Tennessee Theatre
604 S. Gay Street,
Knoxville,
TN
37902
604 S. Gay Street,
Knoxville,
TN
37902
18 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 119 comments
Original 1928 Graven And Mayger Photographic Prints Of The Tennessee Theater Photographed By Thompson Company Photographers.
https://www.urbanremainschicago.com/original-1928-graven-and-mayger-photographic-prints-of-the-tennessee-theater-photographed-by-thompson-company-photographers.html
Fotomac, The movie playing on July 15, 1977 was “Smokey and the Bandit”.
Can anyone remember what the feature was for the week of 15 July, when Star Wars came to town, if it was still open by then?
Inside of Knoxville link with photos of the June 2016 removal and August 2016 replacement of the Tennessee blade sign.
https://insideofknoxville.com/2016/09/the-historic-tennessee-theatre-relights-its-marquee-and-signature-blade-sign/
September 30th, 1928 grand opening ad posted.
Functions should include: Movies (classic)
An obscure 1934 artist depiction added featuring each of the downtown Knoxville movie theatres! Image and copy courtesy of the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound Facebook page.
1929 photo courtesy of the P.C. Dixon Collection and 1931 photo added courtesy of the Tennessee Archive of Moving Image and Sound Facebook page.
This restored theatre is a must-see when in Knoxville! Hope to revisit this winter!
Here it is from the front.
View link
Will,
The lattice showed up in the second round of photos that Jim Thompson shot in 1929
Don Pedro and his band only lasted until spring of 1929. Paramount discovered that the public accepted the shorts with sound instead of live acts. So there was no need to pay for a live band. My guess is they put up the lattice fence to hide the empty orchestra pit.
Tim
In the photo “Auditorium 1929” what’s with the trellis-like railing at the orchestra pit? Never noticed that before.
thanks Guys. i have one of the booth,somewhere!
Here are some vintage pictures of the Tennessee.
Exterior Feb.1929:
View link
Lobby Aug. 1929:
View link
Auditorium 1929:
View link
Sept.18 1967 NOW SHOWING Sandy Dennis in “ UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE”
Cool come on up.
Cool come on up.
yeah,I never knew what cue mark was until i worked in a theatre and i wasn’t even in the booth.I don’t think the public even notices them. I guess since no one hardy makes a change over who needs them today. I am going to Nashville right now.
Hey Mike I have tried to show my wife cue marks on old movies on T.V. I will point them out but she never sees them. Check out the Tennessee Theatre in Nashville site if you havent already.
I Saw in the Knoxville paper a write-up on the Tennessee Theatre. Saw those 35mm projectors. WOW, YOU GUYS must use real projectionists that know a cue mark from a splice!
NOW PLAYING AT THE TENNESSEE THEATRE SUNDAY SEPT,24 1967 ROBERT REDFORD AND JANE FONDA IN BARE FOOT IN THE PARK, WITH A WOODY WOODPECKER CARTOON TICKETS WENT ON SALE AT 1;20 PM. LAST SHOW WAS AT 9;30. TWO FOR THE ROAD WAS THE NEXT FEATURE TO PLAY AT THAT SHOWPALACE.
In today’s Arts Section of the New York Times, this theatre as well as the nearby Bijou were mentioned as part of the Big Ears Festival.
“Mr. Capps’s company, AC Entertainment, manages and operates the Bijou, a 700-seat theater downtown on Gay Street, opened in 1909 and recently renovated into one of the best-sounding rooms I’ve experienced in this country. It also runs the Tennessee, a 1,500-seat theater with lavish, Moorish-style interiors a few blocks away.”
I can just hear Bill playing “The Time Warp” on the Wurlitzer.
Oh and to Will:
You must have missed Dr. Snyder dressed as a female character from Rocky Horror Picture Show when we showed the film this past October! No dinner jackets in sight!
Patsy, I have worked at the Tennessee Theatre since November 2004, and I assure that since that time the organ has always been RED with gold trim. Perhaps when you saw it Dr. Snyder was playing? Sometimes when he does the Mighty Musical Monday concerts he does use lighting which may reflect a different color?