Ray Theatre
108 S. Main Street,
Tonkawa,
OK
74653
108 S. Main Street,
Tonkawa,
OK
74653
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This started life as the New Criterion Theatre for only a single week, opening on January 5, 1935 with Dick Powell in “Happiness Ahead” along with the technicolor Merrie Melodies cartoon “Mr. and Mrs. Is The Name” starring Buddy and Cookie, the Laurel & Hardy comedy “Peach Of A Pair”, and Paramount News. It was first owned by W.H. Williams who also operated the nearby Rialto, and featured sound installations of Western Electric.
The theater was renamed the Ray Theatre on January 31, 1935 exactly two weeks after a theater-naming contest as part of its Amateur Night hosted by Williams himself.
modern pix, http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/668
Picture of the Ray Theatre in ‘85.
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Here is 108 S. Main St. today
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A 1940 photo can be seen by typing in word “ray”,
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The address is 108 S. Main Street. It’s currently a bowling alley.
Listed in the 1941 edition of Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capaity of 250. In the 1943 edition of F.D.Y. seating is given as 500. The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. gives a seating capacity as 485 and the location is Main Street.
My father, Edwin Phillips, was the manager of the Ray Theater from about 1946 until May 1952. I think I do have some pics with the theater in it. I’ll do some searching.