Klock Theatre

506 Main Street,
Neodesha, KS 66757

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Additional Info

Functions: Retail

Previous Names: Dickinson Theatre

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Circa 1963 photo credit Joe Allen, courtey W A Rankin Memorial Library - Neodesha, KS.

The Dickinson Theatre was opened by 1930. Glen Klock ran the Pittsburg Klock Theatre and essentially moved it to this city in 1932. He established the 75 Air Port Drive-In in 1953. The Klock Theatre was closed on April 7, 1963 and it was converted into retail use.

Contributed by dallasmovietheaters

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on July 16, 2016 at 12:42 pm

Opened as the Dickinson Theatre. Glen Klock took over in 1932 changing it to the Klock Theatre. The Klock closed in 1961with seats sold in a classified ad and the theatre repurposed for other retail ventures.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on June 20, 2020 at 1:39 pm

Circa 1963 photo added and below history credit W A Rankin Memorial Library – Neodesha, KS.

The Klock Theatre ran its final show on April 7, 1963. The building (506 Main Street), owned by Glen Klock since 1926, was sold to Ellis Roberts. Closing of the Klock ended the 56 year old movie era in Neodesha. (Porter Drug Store occupies the building now.)

SethG
SethG on April 30, 2025 at 5:29 pm

The KS Historical Resources Inventory suggests a date of 1915 for this building. It is definitely not on the 1912 map. They also refer to it as the J.H. Martin General Store, and it certainly has the appearance of a large store.

David’s information on the Crescent listing suggests this may have first been the Princess (as it is roughly 1 ½ blocks west of the Crescent). The Princess was open at least from 1926 with 400 seats. It is last listed in 1929. It’s possible of course that it was elsewhere, as the Crescent had 500 seats, and this is a larger building.

The Dickinson is only listed twice. In 1930 it’s listed with 500 seats, and in 1931 it’s listed with 652. The Klock did not open in 1936. It is listed starting in 1932, with 1,000 seats.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 4, 2025 at 3:47 pm

Here is an item from the July 13, 1929 Motion Picture News:

“Dickinson Absorbs Klock’s Houses In Neodesha, Kans.

“A total of twenty-four motion picture theatres is now held by the Glen W. Dickinson circuit, the two Glen E. Klock houses in Neodesha, Kans., being acquired by the Dickinson chain last week. The purchase price was not disclosed. The key house will be completely redecorated and installed with W. E. Sound equipment, according to Chester D. Bell, general manager of the Dickinson circuit. The opening is set for September 1.”

A Gene [mistake?] Klock had acquired the Princess Theatre in Neodesha, according to The Billboard of October 30, 1926.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 5, 2025 at 10:02 am

A 1932 item I can’t date precisely because it only appears in a snippet of Google books search says “…Klock has taken over Dickinson’s Uptown Theatre at Neodesha , Kas . , and will assume operation of the house on April 24.” This is the only reference to a Neodesha house called the Uptown I have yet seen.

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