Probably one of the most intriguing theaters in Arkansas was the Bauxite Theatre built in 1917 and opened in 1918 on property owned by the bauxite mining interests. The head of the mine, J.R. Gibbons felt that entertaining employees would lead to happier employees. From what can be gathered, Gibbons fronted the cost of the $26,000 theater and found veteran theatre operator John Parsons to run it on a ten-year lease.
The 900-seat theatre was built not on a main street but in a wooded area convenient to the mine. Parsons had a challenge to identify patrons who might be willing to drive 30 or more miles to attend. He did so with intriguing marketing materials and a mailing list of 1,800 residents. He created weekly programs mailed out and personally spoke with each crowd before shows. Also booked were traveling vaudeville shows and wrestling events.
Operating for a full ten-year lease cycle, Parsons likely did not renew because of the conversion costs to sound. The theatre was dark for the next ten years. But relaunching in 1939, Wallace and Lena Kauffman retrofitted the Bauxite for sound and the theatre along with their Imp in Benton ran under the Robb & Rowley Circuit. The Bauxite also had a day in court over clearance issues with 20th Century Fox.
In 1956, a labor walkout at the mines leads to the end of theatrical operations as the Kaufmanns couldn’t keep the theatre going. And thus ended one of the most interesting theatre in Arkansas history.
L.D. Joel launched his $50,000 New Casino Theatre on November 3, 1918. Despite a clear name, patrons reportedly referred to the theatre as the Bay Street Theatre. The theatre was across the street from the busy Florida Motor Lines Bus Terminal / later Greyhound Bus Terminal which was good visibility for a theatre with less resources.
Joel operated the Casino until his death October 3, 1944 at which time he was called the oldest film operator in the southeast. The theatre soldiered on into the television age without him before closing with both the bus terminal and the Casino being demolished.
The Civic Theatre replaced the Jonesville Theatre after it burned in 1932. The project by Alfred Lane who owned the original theater didn’t launch until 1935 likely due to the economic conditions during the Depression. The Civic ran continuously to 1959 closing briefly that February due to lack of patronage. The theatre is then taken on by two different owners who likely try to complete the leasing period ending its theatrical film days on December 31, 1964 timing out with a 30-year lease. The final film appears to be “How the West Was Won.” The Civic is taken on in 1972 for live stage shows retaining its name initially and then later renamed.
Final screening was October 31, 1954 when the Comerford Amusement Circuit decided not to renew its lease because the theatre couldn’t be upgraded to CinemaScope and other widescreen formats of the era. A good fifty year run.
The Brownie Theatre address was 1918 Cumberland Avenue in Middlesboro launching on November 25, 1916. It replaced the Amuzu Theatre that had a five-year lease in another location from 1911 through November 9, 1916. (The Amuzu was refitted as a restaurant.)
Launched May 23, 1908 as the Lyceum Theatre. On September 24, 1919, the theatre was given a facelift a new name: the Strand Theatre showing D.W. Griffith’s “Hearts of the World.”
The Arcade Theatre was located at 22 South Main Street and opened December 12, 1907 with movies and some live acts by Emerson & Son. In 1915, John Amick took over for Emerson & Son installing a pipe organ and relaunching the new Arcade Theatre on November 17, 1915. Phil Myers followed by Dick V. Baasen then took on the theatre running both it and Minot’s Strand Theatre. Baasen apparently decided to close the theatre at the end of twenty years of leasing as the Arcade appears to have not made the transition to sound.
The Roman Theatre opened for business as a movie theatre on February 23, 1914 with 700 seats. The theater closed for about a month in October of 1918 to expand to 1,000 seats re-launching on November 9, 1918
The precursor to the Luzerne Theatre was The Splendora Theatre opening on September 21, 1914 in Luzerne. It likely had a ten year lease and replaced by the Luzerne Theatre.
Opened as The Music Hall by John Howell and C.K. Campbell in 1874. Retrofitted and rebranded as the Lyric Theatre on January 5, 1903 to show photoplays. Closed briefly at the end of 1905 for refurbishing, it re-opened as the Family Theatre on September 17, 1906 and was a site for live plays, minstrel shows and boxing matches. It likely has a ten-year lease ceasing operations in June of 1916. A classified ad sells all contents of the theater in 1917 including seats and scenery with the theatre dismantled.
This theater was conceptualized as the Royal Theatre next door to the Commercial Hotel as early as 1913. When L.R. Taylor finally built the 465-seat facility, it opened March 1, 1916 as the Linwood Theatre. Earle S. Nesbitt took over the Linwood using big-city showman techniques in this small town. A subsequent operator, C.E. Munn, took over the theater and equipped it for sound.
L.C. Hensley bought the Linwood from Munn in 1930. He equipped the theatre with improved Photophone (sound on film) technology changed the theater’s name to the Tarkio Theatre also in 1930. The Tarkio was remodeled in 1944 by Western Theatre giving it a total new streamline moderne exterior with glass blocks that it retained until fire/demolition. Its interior was also changed during the 1944 remodel and at least one more time later for its final period of operation.
The Empire Theatre launched June 28, 1919 with “The Little Rowdy.” It closed for a month in January of 1929 to install a Vitaphone sound system re-opening Feb. 21, 1929 though sound films were still a month away.
The Brownie Theatre was located at 203 North Broadway in Minden in the silent era and became the Rex Theatre. The Rex Theatre existed in two different locations –
Opened as Brownie’s Arcadia Theatre on December 7, 1922 with “Silver Wings” and was part of the fledgling Brownie Theatre Circuit which operated in Missouri, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas.
This theatre was originally home to Hiawatha’s first post office and retail store at 524-8 Oregon Street. It then became the Electric Theatre. George Moore closed the competing Wonderland in 1910 purchasing the Electric Theatre and refurbishing it bringing the seating count to 350. During World War I, the theatre was sold becoming the Brownie Theatre, likely a part of the fledgling Brownie Theatre Circuit (though may have simply been named after Brown County that houses Hiawatha). In 1918, E.A. Van Doran took on the theatre remodeling it and renaming it as the Victoria Theatre with 400 seats – see photo in Photos section. There was an unrelated Royal Theatre that became a 5-and-dime store in Hiawatha. It’s likely that when the sound era came, the 524-526-528 Oregon Street building was gutted to create the larger talking picture theatre using the Royal nameplate before becoming the Chief.
This was very likely the Victory Theatre/Brownie Theatre/New Victory Theatre which began during World War I and running through the silent era (see ads in photos). It likely was fitted with sound and became the New Cabool Theatre in 1929. The Cabool theater was purchased by O.L. Gentry who operated the nearby Lyric Theatre in Houston in 1929. Gentry renamed the Lyric to the Melba in Houston. He’s likely the one who rebranded the New Cabool as the Cozy Theatre although two other operators who follow him during the 1930s — Charles M. Cain and Richard “J.H.” Fisher — could be responsible for the name change. The theater’s trajectory would appear to time out with 30 years of leasing which conclude in 1948 with the theatre replaced by the State.
Originally built as the Pines Theatre for the tiny Kemp-Hughes Theatre Circuit, the first ten years of the theatre found it as a Rustic Atmospheric architectural style honoring the pine trees indigenous to the Waldron area and portraying the Pilot Mountain and its peak just north of the town. The side walls featured pine country in floor to ceiling murals including a mountain stream. In photos, see the original proscenium complete with mountaineer’s home. Hollowed logs and wood paneling gave off ember lighting effect as if in a fireplace. And rock elements jutting here and there provided a campfire effect. The projection booth was the watchtower for the theater which opened in October of 1930. John Hughes Forrester ran the operation and had concepts including an “Amusement Meal Ticket” to encourage more frequent or multiple ticket buyers and a student discount card to stimulate younger people coming to the Pines.
After its ten-year lease expired, Forrester moved on and K. Lee Williams Circuit took over the theatre under Gerry Doig’s management. Renamed the Scott Theatre, it received a major interior redesign in 1940 losing most of the original rustic elements. Even more original elements were going again in a 1950s redesign brought widescreen presentations. On January 24, 1960, a major fire gutted the interior though leaving the exterior virtually unchanged but the interior would be completely changed. Fortunately, the fire took place during church services so volunteer firefighters were nearby and did a good job of preventing further loss.
The theatre closed in 2014 but then under new operators got a nice redesign for its 85th anniversary reopening in October of 2015. Though the theatre looks markedly different from its original design, it is now complete with digital presentation and remains a cinema treasure for the area.
Launched by Scherer Bros. Circuit on October 19, 1935 with the film, “The Irish In Us”
Probably one of the most intriguing theaters in Arkansas was the Bauxite Theatre built in 1917 and opened in 1918 on property owned by the bauxite mining interests. The head of the mine, J.R. Gibbons felt that entertaining employees would lead to happier employees. From what can be gathered, Gibbons fronted the cost of the $26,000 theater and found veteran theatre operator John Parsons to run it on a ten-year lease.
The 900-seat theatre was built not on a main street but in a wooded area convenient to the mine. Parsons had a challenge to identify patrons who might be willing to drive 30 or more miles to attend. He did so with intriguing marketing materials and a mailing list of 1,800 residents. He created weekly programs mailed out and personally spoke with each crowd before shows. Also booked were traveling vaudeville shows and wrestling events.
Operating for a full ten-year lease cycle, Parsons likely did not renew because of the conversion costs to sound. The theatre was dark for the next ten years. But relaunching in 1939, Wallace and Lena Kauffman retrofitted the Bauxite for sound and the theatre along with their Imp in Benton ran under the Robb & Rowley Circuit. The Bauxite also had a day in court over clearance issues with 20th Century Fox.
In 1956, a labor walkout at the mines leads to the end of theatrical operations as the Kaufmanns couldn’t keep the theatre going. And thus ended one of the most interesting theatre in Arkansas history.
L.D. Joel launched his $50,000 New Casino Theatre on November 3, 1918. Despite a clear name, patrons reportedly referred to the theatre as the Bay Street Theatre. The theatre was across the street from the busy Florida Motor Lines Bus Terminal / later Greyhound Bus Terminal which was good visibility for a theatre with less resources.
Joel operated the Casino until his death October 3, 1944 at which time he was called the oldest film operator in the southeast. The theatre soldiered on into the television age without him before closing with both the bus terminal and the Casino being demolished.
The Civic Theatre replaced the Jonesville Theatre after it burned in 1932. The project by Alfred Lane who owned the original theater didn’t launch until 1935 likely due to the economic conditions during the Depression. The Civic ran continuously to 1959 closing briefly that February due to lack of patronage. The theatre is then taken on by two different owners who likely try to complete the leasing period ending its theatrical film days on December 31, 1964 timing out with a 30-year lease. The final film appears to be “How the West Was Won.” The Civic is taken on in 1972 for live stage shows retaining its name initially and then later renamed.
The projection booth was specked by Edwin S. Porter, legendary director of “The Great Train Robbery” (see photos)
A 1940 shot of the Carrollton Theater in New Orleans showing “Edison, the Man”
Had one final run as the Paris Theatre for the Art Theatre Guild Circuit in 1962.
Final screening was October 31, 1954 when the Comerford Amusement Circuit decided not to renew its lease because the theatre couldn’t be upgraded to CinemaScope and other widescreen formats of the era. A good fifty year run.
The Brownie Theatre address was 1918 Cumberland Avenue in Middlesboro launching on November 25, 1916. It replaced the Amuzu Theatre that had a five-year lease in another location from 1911 through November 9, 1916. (The Amuzu was refitted as a restaurant.)
Launched May 23, 1908 as the Lyceum Theatre. On September 24, 1919, the theatre was given a facelift a new name: the Strand Theatre showing D.W. Griffith’s “Hearts of the World.”
The Arcade Theatre was located at 22 South Main Street and opened December 12, 1907 with movies and some live acts by Emerson & Son. In 1915, John Amick took over for Emerson & Son installing a pipe organ and relaunching the new Arcade Theatre on November 17, 1915. Phil Myers followed by Dick V. Baasen then took on the theatre running both it and Minot’s Strand Theatre. Baasen apparently decided to close the theatre at the end of twenty years of leasing as the Arcade appears to have not made the transition to sound.
The Roman Theatre opened for business as a movie theatre on February 23, 1914 with 700 seats. The theater closed for about a month in October of 1918 to expand to 1,000 seats re-launching on November 9, 1918
The precursor to the Luzerne Theatre was The Splendora Theatre opening on September 21, 1914 in Luzerne. It likely had a ten year lease and replaced by the Luzerne Theatre.
Opened as The Music Hall by John Howell and C.K. Campbell in 1874. Retrofitted and rebranded as the Lyric Theatre on January 5, 1903 to show photoplays. Closed briefly at the end of 1905 for refurbishing, it re-opened as the Family Theatre on September 17, 1906 and was a site for live plays, minstrel shows and boxing matches. It likely has a ten-year lease ceasing operations in June of 1916. A classified ad sells all contents of the theater in 1917 including seats and scenery with the theatre dismantled.
The theatre did close in 1953 after years of operating just twice a week.
W.T. Grant (typo above)
1920 shot of the Liberty Theatre at grand opening in photos.
This theater was conceptualized as the Royal Theatre next door to the Commercial Hotel as early as 1913. When L.R. Taylor finally built the 465-seat facility, it opened March 1, 1916 as the Linwood Theatre. Earle S. Nesbitt took over the Linwood using big-city showman techniques in this small town. A subsequent operator, C.E. Munn, took over the theater and equipped it for sound.
L.C. Hensley bought the Linwood from Munn in 1930. He equipped the theatre with improved Photophone (sound on film) technology changed the theater’s name to the Tarkio Theatre also in 1930. The Tarkio was remodeled in 1944 by Western Theatre giving it a total new streamline moderne exterior with glass blocks that it retained until fire/demolition. Its interior was also changed during the 1944 remodel and at least one more time later for its final period of operation.
The Empire Theatre launched June 28, 1919 with “The Little Rowdy.” It closed for a month in January of 1929 to install a Vitaphone sound system re-opening Feb. 21, 1929 though sound films were still a month away.
Opened November 8, 1927 with Helen Miller at the Barton Organ followed by WLS' organist Al Malgard.
The Brownie Theatre was located at 203 North Broadway in Minden in the silent era and became the Rex Theatre. The Rex Theatre existed in two different locations –
Opened as Brownie’s Arcadia Theatre on December 7, 1922 with “Silver Wings” and was part of the fledgling Brownie Theatre Circuit which operated in Missouri, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas.
This theatre was originally home to Hiawatha’s first post office and retail store at 524-8 Oregon Street. It then became the Electric Theatre. George Moore closed the competing Wonderland in 1910 purchasing the Electric Theatre and refurbishing it bringing the seating count to 350. During World War I, the theatre was sold becoming the Brownie Theatre, likely a part of the fledgling Brownie Theatre Circuit (though may have simply been named after Brown County that houses Hiawatha). In 1918, E.A. Van Doran took on the theatre remodeling it and renaming it as the Victoria Theatre with 400 seats – see photo in Photos section. There was an unrelated Royal Theatre that became a 5-and-dime store in Hiawatha. It’s likely that when the sound era came, the 524-526-528 Oregon Street building was gutted to create the larger talking picture theatre using the Royal nameplate before becoming the Chief.
This was very likely the Victory Theatre/Brownie Theatre/New Victory Theatre which began during World War I and running through the silent era (see ads in photos). It likely was fitted with sound and became the New Cabool Theatre in 1929. The Cabool theater was purchased by O.L. Gentry who operated the nearby Lyric Theatre in Houston in 1929. Gentry renamed the Lyric to the Melba in Houston. He’s likely the one who rebranded the New Cabool as the Cozy Theatre although two other operators who follow him during the 1930s — Charles M. Cain and Richard “J.H.” Fisher — could be responsible for the name change. The theater’s trajectory would appear to time out with 30 years of leasing which conclude in 1948 with the theatre replaced by the State.
Originally built as the Pines Theatre for the tiny Kemp-Hughes Theatre Circuit, the first ten years of the theatre found it as a Rustic Atmospheric architectural style honoring the pine trees indigenous to the Waldron area and portraying the Pilot Mountain and its peak just north of the town. The side walls featured pine country in floor to ceiling murals including a mountain stream. In photos, see the original proscenium complete with mountaineer’s home. Hollowed logs and wood paneling gave off ember lighting effect as if in a fireplace. And rock elements jutting here and there provided a campfire effect. The projection booth was the watchtower for the theater which opened in October of 1930. John Hughes Forrester ran the operation and had concepts including an “Amusement Meal Ticket” to encourage more frequent or multiple ticket buyers and a student discount card to stimulate younger people coming to the Pines.
After its ten-year lease expired, Forrester moved on and K. Lee Williams Circuit took over the theatre under Gerry Doig’s management. Renamed the Scott Theatre, it received a major interior redesign in 1940 losing most of the original rustic elements. Even more original elements were going again in a 1950s redesign brought widescreen presentations. On January 24, 1960, a major fire gutted the interior though leaving the exterior virtually unchanged but the interior would be completely changed. Fortunately, the fire took place during church services so volunteer firefighters were nearby and did a good job of preventing further loss.
The theatre closed in 2014 but then under new operators got a nice redesign for its 85th anniversary reopening in October of 2015. Though the theatre looks markedly different from its original design, it is now complete with digital presentation and remains a cinema treasure for the area.