I remember when the Ridgeway 4 opened and the mural was quite a hit. I saw many movies there, too. Always clean with comfortable seating. I liked those rows near the front.
I saw the “Sound of Music” in the early ‘60s at the Paramount. Later, I stood in a long line to see “The Exorcist” in 1973. I was too young to get in without a parent. My mother and I had nightmares for years…
I, too, visited this theatre many times as a child and teenager. I worked at the Service Merchandise next door to the three add-on theatres. It was a great place to catch a movie after the store closed for the night.
I saw “An Officer and a Gentleman” at the Village. It was a second-run showing, and I’m pretty sure it was in 1983. There was an Army surplus store nearby.
I spent many, many Saturdays at the Whitehaven Cinema. Jack, you have described it exactly as I remembered it. It was a wonderful theatre…until the split…then it was just strange!
I drove by in July 2007 and was excited to see renovation going on. The front doorw were open and building materials were stacked inside. Will go back to get more information and photos.
I have a memory of the Orpheum from the early 1960s (1963 – 1965) when it was the Malco movie theatre. We had parked past the theatre on Beale. We walked along Beale on the side of the theatre toward Main. There was a ticket booth on Beale that I walked toward, but my mother told me I couldn’t go to that one. We had to walk to Main to the larger ticket booth. The Beale ticket booth was for “colored” movie patrons. Once we entered the theatre from Main, I wanted to go up the stairs to sit in the balcony. My mother told me I couldn’t because the balcony was for “colored” movie patrons. She seemed very uncomfortable trying to explain why this was set-up this way. Finally, she told me that she was from Ohio where all movie patrons used the same ticket booth and sat in the same areas together. This prompted a discussion that was difficult for a 7 year old to understand. The side entrance still exists, but tickets are not sold there.
It has 12 screens, all with stadium seating. I remember going there when I was a sophomore in college (1978, I think) to see Sylvester Stallone in a pre-Rocky film called “The Italian Stallion.” It was re-released after Rocky became such a big hit. As I recall, it seemed like a soft-porn film to me, and I was horrified. My date, now my husband, told me he was shocked, too! Right….
It’s a wonderful drum store! It has a separate room for cymbals and a studio for performances and clinics. It’s a drummer’s dream!!
The manager showed me where the candy counter used to be and the spiral staircase that went to the projection room. He showed the old sloping floor leading to the storage area and the original brick blackened by a long-ago fire. He believes the old theatre opened in the 1940’s and closed in the 1950’s. It has been the Memphis Drum Store since 1991 or 1993. What fun I had on this little visit!
Linden Circle Theatre November 2006.
This old theatre seems to be perfectly intact with a fairly recent coat of paint. It is located in a block where all the businesses are closed. The old night club next door was the victim of a fire, but I couldn’t tell that this building was impacted. I even went around back to get a few shots.
Here is a photo from 10/3/09.
Here is a photo taken in September 2009.
It was looking great in October 2008: http://flickr.com/photos/gspragin/2956144591/
Here’s a better link to the photo I took of the old Rialto: View link
My favorite drive-in was the Southwest Twin Drive-In. 4233 South 3rd Street – Hwy 61 Memphis, TN 38109. 1968 – 2000
I remember when the Ridgeway 4 opened and the mural was quite a hit. I saw many movies there, too. Always clean with comfortable seating. I liked those rows near the front.
I saw the “Sound of Music” in the early ‘60s at the Paramount. Later, I stood in a long line to see “The Exorcist” in 1973. I was too young to get in without a parent. My mother and I had nightmares for years…
I remember it opening in the late ‘60s or early '70s. Personally, I preferred going to the Whitehaven Cinema just across the street.
I saw a few second run movies there in the mid ‘80s. Horrified when I saw the hot tub store. I couldn’t bring myself to go in.
I, too, visited this theatre many times as a child and teenager. I worked at the Service Merchandise next door to the three add-on theatres. It was a great place to catch a movie after the store closed for the night.
I saw “An Officer and a Gentleman” at the Village. It was a second-run showing, and I’m pretty sure it was in 1983. There was an Army surplus store nearby.
Count me in for “Altered States” and “Watership Down” during my Memphis State University days.
The first movie I saw there was “Patton” with George C. Scott.
I spent many, many Saturdays at the Whitehaven Cinema. Jack, you have described it exactly as I remembered it. It was a wonderful theatre…until the split…then it was just strange!
I drove by in July 2007 and was excited to see renovation going on. The front doorw were open and building materials were stacked inside. Will go back to get more information and photos.
I took this photo on 7/4/07: View link
I went on a search on Chelsea for the Avon Theatre. Take a look:
View link
View link
View link
Nice story about the barbershop! I visited on 7/4/2007 and took a few photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gspragin/722746655/
Here is how this theatre looks on 7/4/2007: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gspragin/723338364/ and here is the annex: View link
It seems to be freshly painted. The sign on the front says, “The Studio.”
June 2007 Here is a shot of The Princess showing Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.
I have a memory of the Orpheum from the early 1960s (1963 – 1965) when it was the Malco movie theatre. We had parked past the theatre on Beale. We walked along Beale on the side of the theatre toward Main. There was a ticket booth on Beale that I walked toward, but my mother told me I couldn’t go to that one. We had to walk to Main to the larger ticket booth. The Beale ticket booth was for “colored” movie patrons. Once we entered the theatre from Main, I wanted to go up the stairs to sit in the balcony. My mother told me I couldn’t because the balcony was for “colored” movie patrons. She seemed very uncomfortable trying to explain why this was set-up this way. Finally, she told me that she was from Ohio where all movie patrons used the same ticket booth and sat in the same areas together. This prompted a discussion that was difficult for a 7 year old to understand. The side entrance still exists, but tickets are not sold there.
I drove by in November 2006 and it is a parking lot now :(
Palace Cinema in November 2006
It has 12 screens, all with stadium seating. I remember going there when I was a sophomore in college (1978, I think) to see Sylvester Stallone in a pre-Rocky film called “The Italian Stallion.” It was re-released after Rocky became such a big hit. As I recall, it seemed like a soft-porn film to me, and I was horrified. My date, now my husband, told me he was shocked, too! Right….
Former Peabody Theatre, now the Memphis Drum Shop.
It’s a wonderful drum store! It has a separate room for cymbals and a studio for performances and clinics. It’s a drummer’s dream!!
The manager showed me where the candy counter used to be and the spiral staircase that went to the projection room. He showed the old sloping floor leading to the storage area and the original brick blackened by a long-ago fire. He believes the old theatre opened in the 1940’s and closed in the 1950’s. It has been the Memphis Drum Store since 1991 or 1993. What fun I had on this little visit!
Linden Circle Theatre November 2006.
This old theatre seems to be perfectly intact with a fairly recent coat of paint. It is located in a block where all the businesses are closed. The old night club next door was the victim of a fire, but I couldn’t tell that this building was impacted. I even went around back to get a few shots.
Article from 2004 Plans for Linden Circle Theatre property