Pulaski Theatre
324 W. Capitol Avenue,
Little Rock,
AR
72201
324 W. Capitol Avenue,
Little Rock,
AR
72201
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One of many theatres in downtown Little Rock, the Pulaski Theatre was located on W. Capitol Street and S. Spring Street. The theatre was operating in the early-1930’s. In the 1940’s it is listed as being operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Ed Rowley. No closing date was listed, but it had gone from listings by 1950.
The theatre has been demolished and a new high rise office building is on the site.
Contributed by
Chuck
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Information for this theatre obtained from the Arkansas Historical magazine.
Here is an account of a premiere at the Pulaski in July 1936, from the Hope (AR) Star:
LITTLE ROCK -Bob Burns, whose old friends and ex-neighbors at Van Buren call him Robin, stood on the stage at the Pulaski theater Monday night and gabbed cheerfully about ancient times in Van Buren, his fictitious kinfolks there, the wonders of Arkansas and virtually everything else under the sun while his audience hugged its sides in delight.
The occasion was the crowning event of Bob Burns' day in Little Rock, the gala world premiere first night of the motion picture, “Rhythm on the Range,” Paramount production in which Bob is featured with Bing Crosby. The day began with a parade through the business section of Little Rock. The first showing of the “Rhythm” picture was given in the afternoon, with Bob Burns entertaining on the stage. Monday night’s program was put on with all the Hollywood trimmings. A section was roped off in front of the theater and a cordon of police kept the onlookers in check. The crowd filled the street in front of the theater. A radio station had a microphone just outside the ticket booth and as celebrities approached to enter the theater they were inveigled into broadcasting something in honor of the occasion.
Burns and his inseparable companion, that notorious bazooka, arrived with Centennial Chairman Couch after the theater audience had assembled. Bob got a big hand from the watchers outside and stopped to give them a speech. When he started inside they set up such a yell for the bazooka that he halted, unsheathed the instrument and blew them a collection of notes from a song that Bing Crosby made famous a few years agoâ€"“When the Blue of the Night, etc.”.
In 1935 the Pulaski Theater is listed with 325 seats. In 1940 the Pulaski Theater is listed with 1,000 seats. I wonder if the 1935 Film Daily is incorrect or was the Pulaski remodeled or rebuilt during those years.
LM, I don’t see where it would be possible to have 1000 sats in the former theatre. From the looks of the photo in the article it would seem the 325 would be more accurate. It was a single floor building with no balcony. I wonder if the Film Daily had a wrong seat count.
Chuck….The Pulaski isn’t listed in 1950 but it is listed again in 1955 with 1,074 seats. It might have reopened in the early 1950s. The variation in the seat count is another mystery that needs to be solved.
The Pulaski Theater became the Capitol Theater in the mid-50’s. See the Capitol Theater listing for more details.
Thanks James.