The shopping center that the theatre was in was developed in the mid 80’s. The Home Depot anchored the west side of the center and the East Towne 8 anchored the east end. Regal built the theatre originally to compete with the UA-7 located in that mall that was on the other side of the interstate.
When Regal bought out United Artists, they had a total of 15 screens at two theatres close to each other. At that point regal turned the East Towne Crossing into a dollar theatre. After Regal enlarged the East Towne Mall theatre, they closed East Town Crossing. The building stood empty for several years before finally being torn down.
It was built by United Artist and opened when the mall did in July of 1984. At that time the name of the theatre was UA 7. When Regal Entertainment Group purchased the UA chain it became a Regal Cinema. In the mid 90’s Regal added 3 more screens and converted the original 7 auditoriums to stadium seating.
An aerial photo of the theatre can be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheneworth/2675617640/
It is the oval building in the lower left hand corner of the mall parking lot.
The world premiere of “A Walk in The Spring Rain” was held at the Capri-70 on April 9, 1970. I have posted pictures of the event in the photos section.
The first handprints were from Ingrid Bergman from the premiere of “A Walk in The Spring Rain” in April 1970. I have posted a picture of the event in the photos section. I have also posted additional photos on the Capri Cinema III & IV thread since technically that was the former Capri-70 before it was twined.
Thanks for the correction. I have always called that section Maynardville Hwy, but it doesn’t become “Highway” until it crosses the Knox/Union County line.
The Skyway was on Maynardville Hwy which is what Broadway becomes after you leave the Knoxville city limits. The location is in the unincorporated community of Halls Crossroads. I have set the streetview to the correct location. It shows the original driveway which is now the entrance to the trailer park that sits on the spot where the drive-in was.
You can take the streetview up Mynatt Road which runs along the south side of the property, and still see the old metal fencing that was around the drive-in.
The correct address is 6517 Maynardville Hwy, Knoxville, TN 37918
The Autism Center is in the building that used to house Rush’s Music Store. There was also another building next door that had a boating and marine store. The drive-in was behind these buildings with the marquee and entrance just north of the current Hardee’s. The Mini-Storage units are now located where the north side of the drive-in was.
If you look at the photos of this theatre in Charleston,http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/27447/photos , you are looking at the Westown Theatre. Both were Identical in appearance.
The building that once housed the Dawn Theatre was demolished this week along with adjacent buildings. No announcement has been made for the future of the property.
I have positioned streetview to the location of the main entrance on Callahan Road. The street sign/marquee was approximately where the Taco Bell sign is now, on Clinton Hwy at Callahan.
My dad helped with the installation of the projection equipment and brought me along for the ride. I was only twelve at the time, and wish now that I paid more attention and had taken some pictures. It’s funny how you think that something that is new will be around forever.
On Streetview, the Broadway Theatre was in the space between the alley and the building on the left. Broadway was renumbered sometime in the past, so the current address is 3411 North Broadway.
The article in Boxoffice about the opening. Please note that the original name was Westown Ulra-Vision Theatre, not Westown Cinema. The name was changed to Westown I & II after it was twined. Also the seating capacity was 800, not 1000. View link
The gentleman that is mentioned is Walter Morris. He built both the Pike and the Tower theatres. C.H. Simpson leased both theatres from Mr. Morris in 1963 and remodeled both theatres and changed their names. The Pike became the Capri Cinema and the Tower became the Lenox. In cir.1965 the state bought the Lenox for the I-640/ Broadway interchange and in 1967 Mr. Morris used the money from the sale of the Lenox to built the Capri-70 adjoining the west side of the Capri Cinema which Mr. Simpson operated. The Capri Cinema and the Capri-70 were two separate buildings that shared a common wall. They should not be considered similar to today’s multiplexes as they each had their own lobby, boxoffice, projection booth, and heat and air systems.
After Mr. Morris’s death, Simpson Operating Company bought both theatres from Mr. Morris’s estate. In the mid seventies Simpson twined the Capri Cinema and it became the Capri Cinema I & II. In the late eighties, they also twined the Capri-70 and that became the Capri III & IV.
Regal Cinemas leased the Capri theatres form Simpson Operating Company in the early nineties and ran them for three years. Regal was unable to re-negotiate a new lease and the Capri’s were closed. In the mid nineties the Capri theatres were sold to Bennett Art Gallery. They demolished three quarters of the old Capri Cinema and completely gutted the old Capri-70 which they turned into their art gallery.
The Ace Hardware store is actually in the old Shoney’s Restaurant which was on the east side of the Capri Cinema.
Memilr, the drive-in that was on the river was the Solway Drive-In.
Will, This picture must have been taken after October 1928. The Queen Theatre is not across the street from the Riviera.
JW, the Sunset Drive-in was in the 5000 block of Clinton Hwy. The Twin-Aire was in the 6600 block where Wal-Mart is now located.
I have posted a picture of the Tillery after it became Clayton Motors back in the 60’s.
They acquired both the Capri I & II and the Capri III & IV. At this point both theatres had been combined into one complex.
The shopping center that the theatre was in was developed in the mid 80’s. The Home Depot anchored the west side of the center and the East Towne 8 anchored the east end. Regal built the theatre originally to compete with the UA-7 located in that mall that was on the other side of the interstate.
When Regal bought out United Artists, they had a total of 15 screens at two theatres close to each other. At that point regal turned the East Towne Crossing into a dollar theatre. After Regal enlarged the East Towne Mall theatre, they closed East Town Crossing. The building stood empty for several years before finally being torn down.
It was built by United Artist and opened when the mall did in July of 1984. At that time the name of the theatre was UA 7. When Regal Entertainment Group purchased the UA chain it became a Regal Cinema. In the mid 90’s Regal added 3 more screens and converted the original 7 auditoriums to stadium seating.
An aerial photo of the theatre can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheneworth/2675617640/ It is the oval building in the lower left hand corner of the mall parking lot.
The world premiere of “A Walk in The Spring Rain” was held at the Capri-70 on April 9, 1970. I have posted pictures of the event in the photos section.
The first handprints were from Ingrid Bergman from the premiere of “A Walk in The Spring Rain” in April 1970. I have posted a picture of the event in the photos section. I have also posted additional photos on the Capri Cinema III & IV thread since technically that was the former Capri-70 before it was twined.
Thanks for the correction. I have always called that section Maynardville Hwy, but it doesn’t become “Highway” until it crosses the Knox/Union County line.
The Skyway was on Maynardville Hwy which is what Broadway becomes after you leave the Knoxville city limits. The location is in the unincorporated community of Halls Crossroads. I have set the streetview to the correct location. It shows the original driveway which is now the entrance to the trailer park that sits on the spot where the drive-in was.
You can take the streetview up Mynatt Road which runs along the south side of the property, and still see the old metal fencing that was around the drive-in.
The correct address is 6517 Maynardville Hwy, Knoxville, TN 37918
The Autism Center is in the building that used to house Rush’s Music Store. There was also another building next door that had a boating and marine store. The drive-in was behind these buildings with the marquee and entrance just north of the current Hardee’s. The Mini-Storage units are now located where the north side of the drive-in was.
If you look at the photos of this theatre in Charleston,http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/27447/photos , you are looking at the Westown Theatre. Both were Identical in appearance.
The building that once housed the Dawn Theatre was demolished this week along with adjacent buildings. No announcement has been made for the future of the property.
The map is showing this as a downtown theatre. This theatre is located in the Westown Mall which is eight miles west of downtown.
This is the opening night audience taken March 8, 1909.
I have positioned streetview to the location of the main entrance on Callahan Road. The street sign/marquee was approximately where the Taco Bell sign is now, on Clinton Hwy at Callahan. My dad helped with the installation of the projection equipment and brought me along for the ride. I was only twelve at the time, and wish now that I paid more attention and had taken some pictures. It’s funny how you think that something that is new will be around forever.
An article about a remodeling in 1956 can be found here:http://www.boxofficemagazine.com/the_vault/issue_page?issue_id=1956-6-30&page_no=43#page_start
On Streetview, the Broadway Theatre was in the space between the alley and the building on the left. Broadway was renumbered sometime in the past, so the current address is 3411 North Broadway.
I have moved the Street View to the old East Vine address which is now E. Summit Hill Drive.
The theatre was built over First Creek.
The article in Boxoffice about the opening. Please note that the original name was Westown Ulra-Vision Theatre, not Westown Cinema. The name was changed to Westown I & II after it was twined. Also the seating capacity was 800, not 1000.
View link
Here is a new link for the Boxoffice article.
View link
The gentleman that is mentioned is Walter Morris. He built both the Pike and the Tower theatres. C.H. Simpson leased both theatres from Mr. Morris in 1963 and remodeled both theatres and changed their names. The Pike became the Capri Cinema and the Tower became the Lenox. In cir.1965 the state bought the Lenox for the I-640/ Broadway interchange and in 1967 Mr. Morris used the money from the sale of the Lenox to built the Capri-70 adjoining the west side of the Capri Cinema which Mr. Simpson operated. The Capri Cinema and the Capri-70 were two separate buildings that shared a common wall. They should not be considered similar to today’s multiplexes as they each had their own lobby, boxoffice, projection booth, and heat and air systems.
After Mr. Morris’s death, Simpson Operating Company bought both theatres from Mr. Morris’s estate. In the mid seventies Simpson twined the Capri Cinema and it became the Capri Cinema I & II. In the late eighties, they also twined the Capri-70 and that became the Capri III & IV.
Regal Cinemas leased the Capri theatres form Simpson Operating Company in the early nineties and ran them for three years. Regal was unable to re-negotiate a new lease and the Capri’s were closed. In the mid nineties the Capri theatres were sold to Bennett Art Gallery. They demolished three quarters of the old Capri Cinema and completely gutted the old Capri-70 which they turned into their art gallery.
The Ace Hardware store is actually in the old Shoney’s Restaurant which was on the east side of the Capri Cinema.
Here it is from the front.
View link