Movie theaters.

[Prunepicker]

I went there a few times but it wasn't on my normal theater circuit
even though I grew up in Norman.
There were not many choices in Norman in those days... (I am talking
1950's here, when Norman had 25,000 folks)

But it would grow to over 100,000 on game day Saturdays!

[FRISKY]

Another updated site:

http://www.drive-ins.com/srchdest.ht...h_y=14/skip=50

[phinzup]

But it would grow to over 100,000 on game day Saturdays!

hahaha...not in the 50's...stadium wasn't that big then.

[Prunepicker]

hahaha... not in the 50's... stadium wasn't that big then.

What was the capacity in the 50's? I know it was 30,000+ in the 30's and in the
70's it was 70,001. Now it's 82,000+

[ljbab728]

What was the capacity in the 50's? I know it was 30,000+ in the 30's and in the
70's it was 70,001. Now it's 82,000+

Capacity was raised to 55,000 in 1949 and went to 61,836 in 1957 which is what is was when I first started going to games regularly in the early 60's. It stayed there until 1975 when the west side upperdeck was built.

[MikeOKC]

Capacity was raised to 55,000 in 1949 and went to 61,836 in 1957 which is what is was when I first started going to games regularly in the early 60's. It stayed there until 1975 when the west side upperdeck was built.

I must say, I always enjoyed the 60's atmosphere. Something about the old Owen Field. I understand the need to grow and expand - not saying that. I just have fond memories of the more traditional style college football stadium. I saw recently in one of your posts about your attending every OU-Texas game since, what was it? 1965? That's amazing. Really.

[ljbab728]

I must say, I always enjoyed the 60's atmosphere. Something about the old Owen Field. I understand the need to grow and expand - not saying that. I just have fond memories of the more traditional style college football stadium. I saw recently in one of your posts about your attending every OU-Texas game since, what was it? 1965? That's amazing. Really.

Yup, that's right. I have very fond memories of the Old Owen Field. Does anyone remember what used to be called Pneumonia Downs? That was the area under the east side stands which was basically dirt and used for indoor track. It got a little cold during the winter. LOL
When I was in high school at Norman High and in the band, we used Owen Field for our home games. Marching through the under stadium area produced amazing sounds and echos while playing fight songs.

[perrygreen]

My childhood in OKC spanned 83-91, but I remember what I believe was called the Super Saver Cinema on NW Expressway. I think it was a dollar theater when I attended regularly.

I clearly remember walking up to that thing for the first time and seeing the really cool blue and red flashing glass blocks. Then there was the arcade inside. It felt like you were walking into a space station. I'd love to see a picture of that place again.

EDIT - I guess it was called Lakeshore 8 or something like that. The site in the original post had 7 (depressing) pictures that I guess were taken just before it was demolished. I wish I could see a picture of it in all of its original glory. Of course, the glory wouldn't be the same to an adult as it was to a kid walking up to it as a 5 or 6 year old.

[capitalhillkid]

We had our local Capital Hill theaters, the Yale and the Redskin, and went there often, but the Big Deal was to go to the big theaters downtown. One dressed up for that. The interiors were like a fancy opera house. Of course, some of them had been Vaudeville theaters before. There were uniformed ushers with flashlights to show you to the seat.

[SoonerDave]

Capacity was raised to 55,000 in 1949 and went to 61,836 in 1957 which is what is was when I first started going to games regularly in the early 60's. It stayed there until 1975 when the west side upperdeck was built.

Capacity jumped from 72K in 1980 to about 76K with the opening of the new south endzone stands that included new football offices. The stands, which replaced wooden, green bleachers that were vintage from the 50's, were purposely built as a standalone structure rather than connecting with the existing stadium. ADA requirements bumped the capacity down a bit in the 80's, and the construction of a line of suites at the base of the pressbox reduced capacity a bit more.

Addition of the east club deck and larger upper deck increased the stadium's rated capacity back to about 82K, although it routinely holds in excess of 85K on game day by virtue of folks visiting the club seats and some general admission seats.

[SoonerDave]

My childhood in OKC spanned 83-91, but I remember what I believe was called the Super Saver Cinema on NW Expressway. I think it was a dollar theater when I attended regularly.

I clearly remember walking up to that thing for the first time and seeing the really cool blue and red flashing glass blocks. Then there was the arcade inside. It felt like you were walking into a space station. I'd love to see a picture of that place again.

EDIT - I guess it was called Lakeshore 8 or something like that. The site in the original post had 7 (depressing) pictures that I guess were taken just before it was demolished. I wish I could see a picture of it in all of its original glory. Of course, the glory wouldn't be the same to an adult as it was to a kid walking up to it as a 5 or 6 year old.

I have very vivid memories of both the Park Terrace on Western and the Almonte Six on May Avenue at 59th. Park Terrace was a very nice, "classic" theater in that vintage mold during those years when the larger complexes started homogenizing theaters. The owners tried to resuscitate it in later years by making it a twin, but it was really not very nice toward the end. The Almonte 6 was a VERY nice theater just before the advent of stadium seating, big, comfy auditorium, nice, big screen and sound system. Remember standing in line to see the 2nd Star Trek movie back in 1982 that backed down the front of that strip mall.

Remember going to 14 Flags as a kid, and it was incredibly cool. We keep meaning to take the kids to Winchester, which seems to continue to do well, but often the movie selection is a little iffy. Drive-ins were the absolutely coolest thing ever.

Remember my dad taking me to see True Grit at the Centre theater downtown, but getting scared out of my wits in this one scene with a snake that was threatening Kim Darby, freaked me out so bad my dad took me home...

[skyrick]

Remember my dad taking me to see True Grit at the Centre theater downtown, but getting scared out of my wits in this one scene with a snake that was threatening Kim Darby, freaked me out so bad my dad took me home...

At least you stayed long enough for the best scene:

John Wayne: I aim to kill you, or see you hang in Fort Smith. What'll it be Ned?
Robert Duvall: I call that big talk from a one-eyed fat man.
JW: Fill yore hand, you sonofabitch!

[dskadoris]

I agree that the Criterion was the classiest theater in town, but the Continental was by far the most modern for its time, with reclining seats (they actually just leaned back a little) and the big screen. The building is still there although it hasn't been a theater for a long time.

I remember the last time I went to the Criterion. They had a sneak preview with the movie that was playing (don't remember that one) and the time frame was middle Jan of 1970. The sneak was MASH. On the opening credits about half of the people in the theater walked out. The spirting blood in the beginning credits was too much for the Viet Nam era patrons. We didn't know what MASH was all about. I stayed and it was the funniest movies I had ever seen. Needless to say MASH was one of the most popular movies of the year and the people who didn't stay missed out on one hell of a movie. The only other movie I can remember seeing at the Criterion was "Soldier Blue" starring Candice Bergen. She was hot and being a teenager it was a movie me and my friends couldn't miss. The stars in the ceiling were great.

[SoonerDave]

they're not so old, but i didn't see reding (~sw 36th & western) or southpark (sw 44th & may) on the list. -M

Wow, had almost forgotten about the Reding. It was never, at least in my memory, a very nice theater. Southpark was a decent place in its day, and remember standing in line to see the first Star Trek movie back in 1979. That area, sadly, deteriorated pretty rapidly and the Southpark disappeared years ago.

I guess the most routine movie stomping grounds I can claim was the old "Park Terrace" over on Western, which opened as a single-screen theater and was later converted to a dual-screen (back when dual screens were a Big Deal). The building is still there, actually, and until a few months ago was operated as some sort of dance club, I think, although it looked like it was kind of a rough place. Pretty sure the place is for rent/unoccupied right now.

[Prunepicker]

I remember the last time I went to the Criterion. They had a sneak
preview with the movie that was playing (don't remember that one)
and the time frame was middle Jan of 1970. The sneak was MASH...

That may have been "The Green Berets" with John Wayne. There were
Army soldiers descending, on ropes, from the PARK garage across the
street. The Criterion was a first class theater.

What was the name of the Japanese architect who was paid
1 million dollars to destroy downtown OKC? Eng?

[MikeOKC]

What was the name of the Japanese architect who was paid
1 million dollars to destroy downtown OKC? Eng?

Here you go. He is an architectural icon. One of the greatest of the greats. Some think he's the greatest architect ever. Others, hate him with a passion. He's 95 and they claim he still works. Pei Cobb Freed & Partners - look at his work. His urban renewal plan, "The Pei Plan" destroyed Oklahoma City (I agree) but he has given us incredible landmarks all across the country. A giant.

[Prunepicker]

One of the worst things OKC has done.

[RadicalModerate]

Without a doubt.

Centre Theater: "The Exorcist"
Redding: Some First-Run movie or another, "Rocky Horror Picture Show" Groupies and Groupers standing in a vague "line" for "The Midnight Showing" as we exited. (and nobody talking on cell phones! [insert Theremin appeggio])

[JayKay]

The incident happened in 1970, I think...her husband was another of those so-called "bright" people who accomplished nothing and was a drug-crazed lunatic--as was she--to a lesser extent. They were last seen by me--panhandling on Campus Corner...

This all so funny .... I haven't come across anyone who remembers the Berlowitzes in ages. Wendy's shtick on Campus Corner was that she was protesting the permissibility of men to be shirtless, while women could not. So, in protest, she'd go topless there. "Making a statement," you know ........... I was a student at OSU at the time and we were all disappointed that nothing so entertaining happened in Stillwater.

[RadicalModerate]

(Talk about "necroing" a thread . . . =)

I think I glimpsed [her] in the median near Penn and Memorial . . .
(Thank goodness she never opted for tats.)
The last time I saw her was in the Fountain Area of the U of C back in about '70.
I seem to recall that she was taking up a collection to pay for the New! Improved! Mandated! Health Insurance thing.
Even back then. Which made no sense at all.

(Now THAT would be a movie worth seeing! Especially if "they" could hologram The Duke to restore order. =)

[bornhere]

What I remember about the Berlowitzes is him (what was his name?) bursting in on an Oral Roberts appearance at the old Christian Center on May. Berlowitz was dressed as a fairy princess, complete with tutu and wand, and came marching down the center aisle announcing, "All right, Oral... the jig is up!"

Whatever else he did, that one moment made him OK in my book.

[sacolton]

Anyone remember the name of the movie theater in Edmond that was on 33rd & Broadway? Close to where Westlake / Ace Hardware is? Anyone have photos?

[sacolton]

Anyone remember the name of the movie theater in Edmond that was on 33rd & Broadway? Close to where Westlake / Ace Hardware is? Anyone have photos?

Edmond Twin Plaza.

[MattB]

I know this is an old thread, but what old theater was at N.W. 15th and May Ave?

[Pete]

I know this is an old thread, but what old theater was at N.W. 15th and May Ave?

It was the May Theater: