Portals to Hell Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
Travel Channel's "Portals to Hell" investigated claims that the theater is haunted by a child and a former manager, in an episode aired May 21, 2022, and reported voices and loud bangs. Source: Arkansas Times, 2022.
Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.
Real history
The Princess Theatre opened on the site in 1910 and burned on Christmas Eve 1935, leaving only its foundation and entrance; Malco bought it in 1936. It showed films until 1995 and later housed the Maxwell Blade Theatre of Magic & Comedy. It was added to the National Register on January 21, 2010 (Wikipedia).
Ghost stories
These are reported legends, not verified events. The creepiness score (1–5) is Spook Atlas's own editorial rating, not a measurement.
Then and now
Public access
Open to the public The theater sells tickets to year-round magic shows and other events (Historic Malco Theatre). Sources differ on the resident act: the theater names Jonathan Erlandson, while Maxwell Blade's site still advertises his show there. Last checked: Nov 1, 2026.
Explore more
- More places in Hot Springs and Arkansas
- More haunted & abandoned theaters
- Nearby: Arlington Hotel (Hot Springs, AR), Gurdon Light (Gurdon, AR), Old State House (Little Rock, AR), MacArthur Museum (Arsenal Tower Building) (Little Rock, AR)
⚠️ Please read: This information may be outdated and conditions change. Verify access with the owner or operator before you go. Spook Atlas does not encourage trespassing. Entering private, closed or condemned property can be illegal and dangerous. Report a correction.
Reader experiences
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