Piercy Brothers Become Theater Operators in Prineville and Madras
By Steve Lent, Crook County Historian
Prineville was fortunate to have the Lyric and Pine Theaters operating at one time with the Lyric being among the oldest theaters in Central Oregon. In 1946 shortly after World War II Denzel and Kenneth Piercy operating as the Piercy Brothers purchased the Lyric and Pine Theaters in Prineville. They also owned the Broadway Theater in Estacada. In May 1946 the brothers purchased the Chief Theater in Madras. All of the theaters enjoyed success as amusement places.
The Piercy brothers promised a policy of giving their patrons the best possible in motion pictures and won them hearty support from the communities in which the theaters were located. They hired Harold Holmes of Prineville to manage the Chief Theater in Madras. Ken Piercy managed the theaters in Prineville and Denzel managed the theater in Estacada.
The two brothers announcement upon purchasing the Chief theater was: Ait will be our policy to this community and the communities of Prineville and Estacada to bring the very best entertainment”. In keeping with that policy contracts have been signed with all the leading producers, including such companies as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Warner brothers, 20th Century Fox, RKO, Paramount and many others. To increase your comfort while attending the Chief, a new automatic oil heating unit and an air conditioning system is being installed. Other equipment is to be added in the immediate future, including a stage curtain and noiseless curtain track, and a new neon sign to be installed above the marquee.
In the late 1940's the Piercy brothers also established Drive-In theaters in Prineville and Madras known as the K & D Patio Drive-In and the K & D Chief Drive-In. The Drive-In built in Madras was the first of its kind in Central Oregon. Drive-In's became immensely popular from the mid -1950's to the late 1960's and then began to fade in popularity. The Piercy's continued to operate the theaters until attendance began to decline. The Lyric Theater was discontinued about 1963 leaving the Pine Theater and Patio Drive-In. The theaters in Madras also continued to operate. Eventually Ken Piercy had difficulties controlling young crowds who became rowdy and destructive and he closed his operations in Prineville and Madras in the early 1970's. Both Prineville and Madras did not have continuing theaters until after the new millennium.
The Piercy brothers were not pioneers of the movie theater business in central Oregon but helped bring a new era to theater attendance for more than three decades. Many older residents of Prineville and Madras can fondly remember the days and evenings spent watching the latest movie releases and sneaking into the Patio Drive-In in the trunk of a car.