McClain Theatre
225 W. Main Street,
Purcell,
OK
73080
225 W. Main Street,
Purcell,
OK
73080
1 person
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: K. Lee Williams Theaters Inc.
Functions: Office Space
Styles: Spanish Colonial
Previous Names: New Dooley Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Not to be confused with the former Rex Theatre which became the Dooley Theatre (which has its own page on Cinema Treasures). The New Dooley Theatre was opened on October 27, 1939. Acquired by the Metcalf family on December 13, 1940, it was renamed McClain Theatre. It burnt down on April 21, 1950. The front of the building was spared and the theatre was rebuilt, but was put to sparodic use for live events. It is now in use as office space for the Purcell Register.
Contributed by
Lauren Grubb
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
Listed as the Dooley Theater in the Film Daily Yearbook;1941 edition with a seating capacity of 450. By the 1943 edition of F.D.Y. it has been re-named the McClain Theatre with seating still at 450.
It is still listed as being open in the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. with a seating capacity now reduced to 382.
In this group of vintage photos can be seen in the top picture a theatre, perhaps it is an image of the Dooley or Ritz-
http://www.bcclark.com/p/4368/Default.aspx
Went in it today; It is the office of the Purcell Register. They allowed to to have a look inside. It bears no resemblance to a theatre at all from the interior. The owner said it has been a newspaper office for about 65 years.
There is still a stairway to the projection room, and what appears to be a film vault near the old stage area.
The exterior is Spanish style. Buildings on each side of it have the same theme.
roadsideoklahoma link has recent and antique pictures
http://www.roadsideoklahoma.com/node/618
Pearl Dooley launched the original Dooley (former Rex) Theatre a block away at 109 West Main Street on September 21, 1931. Feeling the competition from Levi Metcalf with two Purcell theaters, she decided to open the New Dooley Theatre here.
The New Dooley opened October 27, 1939 on a soft launch with Jean Rogers in “Stop, Look and Love.” The theater had a formal grand opening on November 1, 1939. The New Dooley was soon bought out by the Metcalfs changing its name to the McClain Theater and launching on December 13, 1940 with W.C. Fields in “The Bank Dick” and Tim Holt in “Laddie.” After the War, the theatre was demoted to weekend operation only.
On April 16, 1950, the theatre showed “Golden Boy” with Barbara Stanwyck and William Holden but on April 21, 1950, the theatre was gutted by fire. Metcalf rebuilt the theater while also building a new drive-in theatre in 1951. The theatre was supposed to have reopened in December of 1951 awaiting only its seating but the theatre was not advertised so it’s challenging to know if it reopened. Since the venue has no bookings except for a handful of sporadic live events, it is likely that the McClain simply exited film exhibition on April 16, 1950. In 1954, the venue was known as the “former McClain Theatre Building” which was retrofitted for other purposes. (The 1957 fire date above is in error.)