Killers of the Flower Moon Pool Hall Barbershop

Biloxi Boy

Biloxi Boy

Man With A Golden Arm
During the mid '70s I made several trips around and through West Texas and southern New Mexico. Then, as always, I traveled with my pool cue and sought out pool halls all through those areas. I was not a road player or purposefully seeking action. I just always loved pool and had a habit of looking for, and finding, out of the way pool halls . . .

Except that it was too wide, the pool hall depicted in the Flower Moon, complete with the barbers and barber chairs, was typical of many of the establishments I visited -- especially the "storefront windows" looking out on the main street (one particular place faced East and I can still picture it "glowing" with the winter morning sunlight streaming in and hear and feel the hissing gas heaters fighting off the chill). Another commonly encountered feature of such places was the domino players. Had I realized what I was witnessing and what I was witnessing would be too soon gone, I would have made notes and taken pictures but I was simply living in the moment and drifting through. Sadly, I could not tell y'all the name of any town or pool hall, but it seemed as though many of the towns had them. I would love to know if anyone has a guess at where I might have been and whether any such places might have somehow survived.

Merry Christmas and wishes for Peace in the New Year.
 
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I am guessing Jim McD
Not much left in downtown Pawhuska last time I was there., unless you like the Pioneer Woman home goods.;):rolleyes:

garczar said:
I know the guy that sold them the tables. He had them in storage right in Pawhuska. When the movie folks found out they made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
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The NYT Mag is on the story: "[w]hen Fisk was growing up in rural Illinois, his mother took him to get his hair cut in a pool hall, he said, a curious wrinkle of small-town life that conjured for him the 'mysterious and fascinating' province of men . . . Fisk later pulled up the fire maps from Osage County and discovered that of the three pool halls in the area at the time, two had barbershops". Read the story of Jack Fisk and his transformation of Pahuska, in which the pool hall is discussed.

www.nytimes.com

The Genius Behind Hollywood’s Most Indelible Sets (Published 2023)

How Jack Fisk, the master production designer behind ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ and many other films, brings the past to life.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
Biloxi Boy said:
The NYT Mag is on the story: "[w]hen Fisk was growing up in rural Illinois, his mother took him to get his hair cut in a pool hall, he said, a curious wrinkle of small-town life that conjured for him the 'mysterious and fascinating' province of men . . . Fisk later pulled up the fire maps from Osage County and discovered that of the three pool halls in the area at the time, two had barbershops". Read the story of Jack Fisk and his transformation of Pahuska, in which the pool hall is discussed.

www.nytimes.com

The Genius Behind Hollywood’s Most Indelible Sets (Published 2023)

How Jack Fisk, the master production designer behind ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ and many other films, brings the past to life.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
Click to expand...
At one time Pawhuska was a MAJOR boomtown. Multiple banks, theater, poolrooms, you name it. Jim had once had plans to open an old-school room in his hometown but never did. He had tables in storage and when the movie found out they couldn't believe their luck. Not sure how many they bought but they paid full price and then some for those they did buy.
 
Biloxi Boy said:
During the mid '70s I made several trips around and through West Texas and southern New Mexico. Then, as always, I traveled with my pool cue and sought out pool halls all through those areas. I was not a road player or purposefully seeking action. I just always loved pool and had a habit of looking for, and finding, out of the way pool halls . . .

Except that it was too wide, the pool hall depicted in the Flower Moon, complete with the barbers and barber chairs, was typical of many of the establishments I visited -- especially the "storefront windows" looking out on the main street (one particular place faced East and I can still picture it "glowing" with the winter morning sunlight streaming in and hear and feel the hissing gas heaters fighting off the chill). Another commonly encountered feature of such places was the domino players. Had I realized what I was witnessing and what I was witnessing would be too soon gone, I would have made notes and taken pictures but I was simply living in the moment and drifting through. Sadly, I could not tell y'all the name of any town or pool hall, but it seemed as though many of the towns had them. I would love to know if anyone has a guess at where I might have been and whether any such places might have somehow survived.

Merry Christmas and wishes for Peace in the New Year.
Click to expand...
You and I are exactly the same except I was doing it in the early 2000's. Whenever I travel, no matter where, I try to go and look for a pool hall to hang out in a for a few hours because that is what I do when I am home so why not when I'm away from home.

Sadly they are harder and harder to find now. If I find one I'm super delighted. It has been years since I randomly drove by one and remind myself to go back there after I check-in to my room.
 
So what was Pawhuska's downfall? I read several articles about the movie and they portray it as derelict -- a near ghost town,
 
garczar said:
Not a barbershop but how 'bout a grill? This place in Columbia is off-the-charts cool. Yes, those are Arcades in the back. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-e&q=Booches#lpg=cid:CgIgAQ%3D%3D,ik:CAoSLEFGMVFpcE9ETEhBcnZFTm1VcnFkZHdaVVlock9XU1lOUlZsbUNWVW5XUnMz Open since 1884, in current spot since '26. https://comomag.com/2021/05/28/booches-the-legacy-that-lives-on/
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Wow interesting.

Man wants to make a trip just to visit that place. Spend an entire day there.
 
All the "city folks" (me included) will probably never fully appreciate what small town life was like, and the many functions that their gathering places served. The loss of small towns and their way of life is a real tragedy. Every time I encounter a pool hall in decline I am reminded that we lose these rooms just like we lose old friends -- with nothing to replace them,

Another good cinematic portrayal of a small town pool hall can be found in "The Last Picture Show", IIRC.

I had read about Booches before. It apparently has a strong connection to the college student demographic which probably has a lot to do with its success and longevity. I always thought a college town would be perfect for a pool hall. Then I spent some time in Stillwater (Go 'Pokes!) whose pool scene, or lack thereof, I could never figure out,
 
Biloxi Boy said:
So what was Pawhuska's downfall? I read several articles about the movie and they portray it as derelict -- a near ghost town,
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No. The 'Pioneer Woman' tv lady lives there on a 500,000acre ranch. The town is showing signs of life. Tourism is the new deal. Her Mercantile rest, the TallgrassPreserve, and other stuff are a big draw. Countryside in Osage County is spectacular.
 
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