Comments about Melba Theatre in Batesville, AR

kencmcintyre on March 25, 2010 at 5:44 pm

There was a photo of the Melba in Boxoffice, May 1958:
http://tinyurl.com/yemldz2

Chuck1231 on December 27, 2009 at 1:49 pm

October 2009 photo of the Melba Theatre courtesy Vintage Rodeside.

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lostmemory on August 27, 2009 at 5:42 pm

Chuck….It might have been renovated. The exterior looks good in this 2009 photo.

Chuck1231 on August 5, 2009 at 8:00 pm

Does anyone know if the theatre was renovated ater the heavy rain and ground settling causing a partial collapse of the theatre in 2006?

lostmemory on June 4, 2009 at 11:58 am

This is another 1984 photo.

Chuck1231 on April 11, 2009 at 4:28 pm

1962 photo of the Melba Theatre.
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1984 photo of the Melba Theatre.
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1985 night photo of the Melba Theatre.
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lostmemory on July 11, 2008 at 11:01 am

Here is another photo of the Melba.

lostmemory on July 10, 2008 at 6:54 pm

This building dates back to 1875. It was renovated into a theater in 1939. Source.

lostmemory on July 9, 2007 at 9:31 am

A more recent photo of the Melba Theater can be seen here.

krorie on November 12, 2006 at 10:00 am

As I remember, the first CinemaScope film, “The Robe,” starring Richard Burton, played at the Landers, not the Melba, in 1953.

lostmemory on November 12, 2006 at 7:44 am

Here is a larger photo of the Melba Theater.

krorie on October 1, 2006 at 6:26 pm

In the early 1950’s, I saw Tex Ritter and his band live on stage at the Melba. He sang songs he had made famous. The one most requested by the youngsters was “Rye Whiskey.” Before the show was over, he led his horse, White Flash, upon stage and had him do tricks, such as counting to ten and shaking his head yes or no to questions Tex asked him. Around 1958, a live magic show was held on stage at the Melba with audience participation. In 1956, the local radio station, KBTA, staged a talent show on the Melba stage every Saturday just before the matinee. The most popular attraction was always the owl show at midnight on Saturday nights which gave teens a good excuse to stay out late.

kencmcintyre on May 27, 2006 at 7:51 am

Here is an interesting article about the renovation of the Melba:
http://tinyurl.com/mnc2r

lostmemory on April 5, 2006 at 8:28 am

This is a recent photo of the Melba Theater.

lostmemory on October 17, 2005 at 3:26 pm

Here is another photo of the Melba Theater.

KenRoe on March 14, 2005 at 1:03 pm

The Film Daily Yearbook, 1950 gives a seating capacity of 779.

teecee on March 14, 2005 at 12:38 pm

Small color photo on this link (don’t try to expand without a password:
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Melba Theatre

115 W. Main Street, Batesville, AR 72501

115 W. Main Street,
Batesville, AR 72501