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Arkansas Movie Theatres (page 1)

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Melba Theatre
Batesville, AR
2010: 2019:
The Melba Theatre opened in 1940 and closed in the early 1990s. It was renovated and reopened in 2000. The theatre was then used for concerts and movies. It closed again in 2015 for further renovations and reopened in 2016. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The theatre is used for movies and special events. For more, see this website. [map]

Landers Theatre
Batesville, AR
2010: 2019:
The Landers Theatre opened as the Gem Opera House in 1906. By the early 1920s, it began featuring movies. In 1929, it was renamed the Landers Theatre. The current marquee was built in 1947. It closed in 1998 and suffered a roof collapse and water damage. In 2008, the building was purchased by the Fellowship Bible Church. The church moved into the building in 2010. The marquee was restored by 2013. For more, see this website. [map]

Royal Theatre
Benton, AR
The Royal Theatre opened in the 1920s as the Imp Theatre. In the 1950s, the owners got the sign from the Royal Theatre in Little Rock, AR and renamed this theatre. The theatre no longer shows movies. It now houses the Royal Players and offers live performances. For more, see this website. [map]

Palace Theatre
Benton, AR		 Ritz Theatre
Blytheville, AR
The Palace Theatre opened in 1920 and closed by 1967. It housed a library after that. The building has been vacant since the early 2000s. The building was being renovated when this photo was taken in 2019. The upper floors are used as apartments. The ground floor houses the Baja Grill. For more, see this website. [map]

The Ritz Theatre was built as an opera house in 1915. It was remodeled in 1951 and restored in the 1990s. The theatre is now known as the Ritz Civic Center and is used for live performances and movies. For more, see this website. [map]

Savage Theatre
Booneville, AR
The Savage Theatre opened in 1947 and closed in 2012. The building was repainted in 2017 but the theatre remains closed. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Rialto Theatre
El Dorado, AR
2008: 2019:
The Rialto Theatre in El Dorado opened in 1929 and closed in 1980. It was restored and reopened in 1987. By 2016, it had closed. Restoration work began in 2018. For more, see this website. [map]

U Ark Theatre
Fayetteville, AR
2012: 2019:
The U Ark Theatre was built in 1940. It was owned by William F. Sonneman who owned several other Arkansas theaters. He named the theatre after the University of Arkansas. The theatre closed around 1977. The building housed a disco and was used for concerts after that. The space was then converted into retail use. The marquee was removed in 2011 and reinstalled in 2014 after being restored. For more, see this website. [map]

New Theatre
Fort Smith, AR

2012:
2021:
The New Theatre was designed by the Boller Brothers in 1911. The theatre has been closed since the 1970s. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2004, work began to turn the building into a performing arts theatre. Progress has been slow but that is still the plan. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Lyric Theatre
Harrison, AR
The Lyric Theatre opened in 1929 and closed in 1977. From 1999-2007, the theatre was renovated. It now features live performances as well as movies. For more, see this website. [map]

Arkansas
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