Scott Theatre
281 S. Main Street,
Waldron,
AR
72958
281 S. Main Street,
Waldron,
AR
72958
2 people
favorited this theater
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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.
Status should be open. Website: http://www.scotttheater.com/ 220 seats. Phone#479-637-3222.
Closed in April 2014 according to its Facebook page.
I searched Waldron Arkansas, and this theatre didn’t come up. I had to do a Google search before I found this page. Strange. Anyway, I’m adding a photo of a postcard from the Boston Public Library online collection.
anyone know if Scott Theatre suffered some damage from the storm last Friday?, is open open for business this weekend?, I think not, but if anyone knows anything about it ……..
Thanks Melissa… IT is an honor to keep the SCOTT up and running, I enjoyed many Friday and Saturday nights there as a teen and some before and after that. I was so shocked to find out that other theatres were just plain Cinemas and not like our “Grand Old Lady” She is 80 years old now and as strong as ever…..!
A man looked my wife up the other day and told a story of coming to the theatre on a weekend for a date, he put his ticket and a small movie program in his billfold and went to stay night at his aunts house, someone was going through his aunties house after she was gone and found his long lost wallet, he brought the stuff to us and it is on display in the Lobby with other little treasures we have collected.. He was there in 1953!!! ….Raymond
Yeah,and snapped a few pictures,like the rest of us should have.
I loved this theater when I was growing up in Waldron. When I was little, I didn’t even know that all theaters that weren’t drive-ins weren’t beautiful art deco movie houses like the Scott Theater. I just assumed they were.
I remember how the Christmas movie every year drew in pretty much every kid in town. The whole theater would be full, kids even sitting on the floor in front of the rows of seats and in the aisles. “Santa” would pass out candy and we’d watch a kid’s Christmas movie. And it was all free. It was a lot of fun.
I can’t smell popcorn or pipe smoke that I’m not instantly reminded of the beautiful theater lobby. Mr.Ken smoking his pipe, keeping an eye on us as little ones and a more suspicious, but just as welcoming eye on us as teenagers. Once I wondered for a second why my folks who were usually really protective and kept a pretty tight leash on us let us go to the theatre alone so often, and then I realized, we weren’t unsupervised. Mr. Ken knew each and every one of us and would be sure that none of us got into any real trouble.
I loved the bathrooms. They were tiny, but the beautiful tiling was really cool.
I loved standing outside waiting to get in under that big awning, bathed in the lights, as cars passed by cruising up the street,turning around at the Sonic, and cruising back down. Especially in the winter when it was cold, you’d wait out there, seeing and being seen, and then get inside greated by the warmth of the heat, but also the warmth of the colors of the lobby and the hot popcorn.
I remember old Hollywood star pictures in the hallway between the lobby and the screening room and I think a bit of memorabilia behind the snack counter,too. As a kid I didn’t see the significance, but looking back as a grown up, I bet they were really neat historical Golden Age of Cinema stuff. Wish I’d have paid better attention.
Great of you guys to have saved some history.When so many theatres close it is everything in the dumpster.I have been able to save items tossed and much of it from the forties.Best of luck.Always.
Jimmy, sorry but it was not a Lon Chaney film… The Feature was something with Ramon Navarre, I don’t have the title with me right now but I have a newspaper from opening night and it is listed,it was a talkie. Thanks for coming to the Theatre though, hope to have you back very soon. Have you noticed the display of old Scott Theatre stuff in the lobby? There are schedules there from as early as 1951 including a 1958 schedule that features Elvis in “his first dramatic singing role” Jailhouse Rock… and some of the 45 and 50 cent tickets from the fifties.
Ray Watson
i went to the scott county theater in waldron saturday march 13th and saw the new wolf man movie.
i was wondering what the very first movie was that was ever shown at that theater? could it have been lon chaney’s the unholy three or perhaps an other early talkie or perhaps a great classic silent film. thanks. jimmy1
I went the other night…and had a wonderful time! The people there are so kind! Great service and Awesome Theater!!
No, that’s why I was asking if anyone else had any… All the pics I’ve seen so far have been with the old sign removed.
I only have 3 images showing the huge vertical sign, one from an old linen postcard, a newsprint which only shows the bottom of sign and a photo of downtown Waldron from the 60’s with the theatre in the distance, and it is my best bet for getting it right so far.
BTW… if anyone was wanting the Google map address… it is 350 south main for some strange reason, just map it and go south 1 click, you can’t miss it, we were showing Veggie Tales that day.
SiliconSam….. do you have any pics of the sign?
Ray
Have you found any pics of the theater with the old vertical sign?
In 1950, the chain had 24 theatres listed, and as well as those listed above, additions were:
ARKANSAS
Ashdown: Williams Theatre
De Queen: Sevier Theatre, Val-e-vue Drive-In
Horatio: Horation Theatre
Nashville: Elberta Theatre
OKLAHOMA
Broken Arrow: McCurtain Theatre
Purcell: Canadian Theatre
And to “Lost Memory” Wow you must stop by our Theatre a lot… that last 2009 pic was only 2 weeks ago. You really must stop by and see me sometime, I will let you inside for some really good pics!!!
The new construction you see out front is the beginning of a face lift, they should finish the stucco today, and hopefully the marquee will be done by spring. There was a huge sign over the marquee and I just got a good photo of it and plan to replace it next summer. I (along with thousands of other kids) have fond memories of the Scott from my childhood, it is hard to believe that we now own it and are bringing it back to its once gloriful state. To all the naysayers I say Blahhh! and may “the Grand Ole Lady” see her 100th birthday… Yesterday I got my hands on a newspaper from the day she opened as the Pines in 1930 and one of the re-opening as the Scott by K. Lee Williams Theatres INC on April 28 1940. They are both in great shape and I am trying to get copies of these papers to display in the theatre…
There is not much known of K. Lee Williams chain but I am finding out more, his business was at 9 ¼ Lee street in Oklahoma City and he also ran a film exchange there according to the 1940 paper and he owned 14 other theatres at that time. His first film endeavor was a one reel film from his “101 Ranch” productions titled “The Fall Round Up” played at the “Crescent Airdome” in Russellville Arkansas, in 1910.
Ray
Okay… to clear up a few questions here. 281 South Main is the correct address. We own and operate the “SCOTT” and that is the correct address. I really appreciate all the photos of the Theatre that people have links to, I save every one I get my hands on. We have been running it now for 2+ years and surprisingly her numbers are pretty good, not many of the single screeners are left these days and it does my heart good to tell everyone here that the Scott is alive and well. Due to its location in a Rural setting, the people of the county, and good programming and comfortable atmosphere, she really does her part in keeping film alive. seats 204
A 1987 view of the Scott Theater in Waldron.
My dad (Ken Hines) did own the theatre for many years. There is a lot of interesting history there. Daddy had a lot of items from the past that he had displayed in the lobby. I do not know whatever became of them though… You may want to talk to Barbara Huston and Betty Jo Lee (of Waldron) to see what information they can give you.
I am happy that the theatre has been renovated and is now open. I wish you success!
do you have a web site……
I AM THE OWNER OF THIS THEATRE……. ANYONE WITH ANY HISTORY OR INFO ON SCOTT THEATRE PLEASE CONTACT ME OR LEAVE MESSAGE..
MANY THANKS…. will post pics soon ……….. Ray
I am the current owner of the Scott Theatre in Waldron, AR. It’s under a current brief renovation, adding new concessions, bathrooms, seats, Dolby sound, JBL speakers, acoustics work, Projector and platter, AC and heat, and a general redo and cleaning.
This Theatre and a lot of others in the state were once owned by K.Lee Williams Theatres. He named them all for the county in which they were located…. I have not seen any information on this chain… any help is greaatly appreciated……..
The Scott Theatre opened Oct of 1930.
This theater was shown in a 1953 documentary about how numerous theaters are closing due to the advance of television. They show the theater as “threatened with closure”. This theater survives, however, but many others in the documentary are now long closed or converted to other businesses.