Midwest Theatre
16 N. Harvey Avenue,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
16 N. Harvey Avenue,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
2 people
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Even though scenes for “dillinger” were shot at the Midwest, the film’s premiere was held at OKC’s Plaza Theater. I have long wondered why that was – anyone know for sure? My guess was that it had closed, but that can’t be right if the theater didn’t close until 1975.
Midwest Theatre, OKC, hosted the 1960 World Premier of “Cimaron” with all the fan fare of a Hollywood Premier. Glen Ford, Maria Schell, Russ Tamblyn, Anne Baxter were all present. The Theatre was redecorated with new seats, carpet, drapes and fresh paint for the event. Several notables were present for the premier including Miss Oklahoma. The premier was over seen by MGM representatives who also were supervising some of the remodel. The movie played for 8 weeks and was reserved seating through out the run. Movie goers dressed up, guys in suit, ties and lady’s in long dress with high heels unless it was for a matinee and then wheat jeans were in order.
Harold:
Are you sure it was the Oklahoma City Midwest Theater your grandfather bought? Most all ornamentation inside the Midwest was still intact up to the theatre closing in the mid 70s, which resulted in a well publisized auction just before the building came down.
Perhaps it was the OKC Warner Theater effects you are thinking of. The Warner had an ornate Italian decor furnished by Marshall Field of Chicago, and was razed in 1963.
My grandfather bought the Midwest in the early 60’s and we (my family) removed most of the Italian tapestries, statuary, and other ornaments including two huge oriental rugs and a square grand piano. My father still has some of these items in California. I never saw a film at the Midwest but remember the extremly steep upper balcony (it gave me the creeps) and the old broad sheets stored in the catacombs under the building. I wish we had saved those as well.
View 1930 & 1945 photos of the Warner Bros. Office Tower and Midwest Theater by typing in word “theater” or “Midwest”,
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Office towers for both the OKC Midwest Theatre and Milwaukee’s Warner Theatre were identical in lay out, and similar in style. Both had three story lobbies with curved mezzanine balcoinies that overlooked the main floor. Both had industry screening rooms in the basement area reachable only from the office bldg lobby.
As mentioned above, John Eberson designed the Midwest interior as a romantic Spanish Renaissance atmospheric. Rapp & Rapp created the superb Art Deco interior of the Warner Theatre.
For one reason or another some photos {on sites listed in two postings directly above this one} will not come up on high speed internet but will work on dial up connection.
c1930 atmospheric auditorium view -
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Rare shots of the auditorium construction can be seen on the below link. -
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Check out this c1940s photo of the Midwest Theatre boxoffice –
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On the THS web-site check out the image for Mystery Theatre #18. This could well be a balcony photo of the Midwest Theatre.
Of all the atmospherics Eberson designed, the auditoriums of the OKC Midwest Theatre and the Palace Theatre in Marion, OH, most closely match each other.
On 4/8/34, the Midwest was showing “As the Earth Turns”, along with a Mickey Mouse cartoon. Admission was 36 cents. Other theaters showing on that day were the Rialto, Folly, Circle, Criterion, Empress, Victoria, Ritz, Capitol and Liberty.
OKC’s Midwest Theatre doubled for Chicago’s Biograph in the 1973 film “Dillinger”, starring Warren Oates, Richard Dreyfuss, Ben Johnson, and Cloris Leachman. At much expense to “Dillinger” producers the original Midwest marble and bronze boxoffice was located and put back in place for this production.
Click on the below site for movie trivia related to this subject;
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Click here to view Jeff Chapman photos of the Midwest Theater;
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Recent research reveals that Oklahoma City’s Midwest Theatre may well have been Architect John Eberson’s last sky job.
A vintage view of the Midwest Theater can be seen here on the Oklahoma Images pages;
http://www.metrolibrary.org