McCook Theater
1267 N. Keowee Street,
Dayton,
OH
45404
1267 N. Keowee Street,
Dayton,
OH
45404
2 people
favorited this theater
Originally opened in 1941, this was the Roadshow house for some of the biggest 70mm films of the 1960’s. It boasted two Norelco 35/70 projectors. An exhibitor named Hunt took this single screen neighbor theater in the McCook Shopping Center and transformed it into the showplace of its time. He installed a wall to wall screen in front of the old mini stage, with a deep curved screen and a sweeping blue curtain that ran beyond the the exits on each side of the auditorium. From “Around the World in Eighty Days” to “Ryan’s Daughter”, this theater featured “Doctor Zhivago”, “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Gone With the Wind” plus many more.
Mr. Hunt had also operated the Hunt’s Cinestage in Columbus. When Mr. Hunt passed away, the theaters were operated by his wife, daughter and son-in-law. The Cinestage closed in 1972, and in 1974, the theater was leased to the Levin Service company of Dayton where it began to run sub run movies for a dollar, but only lasted a couple of years. Since the late-1970’s it went over to screening X-Rated adult movies, but more recently these ceased and it has been an adult book store.
Contributed by
Jerry Young
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
Here is a 2005 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/272nu5
I just got back from the Dayton Amateur Radio Convention. This is what I saw. The bowling alley? Next door is for lease, and there appears to be a police precinct behind the theatre. Sorry, not much else. Theatre looks relatively the same from the outside as the available pictures of it I’ve found.
The public housing is gone (Parkside Homes). It was demolished when they fixed I-75/malfunction Junction.
Does anyone know if the McCook is gthe theater that used to host the WTUE Late Shows in the late 70’s early 80’s? I remember that is had a 70mm screen and they used to have a pyrotechnics show inside before the movies started.
Ran 3-strip CINEMIRACLE presentation of WINDJAMMER opening March 14, 1961.
According to the book “When Dayton Went to the Movies” the McCook Theatre opened on July 10, 1941. The house was designed and built by the F & Y Building Service. Originally seating 900, its capacity was reduced to 700 when Todd-AO projection equipment was installed in 1958.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyum/4999846362/
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Wallyum, thanks for the excellent pictures of the Dayton theatres.
It keeps me out of the bars. ;–)
The Dabel over on Smithville was the home of the WTUE midnight movies. Yes, there were pre-movie pyrotechnics, and short subjects, and such along with the features. By the time the movies started, there was so much haze in the auditorium, you couldn’t help by get a contact high.