Cleghorn

Lauren Durbin
Lauren Durbin on September 4, 2010 at 3:55 pm

From looking at the historic photo in the first post, I believe the reddish building that is 4 storefronts south of Foley Street on the east side of Main is the Chief. It looks like the unique corner building with the window box has been demolished. Any opinions?

Google Street View of the suggested location:
http://tinyurl.com/237y88p

raybradley
raybradley on March 27, 2011 at 6:06 pm

You’re right, roadsideok. The building top has been lowered but that is the Chief Theatre. To see clear vintage shots of this theatre go to link below, and under match all words type “junk drive benefit”,
(Its slow)
View link

davidplomin
davidplomin on December 1, 2013 at 1:19 am

Looks like the Palace Theater is just four doors down on the left of this picture! Must of been a decent sized town to support two theaters so close to each other and its Main St that ends after two blocks!

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on February 9, 2020 at 4:55 pm

Street view shows the address is 111-115 S. Main Street. The Eufaula Indian Journal office is in 109, and it is next door to the left. The brick work on 111-115 S. Main matches where it is painted white in the 1940 photo.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on April 9, 2022 at 4:17 pm

Here is the Library of Congress link to the 1940 Russell Lee photo. Enlargeable for greater detail within link.

https://www.loc.gov/item/2017741723/

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on July 10, 2022 at 2:47 pm

Opened on November 16, 1937 with “A Star Is Born” along with a few selected short subjects.

CinemaScope was installed at the Chief on December 5, 1954 with “River Of North Return” as its first CinemaScope film. Exactly a year after its installation of CinemaScope, the Chief closed for the final time in January 1956. The nearby Palace would then had the chance to install CinemaScope later on.

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