Rex Theatre

The Royal Garden Theatre opened in 1917 serving African-American audiences. In addition to live acts and movies, the Royal Garden Theatre hosted live community events and numerous boxing matches. The theatre was structurally damaged during a crowded event and was closed for a refresh. During that update, the venue became the Rex Theatre, a sound film house for African-American audiences though operated by the White-controlled Bijou Entertainment corporation. Bijou Entertainment also assumed control the “new” Dreamland Theatre after it had been rebuilt following the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.

During the Rex’s run, the theatre would receive competition from African-American-owned theatres including the Regal Theatre, New Regal Theatre, and the Peoria Theatre. But the Rex Theatre would out-survive them all including the Dreamland Theatre which was closed by Bijou Entertainment on February 17, 1952. The venue also held services of St. Andrew Baptist Church. On June 19, 1955, the Rex Theatre relaunched after a brief closure to install widescreen showing CinemaScope titles beginning with Gary Cooper in “Vera Cruz.” That move came a year after the Peoria Theatre had also converted to widescreen as the two African American theatres to play CinemaScope titles.

The Rex Theatre operated until end of its lease on February 8, 1967 closing with Yul Brynner in “Return of the Seven” and John Brinkley in “T-Bird Gang". Weeks later, the 60-year old Royal Garden Theatre turned Rex Theatre was offered for sale for $22,5000 in classified listings running throughout 1967. The venue was taken over by Greater New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ for its services from 1968 to 1971. But the City of Tulsa decided to engage in urban renewal that would immediately auction off everything in the church - including the church’s pews - in the name of rapid, urban progress.

After sitting vacant for more than three years, the City of Tulsa finally began the task of ridding the city of this long-standing African-American business district. The Rex Theatre was bulldozed in early-1974. And the methodical razing process slogged forward into the late 1970’s with the former Rex Theatre sitting as a vacant lot with weeds while the neighboring businesses including the barber shop and Lola’s café were finally eliminated.

The neighborhood has been transformed into a neat residential area. And the story of Tulsa’s Rex Theatre might end there; but a trivia question could arise concerning the “final” film at the Rex Theatre. One might think the correct response is that of “Debbie Does Dallas” circa 1982. The reason that could seem plausible is the Rex Theatre attractor depicted in “Rumble Fish” shot on N. Greenwood Street displays that film title. While it is true that Francis Ford Coppola shot the film on location in August of 1982, a different building was used as the Rex Theatre’s stand in for the film.

That makes the double feature of “Return of Seven” and “T-Bird Gang” the proper answer to a question of the final Rex Theatre film… in the unlikely event that question is ever asked.

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