From the 1910s to the 1960s, there was at least one walk-in movie theater in Oil City. The earliest found evidence is a "picture show" advertised for sale in April 1912 by B. A. Hebert, proprietor of the Cozy Theatre. As worded, it is not however clear if he was offering the entire theater, or just the movie projection equipment.
The Oil City Theatre was identified as one of two local establishments participating in a sales promotion sponsored by the Shreveport Times.
Times 14-Sep-1913, Page 18
An account of the 1917 town fire (one of several to occur over the years) reported G. J. McDonald's "moving picture theater" was among buildings destroyed. Several others would later meet a similar fate.
To help with Red Cross fund-raising during World War I, both the Bijou and Yale theaters donated a night's proceeds together totaling $131 ($2,310 in current dollars).
Below: Bijou Dream Theater
The Airdome Theater also donated one night's proceeds to the war drive.
In December 1920, a boxing card was announced for the Bijou Dream Theater that featured Kid Farmer vs. George "Battling" Kuhn as the main event.
Shown below as "Soldier" Kuhn, he was from Shreveport and played up his having been in the army.
Below, a list of offerings for a week in September 1921.
The local YMCA also showed movies.
An advertisement promoting brick construction for fire safety identified the Bijou as one of the buildings lost in a 1922 fire.
Below is a list of the movies to be shown at the Victory Theater the week of 03 through 09-Sep-1922.
For more information about the individual films, see A Week At The Movies In 1922.
A few months later, the Victory Theater was listed among theaters in the south showing the film "Speed" (not to be confused with the 1994 Sandra Bullock film).
In February 1924, Harry S. Lavine sold a "picture show," presumably named the "Star Theater" (see below) and ice cream parlor to H. D. Ard.
Contributor: Christine Webb (Ard's granddaughter)
Apparently unsuccessful, Ard listed the business for sale just a few months later.
The following year Lavine, who regained possession, again offered the theater for sale.
Yet another major downtown fire claimed the Star Theater, owned by Mr. Lavine, who planned to rebuild on property on the east side of the railroad tracks..
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| Harry Lavine, shown in the 1950s |
The high school auditorium was apparently used temporarily, until a new movie house could be constructed. Note a theater in nearby Vivian changed hands.
An article about merchants rebuilding in the aftermath of the 1926 fire notes L. Walchanski locating his business next to H. S. Lavine's new Dixie Theater. Walchanski may have actually been Louis Wolchansky, who dealt in used pipe.
Mr. Lavine's generosity with theater earnings was noted on two occasions - first by his giving $78.30 ($1,110 today) to relief efforts for victims of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Later that year he donated a day's proceeds (unspecified amount) to support the high school football team.
In 1929, Mr. Lavine put the Dixie up for sale.
It is not known if he found a buyer. By 1936, his name is associated with the Strand Theater, possibly the Dixie rebranded. An August 1936 trade publication announced that Lewis W. Watts had been transferred to Oil City to manage the Strand.
Later that year the structure, owned by Lavine, burned along with several other downtown buildings.
A "New Strand Theater" was built on the site of the old - on the south end of downtown, west of the railroad tracks.
Times 29-Mar-1937, Page 12
A few month later, the building was used to host a meeting of independent oil producers.
A few month later, the building was used to host a meeting of independent oil producers.
Two views of the theater in the early 1940s. First, shown looking northwest in a photo of OC resident Clare Fowler and unnamed children.
Source: Jan Fowler (daughter)
Looking southwest, again from somewhere near the railroad tracks that ran north/south. Note the large mound in the former picture and smaller ones across the street in the latter. There was apparently some dirt hauling (or possibly sand used in oil drilling) operation.
Source: Ron Newton
Mr. Watts is shown below when elected chairman of the board of directors for the Gulf States division of the National Allied Theater Owners Association; at that organization's convention held in New Orleans.
A trailer for the Japanese science fiction flick "The Mysterians" that was shown about 1959 (+/-) and viewed by the author, then around seven years old.
Under the business name W & K Theaters, Mr. Watts and partner T. F. Keasler operated several theaters in Louisiana and Texas. Note the name of the Vivian establishment was a mash-up of their names "Wa(tts)kea(ssler)."
The theater ceased operations in the 1960s and was subsequently demolished.
Recognizing the folks who once worked there.
STRAND THEATER ALUMNI
Recognizing the folks who once worked there.
Arnold Sisters - "Barbara and Joyce worked there in the early 1950s. I (Virginia) worked there 56-59."
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| Virginia Arnold |
Blizzard Sisters - Billie (Ridge) and Bobbye (Wendell)
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| Billie Blizzard |
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| Bobbye Blizzard (1949) |
Carrigan Brothers - Claude and Jesse
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| Claude Carrigan (1959) |
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| Jesse Carrigan (1959) |
Craig, Floriene - sold tickets and worked concessions
Crnkovic, Linda Dickey - her first ever job around 1957-1958 when she worked the concessions. "I just remember customers requesting that I place a Hershey bar beneath the hot popcorn and they would return for it later. Everyone was always so very nice. I don't ever remember any problems with anyone."
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| Linda Dickey (1959) |
Fedd, Peggy Green - "My brother Jack Green, O. L. Elmore, and I would play our guitars and sing sometimes between the first and second shows."
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| O. L. Elmore (1949) |
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| Peggy Green (1949) |
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| Jack Green (1957) |
Guth, Glenda Roberts
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| Glenda Roberts (1954) |
Helms, Kay Saulsbury - worked during high school, 1958-1960
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| Kay Saulsbury (1959) |
Hill, Dorothy - sister-in-law of owner Lewis Watts
Hunter, Pete - operated projector
Iles, Mary Ellen Elliott
Jones, Bob - projection
Martin, Dickie - "Charles (Watts, son of owner Lewis) and I used to take popcorn and candy to Vivian And Jefferson on some Saturdays. Charles had a 1951 Chevrolet 4 door with a 283 power pack and 4 speed on the floor. We had a blast."
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| Dickie Martin (1960) |
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| Charles Watts (1959) |
Sanders, Claude J. - managed theater for Mr. Watts in the 1940s
Smith Sisters - Alma (Deem) and Cindy (Alexander)
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| Alma Smith (1955) |
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| Cindy Smith (1959) |
White, Edward - managed theater and did electrical maintenance
Former Customers Remember The Strand:
Jesse Lee Carrigan: "I remember seeing the "The Ten Commandments," the "Creature from the Black Lagoon," and an Audie Murphy movie there."
Terence Harrist: "When I was 7 or 8 in 1957-58 or so, the ticket price was 15 cents for the Sat. matinee. I remember this quite clearly, because my Mother would give me a quarter and I could get a drink for 5 cents and a candy bar for 5 cents."
Jay Hearn: "I remember seeing Creature from the Black Lagoon when I was 8 or 9."
Darrell McCauley: "I used to go there almost every sat.morning with a dime it cost 9 cents for admission & I would buy a bb bat with the penny change."
Montie Moore: "Creature From the Black Lagoon" and "Jailhouse Rock" are two I remember."
Brande Sanders: "I remember seeing a double feature matinee on Saturdays and buying a drink & slow poke, all for a quarter."
Rick Sanders: "Claude J. Sanders was my father. (Marilyn and I are double first cousins, as our Dads were brothers and our Mom's were sisters.). My dad managed the Strand for Mr. Watts in OC during the 40s, as Marilyn stated. By the time I came along, he was working in the oil fields. The first movie I remember seeing at the Strand was "Darby O'Gill and the Little People.""
Marilyn Sartor: "When I was in elementary school in the early 1950s, a child’s ticket cost 9 cents. For a quarter one could go to movie, get a piece of bubble gum, popcorn for a dime, & candy bar for a nickel."
"The last movie I saw there I was about 8 months pregnant with our first child & we saw “A Farewell to Arms”. Not the best movie for a frightened, pregnant, very young woman to see! But many good memories from times at the Strand in OC."
Janet Clarice White Stephenson: "I remember my first movie at the Strand and many others. For a quarter, you could buy a ticket ($.10) and popcorn and a coke ($.15). If you were lucky enough to have another nickel, you could get a roll of Butter Rum Lifesavers."
"Westerns on weekends, usually, sometimes a double feature. I saw Vincent Price's "House on
Haunted Hill" there (alone, because nobody else's mother would let them go), and I also saw "Jailhouse Rock" in Oil City."
I remember it cost 9 cents until you were 12 and then it jump up to 25 cents.
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