Criterion Theater
118 W. Main Street,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
118 W. Main Street,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
4 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cooper Foundation, Paramount-Publix
Architects: Robert O. Boller
Firms: Boller Brothers
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Oct 6, 2010 — Happy 50th, "Spartacus"
Opened April 27, 1921, the Criterion Theatre had a lovely 3 manual, 16 rank Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ. In 1972 the organ was sold to organ man Paul Haggard who kept it running until 1974, when he installed it in a nice French restaurant named ‘The Showplace’ on the sixth floor of the Meridian Tower on South Meridian Street, Oklahoma City. It was a nice idea, but the sound of the instrument at its softest was too loud for conversation and the restaurant closed, and the organ was sold and enlarged by a pizza parlor in Galveston, Texas. Sadly, it was ruined in the flood of 2009.
Contributed by
Wallace Brown
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Recent comments (view all 43 comments)
1920’s Pic of Criterion added to Photo Section. Check out the Cars and Motorcycle parked in front of theater.
Early Days Pic of Criterion, Oklahoma City, added to Photo Section.
Criterion Theater, Oklahoma City, Pic of Auditorium from stage area, added to Photo Section.
Uploaded Criterion Pic in photo section from 1921 era.
I’m hoping someone can offer me some information about the Marilyn display in the photo above. My father was a commercial artist in OKC around this time and I am 99.9% sure he used to tell me stories about having had something to do with the production and/or installation of this artwork. He worked for a man named Basil Lowery (or Lowry) at the time, I believe. Any information would be greatly appreciated. My email is Thanks!
Eggman, my note above of May 11, 2013 re: Basil Displays..They did a lot of displays for Movie Theater’s and probably other’s like Retail Store Displays. I’m pretty sure Basil’s team did the Marily Monroe for the Criterion…He also did false front displays for “Cimarron” & “Longest Day” that played at the Midwest Theater..I believe he may have been the only one in OKC that produced those types of theater displays..They also did work for many other theaters in the okc area showing major runs….Hope this helps!
Closed for good on Tuesday, June 13, 1972 with the Warner Bros. documentary MALCOLM X. But even after the closing the owners kept a Criterion space-saver ad going in the Oklahoma Journal for another two days emphasizing the Willard sequel BEN would soon show at the Centre and Edmond Plaza Theaters.
Pic of Criterion, 1960’s Christmas Time on Main Street added to Photo Section
Criterion pic added to photo section from Christmas of 1937
This opened on April 27th, 1921. Grand opening ad in the photo section.