At the links below are the photo of the River Breeze Drive-In opening night ad from July 13, 1950, and photo of the River Breeze in 1965 that were formerly on the Restore Knoxville site:
At the link below is a blog written by Newport resident in which he recalls that the Woodzco and Scenic were next door to each other in 1977 when STAR WARS was released. You will need to navigate to blog dated May 27, 2007
At the link below is a photo of the Gem Theater. Judging from the movie showing on the marquee, FORTY GUNS starring Barry Sullivan and Barbara Stanwyck, I believe the photo is from 1957. In the background on the opposite side of the street, may be the marquee for the Lincoln Theater, though I cannot make it out for sure:
(If link goes to “photos” page, the 1957 photo is in lower left hand corner, and you can click photo to enlarge it. There are also some more recent photos of the Gem on the page.)
I wish I could remember the name of the twin indoor theater; I don’t believe it was advertised as the Twin-Aire, but something different. I thought the name might have had Powell in it, but there was a different Powell Cinema further north in Powell, so I doubt that was it.
Wow, I had forgotten all about the Fox! I remember now I actually went there once, to see THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE. I lived in East Knoxville, and rarely went very far out Kingston Pike. As I remember the Fox was west of the Westown Mall. The Capri complex always seemed kind of strange, theaters built next to each other more than what is thought of as a multiplex nowdays.
Actually Scarsboro is a historical African American community dating back to the 1790’s, predating Oak Ridge by over 150 years! It was one of the small communities that was “swallowed up” by Oak Ridge in the 1940’s, but it has maintained itself as an Oak Ridge neighborhood to this day. I’m not sure when the name “Gamble Valley” was first applied to the area, but now it is known locally as “Da Valley”. They even have a Facebook page if you would like to learn more about it.
According to an article in “The Oak Ridger”, the Skyway actually opened on April 4, 1946. The Sagebrush Restaurant and a Kroger parking lot occupy the space today.
The Jefferson Theater opened on November 2, 1944, showing THOUSANDS CHEER. According to an article in “The Oak Ridger” in 2009, the Jefferson Theater closed in 1950, and after that it was briefly reopened as the Wayne Theater. The building burned in 1980
Interesting now when I think back to when I moved to Knoxville in August of 1972, there were only 7 open indoor movie theaters (Westown, Capri, Park, Tennessee, Riviera, Bijou, and Gay Street Cinema), but 9 open drive-ins (Twin Aire, Chapman Highway, Cinema, Dixie Lee, Family, Knoxville, Skyway, River Breeze, and Lakemont). All were single screens except for the Capri and Twin Aire. All of the indoor theaters excet for the Park were downtown on Gay Street or on Kingston Pike. At that time, the Bijou, Gay Street Cinema, and Dixie Lee Drive-In were showing “Hard X” movies, and the Chapman Highway Drive-In was showing “Soft X” movies. Technically the Lakemont was in Alcoa, but it advertised in the Knoxville papers, and I remember the first night after I moved to Knoxville, we went to the Lakemont to see FRITZ THE CAT. The only ones I never got to were the Dixie Lee and Skyway, which I’m pretty sure were both closed by 1973. The Community Drive-In in Mascot was intact, but already closed by 1972.
I moved to Knoxville in 1972, and I believe the Westown only had one screen when it opened. As I recall, the only other(non-X rated) walk-in theaters open in Knoxville at the time were the Capri on Kingston Pike, the Park on Magnolia, and the Tennessee and Riviera downtown on Gay Street. I only remember going there once, and I think it was THE WILD ROVERS with William Holden and Ryan O'Neal. I remeber the circular shape, but I don’t think it was ever Cinerama. It was definitely the newest, nicest indoor theater in Knoxville at the time.
I see that I’m at least the 3rd person drawn to this listing by seeing the stock footage of the Ruby Theatre at the beginning of the Bowery Boys movies that are being telecast by TCM on Saturday mornings. Oddly enough, I saw some of these movies originally at a drive in theatre in rural Tennessee, where rereleases of Bowery Boys movies continued to be popular through the early to mid 60’s. It was always a treat when they would have a Bowery Boys triple feature over the weekend. Haven’t seen most of these movies since then. Seems ironic that a high rise boutique hotel is now located on the site that I now connect with the Bowery!
Two more newspaper articles about the Wildey from the BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT:
View link
View link
Another article about the reopening of the Wildey from the BELLEVILLE NEWS DEMOCRAT:
View link
At the link below is article from ST LOUIS POST DISPATCH about re-opening og the Wildey:
View link
Below are the photos of the Gay Theatre in 1956 and then 1994 noted above. The original links both appear to be broken:
http://flic.kr/p/9qaCti
http://flic.kr/p/9qaCrk
Below are 2 recent photos of the Lake Theatre as the Underground nightclub:
http://flic.kr/p/9omFjj
http://flic.kr/p/9oiDTP
Below are 2 photos of the building that housed the Dallas Theatre taken in the summer of 2010:
http://flic.kr/p/9oiDYH
http://flic.kr/p/9nPz5v
Below are photos of the Shooting Star Drive-In taken in the summer of 2010:
View link
View link
View link
View link
At the links below are the photo of the River Breeze Drive-In opening night ad from July 13, 1950, and photo of the River Breeze in 1965 that were formerly on the Restore Knoxville site:
http://flic.kr/p/9myXqV
http://flic.kr/p/9mBZSo
At the link below is a blog written by Newport resident in which he recalls that the Woodzco and Scenic were next door to each other in 1977 when STAR WARS was released. You will need to navigate to blog dated May 27, 2007
http://cupofjoepowell.blogspot.com
That could be right, or maybe Clinton Highway Cinemas, since it was still a long way from the town of Clinton. I’m still not sure!
At the link below is a photo of the Gem Theater. Judging from the movie showing on the marquee, FORTY GUNS starring Barry Sullivan and Barbara Stanwyck, I believe the photo is from 1957. In the background on the opposite side of the street, may be the marquee for the Lincoln Theater, though I cannot make it out for sure:
View link
(If link goes to “photos” page, the 1957 photo is in lower left hand corner, and you can click photo to enlarge it. There are also some more recent photos of the Gem on the page.)
I’m pretty sure it opened earlier than 2009. My best guess would be somewhere between 2004 amd 2006, but my memory is not as good as it used to be!
I wish I could remember the name of the twin indoor theater; I don’t believe it was advertised as the Twin-Aire, but something different. I thought the name might have had Powell in it, but there was a different Powell Cinema further north in Powell, so I doubt that was it.
Wow, I had forgotten all about the Fox! I remember now I actually went there once, to see THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE. I lived in East Knoxville, and rarely went very far out Kingston Pike. As I remember the Fox was west of the Westown Mall. The Capri complex always seemed kind of strange, theaters built next to each other more than what is thought of as a multiplex nowdays.
Actually Scarsboro is a historical African American community dating back to the 1790’s, predating Oak Ridge by over 150 years! It was one of the small communities that was “swallowed up” by Oak Ridge in the 1940’s, but it has maintained itself as an Oak Ridge neighborhood to this day. I’m not sure when the name “Gamble Valley” was first applied to the area, but now it is known locally as “Da Valley”. They even have a Facebook page if you would like to learn more about it.
According to an article in “The Oak Ridger”, the Skyway actually opened on April 4, 1946. The Sagebrush Restaurant and a Kroger parking lot occupy the space today.
The Jefferson Theater opened on November 2, 1944, showing THOUSANDS CHEER. According to an article in “The Oak Ridger” in 2009, the Jefferson Theater closed in 1950, and after that it was briefly reopened as the Wayne Theater. The building burned in 1980
The Grove Theater opened on September 28, 1944, showing HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO.
The Ridge Theater opened on April 6, 1944, showing WHAT A WOMAN.
The Center Theater opened on Aug 31st, 1943, showing IN WHICH WE SERVE.
Those are two different Skyway Drive-In’s, Mike. 175 cars sounds about right for Knoxville’s Skyway, but Oak Ridge’s Skyway was huge.
Interesting now when I think back to when I moved to Knoxville in August of 1972, there were only 7 open indoor movie theaters (Westown, Capri, Park, Tennessee, Riviera, Bijou, and Gay Street Cinema), but 9 open drive-ins (Twin Aire, Chapman Highway, Cinema, Dixie Lee, Family, Knoxville, Skyway, River Breeze, and Lakemont). All were single screens except for the Capri and Twin Aire. All of the indoor theaters excet for the Park were downtown on Gay Street or on Kingston Pike. At that time, the Bijou, Gay Street Cinema, and Dixie Lee Drive-In were showing “Hard X” movies, and the Chapman Highway Drive-In was showing “Soft X” movies. Technically the Lakemont was in Alcoa, but it advertised in the Knoxville papers, and I remember the first night after I moved to Knoxville, we went to the Lakemont to see FRITZ THE CAT. The only ones I never got to were the Dixie Lee and Skyway, which I’m pretty sure were both closed by 1973. The Community Drive-In in Mascot was intact, but already closed by 1972.
I moved to Knoxville in 1972, and I believe the Westown only had one screen when it opened. As I recall, the only other(non-X rated) walk-in theaters open in Knoxville at the time were the Capri on Kingston Pike, the Park on Magnolia, and the Tennessee and Riviera downtown on Gay Street. I only remember going there once, and I think it was THE WILD ROVERS with William Holden and Ryan O'Neal. I remeber the circular shape, but I don’t think it was ever Cinerama. It was definitely the newest, nicest indoor theater in Knoxville at the time.
I see that I’m at least the 3rd person drawn to this listing by seeing the stock footage of the Ruby Theatre at the beginning of the Bowery Boys movies that are being telecast by TCM on Saturday mornings. Oddly enough, I saw some of these movies originally at a drive in theatre in rural Tennessee, where rereleases of Bowery Boys movies continued to be popular through the early to mid 60’s. It was always a treat when they would have a Bowery Boys triple feature over the weekend. Haven’t seen most of these movies since then. Seems ironic that a high rise boutique hotel is now located on the site that I now connect with the Bowery!
The Summit Plaza has now added a second “movie lounge”, bringing it to a toal of 4 screens.