The Knoxville City Directory for 1913 lists the Gem theatre at 102 W. Vine showing motion pictures for the city’s African American citizens. This is, of course, in the sad days of segregation, when blacks and whites were not allowed to sit in the same auditorium. The building currently standing at 102 W Summit Hill (the new name for Vine Avenue) could possibly be the 1913 theatre. It is an anonymous, two-story commercial building which could have been built anytime between 1900 and 1930.
The Rex Theatre stood at 423 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, Tennessee. It opened in 1912 next door to the slightly older Crystal Theatre at 425 S. Gay. The Rex was a storefront nickelodeon theatre. 423 S Gay had previously been Cureton, Kennedy & Calloway, Clothiers, and before that had been Miller Brothers Millinery Shop.
The Majestic Theatre was located at 315 South Gay Street, Knoxville, Tennessee. It opened in 1908 under the name Lyceum with Robert Robinson as manager. The manager in 1909 was W.H.Sneed. In 1910 the theatre’s name changed to Majestic and Frank Rogers was the manager. The city directory for 1910 indicates that this theatre provided motion pictures and vaudeville.
Additional to the above, regarding “earliest” movie theatresin Knoxville: at least four other theatres were showing films in 1911, Majestic, Crystal, Grand and Gay.
The theatre at 109 W Vine Avenue was not the “Lyne” as originally listed on this page. It was called the “Lyric” and only operated between 1911 and 1913. This was a store-front nickelodeon which served Knoxville’s African-American population. Mr. J.E. Shippley was the proprietor. In 1910 the address is listed as Harry Berry, shoe maker. In 1914 it was vacant. In 1915 it is listed as Chesney Brothers Clothing.
Please note, the grand Staub’s Opera House at 800-804 Gay Street, Knoxville, ended its life also known as the Lyric Theatre, though that theatre didn’t take the name “Lyric” until many years after the one on Vine Avenue closed. I leave it up to the CT staff to figure out how to list two separate theatres with the same name.
To follow up on the above, what makes a Cinema Treasure? If it’s only architecture, then this certainly isn’t it. The MT10 is clean enough, and has a bit of decor to it, but it certainly is no Rapp & Rapp jewel.
If I have one REAL complaint about the MT10 it is related to the retro-fit installation of the concrete risers to provide stadium seats. The original floors followed the practice of sloped floors. When the forms for the new risers were built, the contractor DID NOT verify that the new floors and steps would be level. The result is that the risers and steps pitch forward noticably. As the seats are built with a backward tilt, it isn’t noticable when seated, and it isn’t really a problem when entering / moving up the steps. But heaven help you walking down the steps to leave. It might be appropriate after seeing Titanic, but the list toward the bow always makes me uncomfortable when leaving the show.
Friends, a friend of mine who is a long time member of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra read the link to Kirkegaard Associates and wrote back to me with this comment. Thought you might like to see it. (And he is right, no one would ever purposefully design a concert hall in the shape of a wide oval with the stage on the long side, but that’s what we’ve got. It is, however, a stunningly beautiful hall inwhich to hear the very talented members of the KSO perform.) Will
“As might be expected, this piece is self promotion for Kirkegaard and probably exaggerates somewhat. However, I think I speak for most orchestra members when I say that there has been noticible improvement. When the KSO moved from the Civic Auditorium to the Tennessee Theatre in about 1985 I told anyone who asked, and probably some that didn’t, that I thought the acoustics had improved from a D at the Auditorium to a C at the Theatre. I would now rate the Theatre at a B. The new shell is a huge improvement in that the orchestra hears itself so much better so our ensemble playing is much better and that is a major plus in making the orchestra better. I’m not sure that since the shape of the room is all wrong for a concert hall that much more could have been done.
“So, Kirkegaard pats itself on the back perhaps a bit too strenuously but they are the firm that was chosen for the restoration of Orchestra Hall in Chicago and Severence Hall in Cleveland as well as the brand new hall in Tel Aviv so they do have a proven, positive record.”
Jack, a quick look at the modern street map shows that the address 109 W Vine is now an empty lot. Urban renewal hit that area hard, the address would now be 109 W Summit Hill: I do know from previous research that the numbers stayed the same when the name changed. 106 W Summit Hill (across the street) is still there. The neighborhood is absolutely what you’d expect to find an early storefront nickelodeon in. If you don’t mind, could you contact me directly or through this page on CT – I haven’t found any reference to this theatre in early newspapers. What is your source? I do have access to Sanborne maps, but would like to know what year/years we’re looking for.
This is a very interesting link to the Kirkegaard website describing their work on the Tennessee Theatre. Their work in acoustics (both natural and electronically enhanced) over the last couple of decades has been widely regarded as among the best work in the field.
Additional to the above: in the mid ‘80’s Universal re-released five Alfred Hitchcock pictures: North by Northwest, Vertigo, The Trouble with Harry, Rope and Rear Window. These all played at the Ridgeway and I was there with my best pals for each one on the first day of the run. The restored prints were beautiful. Sure, it would have been fun to see them in a movie palace, but the Lightmans never let us down as far as the quality of the image on the screen.
“Johnny Betts is a rude ‘abnoxious’ jerk who needs to be ‘punced’ in the face.”– A grammatically-challenged non-fan"
That’s the teaser on the website that Lost Memory links us to. I’m laughing out loud! And yep, crackdog, you’re right, it isn’t as bad as the ‘abnoxious’ Johnny Betts makes it out to be. The Ridgeway is OLD these days: built about 1975, it’s had a long hard life. It is amazing that it’s still operating.
But first things first. The Ridgeway 4 was the 2nd 4-plex that MALCO built in Memphis. (The first was the Quartet, q.v.) Also, the R-4 building replaced THE MALCO (a.k.a. the 1928 Rapp & Rapp designed Orpheum) as MALCO’s corporate headquarters.
It really was a new concept, an experiment in suburban theatre design. The R-4 is completely hidden – invisible from any road, in a low lying parcel with no major retail “anchors” to draw casual customers. If you were going to the Ridgeway, you knew what film you were going to see and WHERE you were going.
The auditoriums (uh, auditoria?) are absolutely standard MALCO design for the 1970’s and ‘80’s. Maroon curtains on the walls, waterfall curtain across the screen, standard seats upholstered in the same maroon as the walls, 4 channel stereo, big candy counter in the lobby.
The real kicker at the Ridgeway is the reverse slope floors. Entering at the back of the halls, the floor slopes downward toward the screen in the traditional auditorium rake- it’s a progressive curve based on sight-lines. However, somewhere around 5 or 6 rows from the screen, the curve bottoms out and begins to slope upward, tilting the seats back at a much steeper angle than usual. It’s the same idea which first gained popularity with the design of planetariums (uh, planetaria?): up close to the screen you don’t have your neck bent for the duration of the show. I’ve sat in those seats, it’s a neat idea, nobody does it anymore for a reason.
I did see many, many movies at the Ridgeway. My memories of the hall are uninspired design, worn out seats and worn out carpet and worn out curtains. But hall was always clean, the pictures were always bright, the sound good and the popcorn fresh. In the 1980’s that’s all we could hope for in a theatre.
crackdog: that photo thing hasn’t worked in a LONG time. I’d like to see your photos as I was there during that same period – broken hearted that the building was coming down. And of course, just 2 years later, the Memphis Symphony started talking about building their own concert hall – about 2000 seats – downtown – and it just hurt all that much more.
This is’t Organ Treasures, but since we’re on the subject: the Robert Morton organ was removed by Bill Oberg before the building came down. At his death (c. 1980) it was broken up for parts.
Lost Memory: I drove through Texarkana only once (+/– 1989) and stopped to admire a VERY handsome downtown movie theatre – the Paramount. It had been tri-plexed and was showing current fare. It was too early in the day to be open and I could only peer in the front doors. The lobby had been meticulously restored and the exterior was sparkling clean. Wonder if that’s the same hall as this?
In a 1920 Knoxville Journal Tribune newspaper ad I find this hall listed as the Central Threatre. “Knoxville’s only suburban theatre.” The name Joy is particularly appropriate: the neighborhood is known as Happy Hollar (“Hollow” or valley for those who don’t speak Southern). Happy Hollar was fairly notorious for being THE place in Knoxille to get moonshine during (and after) prohibition.
The Gay Theatre (3811 McCalla Ave) was located in one of Knoxville’s most interesting suburb – a genuine small-scale 2nd downtown several miles east of the actual city center. The area, Burlington, stands near the city’s large “street car park” and was home to a large blue-collar population. Unfortunately, the neighborhood declined and practically every business and church closed or moved away. The Gay stood in the row of shabby, one-and-two-story storefronts and weed-strewn empty lots until the late 1990’s.
The Gay was a long narrow hall, barely 25 feet wide and over 150 long. The height at the street was less than 20 feet. The auditorium floor sloped down away from the lobby, conveniently following the contour of the land. There was a tiny triangle-shaped, neon-edged marquee and a little vertical sign of budget Art Deco design. When I saw it, the floor had been leveled (with wood) and the building had been used as a bar. That business too had long gone – along with the roof.
At the time, being a dreamer, I had kept my fingers crossed that I would one day be able to buy and renovate the hall – possibly piggy-backing a new roof-top loft/living space above the auditorium. Silly dreams maybe, but it kept me smiling while in architecture school dealing with the Bauhaus and Frank Gehry.
It was with real sadness that one Sunday morning I drove past the theatre and found the front had collapsed into the street. MLK Boulevard was closed and the block roped off. The marquee and vertical sign were still visible, under several tons of brick. The roof was sagging and the side walls bulging outward. That afternoon, bulldozers pushed down the remains. By the end of the week, there was no indication that a theatre had ever been there.
Efforts are underway to revitalize Burlington, but to date, very little has been achieved.
Thanks to tntim: this theatre was built as the Gay Theatre (known to have been operating in 1914 from newspaper ads). It was remodeled and renamed Strand to compete with the luxurious new Riviera across the street.
LuisV, You’re spot on with your comments. When I saw the hall several years ago the exterior was definately looking shabby and the exhibition hall interior looked like it hadn’t had much attention for decades.
The inside of the Paramount had been renovated – I actually got to meet the renovation architect at Aida, see my note above – but it was not a full blown multi-million dollar rehab that the building deserves. It was more of a well done, heavy maintenance project.
On my trip through New Jersey that year I also visited the celebrated Ocean Grove community – block after block of high victorian jewels and the AMAZING Methodist summer-meeting auditorium there. I didn’t see a single commemorative plaque or sign. So I don’t know that sad, seedy Asbury Park would be able to do any better.
The park/plaza which fronts the Asbury Park Paramount is (uh – well, could be) among the nicest public spaces I’ve run across anywhere in the eastern US. The potential there is as vast as the park itself. The money to achieve the potential seems not to have materialized yet. Very sad.
The Queen Theatre opened on July 7, 1914. The address, 513 South Gay Street, put it right in the middle of Knoxville’s busiest retail district. The first film at the Queen was the Lasky feature “The Only Son.” Feature films with a twice weekly change were to be the policy for many years. Show times were 2:00, 3:30, 5:00, 7:00 and 8:30.
In the weeks preceding the opening, several newspaper articles describe the building in glowing terms. (Except for one postcard, no photos have yet surfaced as of this writing).
The Knoxville Journal Tribune for Tuesday July 7, 1914 -opening day- says:
“A large force of men worked all night last night putting the finishing touches on the new Queen Theatre which opens this afternoon at 2 o'clock. The brilliant electric sign with its revolving crown and the dazzling illumination of the front, which were tested out last evening, caused everyone passing down Gay Street to stop and look.”
The following day, the Journal Tribune said “The theater is uniquely and tastefully arranged. Unlike other theaters in Knoxville, and the usual plan of theaters generally, the Queen is arranged so that the audience faces the entrance. Instead of the picture screen being at the rear of the building, it is in the front, and the patrons pass to the rear to take their seats. This arrangement is an original idea of manger G.W. Shorey’s and has proven successful wherever it has been tried. It gives a larger seating space and additional exits…
“The theatre is equipped with the latest cooling plant, and many electric fans send out cooling air over ice blocks in the cooling plant. The rear wall is also cut into apartments, through which fresh air is brought into the building.
“The eight hundred seats on the first floor and on the mezzanine floor are comfortable, and are placed far enough apart for every one to have ample room.
“The walls of the building are lined with handsome columns, and on the walls hang mirrows (sic) and handsome paintings…”
Sadly, except for one mention of “preparing the music” I have found nothing to indicate who provided the music or on what sort of instrument. Surely there was more than a piano, but there is no record of a pipe organ or photoplayer installed here.
There were, at the time, two legitimate theatres in Knoxville, the Bijou and the Staub (later known as the Lyric q.v.) and three nickelodeons, the Rex, the Majestic and the Gay. The Queen seems to have been the first in the series of purpose-built movie theatres that would each attempt to surpass the previous ones in grandure and opulance. This culminated in 1928 with the opening of Paramount Publix’s magnificent Tennessee Theatre.
The audience-facing-the-entrance design is something I’ve seen only twice elsewhere: the Old Daisy Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee and the First Baptist Church, Bowling Green Kentucky (since re-configured). I can’t image what they were thinking, as any movement at the auditorium front is an immediate distraction. With the stiff competition the Queen faced in later years from the Strand, the Riviera and the Tennessee, this might have contributed to its very short life – I have found no mention of the Queen Theatre after the Great Depression.
And of course, it really should be noted what a pity it is that this hall didn’t survive. If for no other reason, how many towns could boast of having a Queen Theatre on Gay Street?
I have a single memory of the MALCO Theatre. In 1983 I drove through Jackson and stopped to admire the two movie theatres* on the town square. The MALCO was obviously an older vaudeville hall or small town opera house from the late 19th or early 20th century: very ornate terra-cotta facade. The marquee had been fairly ornate too. When I saw it, middle of the day, it was unlit and in serious need of repair and cleaning. The movie advertised on the letter boards was something current.
Looking inside the MALCO (and I believe it should be spelled with all capital letters as it is an acronym for Morris Aaron Lightman Company) revealed a completely stripped and curtained hall. MALCO did this to every old theatre they owned I believe – fortunately with the exception of the Rapp and Rapp designed Orpheum in Memphis. Their philosophy had something to do with “strip it to the bare bricks and hang curtains over the walls.” Possibly it was a matter of getting the number of seats up. I guess we’ll never know.
About a year later, I aquired what I believe to be a mirror from the Jackson TN MALCO theatre’s lobby. It is Louis XIV-esque – supply house baroque. The mirror was reportedly found in the theatre’s basement and was – ahem – liberated before demolition. With the mirror and the ornate facade I can’t help but think that this hall was part of the Wells Bijou chain which I do know operated for a time in Jackson. Also, Keith Vaudeville had a hall in Jackson, which I suspect, but have no proof of, operated in this venue too.
I have a single memory of the Paramount Theatre. In 1983 I drove through Jackson and stopped to admire the two movie theatres on the town square. The MALCO was obviously an older vaudeville hall or small town opera house from the late 19th or early 20th century: very ornate terra-cotta facade. The marquee had been fairly ornate too. When I saw it, middle of the day, it was unlit and in serious need of repair and cleaning. The movie advertised on the letter boards was something current: certainly first run. The Paramount was almost directly next door. A small storefront or two stood between the two theatres. The Paramount’s facade was much simpler, cleaner and all in good repair. The pink neon lights edging the marquee were flashing. The sign boards were lit. Strangely though, the single word on the Paramount’s marquee was “CLOSED.”
Chuck and Jack – regarding the Bijou being a “negro” theatre: Memphis has long suffered from segregation. For much of the 20th century the area of downtown south of Beale catered to African Americans. A theatre at 275 South Main would be in the appropriate area to be listed as a “negro” theatre. (Just for reference, the Orpheum is at the southwest corner of Main and Beale, the address is 195-197 South Main).
I notice that on CT there is not a listing in Memphis for the Lyceum Theatre. I wonder if the theatre listed here as the Bijou might be the Lyceum renamed by Jake Wells for his performances.
The Lyceum was a large handsom hall, built as a legit house around 1893, to go into competition with the Grand Opera House. I believe the Lycem was torn down in the mid-to-late 1930’s.
I’ve never known the address of the Lyceum, but do remember that it was briefly leased by Loew’s (and was advertised as Loew’s Lyceum) as Loew’s prepared to build the two palatial theatres: Loew’s State and Loew’s Palace. (q.v.) That would have had the Loew’s Lyceum operating around 1918 – 1919.
With a long list of friends interested in Memphis theatre history I remain surprised that none have ever heard of this hall, especially considering its very prominent address and size.
The Film Daily year book for 1935 lists this as Loew’s Strand. The big theatres in downtown Memphis changed hands a good deal during the ‘30’s. Loew’s Palace went to Paramount for a while and then to MALCO. Apparently Lowe’s operated the Strand right next door to their magnificent State for a while. Loew’s got the Palace back around 1940 when MALCO got the RKO Orpheum. As an old theatre manager friend said of that time: “the employees in the downtown theatres didn’t know who they were working for from day to day.”
The Knoxville City Directory for 1913 lists the Gem theatre at 102 W. Vine showing motion pictures for the city’s African American citizens. This is, of course, in the sad days of segregation, when blacks and whites were not allowed to sit in the same auditorium. The building currently standing at 102 W Summit Hill (the new name for Vine Avenue) could possibly be the 1913 theatre. It is an anonymous, two-story commercial building which could have been built anytime between 1900 and 1930.
The Rex Theatre stood at 423 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, Tennessee. It opened in 1912 next door to the slightly older Crystal Theatre at 425 S. Gay. The Rex was a storefront nickelodeon theatre. 423 S Gay had previously been Cureton, Kennedy & Calloway, Clothiers, and before that had been Miller Brothers Millinery Shop.
The Majestic Theatre was located at 315 South Gay Street, Knoxville, Tennessee. It opened in 1908 under the name Lyceum with Robert Robinson as manager. The manager in 1909 was W.H.Sneed. In 1910 the theatre’s name changed to Majestic and Frank Rogers was the manager. The city directory for 1910 indicates that this theatre provided motion pictures and vaudeville.
A modern building occupies the site.
Additional to the above, regarding “earliest” movie theatresin Knoxville: at least four other theatres were showing films in 1911, Majestic, Crystal, Grand and Gay.
Jack et al:
The theatre at 109 W Vine Avenue was not the “Lyne” as originally listed on this page. It was called the “Lyric” and only operated between 1911 and 1913. This was a store-front nickelodeon which served Knoxville’s African-American population. Mr. J.E. Shippley was the proprietor. In 1910 the address is listed as Harry Berry, shoe maker. In 1914 it was vacant. In 1915 it is listed as Chesney Brothers Clothing.
Please note, the grand Staub’s Opera House at 800-804 Gay Street, Knoxville, ended its life also known as the Lyric Theatre, though that theatre didn’t take the name “Lyric” until many years after the one on Vine Avenue closed. I leave it up to the CT staff to figure out how to list two separate theatres with the same name.
To follow up on the above, what makes a Cinema Treasure? If it’s only architecture, then this certainly isn’t it. The MT10 is clean enough, and has a bit of decor to it, but it certainly is no Rapp & Rapp jewel.
If I have one REAL complaint about the MT10 it is related to the retro-fit installation of the concrete risers to provide stadium seats. The original floors followed the practice of sloped floors. When the forms for the new risers were built, the contractor DID NOT verify that the new floors and steps would be level. The result is that the risers and steps pitch forward noticably. As the seats are built with a backward tilt, it isn’t noticable when seated, and it isn’t really a problem when entering / moving up the steps. But heaven help you walking down the steps to leave. It might be appropriate after seeing Titanic, but the list toward the bow always makes me uncomfortable when leaving the show.
Friends, a friend of mine who is a long time member of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra read the link to Kirkegaard Associates and wrote back to me with this comment. Thought you might like to see it. (And he is right, no one would ever purposefully design a concert hall in the shape of a wide oval with the stage on the long side, but that’s what we’ve got. It is, however, a stunningly beautiful hall inwhich to hear the very talented members of the KSO perform.) Will
“As might be expected, this piece is self promotion for Kirkegaard and probably exaggerates somewhat. However, I think I speak for most orchestra members when I say that there has been noticible improvement. When the KSO moved from the Civic Auditorium to the Tennessee Theatre in about 1985 I told anyone who asked, and probably some that didn’t, that I thought the acoustics had improved from a D at the Auditorium to a C at the Theatre. I would now rate the Theatre at a B. The new shell is a huge improvement in that the orchestra hears itself so much better so our ensemble playing is much better and that is a major plus in making the orchestra better. I’m not sure that since the shape of the room is all wrong for a concert hall that much more could have been done.
“So, Kirkegaard pats itself on the back perhaps a bit too strenuously but they are the firm that was chosen for the restoration of Orchestra Hall in Chicago and Severence Hall in Cleveland as well as the brand new hall in Tel Aviv so they do have a proven, positive record.”
Jack, a quick look at the modern street map shows that the address 109 W Vine is now an empty lot. Urban renewal hit that area hard, the address would now be 109 W Summit Hill: I do know from previous research that the numbers stayed the same when the name changed. 106 W Summit Hill (across the street) is still there. The neighborhood is absolutely what you’d expect to find an early storefront nickelodeon in. If you don’t mind, could you contact me directly or through this page on CT – I haven’t found any reference to this theatre in early newspapers. What is your source? I do have access to Sanborne maps, but would like to know what year/years we’re looking for.
This is a very interesting link to the Kirkegaard website describing their work on the Tennessee Theatre. Their work in acoustics (both natural and electronically enhanced) over the last couple of decades has been widely regarded as among the best work in the field.
http://www.kirkegaard.com/press/2072/2072.htm
Additional to the above: in the mid ‘80’s Universal re-released five Alfred Hitchcock pictures: North by Northwest, Vertigo, The Trouble with Harry, Rope and Rear Window. These all played at the Ridgeway and I was there with my best pals for each one on the first day of the run. The restored prints were beautiful. Sure, it would have been fun to see them in a movie palace, but the Lightmans never let us down as far as the quality of the image on the screen.
“Johnny Betts is a rude ‘abnoxious’ jerk who needs to be ‘punced’ in the face.”– A grammatically-challenged non-fan"
That’s the teaser on the website that Lost Memory links us to. I’m laughing out loud! And yep, crackdog, you’re right, it isn’t as bad as the ‘abnoxious’ Johnny Betts makes it out to be. The Ridgeway is OLD these days: built about 1975, it’s had a long hard life. It is amazing that it’s still operating.
But first things first. The Ridgeway 4 was the 2nd 4-plex that MALCO built in Memphis. (The first was the Quartet, q.v.) Also, the R-4 building replaced THE MALCO (a.k.a. the 1928 Rapp & Rapp designed Orpheum) as MALCO’s corporate headquarters.
It really was a new concept, an experiment in suburban theatre design. The R-4 is completely hidden – invisible from any road, in a low lying parcel with no major retail “anchors” to draw casual customers. If you were going to the Ridgeway, you knew what film you were going to see and WHERE you were going.
The auditoriums (uh, auditoria?) are absolutely standard MALCO design for the 1970’s and ‘80’s. Maroon curtains on the walls, waterfall curtain across the screen, standard seats upholstered in the same maroon as the walls, 4 channel stereo, big candy counter in the lobby.
The real kicker at the Ridgeway is the reverse slope floors. Entering at the back of the halls, the floor slopes downward toward the screen in the traditional auditorium rake- it’s a progressive curve based on sight-lines. However, somewhere around 5 or 6 rows from the screen, the curve bottoms out and begins to slope upward, tilting the seats back at a much steeper angle than usual. It’s the same idea which first gained popularity with the design of planetariums (uh, planetaria?): up close to the screen you don’t have your neck bent for the duration of the show. I’ve sat in those seats, it’s a neat idea, nobody does it anymore for a reason.
I did see many, many movies at the Ridgeway. My memories of the hall are uninspired design, worn out seats and worn out carpet and worn out curtains. But hall was always clean, the pictures were always bright, the sound good and the popcorn fresh. In the 1980’s that’s all we could hope for in a theatre.
crackdog: that photo thing hasn’t worked in a LONG time. I’d like to see your photos as I was there during that same period – broken hearted that the building was coming down. And of course, just 2 years later, the Memphis Symphony started talking about building their own concert hall – about 2000 seats – downtown – and it just hurt all that much more.
This is’t Organ Treasures, but since we’re on the subject: the Robert Morton organ was removed by Bill Oberg before the building came down. At his death (c. 1980) it was broken up for parts.
Charrio, if you’ll click on my name below, you’ll find my e-mail link under “contact info”. I may have some info for you.
Lost Memory: I drove through Texarkana only once (+/– 1989) and stopped to admire a VERY handsome downtown movie theatre – the Paramount. It had been tri-plexed and was showing current fare. It was too early in the day to be open and I could only peer in the front doors. The lobby had been meticulously restored and the exterior was sparkling clean. Wonder if that’s the same hall as this?
In a 1920 Knoxville Journal Tribune newspaper ad I find this hall listed as the Central Threatre. “Knoxville’s only suburban theatre.” The name Joy is particularly appropriate: the neighborhood is known as Happy Hollar (“Hollow” or valley for those who don’t speak Southern). Happy Hollar was fairly notorious for being THE place in Knoxille to get moonshine during (and after) prohibition.
Let’s raise a glass to the Joy!
The Gay Theatre (3811 McCalla Ave) was located in one of Knoxville’s most interesting suburb – a genuine small-scale 2nd downtown several miles east of the actual city center. The area, Burlington, stands near the city’s large “street car park” and was home to a large blue-collar population. Unfortunately, the neighborhood declined and practically every business and church closed or moved away. The Gay stood in the row of shabby, one-and-two-story storefronts and weed-strewn empty lots until the late 1990’s.
The Gay was a long narrow hall, barely 25 feet wide and over 150 long. The height at the street was less than 20 feet. The auditorium floor sloped down away from the lobby, conveniently following the contour of the land. There was a tiny triangle-shaped, neon-edged marquee and a little vertical sign of budget Art Deco design. When I saw it, the floor had been leveled (with wood) and the building had been used as a bar. That business too had long gone – along with the roof.
At the time, being a dreamer, I had kept my fingers crossed that I would one day be able to buy and renovate the hall – possibly piggy-backing a new roof-top loft/living space above the auditorium. Silly dreams maybe, but it kept me smiling while in architecture school dealing with the Bauhaus and Frank Gehry.
It was with real sadness that one Sunday morning I drove past the theatre and found the front had collapsed into the street. MLK Boulevard was closed and the block roped off. The marquee and vertical sign were still visible, under several tons of brick. The roof was sagging and the side walls bulging outward. That afternoon, bulldozers pushed down the remains. By the end of the week, there was no indication that a theatre had ever been there.
Efforts are underway to revitalize Burlington, but to date, very little has been achieved.
Thanks to tntim: this theatre was built as the Gay Theatre (known to have been operating in 1914 from newspaper ads). It was remodeled and renamed Strand to compete with the luxurious new Riviera across the street.
LuisV, You’re spot on with your comments. When I saw the hall several years ago the exterior was definately looking shabby and the exhibition hall interior looked like it hadn’t had much attention for decades.
The inside of the Paramount had been renovated – I actually got to meet the renovation architect at Aida, see my note above – but it was not a full blown multi-million dollar rehab that the building deserves. It was more of a well done, heavy maintenance project.
On my trip through New Jersey that year I also visited the celebrated Ocean Grove community – block after block of high victorian jewels and the AMAZING Methodist summer-meeting auditorium there. I didn’t see a single commemorative plaque or sign. So I don’t know that sad, seedy Asbury Park would be able to do any better.
The park/plaza which fronts the Asbury Park Paramount is (uh – well, could be) among the nicest public spaces I’ve run across anywhere in the eastern US. The potential there is as vast as the park itself. The money to achieve the potential seems not to have materialized yet. Very sad.
The Queen Theatre opened on July 7, 1914. The address, 513 South Gay Street, put it right in the middle of Knoxville’s busiest retail district. The first film at the Queen was the Lasky feature “The Only Son.” Feature films with a twice weekly change were to be the policy for many years. Show times were 2:00, 3:30, 5:00, 7:00 and 8:30.
In the weeks preceding the opening, several newspaper articles describe the building in glowing terms. (Except for one postcard, no photos have yet surfaced as of this writing).
The Knoxville Journal Tribune for Tuesday July 7, 1914 -opening day- says:
“A large force of men worked all night last night putting the finishing touches on the new Queen Theatre which opens this afternoon at 2 o'clock. The brilliant electric sign with its revolving crown and the dazzling illumination of the front, which were tested out last evening, caused everyone passing down Gay Street to stop and look.”
The following day, the Journal Tribune said “The theater is uniquely and tastefully arranged. Unlike other theaters in Knoxville, and the usual plan of theaters generally, the Queen is arranged so that the audience faces the entrance. Instead of the picture screen being at the rear of the building, it is in the front, and the patrons pass to the rear to take their seats. This arrangement is an original idea of manger G.W. Shorey’s and has proven successful wherever it has been tried. It gives a larger seating space and additional exits…
“The theatre is equipped with the latest cooling plant, and many electric fans send out cooling air over ice blocks in the cooling plant. The rear wall is also cut into apartments, through which fresh air is brought into the building.
“The eight hundred seats on the first floor and on the mezzanine floor are comfortable, and are placed far enough apart for every one to have ample room.
“The walls of the building are lined with handsome columns, and on the walls hang mirrows (sic) and handsome paintings…”
Sadly, except for one mention of “preparing the music” I have found nothing to indicate who provided the music or on what sort of instrument. Surely there was more than a piano, but there is no record of a pipe organ or photoplayer installed here.
There were, at the time, two legitimate theatres in Knoxville, the Bijou and the Staub (later known as the Lyric q.v.) and three nickelodeons, the Rex, the Majestic and the Gay. The Queen seems to have been the first in the series of purpose-built movie theatres that would each attempt to surpass the previous ones in grandure and opulance. This culminated in 1928 with the opening of Paramount Publix’s magnificent Tennessee Theatre.
The audience-facing-the-entrance design is something I’ve seen only twice elsewhere: the Old Daisy Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee and the First Baptist Church, Bowling Green Kentucky (since re-configured). I can’t image what they were thinking, as any movement at the auditorium front is an immediate distraction. With the stiff competition the Queen faced in later years from the Strand, the Riviera and the Tennessee, this might have contributed to its very short life – I have found no mention of the Queen Theatre after the Great Depression.
And of course, it really should be noted what a pity it is that this hall didn’t survive. If for no other reason, how many towns could boast of having a Queen Theatre on Gay Street?
I have a single memory of the MALCO Theatre. In 1983 I drove through Jackson and stopped to admire the two movie theatres* on the town square. The MALCO was obviously an older vaudeville hall or small town opera house from the late 19th or early 20th century: very ornate terra-cotta facade. The marquee had been fairly ornate too. When I saw it, middle of the day, it was unlit and in serious need of repair and cleaning. The movie advertised on the letter boards was something current.
Looking inside the MALCO (and I believe it should be spelled with all capital letters as it is an acronym for Morris Aaron Lightman Company) revealed a completely stripped and curtained hall. MALCO did this to every old theatre they owned I believe – fortunately with the exception of the Rapp and Rapp designed Orpheum in Memphis. Their philosophy had something to do with “strip it to the bare bricks and hang curtains over the walls.” Possibly it was a matter of getting the number of seats up. I guess we’ll never know.
About a year later, I aquired what I believe to be a mirror from the Jackson TN MALCO theatre’s lobby. It is Louis XIV-esque – supply house baroque. The mirror was reportedly found in the theatre’s basement and was – ahem – liberated before demolition. With the mirror and the ornate facade I can’t help but think that this hall was part of the Wells Bijou chain which I do know operated for a time in Jackson. Also, Keith Vaudeville had a hall in Jackson, which I suspect, but have no proof of, operated in this venue too.
*The other theatre was the Paramount (q.v.)
I have a single memory of the Paramount Theatre. In 1983 I drove through Jackson and stopped to admire the two movie theatres on the town square. The MALCO was obviously an older vaudeville hall or small town opera house from the late 19th or early 20th century: very ornate terra-cotta facade. The marquee had been fairly ornate too. When I saw it, middle of the day, it was unlit and in serious need of repair and cleaning. The movie advertised on the letter boards was something current: certainly first run. The Paramount was almost directly next door. A small storefront or two stood between the two theatres. The Paramount’s facade was much simpler, cleaner and all in good repair. The pink neon lights edging the marquee were flashing. The sign boards were lit. Strangely though, the single word on the Paramount’s marquee was “CLOSED.”
Chuck and Jack – regarding the Bijou being a “negro” theatre: Memphis has long suffered from segregation. For much of the 20th century the area of downtown south of Beale catered to African Americans. A theatre at 275 South Main would be in the appropriate area to be listed as a “negro” theatre. (Just for reference, the Orpheum is at the southwest corner of Main and Beale, the address is 195-197 South Main).
I notice that on CT there is not a listing in Memphis for the Lyceum Theatre. I wonder if the theatre listed here as the Bijou might be the Lyceum renamed by Jake Wells for his performances.
The Lyceum was a large handsom hall, built as a legit house around 1893, to go into competition with the Grand Opera House. I believe the Lycem was torn down in the mid-to-late 1930’s.
I’ve never known the address of the Lyceum, but do remember that it was briefly leased by Loew’s (and was advertised as Loew’s Lyceum) as Loew’s prepared to build the two palatial theatres: Loew’s State and Loew’s Palace. (q.v.) That would have had the Loew’s Lyceum operating around 1918 – 1919.
With a long list of friends interested in Memphis theatre history I remain surprised that none have ever heard of this hall, especially considering its very prominent address and size.
Best
Bway, great shot. The Orpheum is also visible to the left.
The Film Daily year book for 1935 lists this as Loew’s Strand. The big theatres in downtown Memphis changed hands a good deal during the ‘30’s. Loew’s Palace went to Paramount for a while and then to MALCO. Apparently Lowe’s operated the Strand right next door to their magnificent State for a while. Loew’s got the Palace back around 1940 when MALCO got the RKO Orpheum. As an old theatre manager friend said of that time: “the employees in the downtown theatres didn’t know who they were working for from day to day.”