Malco Theatre
817 Central Avenue,
Hot Springs,
AR
71901
817 Central Avenue,
Hot Springs,
AR
71901
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: First International Theatres, Malco Theatres Inc., United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.
Architects: Edward F. Brueggeman, Guy W. Swaim
Firms: Brueggeman, Swaim & Allen
Functions: Live Performances
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Princess Theatre, Maxwell Blade Theatre of Magic
Nearby Theaters
The Malco Theatre opened on February 21, 1946 in an elegant Art Moderne style, including a fantastic large marquee with the Malco name in graceful script lettering and the stylized intertwined letters M and T for Malco Theatres on the front panel of the marquee. The façade features pale brick highlighted by various colored tiles. The main entrance is covered in candy apple red tile in the same color as the marquee.
The Malco Theatre was built in the shell of the Princess Theatre, a vaudeville house which dated to the 1880’s but was heavily damaged by a fire on December 25, 1935. The Malco Theatre was remodeled in 1962, and again in 1995 when it was acquired by illusionist Maxwell Blade.
Since 1996, the theatre became the setting for Blade’s magic shows. Later the Maxwell Blade Theatre of Magic, the former Malco Theatre, which was frequented by former President Bill Clinton as a boy, also played host to the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute, as well as to occasional film festivals. It had closed around 2015. It reopened for live performances and it was announced in June 2019 that movie screening would begin in September 2019.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
Local paper covers the February 21, 1946 grand opening of the Malco Hot Springs Theatre costing $100,000 with those attending including Malco President M.A. Lightman and Malco Music Hall manager W. Clyde Smith. Some pictures of the Feb. 21, 1946 evening are posted in photos if interested.
The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival sold this building to a developer in 2013 and is no longer using it as a venue. The Blade Magic show also moved out that year to a storefront operation further down Central Ave. It would be safe to say status is “closed.”
Presently (April 2016) the auditorium has been gutted to its original state but very little decor remains. A group is involved in trying to restore and open it. Much of the lobby and foyer is intact along with the staircase and the “colored” entrance and separated balcony are also intact. It has a very shallow stage and at least two samples of vintage carpeting. Any other photos of the auditorium are being eagerly sought by this group. If they can be posted here, they have the link to this page.
The Hot Springs Sentinel reported today that the Malco will resume showing movies in September. It is also currently home to the Michael Blade magic show. It’s not closed any more and it looks great.
Here is an early notice about the Malco Theatre from the July 19, 1938 issue of Film Daily:
Grand opening ad posted.
Reopened by Commonwealth theatres on July 25th, 1962 after renoventions. Ad posted.
Opened with Veronica Lake in “Miss Susie Slagle’s” along with the Merrie Melodies cartoon “Quentin Quail” and Paramount News.
Stopped showing movies full-time in May 1995 after the Central City 10 opened.
Was also operated by United Artists and First International Theatres.