Paramount Theatre
727 Church Street,
Nashville,
TN
37203
727 Church Street,
Nashville,
TN
37203
2 people
favorited this theater
This was a “hardtop” theatre designed by famed theatre architect John Eberson in an Art Deco style. It is mentioned in passing in Ben Hall’s book “The Best Remaining Seats”. The Paramount Theatre opened on November 14, 1930. My mother remembers the organ was still in use during World War II when she was going to the movies.
Nashville had several big movie palaces downtown, three on Church Street. All have been razed. A parking lot is now on the site of the Paramount Theatre.
Contributed by
Will Dunklin
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Recent comments (view all 123 comments)
Thanks for information Dave.
Here are some photos of the Paramount provided by tlsloews. These were taken around opening date circa 1930. A beautiful shot of the front entrance with blade sign, marquee, and box office:
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Nice clean projection booth:
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Great shot of auditorium with a full house:
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I have a LOT of Paramount lobby photos, but I don’t know how to post them here.
Thanks again for posting those photos Nick.
When those carbon arcs were pulled out of Theatres across the country that is when the theatre Business ended as most of old theatre dawgs know, It wasn’t long before the platters showed up,Owner quickly realized a 17 year old could be trained to thread a film.No cue marks.No Carbons to adjust,so Who needed a union man in the booth. I saw it happen and I wanted NO part of it.Kids ran the booth and I bet in 90 per cent of the booths today are that way,but what the heck,Films are like Dvd’s now.Film is a thing of the past. Thanks Nick and Tis for caring.
I’m sure you’re right, Mike. Everywhere you look there’s some cheaper way to run things. And of course there are experienced people sitting at home unable to find work.
I’m glad I’m an old man and have had my day- sure wouldn’t want to start over in today’s world.
I’ll just sign as “The Old Grouch”
(I’d rather be a has-been than a never-was)
RIGHT ON,Dave,If you were an operator,thanks for the years you gave us in the booth.I got out right when all that was about to change,I wanted to manage and promote films,the Booth was your guys world.
No I didn’t work in the booth but I was a good union billposter in my young days. I bet you remember old Mac who managed the Capitol and then the Bordeaux- I posted a lot of paper with him. That was in the winter, in the summer I was off with the circus. Oops- I’m going to air all my old linen here if I don’t watch it.
Lol.
Tis,Nick wrote somewhere he wants more PICTURES.You send them down and I will see that he gets them or by-pass Me and Mail them to Nick,any personal pics from your days?