A 1936 Art Deco theater rebuilt after a Christmas Eve fire — with four documented deaths and a Travel Channel investigation inside.
817 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Magic show tickets vary by performance. See website for current pricing and schedule.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Historic theater with lobby and main floor seating; balcony accessible by stairs only
Equipment
No Photos
Est. 1936 · Art Deco Theater Architecture · National Register of Historic Places · 1935 Christmas Eve Fire Rebuild · Hot Springs Cultural History · Travel Channel Portals to Hell Investigation
The theater at 817 Central Ave in Hot Springs has occupied the block since 1910, when it opened as the Princess Theatre. For twenty-five years it operated as a standard movie and vaudeville house before catching fire on Christmas Eve 1935 — a fire that burned the structure to its shell.
The rebuilt Malco Theatre, completed in 1936, was designed in the Art Deco style that characterized movie palace construction of that era. It was among the finest cinemas in Arkansas at the time, and remained operational through the mid-20th century. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its architectural significance as a surviving example of Depression-era theater design.
Wikipedia's article on the Malco confirms the NRHP listing and the 1935 fire date, and notes Bill Clinton attended performances there during his childhood in Hot Springs. The Hot Springs Sentinel Record documented the building's four confirmed deaths across its operating history in 2016 coverage.
The theater was eventually acquired by illusionist Maxwell Blade, who operates it as the Maxwell Blade Theatre of Magic — a fitting reuse given the building's theatrical history. The combination of its long operating period, documented deaths, and Christmas Eve fire origin gives it a layered history that attracted Travel Channel attention.
Sources
The Malco Theatre's paranormal profile received national attention in 2022 when Travel Channel's 'Portals to Hell' produced an episode at the venue. The Arkansas Times reported on the investigation, noting that the production documented disembodied voices and unexplained banging during their time inside the theater. The episode aired in Season 3 of the series.
The Hot Springs Sentinel Record's 2016 coverage placed the Malco on a list of haunted venues and confirmed four documented deaths connected to the building across its history. The nature and circumstances of those deaths were not fully specified in available coverage.
A persistent local legend holds that during the 1880s — predating the current building but associated with the theatrical history of the block — a woman was used in a magic disappearing act and was never recovered. This claim has not been corroborated in historical newspaper archives in available sources, and should be treated as legend rather than documented fact. The block's long theatrical history makes the story plausible as an oral tradition even if specific evidence is absent.
The theater's current use as a venue for Maxwell Blade's magic performances adds an intentional layer to the site's already unusual history — a building defined by disappearances and deaths, now operating as a theater of illusions.
Media Appearances
The current tenant, illusionist Maxwell Blade, performs regular magic shows in the 1936 Art Deco theater. The venue's dark history — four documented deaths, a Christmas Eve fire, and a disappearing-act legend — informs the atmosphere of the performances.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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