Belle Meade Theatre
4301 Harding Pike,
Nashville,
TN
37205
4301 Harding Pike,
Nashville,
TN
37205
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 51 comments found
The photos and autograph slabs were returned to the Tennessee State Museum when Bookstar was evicted. They were technically on loan from the museum. They are in storage.
As of 3/25/2013 the building is unoccupied. We did a drive by.
This is where Pat Boone got launched on his singing career. I recall reading in one of his books that he sang for milkshakes at the Belle Meade when he was younger!
When the restoration of Lawrence of Arabia ran in 1988, I was managing the Belleview 4. Carmike signed me out of the theater, and put me as projectionist at the BelleMeade, because I was the only person in Carmike’s organization who had experience running 70MM films. Harry Vickous was the manager at that time and it was a lot of fun working for him.
Isn’t the Belle Meade Theatre now the site of a Harris-Teeter grocery store?
Described 45 years later in this 1985 trade article: Boxoffice
Thanks for the link Tinseltoes,The Belle Meade was the sister theatre of the Melrose,A.K.A. Loews Melrose when i worked there.They were built around the same time and very simular in design.The Melrose building is still standing also.
The new Belle Meade Theatre was spotlighted in this 1940 trade article: boxofficemagazine
Longtime manager Ed Jordan had a Wall of Fame in the lobby for years. There were two huge white marble slabs and visiting celebrites would sign in black ink. There were probably 100 signatures on those marble tablets … Walt Disney, Doris Day, Bob Hope, Charlton Heston, Ronald Reagan, Fess Parker, Bela Lugosi, and many more. It was thrilling to see these “in-person” autographs which were displayed behind glass in the lobby. They became property of Bookstar Bookstores when they occupied the space for several years. The wherabouts to these priceless autographed marble slabs remain unknown, as far as I know. Does anyone have any info? I worry they’re lost and would feel better if they still exist, even if privately owned.
That is wonderful news a lobby still “beautiful”.
Thanks for the info Mike97,I was wondering what was left of the lobby.
I stopped by on May 14th and looked into the lobby. It’s still beautiful in there. On the way out, the canopy Neon and lights came on as the daylight was fading.
Thanks.Great movie in a great theatre and maybe it will reopen one day.
2001 A Space Oddesey opened its exclusive Nashville showing on June,27,1968.
Thanks Mike, I just happened to drive by last night and checked it out again.I know that movies will never be seen there again but it is good to see that they are still using the face of the building and the lobby area and back of the balcony, the outside walls are still standing.Hopefully when they start renting out the apartments they will have enough money to relight the “Belle Meade"Tower neon and bulbs.
Be glad you still a theatre from your past.The Imperial is all I have left.
Drove by the whats left of this theatre again last night.The marquee lights were on again although many of the bulbs do not work. A Harris-Tetter store has been build in the footprint of the auditoruim.And it looks like most of the new development has been built.The was a sign on the marquee,which said “Marquee at Belle Meade Apartments” and a phone number which I did not write down at the time.
My wife drove by this theatre the other night and even though it has been closed since 1991 the lights were on on the marquee and tower although several of the letters where not working.They must be trying to bring attention to the new development.
Thanks Tlsloews.
The Original box office was under the marquee like its sister theatre the Melrose,latter photos show the boxoffice had been moved by the front doors and the 1st boxoffice removed and redesigned to hold 1-sheet frames.The stairs to the balcony were L shaped at the Belle Meade,and curved at the Melrose. Both theatres had mirrors on the lobby ceiling and over the entrance doors.The Belle Meade theatre and complex has had several facelifts over the years,The Melrose complex is much as it was built.
I think this is most beautiful theatre I bet one of Nashville’s finest.And some talent with a marquee.
BMT ASSOCIATES LLC is located at this address now,I bet they are doing the redevelopment of this theatre and shopping center.I guess BMT stands for Belle Meade Theatre.
I have a picture of Belle Meade manager E.J. Jordan that I will post as soon as possible.The photo is from 1940.He ran the Happiness Club there for kids back in the day.
The Belle Meade Theatre was the sister theatre to the Melrose Theatre on Franklin Road built and opened at the same time.The Melrose was later known as the LOEWS MELROSE,got my first real job as a doorman for LOEWS in 1973 @ $1.50 a hour,wow big money.
An addendum to my above comment; I think the wrong year printed on my ticket, as my movie guide shows that “Godfather 3” came out in 1990. I do not know why I never noticed that until just now. I believe the month and day were correct, because I do remember that it was cold.