50s SNIPES, I worked for United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc. (which owned theatres in Conway, Fort Smith, Clarksville, Morrilton, Benton, Malvern, Arkadelphia and Magnolia) from May of 1969 until August of 1977. I worked for that company again in Arkadelphia from 1980 until 1986. At the time the UA Cinema 1 & 2 opened, I was named the manager of the UA 65 Drive-In Theatre. After a time, the manager of the Cinema moved to Fort Smith to take over the UA Minitek Theatre. I moved to the Cinema. When the city manager of the theatres, Clarence Hobbs became district manager over the eight towns in Arkansas and also UA theatres in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I became city manager of the Conway theatres.
The capacity of this theatre is inaccurate. Flick #1 had 288 seats in that auditorium and Flick #2 had 208 seats, for a total of 496 seats in the complex. It also opened in June 1978, which was about a month after I was married.
There are lots of interesting stories about the UA Cinema 150. I worked for United Artists from 1969 until 1977, and then again from 1980 until 1986, in Conway, Morrilton and Arkadelphia, Arkansas. While I had many UA manager and employee friends in Little Rock, I never did work there.
The story goes that the real estate specialist for United Artists, Bob Bouchee (spelling?) was scouting Little Rock, in an effort to find the best location for a D-150 theatre. He saw the corner of Asher & University and said “This is it.” Unfortunately, the developer of the Village Shopping Center did not want a movie theatre in his project. As a result, United Artists purchased the entire shopping center and put the Cinema 150 there. At one point in time, it was suggested that the city offices for United Artists be placed in the center. United Artists had closed the Arkansas Theatre downtown and then needed another place to go. When someone suggested to then district manager Robin Wightman about the possibility, Wightman said, “Hell, we can’t afford the rent there!” So they located the offices behind the UA University Quartet Theatre across the street from the 150.
Another story concerns the construction of the 150. The construction was progressing nicely, when someone discovered that the architect had not included a project booth in his plans! So, one had to be added to the plans and engineers had to figure out how to complete the construction. That apparently was a problem, but they got it worked out.
The UA Cinema 150 was a gorgeous theatre and one that the film companies wanted to have their pictures screened there. It was also a favorite of movie patrons, great for dates and special occasions. I always enjoyed going there on my night off and watching a film. But my favorite theatre in Little Rock for watching movies was actually The Heights Theatre. I know it was a sad day when the 150 was razed.
I don’t have a photograph of the Flick Twin Cinema at Jacksonville, although I’ve been in it a few times. Robert Vogel, Jr. owned the theatre outright, as a part of Vogel Enterprises, Inc. in Little Rock. Vogel also owned skating rinks at Jacksonville, West Memphis and Pine Bluff. He had 25% interest in the Flick property at Pine Bluff. He also owned an air freight delivery service.
Whatever happened to Frank Jones? He was the district manager for Commonwealth in Oklahoma City. Also the DM in Lawrence, Kansas, I believe his name was “Elwood,” but cannot remember. Just trying to see where these gentlemen are, or even if they are still living.
I can speak about the Flick Twin Cinema, because I supervised the construction and managed it initially. The Flick Twin Cinema (2829 Camden Road) opened in June of 1978. I managed it until April 20, 1980. Commonwealth Theatres out of Kansas City, Missouri purchased the theatre in December, 1979, and I worked for them until I left to return to United Artists Theatre Circuit in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The theatre was owned by SVB, Inc., which was composed of Robert A. Vogel of Little Rock (who owned the Flick Twin Cinema in Jacksonville, Arkansas, and several other businesses), Rick Beard, an attorney who lived in Pine Bluff at the time, and Grover and Scott Scruggs, who owned the property and the theatre building. They leased the building back to their corporation, and later to Commonwealth. The theatre did well. Commonwealth purchased it because they owned the other theatre properties in Pine Bluff at the time, including the Broadmoor Twin, the Malco downtown, and the Pines Drive-In Theatre. It’s a shame that the theatre closed. It was a nice house, well constructed and fun to manage.
I’m not old enough to remember the Grand Theatre, but my Mother used to talk about it. She said they referred to it as “The Rat Races.” It was located where the Monday-Powell Shoe Store was in downtown Conway, in the same block as the Western Auto Store, and across the street from Van-Atkins, which later became Frank Rivers Men’s Store.
I worked at the Conway Theatre from 1969 until 1974, when it closed. The UA Cinema 1 & 2 in Faulkner Plaza opened in February of 1973. At that time, there were three theatres in Conway – The new UA Cinema 1 & 2, the Conway Theatre and the 65 Drive-In. The Conway Theatre closed first. The drive-in closed some years after the Conway Theatre, sometime during the 1980s, and is long gone. The Conway Corporation purchased the property and now uses it for its purposes. The Cinema 1 & 2 was converted to a six-screen theatre later on. Now there are two six-screen theatres in Conway. But I miss the old Conway. It was truly a showplace. As an old opera house, it featured a stage. Behind the screen there were still backdrops hanging in place, a very large electrical control board, trap doors and a large room on one side that allowed acrobats to swing out over or onto the stage. It was really beautiful, and it was a crying shame the owners let it go to ruin, to the point when it had to be razed and erased from the downtown area. For those of us old enough to remember, it recalls some wonderful times spent watching movies there.
I’m not sure how the D-150 theatres began, or even how the Rowley United Division of United Artists Theatre Circuit chose Little Rock as a site. In those days, though, Little Rock was a heck of a showtown, and UT virtually owned the town, theatre wise. The investment paid off, as the UA Cinema 150 was considered “THE” theatre in Arkansas to go and see a movie in. The film companies used to fight to get their pictures shown there. While the 150 in Little Rock was a great theatre, my personal favorite was the Heights Theatre in Little Rock. But both are gone now. They are now a part of Arkansas theatre history, and days gone by.
Great to see the comment by Diane Wightman Battle. Her Dad was one of the finest showmen to ever work in Arkansas. Another was Clarence L. Hobbs, who was the district manager for the UA theatres outside of Little Rock. Those theatres were in small towns (Fort Smith, Clarksville, Morrilton, Conway, Benton, Malvern, Arkadelphia and Magnolia). He called his district “The Big 8!” Wightman and Hobbs were incredible, creative, hard working and 100% for the company. They also had much respect for one another. As Diane said, Robin did a great job in Arkadelphia, and went on to Little Rock, where he was DM for Little Rock and Memphis. I worked for Clarence Hobbs on two occasions, once in Conway, and the other time in Arkadelphia. There aren’t any like them anymore. Both have since died. Clarence used to tell me: “Richard, whenever I die, if I get to heaven, I sure hope they don’t put me in charge of a damn movie theatre!”
To follow up on ken mc, Rowley United Theatres became a wholly owned subsidiary of United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc., and it was then known as the ‘Rowley United Division.“ He is correct, Rowley operated many theatres in Texas, but also had properties in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Rowley operated many theatres in Little Rock, plus what became know as "The Big 8,” which included theatre operations in Fort Smith, Clarksville, Morrilton, Conway, Benton, Malvern, Arkadelphia and Magnolia. Both Benton and Magnolia were “partnership towns.” United Artists owned 50% and Magnolia owned 50%. The Kauffman family in Benton (Warren Lee Kauffman was the last one to manage the theatre under this arrangement) and W.P. Florence of Magnolia were the “partners.” Clarence L. Hobbs was the District Manager for several years, and managed theatres in Morrilton and Conway before that. He was based out of Conway, prior to moving to Tulsa. I worked as a manager of the 65 Drive-In for Mr. Hobbs, the old Conway Theatre, and the UA Cinema 1 & 2 in Conway. I also was interim manager for the theatres in Morrilton for a short period, and ran the UA Cinema 1 & 2 in Arkadelphia for several years.
Question: Does anyone know what happened to Warren Lee Kauffman of Benton? Is he still alive? The other partner, W.P. Florence of Magnolia, died a few years back. Thanks, Richard Robinson
There is an interesting story about the theatre. The United Artists real estate man, a gentleman name Bob Bouchee (BOO-SHAY, not sure of the spelling) told the UA management that the corner of Asher and University was THE “spot” where the theatre should be built. UA was in agreement, but the owner of the shopping center was not. They did not want a theatre on their property. So, UA went in, negotiated, and bought the entire shopping center. So UA not only made a lot of money from the theatre, they collected rents for many years from the various tenants of the center, including Casa Bonita, the popular Mexican restaurant. At one point, the longtime city manager for UA in Little Rock, Robin Wightman, was moving the UA city offices from the Arkansas Theatre in downtown Little Rock to the back of the UA University Quartet (formerly the John Miller Cinema 4-plex). Someone asked Wightman why UA didn’t locate their offices in the shopping center across the street, since the theatre circuit owned it. His reply? “We can’t afford the rent!”
The Cameo was at one time an absolutely beautiful theatre. Even in the 1970s, walking into the theatre was like a step back into time. The place was immaculate and clean. Everything was in good repair. There was also a drive-in theatre (the “Rocket”), which is now gone. The owner/manager was a man named W.P. Florence, who died a short time back. He was a good showman. I worked for United Artists Theatre Circuit (Rowley United Division), which owned 50% of the the Cameo and were partners with Mr. Florence. Like many old small town theatres, they made multiple screens by dividing the downstars into two theatres and sealing off the balcony, which is called “piggybacking.” It probably saved the Cameo, but I still have memories of that grand old movie house.
Great to see a comment from Jack Poessiger, who was a GREAT director of marketing. Commonwealth was the best promotion-minded theatre company I ever saw. Anyone have any information about film buyer and booker Don Starkweather? District manager Danny Smart? Pine Bluff, Arkansas Commonwealth City Manager Joe Matthews? Thanks, Richard Robinson
One of the neat things about this theatre is that it featured a very nice apartment upstairs. One of the managers of that hourse told me several years ago that Mrs. Lightman loved the horse races at Oakland Park there in Hot Springs, and grew tired of trying to get a hotel room when she was in town during racing season each winter. According to that manager (Byers Jordan), she had her own key to the theatre, and would come and go as she pleased. Later on, the apartment became a part of the manager’s benefit package. Byers lived there until his wife became quite ill, I understand.
I worked for Commonwealth Theatre Circuit in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1979-80. I opened and managed the Flick Twin Cinema, opened as a stand along twin cinema for a corporation of four young businessmen. The theatre did pretty well, well enough for them to approach me about managing all of the theatres in the city. The company planned to move the other manager out and me “over” to take care of all of the theatres. they thought the he would move, but he refused. They offered me positons in Rolla, MO, Norman, OK and Lawrence, KS. I turned them all down and moved to Arkadelphia, AR, where I re-joined United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc., managing a twin theatre there. I left in the mid-1980s, and went to work in public relations for the state of Arkansas. I went back to school and got my master’s degree in journalism, and now am a college professor at the University of Tennessee at Martin. I enjoyed my time with Commonwealth, as they were VERY promotion-minded, which I liked. The district manager was Danny Smart and the Regional manager was Darrell Manes. The booker was Don Starkweather. It was a good company, with good people. It is a shame that the company was dismantled, like so many other good companies these days.
50s SNIPES, I worked for United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc. (which owned theatres in Conway, Fort Smith, Clarksville, Morrilton, Benton, Malvern, Arkadelphia and Magnolia) from May of 1969 until August of 1977. I worked for that company again in Arkadelphia from 1980 until 1986. At the time the UA Cinema 1 & 2 opened, I was named the manager of the UA 65 Drive-In Theatre. After a time, the manager of the Cinema moved to Fort Smith to take over the UA Minitek Theatre. I moved to the Cinema. When the city manager of the theatres, Clarence Hobbs became district manager over the eight towns in Arkansas and also UA theatres in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I became city manager of the Conway theatres.
50sSNIPES, you are correct, February 28, 1973, to be exact. I was present on opening night.
The capacity of this theatre is inaccurate. Flick #1 had 288 seats in that auditorium and Flick #2 had 208 seats, for a total of 496 seats in the complex. It also opened in June 1978, which was about a month after I was married.
There are lots of interesting stories about the UA Cinema 150. I worked for United Artists from 1969 until 1977, and then again from 1980 until 1986, in Conway, Morrilton and Arkadelphia, Arkansas. While I had many UA manager and employee friends in Little Rock, I never did work there.
The story goes that the real estate specialist for United Artists, Bob Bouchee (spelling?) was scouting Little Rock, in an effort to find the best location for a D-150 theatre. He saw the corner of Asher & University and said “This is it.” Unfortunately, the developer of the Village Shopping Center did not want a movie theatre in his project. As a result, United Artists purchased the entire shopping center and put the Cinema 150 there. At one point in time, it was suggested that the city offices for United Artists be placed in the center. United Artists had closed the Arkansas Theatre downtown and then needed another place to go. When someone suggested to then district manager Robin Wightman about the possibility, Wightman said, “Hell, we can’t afford the rent there!” So they located the offices behind the UA University Quartet Theatre across the street from the 150.
Another story concerns the construction of the 150. The construction was progressing nicely, when someone discovered that the architect had not included a project booth in his plans! So, one had to be added to the plans and engineers had to figure out how to complete the construction. That apparently was a problem, but they got it worked out.
The UA Cinema 150 was a gorgeous theatre and one that the film companies wanted to have their pictures screened there. It was also a favorite of movie patrons, great for dates and special occasions. I always enjoyed going there on my night off and watching a film. But my favorite theatre in Little Rock for watching movies was actually The Heights Theatre. I know it was a sad day when the 150 was razed.
I don’t have a photograph of the Flick Twin Cinema at Jacksonville, although I’ve been in it a few times. Robert Vogel, Jr. owned the theatre outright, as a part of Vogel Enterprises, Inc. in Little Rock. Vogel also owned skating rinks at Jacksonville, West Memphis and Pine Bluff. He had 25% interest in the Flick property at Pine Bluff. He also owned an air freight delivery service.
Joe, I’m so glad to know you are still alive and kicking! It’s been a long time. Hope you are still doing well. Are you still living in Pine Bluff?
Richard Robinson
Whatever happened to Frank Jones? He was the district manager for Commonwealth in Oklahoma City. Also the DM in Lawrence, Kansas, I believe his name was “Elwood,” but cannot remember. Just trying to see where these gentlemen are, or even if they are still living.
I can speak about the Flick Twin Cinema, because I supervised the construction and managed it initially. The Flick Twin Cinema (2829 Camden Road) opened in June of 1978. I managed it until April 20, 1980. Commonwealth Theatres out of Kansas City, Missouri purchased the theatre in December, 1979, and I worked for them until I left to return to United Artists Theatre Circuit in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The theatre was owned by SVB, Inc., which was composed of Robert A. Vogel of Little Rock (who owned the Flick Twin Cinema in Jacksonville, Arkansas, and several other businesses), Rick Beard, an attorney who lived in Pine Bluff at the time, and Grover and Scott Scruggs, who owned the property and the theatre building. They leased the building back to their corporation, and later to Commonwealth. The theatre did well. Commonwealth purchased it because they owned the other theatre properties in Pine Bluff at the time, including the Broadmoor Twin, the Malco downtown, and the Pines Drive-In Theatre. It’s a shame that the theatre closed. It was a nice house, well constructed and fun to manage.
I’m not old enough to remember the Grand Theatre, but my Mother used to talk about it. She said they referred to it as “The Rat Races.” It was located where the Monday-Powell Shoe Store was in downtown Conway, in the same block as the Western Auto Store, and across the street from Van-Atkins, which later became Frank Rivers Men’s Store.
I worked at the Conway Theatre from 1969 until 1974, when it closed. The UA Cinema 1 & 2 in Faulkner Plaza opened in February of 1973. At that time, there were three theatres in Conway – The new UA Cinema 1 & 2, the Conway Theatre and the 65 Drive-In. The Conway Theatre closed first. The drive-in closed some years after the Conway Theatre, sometime during the 1980s, and is long gone. The Conway Corporation purchased the property and now uses it for its purposes. The Cinema 1 & 2 was converted to a six-screen theatre later on. Now there are two six-screen theatres in Conway. But I miss the old Conway. It was truly a showplace. As an old opera house, it featured a stage. Behind the screen there were still backdrops hanging in place, a very large electrical control board, trap doors and a large room on one side that allowed acrobats to swing out over or onto the stage. It was really beautiful, and it was a crying shame the owners let it go to ruin, to the point when it had to be razed and erased from the downtown area. For those of us old enough to remember, it recalls some wonderful times spent watching movies there.
I’m not sure how the D-150 theatres began, or even how the Rowley United Division of United Artists Theatre Circuit chose Little Rock as a site. In those days, though, Little Rock was a heck of a showtown, and UT virtually owned the town, theatre wise. The investment paid off, as the UA Cinema 150 was considered “THE” theatre in Arkansas to go and see a movie in. The film companies used to fight to get their pictures shown there. While the 150 in Little Rock was a great theatre, my personal favorite was the Heights Theatre in Little Rock. But both are gone now. They are now a part of Arkansas theatre history, and days gone by.
Great to see the comment by Diane Wightman Battle. Her Dad was one of the finest showmen to ever work in Arkansas. Another was Clarence L. Hobbs, who was the district manager for the UA theatres outside of Little Rock. Those theatres were in small towns (Fort Smith, Clarksville, Morrilton, Conway, Benton, Malvern, Arkadelphia and Magnolia). He called his district “The Big 8!” Wightman and Hobbs were incredible, creative, hard working and 100% for the company. They also had much respect for one another. As Diane said, Robin did a great job in Arkadelphia, and went on to Little Rock, where he was DM for Little Rock and Memphis. I worked for Clarence Hobbs on two occasions, once in Conway, and the other time in Arkadelphia. There aren’t any like them anymore. Both have since died. Clarence used to tell me: “Richard, whenever I die, if I get to heaven, I sure hope they don’t put me in charge of a damn movie theatre!”
To follow up on ken mc, Rowley United Theatres became a wholly owned subsidiary of United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc., and it was then known as the ‘Rowley United Division.“ He is correct, Rowley operated many theatres in Texas, but also had properties in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Rowley operated many theatres in Little Rock, plus what became know as "The Big 8,” which included theatre operations in Fort Smith, Clarksville, Morrilton, Conway, Benton, Malvern, Arkadelphia and Magnolia. Both Benton and Magnolia were “partnership towns.” United Artists owned 50% and Magnolia owned 50%. The Kauffman family in Benton (Warren Lee Kauffman was the last one to manage the theatre under this arrangement) and W.P. Florence of Magnolia were the “partners.” Clarence L. Hobbs was the District Manager for several years, and managed theatres in Morrilton and Conway before that. He was based out of Conway, prior to moving to Tulsa. I worked as a manager of the 65 Drive-In for Mr. Hobbs, the old Conway Theatre, and the UA Cinema 1 & 2 in Conway. I also was interim manager for the theatres in Morrilton for a short period, and ran the UA Cinema 1 & 2 in Arkadelphia for several years.
Question: Does anyone know what happened to Warren Lee Kauffman of Benton? Is he still alive? The other partner, W.P. Florence of Magnolia, died a few years back. Thanks, Richard Robinson
There is an interesting story about the theatre. The United Artists real estate man, a gentleman name Bob Bouchee (BOO-SHAY, not sure of the spelling) told the UA management that the corner of Asher and University was THE “spot” where the theatre should be built. UA was in agreement, but the owner of the shopping center was not. They did not want a theatre on their property. So, UA went in, negotiated, and bought the entire shopping center. So UA not only made a lot of money from the theatre, they collected rents for many years from the various tenants of the center, including Casa Bonita, the popular Mexican restaurant. At one point, the longtime city manager for UA in Little Rock, Robin Wightman, was moving the UA city offices from the Arkansas Theatre in downtown Little Rock to the back of the UA University Quartet (formerly the John Miller Cinema 4-plex). Someone asked Wightman why UA didn’t locate their offices in the shopping center across the street, since the theatre circuit owned it. His reply? “We can’t afford the rent!”
The Cameo was at one time an absolutely beautiful theatre. Even in the 1970s, walking into the theatre was like a step back into time. The place was immaculate and clean. Everything was in good repair. There was also a drive-in theatre (the “Rocket”), which is now gone. The owner/manager was a man named W.P. Florence, who died a short time back. He was a good showman. I worked for United Artists Theatre Circuit (Rowley United Division), which owned 50% of the the Cameo and were partners with Mr. Florence. Like many old small town theatres, they made multiple screens by dividing the downstars into two theatres and sealing off the balcony, which is called “piggybacking.” It probably saved the Cameo, but I still have memories of that grand old movie house.
Great to see a comment from Jack Poessiger, who was a GREAT director of marketing. Commonwealth was the best promotion-minded theatre company I ever saw. Anyone have any information about film buyer and booker Don Starkweather? District manager Danny Smart? Pine Bluff, Arkansas Commonwealth City Manager Joe Matthews? Thanks, Richard Robinson
One of the neat things about this theatre is that it featured a very nice apartment upstairs. One of the managers of that hourse told me several years ago that Mrs. Lightman loved the horse races at Oakland Park there in Hot Springs, and grew tired of trying to get a hotel room when she was in town during racing season each winter. According to that manager (Byers Jordan), she had her own key to the theatre, and would come and go as she pleased. Later on, the apartment became a part of the manager’s benefit package. Byers lived there until his wife became quite ill, I understand.
Richard Robinson, Martin, Tennessee
I worked for Commonwealth Theatre Circuit in Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1979-80. I opened and managed the Flick Twin Cinema, opened as a stand along twin cinema for a corporation of four young businessmen. The theatre did pretty well, well enough for them to approach me about managing all of the theatres in the city. The company planned to move the other manager out and me “over” to take care of all of the theatres. they thought the he would move, but he refused. They offered me positons in Rolla, MO, Norman, OK and Lawrence, KS. I turned them all down and moved to Arkadelphia, AR, where I re-joined United Artists Theatre Circuit, Inc., managing a twin theatre there. I left in the mid-1980s, and went to work in public relations for the state of Arkansas. I went back to school and got my master’s degree in journalism, and now am a college professor at the University of Tennessee at Martin. I enjoyed my time with Commonwealth, as they were VERY promotion-minded, which I liked. The district manager was Danny Smart and the Regional manager was Darrell Manes. The booker was Don Starkweather. It was a good company, with good people. It is a shame that the company was dismantled, like so many other good companies these days.