River Breeze Drive-In
6110 Asheville Highway,
Knoxville,
TN
37924
6110 Asheville Highway,
Knoxville,
TN
37924
1 person
favorited this theater
The River Breeze Drive-In was located on Highway 11 East (Asheville Highway) just east of Knoxville. The name comes from the fact that it was located next to the Holston River. If you were coming from Knoxville, the River Breeze was the first right turn after you crossed the Holston River Bridge on Highway 11 East. The screen was actually right in front of the bridge, so that you could see the traffic go by behind the screen while watching the movie.
The River Breeze Drive-In was opened on July 3, 1950, and closed about 1980. When I lived in East Knoxville in the 70’s, it was operated by the Simpson chain, and I believe it was the first drive in in Knoxville to install radio sound.
Being a fan of horror movies, I loved the River Breeze Drive-In, as that was primarily what they were playing by the late-1970’s. I remember they often had movies from Crown International and Independent International, who distributed a lot of drive in horror movies at the time.
Unlike all the other drive ins in Knoxville, the River Breeze Drive-In remained intact after it was closed. It was converted into a flea market/swap meet, which I believe it remains to this day. The screen stayed up for a long time, but I believe it is gone now. Otherwise, the concession stand/projection booth remains intact, and the River Breeze Drive-In sign is still up; they just added “Flea Market” to it. I would love to see it reopen as a drive in some day.
Contributed by
Bob Brown
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
NOW SHOWING Sept.18 1967 2 epics of terror
“THE HORRIBLE DR.HICHCOCK” and “THE AWFUL DR. ORLOF.” This was also playing at the DIXIE-LEE in Knoxville,Tenn.
Your the man Mike.
I just have a bad habit of collecting Movie ads and never getting rid of them.COULD I BE A HORDER?
Maybe you could get on the new HORDERS show,anybody can get on T.V. now.
You are getting off Topic.LOL.
Not a lot of Knoxville folks on CT i see,anyways this from Georgia, Now Showing at the RIVER BREEZE on Oct.24 1964 is THE BEATLES In “A HARD DAYS NIGHT” with a rather strange double feature we see at Drive-ins,“THE SON OF CAPTAIN BLOOD” with Sean Flynn.Like father like son? Beatles movie played twice that night.
At the links below are the photo of the River Breeze Drive-In opening night ad from July 13, 1950, and photo of the River Breeze in 1965 that were formerly on the Restore Knoxville site:
http://flic.kr/p/9myXqV
http://flic.kr/p/9mBZSo
thanks bbrown for the ad remembering the old River Breeze.
Wow. I love the street view of the River Breeze at the top of the page with the sign and box office still standing, and the lot still empty, ready for someone to put up a new screen and start showing movies again!
Yes,And I think that close to the interstate and as Large as Knoxville is I would think one might make a go of it, really in a great location last time visited the area really hadn’t changed that much.