Victory Art Cinema
607 E. Douglas Avenue,
Wichita,
KS
67202
607 E. Douglas Avenue,
Wichita,
KS
67202
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Renamed Victory with little fanfare on June 24th, 1943. Small ad posted.
Grand opening ad:
New Theater opening 28 May 1939, Sun The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas) Newspapers.com
The New Theatre launched May 28, 1938 as a sub-run, double feature discount house with Melvyn Douglas in “Fast Company” and Lew Ayres in “Spring Madness.” It switched names to the Vicotry Theatre after a naming contest. The Victory ran to the end of a 30-year lease with mainstream product. In 1967, it became the Victory Art Cinema running porno chic and edited XXX titles. The cinema closed with a double-feature of adult titles, “The Danish Connection” starring John Holmes and “Back Stage.” It also had some live shows at the very end as performance / celebratory art on October 30, 1977 as the Victory Theatre to say farewell.
A demolition sale in November of 1977 allowed people to buy the original sunflower designed ceiling and many other artifacts uncovered during the razing of the venue including six giant murals and a box of 1950’s era unused 3D glasses. The theater was removed for urban renewal bringing about Naftzger Park
When the Victory Theater was in its hay day, it was a clean and well kept up place! But as the years went on past 1963 it and several other land marks started to fade and disappeared. Another wonderful place down town was the great Fairland Café, it was a great Chinese restaurant that stayed open 24 hours a day on Broadway, and half a block South of Douglas St.
Here is a photo of the Victory neon sign.
If anyone has any stories about going to/ working at this threatre in its adult days, I would love to hear them. I am chronicling the histories of adult theatres in the US. Please contact me at Thanks!
Miss Melba, According to local legend Gypsy Rose Lee did her first routine on the Orpheum Theatre’s stage. Many believe instead of the Orpheum she first did her routine at the old Marple Theater at 417 east Douglas.
Seymour,
The Victory Theater was originally named the New Theater and was built in 1939. It was renamed the Victory Theater in 1943. It converted to art cinema in 1967. Ten years later it was razed for Naftzger Park.
A gentleman who grew up in Wichita recently told me that the Victory, though not identical, was quite similar to the Empire in Grand Forks, ND. While the Victory decor had a silver & wine color scheme, the Empire was decked out in tan & wine.
Buchner & Orth could have designed both theatres, though it is most likely that the Victory was a Boller Bros. creation.
http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/10110.html
Do any of you theatre buffs know in which Wichita theatre a juvenile vaudivillian named Louise Hovick developed her stip tease routine and changed her name to Gypsy Rose Lee?
I’ll bet ten to one that the Victory Theatre opened around 1918 to honor battles won WWI!
This is a fun web-site devoted to Kansas classic theatre history, with lots of vintage images. It mentions the Victory;
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