Bonnie Kate Theatre
115 Sycamore Street South,
Elizabethton,
TN
37643
115 Sycamore Street South,
Elizabethton,
TN
37643
2 people
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Quaint and distinctive little movie palace still open and showing first run films in this college town. Not quite sure when the theatre was twined or if it ever was equipped with an organ.
Contributed by
Jack Coursey
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Recent comments (view all 21 comments)
Some information the “Bonnie Kate” Theater in Elizabethton, Tennessee. During the years 1926 through 1929 Elizabethton experience a boom time when the Bemberg and Glanzstoff Rayon factories began operations there and several theaters were the result of that boom. The Bonnie Kate Theater is located at 115 Sycamore Street and is still in operation. The Bonnie Kate was built the Classical Revival Design and opened in the spring of 1926. The “Bonnie Kate” was named after Katherine Sherrill Sevier, a heroine of Carter County in the 1700’s and the wife of the first Governor of Tennessee. The “Bonnie Kate” opened to a full house of 500 enjoying the showing of a silent film. During the 1930’s and in the 1940’s a live local music show called “Barrels of Fun” was broadcast by two radio stations to a listening audience reported to be in the millions in the southeastern United States. I saw many movies here in the 1950’s. The theater converted to a split screen and rocking chair seating in 1969 and was reportedly the first theater east of the Mississippi with this type seating. Their concessions currently include burgers, etc.
2009 photo of the bonnie kate cinema . can be seen here:
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2009 photo it can be seen here:
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located in the same building , there is the bonnie kate cafe.
nice looking theatre,Boy, they enjoy splitting them theatres.
I need to drive over and check out this one.
Yes you do.And take photos.
I may just do that Mike.
Need to add AKA Rocking Chair Theatre to the header.
It is really remarkable to find a theatre which has been in continuous operation for 85 years and in such remarkable shape! Even though the auditorium has been reconfigured into a twin it is salvageable in that the original proscenium and backstage area remain intact although entomb behind a massive wall of sheetrock. [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/maincourse/]Maincourse: Theatres[/url]