Rex Theater
106 Main Street,
Little Rock,
AR
72201
106 Main Street,
Little Rock,
AR
72201
No one has favorited this theater yet
Showing all 3 comments
According to the Arkansas Historical Society magazine, the Rex at 213 Main St. became the Main when the new Rex at 106 Main St. opened. The Rex at 106 Main St. retained its name until it closed and was later demolished. The Main aka Rex closed sometime in 1955 and the new Rex closed a few years later. Both have since been demolished.
I wonder if the order of names is backward for this theater? I’ve found the Rex mentioned in various issues of Boxoffice as far back as 1939, when it was bought by Claude Mundo. Mundo sold the Rex three years after moving it a block down Main Street. Then the first mention in Boxoffice of a Main Theatre in Little Rock appears in 1952. The Main is mentioned four times from 1952 to 1954, then vanishes. No address is given for it.
It’s also possible that both Rex Theatres were called the Main, the one at 213 Main before becoming the Rex and the one at 106 Main after being called the Rex.
The Rex Theatre operated in two different locations, making the move in 1946. The August 3, 1946, issue of Boxoffice said that Claude Mundo had closed his Rex Theatre at 213 Main Street before his new building at 106 Main Street was ready to be occupied. Mundo had expected the new theater to be completed by July 1, but materials shortages had caused construction delays.
The building at 213 main Street was owned by the Parkin Printing company, which was expanding its operations into the former theater space. The estimated new opening date for the Rex Theatre at 106 Main Street was about the middle of September.