Ritz Theatre

The diminutive town of Afton, Oklahoma had a movie theatre that had a twenty year period as a silent-era theatre that lasted around 20 years not making the transition to sound when known as the Electric Theatre, Strand Theatre and Cozy Theatre. That same theatre had a nearly 20-year period in the sound era known as the Tivoli Theatre, the Tower Theatre and the Ritz Theatre.

The roots of this venue goes back to the opening of the Electric Theatre Airdome. It was a S. First Street amusement place in Afton showing photoplays beginning on June 6, 1912. The established Royal Theatre had also established an airdome - theirs was on Main Street (today Main Avenue) in 1911. Both airdromes promised 3,000 feet of film during the competitive 1912 season. The Electric Theatre Airdome promised films from the Trust (Motion Picture Patents Company) while the Royal Theatre Airdome did not.

H.C. Mooneyhan and O.M. Story were doing well with Story leaving toward the end of the season to create an airdome in Miami, Oklahoma. Soon Mooneyhan decided to convert a space within the three-year old Gillespie Building for a new theatre. The Electric Theatre launched October 24, 1912 and stayed in that location for less than a year. He used the same Edison projector that had been used outside. The former Electric Theatre Airdome space was repurposed as an auto garage.

Mooneyhan then moved the Electric Theatre to the Ervin Building replacing a dry good store. The Electric Airdome moved operations to the former Royal Airdome in 1913 for summer shows. That year marked the end of Afton’s airdome operations. The mottos of the theatre were “A good show all of the time; a better show sometimes” and “A respectable place for women and children to pass a pleasant evening". Roasted peanuts were a staple of the concession stand – and only appeared to have caused one minor fire at the Electric Theatre.

In 1921, the theatre changed hands and new owner George Van Sickle changed the name of the venue to the Strand Theatre. The Strand Theatre’s first show was on May 21, 1921 with Dorothy Phillips in “Once to Every Woman". Mrs. Daniel Settler was the manager and had to raise prices at the opening.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Smith, Jr. purchased the Strand Theatre renaming it as the Cozy Theatre on November 11, 1926 opening with Virginia Valli in “The Family Upstairs". Hall’s Newsstand shared the lobby space. The theatre couldn’t make the transition to sound so unsuccessfully tried live vaudeville late in 1930. In 1931-1934 it had sporadic live theatrical events, free movie screenings and other entertainment with lesser frequency until its unannounced closure.

After a period of inactivity, the venue was taken on by operators Mrs. Johnnie Garner who reopened it as the Tivoli Theatre on May 21, 1937 with Gene Autry in “Rootin’ Tootin’ Rhythm” supported by the first chapter of “Zorro Rides Again” serial. T.L. Walker and J.W. Fryer took over the venue in 1939 renaming it as the Tower Theatre closing in February of 1941 at the end of a 20-year lease.

New operators then took on the venue on a 15-year lease renaming it as the Ritz Theatre on June 27, 1941 again with Gene Autry in “Melody Ranch.” Dennis Ward took on the venue in 1953 as its last operator. The trade press said the theatre closed in 1956. In 1957, the venue was sold and repurposed for other ventures.

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