Joe, The Roxy had 3 floors and two double doors with a box office between them. I worked there along with working at the Ritz from 1960 until 1963. The Home theater was operated by McClutchen during the construction of the Ritz in 1950 but I never knew of the Roxy being the home.
The Roxy was a second run, sister theater to the Ritz. The building was owned by Mr. Simon and he operated it for awhile after the Malco chain obtained the Ritz and let the lease expire on the Roxy. The Roxy was later torn down but I had left Blytheville and I don’t know the year. I do not know if the Roxy was ever called the Gem but I doubt it. I remember the Gem was located on the SE corner of Main and Broadway in the same block as the Roxy.
The Ritz burned twice, once in 1931 and was rebuilt then in 1950 it burned again and that is when McClutchen bought the adjoining buildings and built the Ritz. The grand openig I attended was in 1951.
The Ritz burned twice, once in 1931 and was rebuilt then in 1950 it burned again and that is when McClutchen bought the adjoining buildings and built the Ritz. The grand openig I attended was in 1951.
The Ritz was one block west of the Roxy. The Home (later the Gem and finally the Theater Fiestro) was across Main st in the same block as the Roxy. The Ritz no only had a smoking loge but also had a TV room…..quite something in 1951 as few homes had TV. I remember people buying tickets to watch TV. The Ritz was advertised in the Blytheville Courier Newspaper as ‘One of Arkansas’s Finest Theaters" and it was. I worked ther during my high school years and loved the place so much I evern hung out there on my day off. I worked with Johnny Glasscock, James and Tallmage Lloyd, Ruby Brothers, Jeff Sharpe and Cowboy. Projectionest were Henry Youngblood, Budd LeVann and Norman Speck. James Lloyd also ran the Starview Drive-in during the summer months. The lady selling tickets forever was Miss Elizabeth Sweat….she had a very distinctive R-I-T-Z T-H-E-A-T-E-R when answwering the phone. The manager was Ms. Audrey Nell Freeman, who cut a distinctive figure with her long cigarette holder, black horn-rimmed and jet black hair.
The fantastic, neon laden marquee was distroyed when Blytheville changed Main Street so that it zigged and zagged…..aparently a large truck zigged when it should have zagged and wiped the beautiful marquee out. I think the Ritz belonged to the Malco chain by then and the marquee was not restored. For may years the building has only the blank front. I think James Lloyd may still work for the Malco chain in Memphis. I was present at the Grand Opening in 1951 and remember the gayla event. Search lights, highschool bands and a limo arriving with Mr. McClutchen, (the owner), his wife and Ward Bond.
I was 5 years old and fell in love with the Ritz that night….a love affair the continues even now. I think I’m in the picture printed in the Courier showing the opening crowd. Thanks for a chance to relate my memories.
JR (Jimmy) Honeycutt
I grew up in Blytheville and I worked for the RGR theater chain while attending high school in the 1960s. During the 1950’s the town had 5 theaters. The Mox on West Main st was a second run theater operated by Mr. Moxley, the Ritz was about the 500 block of Main and was the premier theater, the Gem was a second run theater located at the corner of Main and Broadway and the Roxy was on East Main St. We had another called the Savoy which was a colored theater… By the time I worked in the movies in 1960 the Mox and Gem were closed. I think the Gem may have been the “Home” theater at one time. The lease on the Roxy was allowed to expire and the theater was run for awhile by the building’s owner Mr. Simon. The Ritz burned in 1949 or 1950 and I remember the opening night of the rebuilt Ritz (Feb 1951) We had high school bands, search lights and the movie star Ward Bond attended. The marquee loads of neon including chase red, blue and green tubes. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the excitement.
Does anyone know where I could get some fan-fold tiekets printed for my home theater? I worked at the Ritz in Blytheville, Ark as a kid and would love to have some tickets printed for my home “Ritz” theater. Thanks for your time.
Joe, The Roxy had 3 floors and two double doors with a box office between them. I worked there along with working at the Ritz from 1960 until 1963. The Home theater was operated by McClutchen during the construction of the Ritz in 1950 but I never knew of the Roxy being the home.
The Roxy was a second run, sister theater to the Ritz. The building was owned by Mr. Simon and he operated it for awhile after the Malco chain obtained the Ritz and let the lease expire on the Roxy. The Roxy was later torn down but I had left Blytheville and I don’t know the year. I do not know if the Roxy was ever called the Gem but I doubt it. I remember the Gem was located on the SE corner of Main and Broadway in the same block as the Roxy.
The Ritz burned twice, once in 1931 and was rebuilt then in 1950 it burned again and that is when McClutchen bought the adjoining buildings and built the Ritz. The grand openig I attended was in 1951.
The Ritz burned twice, once in 1931 and was rebuilt then in 1950 it burned again and that is when McClutchen bought the adjoining buildings and built the Ritz. The grand openig I attended was in 1951.
The Ritz was one block west of the Roxy. The Home (later the Gem and finally the Theater Fiestro) was across Main st in the same block as the Roxy. The Ritz no only had a smoking loge but also had a TV room…..quite something in 1951 as few homes had TV. I remember people buying tickets to watch TV. The Ritz was advertised in the Blytheville Courier Newspaper as ‘One of Arkansas’s Finest Theaters" and it was. I worked ther during my high school years and loved the place so much I evern hung out there on my day off. I worked with Johnny Glasscock, James and Tallmage Lloyd, Ruby Brothers, Jeff Sharpe and Cowboy. Projectionest were Henry Youngblood, Budd LeVann and Norman Speck. James Lloyd also ran the Starview Drive-in during the summer months. The lady selling tickets forever was Miss Elizabeth Sweat….she had a very distinctive R-I-T-Z T-H-E-A-T-E-R when answwering the phone. The manager was Ms. Audrey Nell Freeman, who cut a distinctive figure with her long cigarette holder, black horn-rimmed and jet black hair. The fantastic, neon laden marquee was distroyed when Blytheville changed Main Street so that it zigged and zagged…..aparently a large truck zigged when it should have zagged and wiped the beautiful marquee out. I think the Ritz belonged to the Malco chain by then and the marquee was not restored. For may years the building has only the blank front. I think James Lloyd may still work for the Malco chain in Memphis. I was present at the Grand Opening in 1951 and remember the gayla event. Search lights, highschool bands and a limo arriving with Mr. McClutchen, (the owner), his wife and Ward Bond. I was 5 years old and fell in love with the Ritz that night….a love affair the continues even now. I think I’m in the picture printed in the Courier showing the opening crowd. Thanks for a chance to relate my memories. JR (Jimmy) Honeycutt
I made comments concerning the movie theaters in Blytheville on the Ritz page….hope they help.
I grew up in Blytheville and I worked for the RGR theater chain while attending high school in the 1960s. During the 1950’s the town had 5 theaters. The Mox on West Main st was a second run theater operated by Mr. Moxley, the Ritz was about the 500 block of Main and was the premier theater, the Gem was a second run theater located at the corner of Main and Broadway and the Roxy was on East Main St. We had another called the Savoy which was a colored theater… By the time I worked in the movies in 1960 the Mox and Gem were closed. I think the Gem may have been the “Home” theater at one time. The lease on the Roxy was allowed to expire and the theater was run for awhile by the building’s owner Mr. Simon. The Ritz burned in 1949 or 1950 and I remember the opening night of the rebuilt Ritz (Feb 1951) We had high school bands, search lights and the movie star Ward Bond attended. The marquee loads of neon including chase red, blue and green tubes. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the excitement.
I remember it was operated as a Spanish language theater in the 1960s by Warren Moxley.
Does anyone know where I could get some fan-fold tiekets printed for my home theater? I worked at the Ritz in Blytheville, Ark as a kid and would love to have some tickets printed for my home “Ritz” theater. Thanks for your time.