Comments from wjerdean

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wjerdean
wjerdean commented about Capitol Theater on Aug 14, 2015 at 3:52 pm

Hi, Will and folks! As a 50-year LR resident now living in East Tenn., I wanted to add there was a THIRD Capital Theatre, spelled with an A, which you’ll find in local annals. Predates me by decades, but I know it stood on West Markham near the Old State House and west of the late, lamented Hotel Marion. Probably east of Broadway and the Courthouse. THAT Capital was more a vaudeville house. Hosted Greats of that age, including Sarah Bernhardt. You’re correct that the NEXT Capitol was at 600 Main — opened 1920s with 1,261 seats — and lasted until the 1950s. That LAST Capitol we recall stood at 324 West Capitol (and Spring St.)and earlier had been the “Pulaski.” Was a first-run house for the old Ark. Amusement Co. in the Arkansas Theatre (516 Louisiana) headed, I think, by a Mr. Robin Wightman. City had a HOST of theatres, 1950s: The Main, New, Roxy, Crescent, Rex, Prospect in Hillcrest, Lux, the Lee and Heights and Nabor, not to mention drive-ins and NLR. Golden Age of movies!

wjerdean
wjerdean commented about Big Red Twin Drive-In on Aug 12, 2014 at 9:04 pm

My recollection is that the Riverside was indeed renamed the Razorback. But its twin screens had separate names. One was the Wild Hog screen. And the other was the Big Red. I do not recall its sign ever having said the Big Red Twin. But I was away in service in part of 1970s.

wjerdean
wjerdean commented about Prospect Theatre on Feb 19, 2013 at 5:00 pm

I believe you will find the studio/old theatre burned on Halloween night, 1957. I was 12, and my friends sifted through the ashes for film clips, etc. The KATV studio had a 300-foot mast erected nearby, taken down because local residents feared its falling. Next door was a delightful blue plate siner called Mrs. Treet’s. The whole area south of the theatre then was residential.

wjerdean
wjerdean commented about Prospect Theatre on Jun 5, 2012 at 8:55 pm

I attended the Prospect Theatre as a boy, growing up in LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — NOT North Little Rock, far across the river. The theatre was at 620 N. Beech St., LITTLE ROCK until it became Ark’s first TV studio, KRTV, 1952. A VHF stn., KATV, Ch. 7, succeeded KRTV, but a Halloween night fire destroyed the building, mid-1950s. It’s now the pkg lot for Hillcrest Kroger supermarket.