Dooley Theatre

The Rex Theatre launched by Mrs. Rene Stone in the J.J. Frank Building on October 20, 1916, with Marie Walcamp in the Universal serial, “Liberty”. J.W. Graves of the Airdome was the operator. Stone and Graves would continue to operate the Airdome in the warm summer months under the banner of the Rex Airdome beginning in the summer of 1917 through 1926. The Rex Theatre closed as a silent theatre on February 28, 1929 likely at end of lease with John Gilbert in “Marks of the Devil”.

Carl P. and Pearl Dooley took on the inactive Rex Airdome renaming it the Airdome Theatre (aka Purcell Airdome) in 1930. It operated until C.P. was electrocuted there while installing a speaker for sound films in August of 1931. Pearl Dooley closed the Airdome for the season and moved the equipment to the former Rex Theatre turned Dooley Theatre which opened at 109 W. Main Street on September 21, 1931 with Walter Houston in “Star Witness.” The Purcell band played at the launch.

Feeling pressure from Levi and W.D. Metcalf who were competing with two theatres in the Metro Theatre and Ritz Theatre nearby, Pearl Dooley decided to open the New Dooley Theatre a block away. It opened October 27, 1939 with a formal grand opening on November 1, 1939. The New Dooley was soon bought out by the Metcalfs who changed its name to the McClain Theater (which has its own Cinema Treasure page).

The original Dooley Theatre was closed on October 26, 1939 - a night before the soft launch of the New Dolley Theatre - with Fred MacMurray in “Honeymoon in Bali”. The building was converted to other retail purposes including a discount store and an appliance store.

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