About the Liberty Theatre
The Liberty Theatre is the oldest continually-operated movie theatre in Oklahoma, and it has anchored Main Street in Carnegie for more than a century. Take a stroll down that street today and you will spot the name “Liberty” on businesses all over town, but ours wore it first and has worn it longest. What began in 1917 as a single room surrounded by open pasture has grown into a three-screen family destination that now offers one of the finest picture and sound experiences in southwest Oklahoma.
A Century on Main Street
We opened our doors in 1917 and began by hosting live performances. In 1919 we projected our very first movie, almost certainly a silent film, since this was years before sound was paired with moving pictures. In those early days, a live band filled the room with music from a piano and other instruments down in the “pit” at the front of the original house, the room we still call Theatre #1 today. As the art form grew, sound came to the films themselves, and the Liberty began showing the “talkies” that audiences had never heard before.
Growing With the Times
For most of our history a single screen was all we had, and on it we showed films that would go on to become classics. In 1995 we expanded into the space just east of us, adding two more screens and a larger concession area while carefully preserving the ambience that makes a visit feel like a step back to a simpler, more elegant time. The technology kept evolving, and we evolved with it. We installed digital projectors in the 2010s, and in 2025 we upgraded all three screens to true 4K laser projection paired with enhanced Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound. That most recent upgrade gives our guests one of the highest-quality viewing experiences available anywhere in southwest Oklahoma.
Closed Only Once in Over a Century
We take real pride in our history of staying open. From 1917 onward our doors never once closed, through wars, hard times, and changing tastes, until 2020, when COVID forced us to go dark for the first time ever. We reopened in November of 2021, grateful to welcome back the loyal customers who had been with us for generations. More than a hundred years on, the Liberty is still here, and still proud to be a destination for every true movie fan.
“The chili is made here, there’s a kitchen in the back of the theatre. And that recipe… nobody knows that recipe!”
Gay Jones, interviewed by OAEC’s Table Talk
The World-Famous Show Dogs
No description of the Liberty would be complete without the food. Our “Show Dogs,” as they have come to be known, are arguably famous the world over. Each one is a gourmet, all-beef hot dog covered in our secret-recipe chili, yellow mustard, and diced onions, all served on a steamed bun. We still cook in-house using the best ingredients we can find, and the chili recipe remains a closely guarded secret.
Our pop and popcorn get the same care. We are committed to making every detail of your visit something to savor and remember, and we know our customers often feel like a part of this place is truly theirs.
Step Inside Our Three Theatres
Each of our three houses is fully digital, 3D capable, and equipped with 4K laser projection and Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound, so you can see and hear a movie the way it was meant to be experienced. Theatre #1 is the original house, home to that historic orchestra pit. Theatres #2 and #3, added in the 1995 expansion, carry the same care and the same throwback charm. Settle in with your popcorn, a cold drink, and maybe a Show Dog, and enjoy a crystal-clear picture and immersive sound.
Featured Through the Years
We have been honored to share our story with audiences across the state. KFOR’s Galen Culver made the trip to Carnegie to explore our history for his beloved “Is This a Great State or What?” segment, finding what he described as a different kind of movie magic at work here, and not an illusion at all. OAEC’s Table Talk sat down with the late Gay Jones to talk through the theatre’s history, the legend of the Show Dogs, and the day-to-day of running a historic venue. You will find both features in the videos below.
Come See Us
When the Liberty opened, broom corn fields and pastures stretched in every direction, and the town of Carnegie grew up around us in the years since. Through the decades, and now into a second century, we have stood the test of time by doing one simple thing: delighting families and moviegoers, young and old. For everyone across southwest Oklahoma who finds us and discovers what makes this place special, our doors are open. Come see why the Liberty Theatre has been not only Carnegie’s movie home for more than a hundred years but has become a must-visit destination in southwest Oklahoma.