Williams Theater
360 Keller Street,
Ashdown,
AR
71822
360 Keller Street,
Ashdown,
AR
71822
2 people
favorited this theater
Opened in around 1950, the Williams Theater was part of the K. Lee Williams Theater circuit in the early-1960’s. This chain was based in De Queen, AR.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
No address is given for the Dixie Theater. It is listed in the 1950 Film Daily Yearbook with 344 seats.
In 1951 the Dixie is still listed with 344 seats and the Williams Theater is listed with no seating given. It probably had just opened or was about to open.
Ah ha, and here’s the answer:
“On the east side of the newspaper office was The Dixie Theater. Built in 1915, it was a silent movie theater. In 1947, a theater was built on Keller Street. The K. Lee Williams Theater was a “talkie,†unlike the Dixie Theater on Commerce which was a silent movie theater. It was unique in design also. It was a very tall structure with art deco styling on the front part of the structure and a Quonset hut on the rear. ”
Source: View link
Great detective work. You can add the Dixie Theater to Cinema Treasures if you like.
Detective work? Hardly. ;) I went to Google and did this search:
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Okay, I’m taking back my compliment. Just kidding.
Ah ha!! Do the above search but put “Theatre” instead of “Theater” and you will find some interesting things. One site shows a scan of an old November 12, 1938 newspaper and it states:
“Burton Walker, Dixie Theatre, Ashdown, did some remodeling of his theatre this week, moved the screen back eight feet and installed three rows of seats.”
BTW I just submitted the theater here at CT but once they add it, I’ll have to submit the proper name “theatre”.
1984 photo of the Williams Theatre.
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Info from Ken Roe, both the Dixie and the Williams were part of the K. Lee Williams Theatre chain. The theatre chain was headquartered in Oklahoma City, Ok.
2009 photo of the Williams Theatre.
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