Academy X Cinema
112 W. Main Street,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
112 W. Main Street,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73102
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1908 and 1915 grand opening ads posted.
This opened as Academy on April 12th, 1968. Grand opening ad posted.
A 1907 tinted postcard view (photo left) of the Olympic Theatre (AKA-Mondo Adult, Acadamy X) can be seen by typing in “oklahoma city view looking west #136"
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Also, the Empire Theatre is in distant left, Empress Theatre is distant right.
From the book Vanished Splendor II and Doug Loudenback’s fine web site come these antique postcard images of the Criterion, Empress, and Olympic (AKA-Mondo, Academy XXX),
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This site has info on the Academy XXX Cinema when it was still known as the Olympic
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/1837
In this 1929 photo, the former Olympia Theatre can be seen left of the Criterion Theatre. At that time is was being used as the Dainty Lunch Counter, with the slogan “All our cooks are mothers”.
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In reference to above comments, almost all OKC downtown theatres, and other fine buildings, were torn down for a dream city that was never to be. This tells all -
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Newspaper research uncover facts about the checkered past of the Olympic Theatre. Grand opening occured November 10, 1908, featuring “Talking~Moving~Pictures”. Later The Olympic specialized in films produced by Humana Talking Pictures of NYC.
It was closed in mid 1919, just before United Artist started next door construction on their giant Criterion Theatre (Paramount had conrol by the time the Criterion opened). Reopened early 1967 as the Mondo Adult Theatre, a loop house. In April, 1968, it was renamed Academy X Cinema. Razed February, 1972
Type in word “Criterion” on below site and it will pull up a 1929 photo of that movie palace. Building next to the Criterion, photo left, was the former Olympic Theatre, by that time the space was being used as a cafe.
http://okhistory.cuadra.com/star/public.html
An April 12, 1968, newspaper article reported that the old Mondo Adult Theatre would be renamed Academy Adult Mini Cinema located at 114 W. Mian St. It says seating capacity has been reduced to 150 for better comfort.
The entire block where this theatre sat (along with the Criterion, State, Rialto, Sooner, Majestic, and former Empire) were razed in 1972 to make way for a high rise Sheraton Hotel.
Films shown at the Academy X and Sooner were loops, more explicit than sexploitation. The Majestic specialized in booking documentary films centered around nudist colonies, or 3D sexploitation movies.
As early as 1943 other OKC downtown theatres, such as the Gem and Joy, presented T&A “adults only” films, though content would be considered soft core by todays standards.
Under the posting for AcademiX Cinema, it is stated that this closed in 1972. If indeed it started showing “adult movies” in 1967, then these were likely what one calls “sexploitation” (this would be more like Russ Meyer films or the stuff that Something Weird Video puts out) or “loops” (“Loops” started playing at some adult movie houses as early as 1967 in the San Francisco & New York areas, they were more explicit and pretty much disappeared as films like “Deep Throat” came out.)
What I wonder is why this theater was shuttered? Did they turn to showing XXX product & got raided? (Being that this is a Bible Belt state, that seems likely.)
This theatre opened in 1907 as the Olympic Nickleodeon. When re-opened around 1967 is was called Academy X Adult Cinema.