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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.