Cherokee Theatre

204 E. Central Avenue,
La Follette, TN 37766

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Jake Bottero
Jake Bottero on November 8, 2022 at 12:00 pm

Currently a furniture store.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on April 25, 2018 at 1:27 am

I don’t know…

Ldybrvsnum1
Ldybrvsnum1 on December 19, 2016 at 10:19 pm

Would W.H. Parrot’s first name be Bill and wife named ADDIE?

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on October 21, 2013 at 7:59 pm

Playing April 1965 ROBIN and the 7 HOODS, PLEASURE SEEKER.CAPT.Blood., DISTANT TRUMPET, GIRL HAPPY, ISLAND of BLUE DOLPHINS, FATHER GOOSE and INvation to a GUNFIGHT.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on June 1, 2013 at 11:18 pm

i have no idea DAVID,hard to get info on small town theatres i have found.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 12, 2013 at 3:33 am

Could this theater also have been called The Capitol Theater at one time? I saw a photo of a Capitol in Lafollette that later became McCarty Fashion Store. I can find no Capitol Theater in Tennessee on CT.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on October 12, 2012 at 8:19 pm

Finally found out that my Uncle Clyde’s family was in the theatre business. The old Cherokee is still standing having long since been remodeled,but you can spot it… drove by it LABOR DAY..Sure would like to get inside , bet the booth is all there…

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on February 8, 2010 at 2:51 am

It might be a small world.My mom’s sister married a Parrott and i will ask her if Uncle Clyde was related to W.H.Parrott.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on February 8, 2010 at 2:49 am

Yeah,Your right.Last time I drove by the old CHEROKEE theatre it was selling furniture.I have the Skyway Drive in listed in Lafollette,but also was told of the STARLITE DRIVE in there.But I have no idea of its location.

The little twin theatre was still open and being run by Carmike,But really run down from what i could tell for looking outside into the lobby.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 7, 2010 at 4:26 pm

I’ve found the Cherokee Theatre mentioned in Boxoffice as early as the issue of January 6, 1940. It was operated by the Cherokee Amusement Company

I’ve found mentions of other theaters in LaFollette as well. According to the May 22, 1937 issue of Boxoffice, W.H. Parrott was operating the Capitol and Novelty theaters there, and planning to build a new theater in the town. Parrott is mentioned in later Boxoffice items as president of the Cherokee Amusement Company.

An October 30, 1937, item said that H.A. Johnson and A.J. Anderson would open their new A&P Theatre at LaFollette on November 1. I’ve been unable to find any other mentions of an A&P Theatre. I haven’t found anything about the opening of the proposed new theater of Parrott’s Cherokee Amusement Company, either. It’s possible that Parrott’s announcement was merely intended to intimidate Johnson & Anderson into not building their theater, and when that failed Cherokee eventually bought them out and took over the A&P, either before or after it opened. If that’s the case, it must have become the Cherokee Theatre.

There was also a 600-seat Leach Theatre opened in LaFollette by Nolan Leach in early October, 1945, reported in Boxoffice of the 27th that month. It, too, passed into the hands of the Cherokee circuit, and was closed for a while. Boxoffice of June 5, 1954, said that the Leach Theatre had been taken over by Joe Martin, who had renamed it the Fox Theatre. That’s the only mention I can find of Joe Martin or of a theater called the Fox in LaFollette.

A November 27, 1978, Boxoffice item mentions the twin theater then being built at LaFollette. It was owned by Earl Carroll and Rob Woodson.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on February 7, 2010 at 5:12 am

It would be a long shot,but if the Lafayette local paper had morgue they might be able to locate the times that Flatt&Scruggs played at the CHEROKEE.At least you could get the ad printed in that day’s issue.But most likely,the paper was a weekly. Still I am sure they ran movie ads.

rcol9me
rcol9me on February 7, 2010 at 2:10 am

My father played with earl scruggs and lester flatt at the cherokee theater in lafayett tennessee in the 60’s he was sitting on a hay bale he was about 13 years old i’m am looking for pictures of this if anyone can help me i would be gratful.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on November 11, 2009 at 8:45 pm

My dad told me when he was dating my mom they saw SGT. YORK there. on the way home his dad stopped him to tell him do not go up the road any further.My dad’s cousin had hit a train and was killed. He said he would always remember that date and theatre.