tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post115425265380204625..comments2024-03-20T05:28:18.440-05:00Comments on Doug Dawgz Blog: Let's Go Downtown To The MoviesDoug Dawghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14287287108412180656noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-5538756345421457802016-08-08T23:53:46.938-05:002016-08-08T23:53:46.938-05:00The photo of the Isis Theater "Crowd gathers ...The photo of the Isis Theater "Crowd gathers as firemen halt blaze on Reno avenue" is not in the Septemebr 11, 1933, edition of the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Any idea what the actual date of the photo is or what edition it's in?ronowensnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-70174701432863058462015-03-13T16:34:45.023-05:002015-03-13T16:34:45.023-05:00Steve, thanks for that great comment!Steve, thanks for that great comment!Doug Dawghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14287287108412180656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-86026138998281209592015-02-01T12:24:49.153-06:002015-02-01T12:24:49.153-06:00Another comment on the Midwest. When it was used t...Another comment on the Midwest. When it was used to portray the Biograph Theater in Chicago, back in 1973 by American International. Their prop men hung a sign over the MIDWEST lettering at the top of the marquee, which read Biograph... Under the marquee, in similar fashion to the original Biograph in Chicago, where Dillinger was gunned down in JULY, on a sultry night. They hung a large banner, that read Cooled BY Refrigeration....On the November night that they filmed, it was around 30 degrees, all of the actors and extras were in overcoats, visible exhaust vapor emitted from the exhausts of the Model A Fords tooling up and down Harvey at my direction via walkie talkies in the cars. I mentioned to the director, that it would look pretty silly to have that sign reading Cooled by Refrigeration, on such an obvious cold night. Hurriedly, they removed the sign. I have a photo showing it. There was also a night club scene in the film, which was made in the Skirvin Tower Club, across the street west from the Skirvin Hotel. In the basement of the Skirvin Tower. Dillinger, which had a one million dollar budget, ought to be recognized as one of the great Oklahoma films. Which was filmed in it's entirety in Oklahoma. making use of much Oklahoma talent in the film as well. Was a lot of fun working on that film in the fall of 1973.Steve Davisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-90549740131384267382015-01-16T20:47:40.603-06:002015-01-16T20:47:40.603-06:00Regarding the blacklite murals..I do not recall se...Regarding the blacklite murals..I do not recall seeing them on my last visit to the Centre/Museum. Where were they located in the Theatre?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-87077232314000856622014-12-18T17:47:10.652-06:002014-12-18T17:47:10.652-06:00I'm 72 and I saw all of the first-run feature ...I'm 72 and I saw all of the first-run feature films of the late-1940s, 1950s & 60s in one of the downtown OKC theaters you memorialize here. Thanks for the memories. <br /><br />P.S. I would give anything to see photos of the two blacklite murals in the Center/Centre Theater. Talk about Deco Modern! I've not been inside since the museum was so wisely created and can only hope those murals survived.Scott Fosternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-12619518625804840292013-06-11T15:13:06.014-05:002013-06-11T15:13:06.014-05:00To correct one small detail. Your comments always ...To correct one small detail. Your comments always refer to the later years of the Cooper Theater as the "Cooper Cinerama" but it was never called that. The sign, if you could read it all, actually read: at the top, Home of Cinerama, and the word Cooper below, but the actual name was just "Cooper".Don Tnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-816041211371970512012-01-02T21:52:00.340-06:002012-01-02T21:52:00.340-06:00Thanks, LongestDay. Here's a working link to w...Thanks, LongestDay. Here's a working link to what you posted: <a href="http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/12307.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/12307.html</a>.Doug Dawghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14287287108412180656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-67275082084636445952011-12-31T16:25:03.342-06:002011-12-31T16:25:03.342-06:00Several photo's of the ole Centre Theatre can ...Several photo's of the ole Centre Theatre can be found on the CinemaTour Web Site as well as some current photo's. Here's the link...http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/12307.htmlLongestDayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02224163618169746148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-24951298268245350332011-08-08T10:11:08.153-05:002011-08-08T10:11:08.153-05:00Scott
A few months ago I was in OKC and met a frie...Scott<br />A few months ago I was in OKC and met a friend for breakfast at the<br />restaurant adjoining the ole Center<br />Theater and out of curiosity, I strolled into the lobby and was amazed to see the original curved stairway going up to the balcony.<br />But, that was the only thing that I saw that was original. The lower level lounge gone, however, the original box office was still in use. Pretty incredible!<br /><br />I recall seeing the first showing at the Center of James Bond Dr. No<br />at a Friday nite sneak preview and went on to see the next few Bond Movies also at the Center as well as many, many other great flix.LongestDayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02224163618169746148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-45869225751239825432011-08-07T06:39:35.699-05:002011-08-07T06:39:35.699-05:00Were the blacklite Art Moderne murals inside the C...Were the blacklite Art Moderne murals inside the Center Theater preserved with the recent art center remodel/conversion? Or are there any photos? It was pure magic to sit there in the dark and view them; ballet dancers, a long, curving music staff, mummers masks, a soaring Pegasus (flyig horse), musical instruments floating in the dark, and numerous other mystical images representing the arts and the magic of movies. I would sell my bets friend for photos of those murals.Scott Fosterhttp://fosters005@hawaii.rr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-27726776879831995232011-08-07T06:30:29.726-05:002011-08-07T06:30:29.726-05:00Re the "Center theater's name" being...Re the "Center theater's name" being misspelled an the original architectural drawing above, not so! The Center was opened and operated as "The Center Theater" until a remodel in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Somebody decided to switch the "R" and the "E". "Centre" was (to them) more sophisticated perhaps that the original "Center". OPUBCO records probaly have an article about this. Not only did I read that, I also saw it happen; was down there when the crane did the deed. - Scott Foster, Honolulu (age 70)Scott Fosterhttp://fosters005@hawaii.rr.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-25781993685768240832011-01-18T22:53:38.083-06:002011-01-18T22:53:38.083-06:00The first time I went into the new Warren Theater ...The first time I went into the new Warren Theater in Moore I welled up with tears. I couldn't believe anyone would ever build a movie palace again in my lifetime. Its all there with every appointment you could ever imagine. I then read on his web page that he even abandoned a plan to be the biggest theater in the USA just to make it the best ever built in modern times. I believe he has arrived. The one thing it could still use is a big pipe organ in one of the big rooms. Maybe that's a pipe dream, as it were. One of our historic pipe organs is in need of major repairs. The Kilgen 4/16 that was part of WKY radio in the Skirvin is now in the Oklahoma History Center. It needs lots of work though. Its not fully installed. Its former location was in the Civic Center but they thought it was too small and the Civic Center artistic director didn't like organs anyway. I hope it can be fixed and back up and running some day.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-52552941104867023512010-07-07T16:32:02.637-05:002010-07-07T16:32:02.637-05:00yriuryujryyriuryujryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-3110907468390989962009-02-09T22:26:00.000-06:002009-02-09T22:26:00.000-06:00The Midwest had a lower and upper balcony. The low...The Midwest had a lower and upper balcony. The lower area was the loge and was a higher priced seating area than the upper balcony when tickets were on reserved seating. There was a central entry point that had two different isles that led to each side of the balcony. The ceiling of the theatre had a blue sky, clouds and stars with the the big and little dipper in lites.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-74101259207315293382008-11-05T22:39:00.000-06:002008-11-05T22:39:00.000-06:00WOW! What memories! I remember the Copper, where I...WOW! What memories!<BR/> I remember the Copper, where I saw "Krakatoa:East of Java" first run. The last film I saw there was "Last House On The Left" :(<BR/>The Midwest was beautiful. I saw "In Harm's Way" there, and marvelled at the "stars" in the deep blue ceiling. <BR/>The Centre where, as a child, I saw "Mary Poppins" and "The Thomas Crown Afair". And so many more. What a shame that these old theaters were razed to put up newer, but not necessarily better buildings. OKC lost much of it's charm when Urban Renewal took hold. In 7th grade, I went to old Central Jr/Sr HS, and after class, I would wander downtown until it was time to meet up with Mom and ride home with her. <BR/>Veazey's was always a great place to hang out, or hitting the toy department of John A. Browns. Haunting the pawn and surplus stores was always a great adventure, too. I miss the "old" OKC. Urban Renewal took a lot away from us, and to me, didn't give nearly as much back.<BR/><BR/>Robert Conner<BR/>Pryor, OKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-84894744552620314742008-06-26T20:40:00.000-05:002008-06-26T20:40:00.000-05:00Symco's comment was found again only by retracing ...Symco's comment was found again only by retracing a search profile. The URL is http://cinematreasures.org/theater/17149. <BR/><BR/>Symco has two or more comments on Feb. 11, 2007.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-25747279766182162832008-06-26T20:12:00.000-05:002008-06-26T20:12:00.000-05:00Notice that Symco states at CinemaTreasures.org th...Notice that Symco states at CinemaTreasures.org that he has blueprints of the Midwest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-70466687255680080022008-06-12T10:08:00.000-05:002008-06-12T10:08:00.000-05:00Great article. Well written! Cheers and Kudos!Great article. Well written! Cheers and Kudos!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-63063706913694694762007-08-13T06:45:00.000-05:002007-08-13T06:45:00.000-05:00Thanks, John, but "hmmmmm..." Of course, it's enti...Thanks, John, but "hmmmmm..." Of course, it's entirely possible that my memories from child's (teenager's) eyes may have got it wrong but I'll see if I can find something more authoritative somewhere about this.Doug Dawghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14287287108412180656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-2361481148045946012007-08-12T19:49:00.000-05:002007-08-12T19:49:00.000-05:00The Midwest was long and narrow with a lengthy lob...The Midwest was long and narrow with a lengthy lobby. It had only one balcony, but it went up and up. Perhaps you count balconies by the transvese aisles. Even so, I don't remember more than one. The main floor had a central aisle, an oddity, losing exact center seats. The Criterion was wide with steeply raked seats down-<BR/>stairs. The balcony, of course, was raked and in my memory larger than the main floor. There was an additional entrance exit stairway half way up the balcony on the west side. Can't remember about east side.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-1154291596178654882006-07-30T15:33:00.000-05:002006-07-30T15:33:00.000-05:00Great trivia, writerranger! So, how many balconies...Great trivia, writerranger! <BR/><BR/>So, how many balconies was it, 4, 5? I'm only remembering that it had that many, but it may just be a fanciful memory!<BR/><BR/>Can you comment on the Warner (since I was never there)?Doug Dawghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14287287108412180656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31117373.post-1154285986259162762006-07-30T13:59:00.000-05:002006-07-30T13:59:00.000-05:00I love to remember the old downtown theaters. My f...I love to remember the old downtown theaters. My father's office was upstairs in the Midwest building and I would catch a movie downstairs while Dad worked!<BR/><BR/>Trivia: The 1973 movie DILLINGER (a film finally being seen as the classic gangster movie that it is) was filmed in Oklahoma; much of it in Oklahoma City. All restaurant (Skirvin) and city street scenes were filmed in OKC, as was the shooting of Dillinger. The Midwest Theater was transformed into Chicago's Biograph for the fateful Purvis-Dillinger meeting in the alley.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com