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Also known as Daisy Theatre

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Old Daisy Theatre

Memphis, TN

329 Beale Street

, Memphis, TN 38104 United States

(map)

Status:	Open
Screens:	Single Screen
Style:	Neo-Classical

Function:	Banquet Hall, Live Performances
Seats:	660
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	Unknown
Firm:	Unknown

The Daisy is a prime surving example of nickelodeon architecture from the early cinema era. The tiny hall features a grand half dome entrance on Memphis's famous Beale Street.

The Daisy is unusual in that the stage and screen are on the sidewalk end. Double doors on either side of the half-dome enter into small vestibules one on either side of the stage. Emerging from the vestibules, you have the audience looking at you!

There is a small balcony, vaguely horse-shoe shaped, supported from above with iron rods.

During much of the 20th century Beale Street served as the business and entertainment center for African-Americans from all over the Mid-South. Despite its tiny stage, the Daisy was a prime performing venue on the so-called "Chitlin' Circuit" from the 1930's up into the 1960's.

In the 1930's the New Daisy Theatre was built directly across the street. It too survives and is used as a concert venue.

During the 1980's the "Old Daisy" was extensively renovated and reopened as a Beale Street Blues Museum. Today it is in use as a banquet hall providing live entertainment.

Related Websites

Historic Daisy Theatre (Official)

Contributed by Will Dunklin

YOUR COMMENTS

There is a reasonably good photo of the Old Daisy's facade about half way down this page.

http://www.roundamerica.com/trip/journal/day43-page3.htm

posted by Will Dunklin on Mar 23, 2005 at 11:22am

Did the New Daisy also show movies? If so, you should add it to CinemaTreasures as well.

During the time that both have been open, have they always officially used the names 'Old Daisy' and 'New Daisy'?

posted by Ron Newman on Mar 23, 2005 at 12:34pm

The "New Daisy" actually has that name on its marquee. The Old Daisy just says "Daisy" on the front: don't know if it's had other names through the years, but it is always refered to as the "Old Daisy" now. I'll get the New Daisy on the site soon, it was a "stage show and feature" theatre for many years. (So many theatres, so little time.)

posted by Will Dunklin on Mar 23, 2005 at 1:51pm

I never went to either Daisy, but remember going to the Orpheum (then the Malco) in the early 1960s, and looking up Beale from Main and marvelling at the incredible level of activity. Much later in the late 1970s on Sunday mornings I would go biking in the area, and after my ritual "Circumnavigation of the Orpheum" would ride up Beale to the bus garage and then over to Central/Peabody and back East to the MSU area. I must have gone up Beale St. dozens of times while they were renovating it, so it was like watching the renovation in time-lapse. For most of the buildings, they propped up the facades and then tore down and rebuilt the buildings behind them. I think both Daisys (and maybe also the famous Schwab's Drug Store) were spared this indignity and just conventionaly renovated, but I could be wrong. There was a modern 3-or 4-plex in the area at that time called the Muhammad Ali Cinema, said to be at least partially owned or backed by Mr. Ali himself. I don't remember exactly where it was, but I did go there once to see "Take a Hard Ride," an African-American-oriented Italian western with Jim Brown, Jim Kelly, and Fred Williamson--not to mention Dana Andrews, Lee Van Cleef, Catherine Spaak, and Barry Sullivan. I saw the cast list in the newspaper ad and said, "This I've got to see!" As I recall it, everybody was very cordial. Best wishes.

posted by W.H. Wingo on Oct 9, 2005 at 4:06pm

flickr.com/photos/maincourse are a couple of recent photos of the Daisy. It currently appears to be in good shape and is being used as a rental facility for meetings, banquets and other events.

posted by JackCoursey on Oct 12, 2005 at 5:07pm

Here is a 1974-dated photograph of the Daisy Theatre from the Library of Congress.

posted by Bryan Krefft on Nov 1, 2005 at 4:56pm

This is a recent photo of the Old Daisy Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Aug 21, 2006 at 7:22am

Here is a 2007 photo of the Old Daisy Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Mar 23, 2007 at 3:14pm

A nice 2008 photo can be seen here.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 10, 2008 at 2:04pm

Old Daisy Theater photo

posted by Lost Memory on Jan 24, 2009 at 11:07am

Another Old Daisy photo is here.

posted by Lost Memory on Mar 14, 2009 at 10:58am

1983 photo of the Daisy Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c42%2c3%2c1808&ProductID=33656

posted by Chuck1231 on Apr 15, 2009 at 9:20am

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