Luciann Theatre

The way I heard it from Memphis show business old-timers, both the Rosemary (q.v.) and the Luciann were built by Augustin Cianciolo, a Memphis movie entrepreneur who named them after his daughters. The Luciann was on the North side of Summer Avenue just East of Trezevant/East Parkway. It was already closed as a movie theater when I first saw it in 1963 and I'm pretty sure it was a bowling alley at that time. Later it returned to show business as a porno center, with private viewing booths and tape rentals, according to signs on the building. I never went in it, even though I lived only a few blocks away, at two different periods, for several years in all. From the outside it had that shortly-after-WWII "airplane hangar" look. Best wishes.

The Luciann opened November 7, 1940. It was the designed by Claude Northern, the same architect who designed the Airways on Lamar Ave.

WHW, you'll pardon my smile and wink when I say I was in the old Luciann many times after it ceased to be a -ahem- first run theatre. I did actually get a complete look at the building. It had been totally gutted, the floors leveled and any vestige of the old cinema and the subsequent bowling alley were gone. The projection booth was a storage room and some old amplifier equipment still in place, but nothing else.

Having been away from Memphis for many years now, I don't remember the name that it operated under as an adult entertainment center. It was nothing but a pit. But let me tell you, the place was always busy!

Here are a couple of photos from 2006 of the Luciann Theater.

This is another recent photo of the Luciann Theater.

Looks like several of us have been by there in 2006. Here's a shot from October 18, 2006: Former Luciann Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee.

Here are a few more recent photos of the Luciann Theater. Click each photo to expand it.

A 2007 photo of the former Luciann Theater can be seen here.

Wasn't this last known as the Paris Adult Entertainment Cetner, had viewing booths and also the big screen theatre.
1983 photo of the Luciann/Paris Theatre.
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c42%2c3%2c1808&catpageindex=8&ProductID=33692

I am the son of Augustine Cianciolo,he did not build the theatre my Grand father Michael Cianciolo built in in 1939-40,My dad ran it.The Luciann is named after my aunt Lucy Cianciolo and my aunt Ann Cianciolo Angelo.In the early 1960's dan turnned it into a bowling alley ,not very suscessful so in about 1966 he turned it into a night club,Very popular with the Memphis Sound artests and very popular with the public.I believe that The Luciann had the first lighted dance floor in the city.In the early 70's the neigaborhood changed and so did the busness so it was sold to the Paris Adult Group,we asked if the concret letters could be removed they said no.I have fond memories of that movie house when I was a kid dad would have my birthday party's there we would have 4 hour showings of Tarzan movies and Flash Gordon movies.But alas the days are gone.There is something that my dad told me once he said that there was a time capusel in the east cornerstone of the building he did not say what was there but knowing my dad is is something special.Thanks Michael Augustine Cianciolo 3390 Central Ave Memphis Tn.38111

These are the correct links for the photos of the Luciann/Paris Theatre.
1983
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c42%2c3%2c1808&catpagesize=25&ProductID=33696
Another 1983 photo
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c42%2c3%2c1808&catpagesize=25&ProductID=33697
And anaother 1983 photo
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c42%2c3%2c1808&catpagesize=25&ProductID=33698

The June 2, 1958, issue of Boxoffice reported that Augustino Cianciolo had announced that the Luciann Theatre would be closed within the next 60 days and converted into a 16-lane bowling alley. Cianciolo also opened a new 20-lane bowling alley near his Plaza Theatre the same year.