Majestic Theatre
406 S. Main Street,
Tulsa,
OK
74103
406 S. Main Street,
Tulsa,
OK
74103
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previous Names: Majestic Art Theatre, Penthouse Cinema
Nearby Theaters
For many years, the Majestic Theatre was the theatre that showed first-run films. It started as a silent-film theatre in 1918, and was the first Tulsa theatre to install an organ, a Robert Morton 3 manual 16 ranks instrument which was opened by organist Wade Hamilton. It was also the first theatre in Tulsa to convert to talkies on February 11, 1928 when Al Jolson in “The Jazz Singer” was screened. It featured a lavish interior. It was the first in Tulsa to screen 3D movies. The Robert Morton organ was removed from the building in 1956 to be broken up for spare parts.
It ended its days as an adult movie theatre from August 18, 1965. On September 18, 1970 the balcony became a second screen named the Penthouse Cinema screening the Swedish film “I Am Curious (Yellow)”. It was closed on September 9, 1973 when it was destroyed by a fire. The remains were demolished in late-1973.
Contributed by
Lauren Grubb
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Recent comments (view all 22 comments)
These are nice views of the old Majestic,
c1920
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/A0115.jpg
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/A1573.jpg
c1950
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/A0219.jpg
A new 1940s marquee & mansard roof for a spiffier look,
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B0652.jpg
Note the large elevated Ritz sign in the upper right-hand corner of the 1950s Majestic photo A0219. Would that have been for the theatre, or was there another building with the name Ritz?
Two more Majestic Theatre exterior shots, ten years apart -
c1948
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/B1354.jpg
c1968, after it had switched over to X-rated product. In those days it was best to remain discreet when promoting raunchy loops -
http://www.tulsalibrary.org/JPG/E0060.jpg
What do you smoke, Seymour? There are twenty years between 1948 and 1968.
1957 partial marquee photo added.
That address is wrong, the Majestic was on an east-west street, not Main. I’m pretty sure it was 4th, just east of Boston. I know it was ‘around the corner’ from the Ritz and Orpheum both on the same street As an adolescent, I and my friends who lived around 36th & Lewis often walked, biked or bused into town to go to movies at all 3 of these (and pig out on Coney’s at the original joint) frequently. Sometimes at Nelson’s ‘buffeteria’ too.
If the theatre was on 4th east of Boston, the theatre was demolished.
Yep it sure was, about 50 years ago…sadly. There are almost no surviving grand downtown houses any more anywhere. The Ritz and Orpheum were on the same side (south) of the same street…maybe 5th? The Majestic was on the north side and just 1 or 2 blocks away. I’m pretty sure it was not on the same street as the R&O. By the way we also went to the Delman and Will Rogers pretty often, I don’t know when those were demolished…I imagine one could Google it.
This reopened as an adult cinema on August 18th, 1965, and the balcony became the Penthouse, which opened on September 18th, 1970, with “I am Curious” (Yellow). Grand opening ad posted. This should be listed with two screens.