Melz Theatre

Morris Melz began operating the original Melz Theatre in March 6, 1921 in the existing Hickman-Hatchell Mercantile Store building on Front Street. Melz then moved to Louisiana Avenue into the Ferriday Bakery Building. The opening double feature was Mary Pickford in “Heart o’ the Hills” and Gloria Swanson in “The Pullman Bride".

The town of Ferriday experienced tremendous growth in the 1920’s doubling from just over 1,000 to over 2,000 residents. So a new operator, George Grant, built a structure called the Arcade Building in 1926. It housed the new Arcade Theatre launching with a live event in June of 1926. Metz felt that the town could not support two theatres. He merged operations with Grant’s Arcade closing the Melz Theatre on October 28, 1926 with Pete Morrison in “The Escape” supported by an Aesop’s Fables short and a newsreel.

The Melz-Arcade operation began on on November 1, 1926 beginning with the “The Night Patrol,” “War Paint” and “Snowed In.” That venue has its own Cinema Treasure page and the Melz nameplate held until 1950 (save a brief operational period in 1930-1) at which time it was shortened to the Arcade. A long running pool hall moved into the former Melz Theatre building.

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