Ritz Theatre

216 SW C Avenue,
Lawton, OK 73501

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Video Independent Theaters Inc.

Previous Names: Orpheum Theatre

Nearby Theaters

1966

The Orpheum Theatre was opened on August 16, 1918. In 1927 it was listed with 750 seats. It was closed during the early-1930’s and had reopened by 1933 with 800 seats. By 1934 it had been renamed Ritz Theatre. By 1943 it was listed with 1,000 seats. It was still open in 1957 and later operated as an adult theatre, which closed on April 28, 1974. It was demolished in June 1974.

Contributed by Lauren Grubb

Recent comments (view all 17 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 19, 2007 at 10:19 pm

It looks like the letters on the building spell “Newman”. I think the building was named first and the theater was added later, by the appearance in the photo.

seymourcox
seymourcox on September 27, 2007 at 10:16 pm

Grand opening ads clearly list the Reno Theater as a Griffith Bros. house. Have no proof that the Midwest or Pix were ever Video operations, but have heard that they were during their last few years. Tulsa Circle was definitely run by Video.
Another (and better) view of the (Lawton?) Ritz …
View link

Rodney
Rodney on September 28, 2007 at 4:23 pm

What difference does it make if Video Independent Theatres operated one or a dozan porn theatres? Everyone knows they regularly booked X-rated product into several of their theatres.
Anyway, both the Pix and Reno were closed long before 1968, and before hard-core films came out of the closet,
Nuf sed!

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 28, 2007 at 4:35 pm

The 1981 IMPA shows these Video Independent theaters in Lawton:
Vaska, 82nd Street Twin Drive-In, Video Twin Theater, Showcase Twin.

In 1970 the lineup was a bit different: Lawton, Diana, Vaska, Ritz, Auston Drive-In, Capitol Drive-In.

CaptainBazzark
CaptainBazzark on November 10, 2007 at 1:43 pm

I’ve been told that throughout the 30’s & 40’s when not showing second run movies the Ritz was an on and off burlesque house. Listen to the type music the small house band would have played for strip-tease performers -
View link

seymourcox
seymourcox on April 13, 2009 at 1:22 pm

Don:
Sorry it took two years to respond, but my interest in cinema history comes and goes.
I gathered a lot of info about Video theatres from morgue newspaper articles, ads, and also by word of mouth.
It would have been prior to 1968 when Video operated the Pix, Reno, and Midwest. These theatres were listed together within Video theatre block ads.
I believe Video operated the Circle Cinema in Tulsa because I have heard that it was managed by Ed Swallow who later transferred to Okmulgee (his home town) to manage the Orpheum.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on May 18, 2009 at 12:44 am

Here is a November 1972 ad from the Lawton Constitution. I guess Lusticolor never really caught on.
http://tinyurl.com/qc23m7

raybradley
raybradley on March 2, 2011 at 9:37 pm

Here is what the neighborhood looks like these days, the Ritz is long gone!
View link

rivest266
rivest266 on March 29, 2014 at 4:34 pm

Listings stopped in 1974. Adult movies in its last few years.

RDuncan1944
RDuncan1944 on March 29, 2015 at 8:47 pm

built in 1917, didn’t have a roof in the beginning, open air theater.had island box office, had 2 balconies. the back balcony was for African americans.dressing rooms in basement. lights suspended by ropes. approx. 1700 seats.closed during depression and bought by leonard jones. leased by video theaters around 1950. Ronald Duncan 580-379-0362.

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