Seal Theater

dallasmovietheaters on May 30, 2025 at 4:40 am

The Lockney Opera House opened September 12, 1912. Making the transition from live house to movie house, it was renamed the Olympic Theatre as a 420-seat cinema. In 1925, C.R. Wilkinson took on the venue giving it a refresh and renaming it the Isis Theatre on August 13, 1925 with the film, “Recompense.”

New operator J.T. O'Heron took it on and in January of 1930 converting it to Western Electric sound allowing the Isis to remain viable. O'Heron was followed by John Jenkins (1935), R.E. Reynolds (1940), and - finally - J.B. “Brad” and Dovie Seale who took on the venture. They changed its name from the Isis to the Plains Theatre. In 1951, the venue was given a streamline makeover as the “new” Plains Theatre reducing seat count to 360 seats. They also established the Seale Drive-In in 1952 operating it until 1976.

In 1954, the Seales gave the Plains Theatre a widescreen conversion to present CinemaScope titles likely reducing seat count somewhat. The Plains carries that name into the 1970s. Not sure when the Seal seal was invoked as it isn’t covered by the local paper. But the Seales definitely retired from the industry with the ozoner closing in 1976 and a late decision to not reopen made in the Spring of 1977. The operators passed away in 1980 and 1982.