Bert Schrieber announced the Rosetta Theatre in 1925 which - along with the Ruben Building across the street - was providing what was then the Little River neighborhood with a moderne nexus of retail and entertainment. Paramount Theatres opened the 1,045-seat venue with Spanish architecture primarily as a movie house but had a stage for live stage shows and vaudeville. Its large Kimball pipe organ was a huge hit as the venue opened at the tail end of the silent era. The first film on February 16, 1926 was Tom Mix and Tony, the Wonder Horse, in “The Yankee Señor” and was preceded by an organ concert.
On May 5, 1929, the venue added sound to remain viable with Pauline Frederick in “On Trial” playing on the big screen. Wometco assumed the Rosetta in time for its big fifth anniversary celebration in 1931. As the 20-year leasing period was reached, a new Rosetta was in the works. In 1946, Wometco closed the venue for a full month to give the building a shocking streamline moderne makeover to the plans of Roy A. Benjamin and Charles P. Neider. Those plans were complete with a new Flexlume neon attractor, all new box office and lobby and a new air conditioning plant in time for the August 1, 1946 relaunch with Chester Morris in “Counterfiet.” With temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s at its launch, the air conditioning would be welcomed. The new building also had a confectionery to its right and another retail operation to its left to provide improved economic benefits. It is assumed that a new 25-year lease came with the refresh.
By 1970 and in its 24th year of operation since the refresh, the theater was scuffling with Wometco repostioning it as a double-feature, ultra-discount house with all seats for 35 cents. Wometco left the venue at the expiry of its lease and a new operator tried a new approach. It moved the Rosetta to an adult movie house named the 2nd Avenue Arts Theatre beginning on February 17, 1971 with Lindis Guinness in “101 Acts of Love” and “The Proficient Professor.” Controversy hounded that change. On January 3, 1973, the venue was briefly taken on by the Southland Cinemas circuit as the New King Cinema / King Cinema returning the venue to double feature Hollywood fare. Success was not to be found for Southland.
It was subleased to Waldrick Theatre Corp. Circuit who renamed it the King Art Cinema. “Art” was in the eye of the beholder. On September 7, 1973, the King Art booked “The Devil in Miss Jones.” On September 10, 1973, the film was confiscated with manager Ceasr Alonso booked on an obscenity charge. The King Art Cinema became the subject of a high-profile litmus test for the Miller v. California standard that the Supreme Court had promulgated on June 21, 1973. That ruling said that, using contemporary community standards, obscene films and other content did not have First Amendment protection.
Though many municipalities had used the Miller standard to impound films in the weeks following the landmark decision, most of those situations did not reach a jury as quickly as the the King Art Cinema case. The case was teed up, launched and decided within weeks of the film being impounded. A jury had viewed the film and was deadlocked on the matter leading to a mistrial and the venue and its manager was off the hook all within the month of September 1973.
But the State did not rest and pushed the case further. That civil case is considered perhaps the first known application of Miller v. California. And those sensing the end of “smut” were sadly let down. The second case was decided on December 14, 1973 and the presiding judge spiked the prosecution’s case by saying, the State wanted the court to “miraculously” interpret Miller in such a way that was not “the role of the courts” in exonerating the film, the exhibitor (Waldrick Corp.) and its manager (Alonso). Similar cases within months in Florida’s Orange and Osceola counties went the same way. Threats by the State to appeal the verdict(s) remained just that as that as they appeared to have no grounds to potentially overturn these early decisions on appeal.
To spike the football, “Devil” had an uber successful 6-month run at the King Art Cinema. The venue was renamed as the Rex Art Cinema on April 19, 1974 likely under new ownership. Though the venue was never known as the King Art Theatre, it was known both as the King Cinema (showing Hollywood fare) and the King Art Cinema (showing adult content). And it should be labeled as either the Rosetta Theatre - its name for some 45 years (1926-1971) or the Rex Art Cinema (final four years) as it was never the Rex Art Theatre. It’s believed though not confirmed that the cinema may have closed in 1977 when its license was pulled along with the 79th Street Twin I & II under a new battle waged by Dade County against obscene content. Also, the theatre was at 7929 NE 2nd Avenue across the street. It has long since been demolished and one might say that the Devil made them do it.
The Center Theatre lists all the way to March 28, 1974 with its last showtimes of Henry Yu Yung in “Fists of Double K (Fist to Fist)” and Wang You in “Blood of the Dragon.” (The theater’s final transition had been from adult cinema earlier in the 1970s to Chopsocky films.) The theatre reached the expiration of its lease but is then listed for sale thereafter for $89,500 with the caveat of “needs work.”
This venue closed as the Parkway Twin 1 & 2 Theatres on October 17, 1985 following showings of “Rocky III” and “Sorceress” splitting a screen with “Alone in the Dark.” For those who came the next night for a film, they got the latter minus the movie.
The Colonial Theatre closed as, by many accounts, a scary 24-hour grindhouse on February 27, 1975 at the end of a leasing period with a continuous quadruple-feature of Karl Malden in “The Summertime Killer,” Strother Martin in “Sssssss (Snake),” John Wayne in “Rio Lobo,” and a fourth film.
Following its purchase in 2015 by AMC, the venue became the AMC Starplex Mesquite 10. After acquiring the Carmike chain late in 2016, the AMC circuit rebranded many of its inherited brands as AMC CLASSIC locations in March of 2017. A refresh brought a sometimes open MacGuffins bar and upgrades including Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensing units. The venue continued as a discount sub-run house. This location was the AMC Classic Mesquite 10 from that point forward.
AMC closed after showtimes on March 16, 2020 here and at all of its locations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August of 2020, AMC made the closure permanent becoming one of many theatres closed during the pandemic. It officially closed as the AMC Classic Mesquite 10 and its “forever” posters remained in the exterior poster frames for more than two years. However, in 2022, the building was retrofitted as a retail furniture store.
In 2016, AMC purchased the Carmike circuit. In 2017, the Dupont would receive AMC’s CLASSIC tag that was generally given to inherited locations and those locations that would be less likely to receive a major refresh and/or expanded options under the banner, the AMC CLASSIC Fort Wayne 20. AMC closed here temporarily with the rest of the AMC locations on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on August 27, 2020. AMC announced the permanent closure of the AMC CLASSIC Fort Wayne 20 following showtimes on July 31, 2022.
Oakwood Mall opened October 15, 1986 with the Carmike six-plex as an original attraction though launching on November 21, 1986. The Mall was overhauled in 1996 and Carmike would expand here to twelve screens on November 5, 1997 as the multiplex era had morphed into the megaplex era. In 2005, Carmike refreshed the megaplex with stadium seating.
In 2016, AMC purchased the Carmike circuit. The Oakwood would receive AMC’s CLASSIC tag that was generally given to inherited locations and those locations that would be less likely to receive a major refresh and/or expanded options. The Oakwood Mall would shed three anchors in 2017/8 in Macy’s, Younkers, and Sears. The AMC Classic Oakwood closed temporarily with the rest of the AMC locations on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on September 3, 2020. AMC announced the permanent closure of the AMC CLASSIC Oakwood 12 following showtimes on October 2, 2022.
Add the Sun Sun Theatre to the also known as. That name change occurred on July 25, 1975 as the Sun Sun showed chopsocky films. The venue was then added by the operators of the Star Mall Twin and the Miller Road 93 as the Sun-Sun Cinema later in the year. The Sun-Sun sunsunset on July 29, 1976 at the expiry of a year over year sublease with David Chiang in “The Tong Father,” SuperChan - Kung Fu King in “Forced to Fight,” and Michael Wai-Man Chan in “Chinese Mack.” They didn’t go half way at the Sun-Sun.
The venerable Lyric Theatre closed permanently following the December 11, 1971 showing of Alan Alda in “Paper Lion.” The new Viking Theatre opened the next day, December 12, 1971, with “West Side Story.” It became the Viking 1 & 2 and then the Viking 3 in 1993.
Ellen Larsen opened the Lyric Theatre on September 7, 1914 in the Mrs. Iver Larsen building in downtown Decorah. Bathed in ivory and olive, the venue sold out its first motion picture show. The theatre added sound to remain viable. In the 1960s, it rotated bookings seasonally with the local drive-in. The Lyric closed permanently following the December 11, 1971 showing of Alan Alda in “Paper Lion.” The new Viking Theatre opened the next day with “West Side Story.”
The Grand Theatre closed for the season on June 16, 1965 with “One Man Way.” The drive-in carried the summer schedule. However, only the Lyric opened in the Fall. The Grand was next used for an art gallery.
The new-build Frana Opera House launched March 23, 1916 by L.J. Frana with “As Years Roll On,” a live show starring Al Wilson. The building also housed a drug store. The town already had a movie theater in the Palm Theater’s Movies at Calmar and Frana quickly learned that the townspeople liked movies more than live shows. Frana would briskly reposition the opera house within two months as the movie-centered Olympic Theatre after installing a $3,500 Wurlitzer pipe organ and getting the coveted Paramount Studios exclusive film contract. That would be enough to unseat the Palm Theater.
In 1930, he equipped the Olympic Theatre venue with sound and played his first talkie in “Rio Rita.” Frasna sold the theatre after 29 years of operation to John Ladue in November 1944. After a refresh that included a new sound system and new seating to the count of 280, the venue was rebooted as the Calmar Theatre. It appears that the Calmar Theatre closed June 1, 1957 with Esther Williams in “Unguarded Moment.” So while it was the Calmar Theatre also known as the Olympic Theatre, it was never the Olympia Theatre though it started as the (also known as) Frana Opera House.
The Majestic Theatre was opened by Mr. Carson with motion pictures accompanied by a Deckert piano on April 17, 1913. The grand reopening of the Majestic turned Princess Theatre occurred on September 29, 1917 with “Womanhood" and new Powers film projectors.
L.E. Palmer closed the Princess Theatre permanently on August 4, 1929 with Richard Dix in “Red Skin.” He cited the lack of patronage for silent films as the reason and there was competition just about ten miles away where the Postville Theatre had talkies. The Princess Theatre heatre was dismantled in early January with the seating and equipment moved to a nearby town’s theater.
Hod Engbertson opened the Decorah Drive-In on August 5, 1953 with a double feature of “The Lone Hand” and “Ambush at Tomahawk Gap.” It appears to have closed August 3, 1986 with “Spies Like Us” and “Cobra.”
AMC announced the permanent closure of its Classic Duncan 6 just four days after the circuit had shut down all of its locations due to COVID-19 on March 16, 2020. But the theatre reopened as the Heritage Park Theatre 6 by the Heritage Park Theatres Circuit which relaunched the 6-plex on September 8, 2020.
The local paper contends that John and Opal Gray converted a decade’s old retail building in downtown Chickasha and converted it into the Pix Theatre. Looking at the 311 Chickasha Avenue address, retail businesses are in it for decades which corroborates the newspaper’s account. Posted in photos is a February 1941 announcement of its impending opening less than a week away.
Opal Gray took over full control over the Pix Theatre during its run. She regularly advertises through December of 1952 but nothing after. That may be indicative - or not - of its closure. The paper lists a different venue for the home of the Ismo so believe it could be stricken from this entry.
The Golden Triangle is the area extending from Denton at the north point to Dallas at the southwest point and Fort Worth on the southwestern point. Each had a role in the marketing of the area to industrial, educational, and commercial development. Developers announced the mall project in 1978 under the name of the Golden Triangle Mall. It had its groundbreaking on June 22, 1978. The original outparcel United Artists was announced as one of the original tenants. That venue opened in June of 1980 (as noted above, it made it to the end of its 20-year leasing term and was shuttered). To answer the question, that outparcel has long since been razed and was later replaced by a Staybridge Suites hotel.
Competition for mall space occurred when the Vista Ridge (later Music City) Mall opened in 1989. With folks bailing out of the tarnished Golden Mall at their 15-year lease opt-outs, the Mall was refreshed including an interior space carved out for the U.A. Golden Triangle 5. The theaters thrived until major competition from a modern Cinemark megaplex across the highway. From there, the interior Mall theater fought against insurmountable odds to try and make it to the end of its lease. UA achieved that but only as a sub-run discount house. Silver Cinemas continued the venue as a discount house.
Following COVID-19, the theatre staged an unlikely comeback relaunching after a year and a half after its March 16, 2020 closure likely negotiating a sweetheart year-to-year lease on September 29, 2021. On paper, Landmark Theatres took over the venue from its own Silver Cinemas in February of 2022 when the circuit dissolved the Silver Cinemas nameplate. The theater escalated to first-run when discount titles were challenging to find and customers of second-run product almost as rare. The customer base was thin with the theater finally operating only on weekends as it reached its first anniversary in its post-COVID closure existence.
Landmark closed here on September 25, 2022 likely bailing instead of opting for another year (if that was indeed the agreement). That left Texas with a single Landmark location in the Inwood Theatre. The Mall management obviously likes the foot traffic offered by a theater and hopefully it will return. But the odds seemed likely against it with modern megaplexes and destination bar/food alternatives very close by.
The Chickasha Theatre launched on February 20, 1926 with Monte Blue in “The Limited Mail" at 206 West Chickasha Street, 73018. C.B. Hudson took on the venue in January of 1932 and gave it a major refresh. It reopened on June 1, 1932 as the New Midwest Theatre with William Haines in “Are You Listening?”
Southern Theatres closed here moving a block away to the former Kozy Theatre as the New, New Midwest Theatre. Unfortunately, it suffered a major fire on April 2, 1936. So the former location was opened for a short period as the Ismo Theatre beginning on April 19, 1936. The Ismo Theatre continued, however, even when the New, New, New Midwest relaunched post-fire. Then Southern Theatres acquired the Ritz Theatre from Consolidated Theatres. When Southern took on the Ritz, they closed the Ismo. The Ismo Theatre was shuttered here permanently on December 4, 1937 with a local talent amateur night show. The building has been demolished and replaced.
The Kozy Theatre was opened by W.C. Blackstone. Blackstone had previously operated the Star Theatre beginning with its launch on September 23, 1909. The first Kozy opened in an existing retail location on Third Street in downtown Chickasha opening September 26, 1911. Business for five cent films was brisk. When the Prince Pool Hall burned down on West Chickasha Avenue, Blackstone built a new Kozy Theatre at this address.
The New Kozy Theatre launched Ocotber 5, 1912. One of its first ads stated, “The only theater that is safe from fire. All our wires are in conduits.” Opening films were “Honeybugg’s First Quarrel,” “Foreman’s Cousin,” and “The Price of Art” with music from the Humphries Orchestra. In 1914, J.D. Sugg of the Sugg Theatre acquired the venue and it was simply called, Kozy Theatre dropping “New.” Sugg died in 1925. The theater closed in 1930. Fred P. Hoenscheidt, operator of the Sugg and Rialto, reopened the Kozy with a new sound system in 1932. In 1935, he remodeled the It closed in 1935 the day the Rialto opened with its remodeled, streamlined look. The Kozy Theatre was closed the day that the new-look Rialto closed.
The first Midwest Theatre had opened on June 1, 1932 as the New Midwest Theatre in the former Chickasha Theatre location at 206 Chickasha Street. The venue reopened on February 14, 1933. The theatre moved here to 316 Chickasha only to suffer a major fire April 2, 1936. Then in 1936, Southwestern Theatres Circuit, Inc. decided to rebuild the fire-damaged venue. In the interim, it relit on old venue as the Ismo. They then relaunched the Midwest Theatre and, though there is some doubt on this, it’s extremely likely that it was here in the former Kozy location. Merging with Griffith Amusement, the Midwest was in the Griffith Southwestern portfolio which also included the Washita, Ritz and Rialto. Griffith closed the Midwest on June 14, 1949 after showings of John Wayne in “Seven Sinners.” That closure turned out to be permanent.
The circuit moved the Midwest’s summer bookings to the new outdoor Chief Drive-In. It promised that the Midwest would return in the Fall. But when the Chief closed for the season late in 1949, the town only had its Washita, Ritz and Rialto theaters to choose from.
The facility was retrofitted for other retail purposes, including a snooker parlor. Because the Kozy Theatre had replaced the burned down Prince Pool Hall, it seemed highly appropriate that the Midwest Theatre was replaced with the Men’s Club’s Snooker Parlor. Bottom line, this can be listed as previously the New Kozy Theatre and the Kozy Theatre with fairly high confidence
The multiplex era had arrived in Chickasha in the form of the Valleyview Theaters 6. Built in 1999, the venue was operated by Robert Goerge who had previously been associated with the Heritage Park Theatres in Altus and Elk City. It launched on August 27, 1999. The theater was then listed as two words - the Valley View Theaters. On July 12, 2006, it became attached to the Heritage Park family of theaters and renamed as the Heritage Park Valley View Theaters 6. At the end of 2006, it became the Heritage Park Theatres (formerly - and dropping - the Valley View). Today it goes by the name Heritage Park Theater 6.
Bert Schrieber announced the Rosetta Theatre in 1925 which - along with the Ruben Building across the street - was providing what was then the Little River neighborhood with a moderne nexus of retail and entertainment. Paramount Theatres opened the 1,045-seat venue with Spanish architecture primarily as a movie house but had a stage for live stage shows and vaudeville. Its large Kimball pipe organ was a huge hit as the venue opened at the tail end of the silent era. The first film on February 16, 1926 was Tom Mix and Tony, the Wonder Horse, in “The Yankee Señor” and was preceded by an organ concert.
On May 5, 1929, the venue added sound to remain viable with Pauline Frederick in “On Trial” playing on the big screen. Wometco assumed the Rosetta in time for its big fifth anniversary celebration in 1931. As the 20-year leasing period was reached, a new Rosetta was in the works. In 1946, Wometco closed the venue for a full month to give the building a shocking streamline moderne makeover to the plans of Roy A. Benjamin and Charles P. Neider. Those plans were complete with a new Flexlume neon attractor, all new box office and lobby and a new air conditioning plant in time for the August 1, 1946 relaunch with Chester Morris in “Counterfiet.” With temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s at its launch, the air conditioning would be welcomed. The new building also had a confectionery to its right and another retail operation to its left to provide improved economic benefits. It is assumed that a new 25-year lease came with the refresh.
By 1970 and in its 24th year of operation since the refresh, the theater was scuffling with Wometco repostioning it as a double-feature, ultra-discount house with all seats for 35 cents. Wometco left the venue at the expiry of its lease and a new operator tried a new approach. It moved the Rosetta to an adult movie house named the 2nd Avenue Arts Theatre beginning on February 17, 1971 with Lindis Guinness in “101 Acts of Love” and “The Proficient Professor.” Controversy hounded that change. On January 3, 1973, the venue was briefly taken on by the Southland Cinemas circuit as the New King Cinema / King Cinema returning the venue to double feature Hollywood fare. Success was not to be found for Southland.
It was subleased to Waldrick Theatre Corp. Circuit who renamed it the King Art Cinema. “Art” was in the eye of the beholder. On September 7, 1973, the King Art booked “The Devil in Miss Jones.” On September 10, 1973, the film was confiscated with manager Ceasr Alonso booked on an obscenity charge. The King Art Cinema became the subject of a high-profile litmus test for the Miller v. California standard that the Supreme Court had promulgated on June 21, 1973. That ruling said that, using contemporary community standards, obscene films and other content did not have First Amendment protection.
Though many municipalities had used the Miller standard to impound films in the weeks following the landmark decision, most of those situations did not reach a jury as quickly as the the King Art Cinema case. The case was teed up, launched and decided within weeks of the film being impounded. A jury had viewed the film and was deadlocked on the matter leading to a mistrial and the venue and its manager was off the hook all within the month of September 1973.
But the State did not rest and pushed the case further. That civil case is considered perhaps the first known application of Miller v. California. And those sensing the end of “smut” were sadly let down. The second case was decided on December 14, 1973 and the presiding judge spiked the prosecution’s case by saying, the State wanted the court to “miraculously” interpret Miller in such a way that was not “the role of the courts” in exonerating the film, the exhibitor (Waldrick Corp.) and its manager (Alonso). Similar cases within months in Florida’s Orange and Osceola counties went the same way. Threats by the State to appeal the verdict(s) remained just that as that as they appeared to have no grounds to potentially overturn these early decisions on appeal.
To spike the football, “Devil” had an uber successful 6-month run at the King Art Cinema. The venue was renamed as the Rex Art Cinema on April 19, 1974 likely under new ownership. Though the venue was never known as the King Art Theatre, it was known both as the King Cinema (showing Hollywood fare) and the King Art Cinema (showing adult content). And it should be labeled as either the Rosetta Theatre - its name for some 45 years (1926-1971) or the Rex Art Cinema (final four years) as it was never the Rex Art Theatre. It’s believed though not confirmed that the cinema may have closed in 1977 when its license was pulled along with the 79th Street Twin I & II under a new battle waged by Dade County against obscene content. Also, the theatre was at 7929 NE 2nd Avenue across the street. It has long since been demolished and one might say that the Devil made them do it.
The Center Theatre lists all the way to March 28, 1974 with its last showtimes of Henry Yu Yung in “Fists of Double K (Fist to Fist)” and Wang You in “Blood of the Dragon.” (The theater’s final transition had been from adult cinema earlier in the 1970s to Chopsocky films.) The theatre reached the expiration of its lease but is then listed for sale thereafter for $89,500 with the caveat of “needs work.”
This venue closed as the Parkway Twin 1 & 2 Theatres on October 17, 1985 following showings of “Rocky III” and “Sorceress” splitting a screen with “Alone in the Dark.” For those who came the next night for a film, they got the latter minus the movie.
The Colonial Theatre closed as, by many accounts, a scary 24-hour grindhouse on February 27, 1975 at the end of a leasing period with a continuous quadruple-feature of Karl Malden in “The Summertime Killer,” Strother Martin in “Sssssss (Snake),” John Wayne in “Rio Lobo,” and a fourth film.
Opened in 1914 likely on a 20-year lease and re-upping once more from 1934-1954
Following its purchase in 2015 by AMC, the venue became the AMC Starplex Mesquite 10. After acquiring the Carmike chain late in 2016, the AMC circuit rebranded many of its inherited brands as AMC CLASSIC locations in March of 2017. A refresh brought a sometimes open MacGuffins bar and upgrades including Coca-Cola Freestyle dispensing units. The venue continued as a discount sub-run house. This location was the AMC Classic Mesquite 10 from that point forward.
AMC closed after showtimes on March 16, 2020 here and at all of its locations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August of 2020, AMC made the closure permanent becoming one of many theatres closed during the pandemic. It officially closed as the AMC Classic Mesquite 10 and its “forever” posters remained in the exterior poster frames for more than two years. However, in 2022, the building was retrofitted as a retail furniture store.
Final showtimes were January 11, 1963 “The Humanoids” and “Magic Voyage of Sinbad.”
In 2016, AMC purchased the Carmike circuit. In 2017, the Dupont would receive AMC’s CLASSIC tag that was generally given to inherited locations and those locations that would be less likely to receive a major refresh and/or expanded options under the banner, the AMC CLASSIC Fort Wayne 20. AMC closed here temporarily with the rest of the AMC locations on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on August 27, 2020. AMC announced the permanent closure of the AMC CLASSIC Fort Wayne 20 following showtimes on July 31, 2022.
The theatre had a great 50-year run until closing after October 2, 2022 showtimes.
Oakwood Mall opened October 15, 1986 with the Carmike six-plex as an original attraction though launching on November 21, 1986. The Mall was overhauled in 1996 and Carmike would expand here to twelve screens on November 5, 1997 as the multiplex era had morphed into the megaplex era. In 2005, Carmike refreshed the megaplex with stadium seating.
In 2016, AMC purchased the Carmike circuit. The Oakwood would receive AMC’s CLASSIC tag that was generally given to inherited locations and those locations that would be less likely to receive a major refresh and/or expanded options. The Oakwood Mall would shed three anchors in 2017/8 in Macy’s, Younkers, and Sears. The AMC Classic Oakwood closed temporarily with the rest of the AMC locations on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened on September 3, 2020. AMC announced the permanent closure of the AMC CLASSIC Oakwood 12 following showtimes on October 2, 2022.
From the Dipson Theatres Facebook feed announcing its closure
Add the Sun Sun Theatre to the also known as. That name change occurred on July 25, 1975 as the Sun Sun showed chopsocky films. The venue was then added by the operators of the Star Mall Twin and the Miller Road 93 as the Sun-Sun Cinema later in the year. The Sun-Sun sunsunset on July 29, 1976 at the expiry of a year over year sublease with David Chiang in “The Tong Father,” SuperChan - Kung Fu King in “Forced to Fight,” and Michael Wai-Man Chan in “Chinese Mack.” They didn’t go half way at the Sun-Sun.
The venerable Lyric Theatre closed permanently following the December 11, 1971 showing of Alan Alda in “Paper Lion.” The new Viking Theatre opened the next day, December 12, 1971, with “West Side Story.” It became the Viking 1 & 2 and then the Viking 3 in 1993.
Ellen Larsen opened the Lyric Theatre on September 7, 1914 in the Mrs. Iver Larsen building in downtown Decorah. Bathed in ivory and olive, the venue sold out its first motion picture show. The theatre added sound to remain viable. In the 1960s, it rotated bookings seasonally with the local drive-in. The Lyric closed permanently following the December 11, 1971 showing of Alan Alda in “Paper Lion.” The new Viking Theatre opened the next day with “West Side Story.”
The Grand Theatre closed for the season on June 16, 1965 with “One Man Way.” The drive-in carried the summer schedule. However, only the Lyric opened in the Fall. The Grand was next used for an art gallery.
The new-build Frana Opera House launched March 23, 1916 by L.J. Frana with “As Years Roll On,” a live show starring Al Wilson. The building also housed a drug store. The town already had a movie theater in the Palm Theater’s Movies at Calmar and Frana quickly learned that the townspeople liked movies more than live shows. Frana would briskly reposition the opera house within two months as the movie-centered Olympic Theatre after installing a $3,500 Wurlitzer pipe organ and getting the coveted Paramount Studios exclusive film contract. That would be enough to unseat the Palm Theater.
In 1930, he equipped the Olympic Theatre venue with sound and played his first talkie in “Rio Rita.” Frasna sold the theatre after 29 years of operation to John Ladue in November 1944. After a refresh that included a new sound system and new seating to the count of 280, the venue was rebooted as the Calmar Theatre. It appears that the Calmar Theatre closed June 1, 1957 with Esther Williams in “Unguarded Moment.” So while it was the Calmar Theatre also known as the Olympic Theatre, it was never the Olympia Theatre though it started as the (also known as) Frana Opera House.
The Majestic Theatre was opened by Mr. Carson with motion pictures accompanied by a Deckert piano on April 17, 1913. The grand reopening of the Majestic turned Princess Theatre occurred on September 29, 1917 with “Womanhood" and new Powers film projectors.
L.E. Palmer closed the Princess Theatre permanently on August 4, 1929 with Richard Dix in “Red Skin.” He cited the lack of patronage for silent films as the reason and there was competition just about ten miles away where the Postville Theatre had talkies. The Princess Theatre heatre was dismantled in early January with the seating and equipment moved to a nearby town’s theater.
Hod Engbertson opened the Decorah Drive-In on August 5, 1953 with a double feature of “The Lone Hand” and “Ambush at Tomahawk Gap.” It appears to have closed August 3, 1986 with “Spies Like Us” and “Cobra.”
AMC announced the permanent closure of its Classic Duncan 6 just four days after the circuit had shut down all of its locations due to COVID-19 on March 16, 2020. But the theatre reopened as the Heritage Park Theatre 6 by the Heritage Park Theatres Circuit which relaunched the 6-plex on September 8, 2020.
The local paper contends that John and Opal Gray converted a decade’s old retail building in downtown Chickasha and converted it into the Pix Theatre. Looking at the 311 Chickasha Avenue address, retail businesses are in it for decades which corroborates the newspaper’s account. Posted in photos is a February 1941 announcement of its impending opening less than a week away.
Opal Gray took over full control over the Pix Theatre during its run. She regularly advertises through December of 1952 but nothing after. That may be indicative - or not - of its closure. The paper lists a different venue for the home of the Ismo so believe it could be stricken from this entry.
The Golden Triangle is the area extending from Denton at the north point to Dallas at the southwest point and Fort Worth on the southwestern point. Each had a role in the marketing of the area to industrial, educational, and commercial development. Developers announced the mall project in 1978 under the name of the Golden Triangle Mall. It had its groundbreaking on June 22, 1978. The original outparcel United Artists was announced as one of the original tenants. That venue opened in June of 1980 (as noted above, it made it to the end of its 20-year leasing term and was shuttered). To answer the question, that outparcel has long since been razed and was later replaced by a Staybridge Suites hotel.
Competition for mall space occurred when the Vista Ridge (later Music City) Mall opened in 1989. With folks bailing out of the tarnished Golden Mall at their 15-year lease opt-outs, the Mall was refreshed including an interior space carved out for the U.A. Golden Triangle 5. The theaters thrived until major competition from a modern Cinemark megaplex across the highway. From there, the interior Mall theater fought against insurmountable odds to try and make it to the end of its lease. UA achieved that but only as a sub-run discount house. Silver Cinemas continued the venue as a discount house.
Following COVID-19, the theatre staged an unlikely comeback relaunching after a year and a half after its March 16, 2020 closure likely negotiating a sweetheart year-to-year lease on September 29, 2021. On paper, Landmark Theatres took over the venue from its own Silver Cinemas in February of 2022 when the circuit dissolved the Silver Cinemas nameplate. The theater escalated to first-run when discount titles were challenging to find and customers of second-run product almost as rare. The customer base was thin with the theater finally operating only on weekends as it reached its first anniversary in its post-COVID closure existence.
Landmark closed here on September 25, 2022 likely bailing instead of opting for another year (if that was indeed the agreement). That left Texas with a single Landmark location in the Inwood Theatre. The Mall management obviously likes the foot traffic offered by a theater and hopefully it will return. But the odds seemed likely against it with modern megaplexes and destination bar/food alternatives very close by.
Landmark has temporarily closed the Golden Triangle location as of September 26, 2022
The Chickasha Theatre launched on February 20, 1926 with Monte Blue in “The Limited Mail" at 206 West Chickasha Street, 73018. C.B. Hudson took on the venue in January of 1932 and gave it a major refresh. It reopened on June 1, 1932 as the New Midwest Theatre with William Haines in “Are You Listening?”
Southern Theatres closed here moving a block away to the former Kozy Theatre as the New, New Midwest Theatre. Unfortunately, it suffered a major fire on April 2, 1936. So the former location was opened for a short period as the Ismo Theatre beginning on April 19, 1936. The Ismo Theatre continued, however, even when the New, New, New Midwest relaunched post-fire. Then Southern Theatres acquired the Ritz Theatre from Consolidated Theatres. When Southern took on the Ritz, they closed the Ismo. The Ismo Theatre was shuttered here permanently on December 4, 1937 with a local talent amateur night show. The building has been demolished and replaced.
The Kozy Theatre was opened by W.C. Blackstone. Blackstone had previously operated the Star Theatre beginning with its launch on September 23, 1909. The first Kozy opened in an existing retail location on Third Street in downtown Chickasha opening September 26, 1911. Business for five cent films was brisk. When the Prince Pool Hall burned down on West Chickasha Avenue, Blackstone built a new Kozy Theatre at this address.
The New Kozy Theatre launched Ocotber 5, 1912. One of its first ads stated, “The only theater that is safe from fire. All our wires are in conduits.” Opening films were “Honeybugg’s First Quarrel,” “Foreman’s Cousin,” and “The Price of Art” with music from the Humphries Orchestra. In 1914, J.D. Sugg of the Sugg Theatre acquired the venue and it was simply called, Kozy Theatre dropping “New.” Sugg died in 1925. The theater closed in 1930. Fred P. Hoenscheidt, operator of the Sugg and Rialto, reopened the Kozy with a new sound system in 1932. In 1935, he remodeled the It closed in 1935 the day the Rialto opened with its remodeled, streamlined look. The Kozy Theatre was closed the day that the new-look Rialto closed.
The first Midwest Theatre had opened on June 1, 1932 as the New Midwest Theatre in the former Chickasha Theatre location at 206 Chickasha Street. The venue reopened on February 14, 1933. The theatre moved here to 316 Chickasha only to suffer a major fire April 2, 1936. Then in 1936, Southwestern Theatres Circuit, Inc. decided to rebuild the fire-damaged venue. In the interim, it relit on old venue as the Ismo. They then relaunched the Midwest Theatre and, though there is some doubt on this, it’s extremely likely that it was here in the former Kozy location. Merging with Griffith Amusement, the Midwest was in the Griffith Southwestern portfolio which also included the Washita, Ritz and Rialto. Griffith closed the Midwest on June 14, 1949 after showings of John Wayne in “Seven Sinners.” That closure turned out to be permanent.
The circuit moved the Midwest’s summer bookings to the new outdoor Chief Drive-In. It promised that the Midwest would return in the Fall. But when the Chief closed for the season late in 1949, the town only had its Washita, Ritz and Rialto theaters to choose from.
The facility was retrofitted for other retail purposes, including a snooker parlor. Because the Kozy Theatre had replaced the burned down Prince Pool Hall, it seemed highly appropriate that the Midwest Theatre was replaced with the Men’s Club’s Snooker Parlor. Bottom line, this can be listed as previously the New Kozy Theatre and the Kozy Theatre with fairly high confidence
The multiplex era had arrived in Chickasha in the form of the Valleyview Theaters 6. Built in 1999, the venue was operated by Robert Goerge who had previously been associated with the Heritage Park Theatres in Altus and Elk City. It launched on August 27, 1999. The theater was then listed as two words - the Valley View Theaters. On July 12, 2006, it became attached to the Heritage Park family of theaters and renamed as the Heritage Park Valley View Theaters 6. At the end of 2006, it became the Heritage Park Theatres (formerly - and dropping - the Valley View). Today it goes by the name Heritage Park Theater 6.