Belle Meade Theatre
4301 Harding Pike,
Nashville,
TN
37205
4301 Harding Pike,
Nashville,
TN
37205
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 43 comments found
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.
I saw “Godfather 3” at the Belle Meade the last night it was open to the general public. I still have my ticket stub, dated 2/28/88 for the 7:30 showing. The movie was only fair, in my opinion, but I remember that when it was over, nobody wanted to leave. It seemed to take a good twenty minutes or so for the last of the crowd to filter out. We all sensed that this was the the end of an era. There was a benefit screening of, I believe, “The Big Sleep” the next week for one performance only but the fifty dollar donation was a bit steep for my budget at that time. I remember seeing the big “balcony closed” sign for sale at a local antique store a few years later. I am but one of many who miss this great piece of Nashville’s past.
Here are more 1982 photos:
Photo1
Photo2
Photo3
Included at no extra charge is this 1984 photo.
A photograph of a handsome art moderne stairway in the Belle Meade Theatre was published in the February 22, 1941, issue of Boxoffice Magazine. The caption attributes the design of the house to the noted Nashville architectural firm Marr & Holman, also the architects of Nashville’s Tennessee Theatre.
I saw 2001 A Space Odyssey at the Belle Meade in 1968-69 as well bbrown1. I was a Senior in High School at that time with 2001 seeming a long way off then :–)! The Paramount and Tennessee were still around but the Belle Meade was still a nice place for a movie.
I saw 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY in Cinerama at the Belle Meade in 1968. It was the only movie I ever saw in Cinerama, and was a real experience in a great theater. I’m sorry that it’s gone.
A little bit of trivia: The 70mm projector from the Belle Meade was later transferred (along with its sound system) to the now-defunct Carmike 6 in Harding Mall when Belle Meade closed.
The Belle Meade was a stunning theatre, and I remember gazing for quite some time at the marble blocks of autographs – from people like Ronald Reagan to C3PO.
The opening film was “Charlie McCarthy Detective”, the theatre reportedly costs $250,000.00 and was managed by Edwin J. Jordan.
The address listed is wrong. The Belle Meade (Or at least the BookStar that occupied the former Belle Meade) was located at
4301 Harding Pike,
Nashville, TN 37205
according to yellowpages.com