2020.08.13 THROW BACK THURSDAY - Some Great Heights Theatre Remembrances plus Class News

THROW BACK THURSDAY - Some Great Heights Theatre Remembrances   plus  Class News

Thank you, Thank You, Thank You - Love You! –

Margaret Baker

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Mary Lou,

Enjoyed the article about the Heights theater. It was my "grammar school" hangout. Saturday and Sunday were "can't miss" 

days for the matinee. Yes, the admission cost was $0.14, and popcorn was $0.10. A movie, and serial that always ended with 

"the stage coach going over the cliff with the hero in it.  Miraculously the next week, the hero got out of the stage coach at the 

last second.

As we got older, Billy Wade was an usher at the Heights. Also remember the drug store next door. Was it Halls Drug Store? 

Good for a coke (could not afford a milk shake) after the movie.  My family lived 4 blocks away, and I would walk to the theater 

almost every Saturday and Sunday.  Good times.

Hope all is well with you.

Jack Dell

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I was a true devotee of the Heights Theater. Never missed the 14 cents matinee. Truly a bargain when there 

was a double feature. I remember holding hands with Billy Wade there.  Such fabulous memories.

Carol Griffenhagen Dallos

Dalfab124 @gmail.com

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Thank you for info about the Heights Theater.  Brings back memories.  I worked there for a while when I 

was in high school.

Stay well

Jane Hopkins

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Thanks Marilou for sending this great memory. I went to the Heights or the Prospect at Hillcrest every Saturday 

as an Elementary student at Fair Park. The Heights was exclusive after starting at Pulaski Heights and making 

new friends that went to Forest Park elementary. Ed Cromwell (Mildred’s Dad) was such a great influence and 

leader in preserving Little Rock history. He was the prime force in developing and preserving The Quapaw 

Quarter as well as The Heights.

Mike Huddleston (Friend of Gaylon Mulkey, ’57 grad)

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 Dear Marylou,

Thanks for your great summary on "The Heights", so many good memories.  I spent six nights a week there during 

my high school years ''54-'56 along with Roy Jackson, Linda Orton (now), Ralph Erwin and another girl "Woodie ???".

The girls ran the concession and the (seldom present) manager, Raymond Mills, allowed Roy, Ralph and I all the

popcorn we wanted...free if we didn't use the regular popcorn boxes.  Linda made the absolute best popcorn and 

would scoop all we wanted into empty candy bar boxes.    For all practical purposes I enjoyed popcorn suppers 

six nights for about three years.   Ralph died years ago but Roy Linda and I share good memories of so many nights 

there.   Even things like changing the marque every two or three nights (unlike now with movies changing every

couple of weeks) or "evicting" over enthusiastic kids a full row at a time. : )   I still have recollections of walking home 

(Brentwood in Cammack Village) every night...clear/rain/warm/cold...occasional snow...have you ever noticed how 

we tmd to forget unpleasant moments and hang onto good ones?  

Thanks again dear friend, so many good memories...     ; )

David Hudiburgh

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The only time I went to the Heights Theatre was in the late 1940’s to see a childhood “ Sweetheart” from  Good 

Counsel who moved to the Heights area.  Like you, I was a Lee Theatre patron  where I hung out with all the 

West Side girls etc. when that time came about.  By the time Carolyn entered my life, it was strictly the Riverside 

Drive In for sure,

Of course me and Benny Wise also lived at the Rex and Roxie Theatres downtown for the Western Shoot ‘Em ups .

Jimmy Martin

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 Saw the movie  "The Thing," was spooky back then. Went with Charles "Dete" Henley, Sandra Henley and Bruce H

enley Mr. Henley drove us there and picked us up. Wasn't a date with Sandra, but an invite to join them. Much fun.

Donald Surgot

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 And I saved the best for last!!!  Whoever thought of lightning bugs in the movie theatre!!! 

Well, now we know who did!!!!

ML, Loved your current article  even more than usual. Started writing the following even before getting to Jim Guy’s 

comments in your article.  Of course, he can’t really remember the earliest days of The Heights Theater.  He wasn’t 

born until 1943.  Our older sister, Frances, and I were  there for the Heights opening day and constantly thereafter.  

We lived on Stonewall Rd, between Tyler and Polk.  Using neighborhood shortcuts it was less than three blocks.

Tickets so cheap, 14 cents in the earliest days, we would go every time it changed. (As Jim Guy said, 3 times a week ) 

a week, plus the Sat afternoon matinee.  Jim Guy’s memories are accurate but, of course, he didn’t start visiting the 

theater until it had been open a few years.  He was born in 43.

I went with our older sister, Frances, on the first day it opened and repeated constantly through high school.

It opened shortly after we moved to Stonewall Rd.  I was in second grade.  Theater entrance was on Kavanaugh.  

Entrance to Heights Drug Store was on Taylor.

As per Jim Guy’s memories,. Kids tickets were 14 cents.  Movies changed three times a week plus Sat. afternoon 

matinee/serial.  Rest of weekly schedule I think was Sun/Mon, Tues/Wed, Thurs/Fri. 

The theater had a big parking lot, surrounded by a very elegant brick wall.  Early on I taught our little fox terrier dog 

to scramble up that wall and trot along behind me.

The theater was so close to home and the times so different, I started going to the movies by myself at an early age.  

That led to the great  “older sister” trick by older sister Frances.  The scariest movie ever made, “The Thing,” was playing.  

Frances  went to see it with her friends.  She knew I was going to the next showing by myself and that I would walk home

 in the dark past parking lot and brick wall….and the dark corner where the building ended and parking lot began.  She 

hid there waiting for me to pass, jumped out and  grabbed me. I was petrified!  Screamed and cried and ran all the way 

home at top speed. Knew  “The Thing” was right behind me. Had nightmares for weeks.  Frances paid a high price for

her dirty trick. We shared a bedroom and she had to live through the nightmares.  I still can’t watch that movie.

Also remember that, in the summer, we occasionally caught lightning bugs, put them in a jar with a lid, then sneaked them 

into The Heights and released them so they could flutter about blinking. If we were really successful in catching the bugs, 

the ushers would have to catch them.  That didn’t happen often because it was a big theater and the bugs spread out.  

But they kept on blinking accompanied by giggling kids.

A last note---Ed Cromwell’s two daughters,  Gertrude (Trudie) LRCHS ’54 and Mildred, ’58 also got to enjoy The Heights.

Sure glad you’ve signed on to continue entertaining all of us.

Carol Lee Tucker

Class News

Our condolences to Kathryn Mehaffey in the death of her brother, Mike.

It's Your Day, Charlotte Jones and Frankie Stevens!!!

August Birthdays!!!  (Look how we've spread out!)

3     Carolyn Cubbins, Alabama

4      Myra Harrison, Hot Springs

5      Martha Hopkins, Wisconsin

7      Jack Holtzman, Hot Springs

8      Morris Ison, El Paso, AR

        Iris Johnson, Texas

        Barbara May, Maumelle

9      Rachel Dodson, Bryant

        Gene Dolby, Michigan

        Jane Johnston, Missouri

10    Jim Wallis, LR

12    Faye Rita Creech - Looking for her!

13    Charlotte Jones, Maumelle

        Frankie Stevens, Mabelvale

14    Joe Harbour, Texas

15    Mary Bowden, Fort Smith

        George Hebling, Alabama

16    Laura "Snooky" Peters, North Little Rock

17    Mary Fleming, Oklahoma

ML