Oak Park Theatre
3935 Prospect Avenue,
Kansas City,
MO
64130
3935 Prospect Avenue,
Kansas City,
MO
64130
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The Oak Park ceased operations on May 17, 1959 with “Some Like it Hot” and “La Parisienne.” Just months later, it was operating as a house of worship
Found pre opening ad from the 20th. Ad in photo section.
This opened on December 25th, 1925. No grand opening ad appeared in the paper.
It was here I saw an incredible double-feature of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and “Rear Window.” Cinematic heaven!
As a kid in the 1930s, I and my friends walked to the Oak Park every Saturday afternoon. Great show for 10 or 20 cents. Double feature, I think, plus two serials, and a cartoon. They had the Popeye Club, and we wore Popeye pins. There was always a drawing where lucky winners were called to the stage to receive a prize, then they had a “Row Call” where a row number would be announced and everybody in that row would go on stage and get a small prize, like a bubble pipe. Serials I recall were Hopalong Cassidy, the Lone Ranger, and Flash Gordon among others. On Halloween, we wore costumes to the matinee.
The building, now a church, can be seen on Google.
I remember going to the Oak Park on many occasions as a child in the the late 40’s and early 50’s. It typically showed a double feature. My brother and my folks went on one Saturday and came in during one of the features. We stayed until we came to the place in the movie where we came in. I remember the seats in the theatre being the old wooden seats probably made during WWII or earlier. They weren’t the spring loaded type that come up when you stand up. My dad was leading the way out and still looking at the screen instead or where he was going. The seat on the aisle was down, and my dad stumbled and fell over it and broke a rib.
That was a beautiful theater. The later marquee must have been installed by the same company that did the Aladdin Theater because they looked very similar. Still looking for interior pics of the Oak Park and any pics of The Aladdin when it was still operating.
Facade and auditorium photos of the Oak Park Theatre illustrated an ad for the Kooler-Aire Engineering Corporation on this page of Boxoffice predecessor Exhibitors' Forum, issue of April 7, 1931.
Thanks for the pictures of the old movie theater I went to from 1940 until it closed.
Here is a contemporary view:
http://tinyurl.com/yk825o6
Thanks for the update.
The correct address is 3935 Prospect Ave and the Mount Vernon Baptist Church occupies the building today. I have attended this church on a few occasions.
The former Oak Park Theater remains in use as a commercial building.