I used to drive by that building just about every day, and never knew it had been a theatre. From the address and the photo, I can remeber the building. Not sure what was there in the 70’s when I lived in Knoxville. Happy Holler was still a pretty rough place back in those days. The last time I drove through there, about 3 years ago, it looked like the neighborhood is holding it’s own now. I’m glad the building is being put to a constructive use
The Ramada 4 is now the Truman 4. The hotel it is located next to pulled out of the Ramada chain, and is now known as the Truman Hotel, and the theatre also changed names. Otherwise it is unchanged;
The Princess probably closed in the mid 50’s. I was born in 1953, and I can remember the Princess looking pretty much like it did in this picture, although my first memory of it was that it was already closed. It was on the corner of North Brewer and East Washington facing North Brewer. The actual entrance and box office was just to the right of where the photo ends. The theatre facade was intact for quite a while after it closed, then it became a Butler and Harbor’s Shoe Store for decades. Accordibg to the article it was still a shoe store in 1995. Since then it has been used for a variety of businesses including video arcades, restaurants, and I think briefly a bar. I’m not sure what it is now. You can’t really tell by the photo, but to the right of the building is East Washington Street, which goes steeply downhill, and there was a level of the building below the street level of Brewer Street, with some small businesses facing East Washington, some of which are still in use. The last time I noticed there was at least a barber shop and a small office open. The building appears to still be structurally very sound, and has remained in almost constant use since the theatre closed. I don’t know when it was built.
In the 70’s, I lived in East Knoxville,and used to go by this little theatre quite often. There was a little IGA Supermarket still open in what had been the business district of Burlington that I often shopped at that was very close by the theatre building. I think the bar there was still open at the time. I am sad the building is gone. I would like to learn more about it’s history.
I lived in Knoxville in the 70’s, and for much of that time lived in East Knoxville, only a few blocks from the Park/Studio One. At that time, it was the only indoor theatre in Knoxville that wasn’t downtown or in West Knoxville along Kingston Pike, and also the last neighborhood theatre. I saw quite a few movies there, including HAROLD AND MAUDE. I am sad that the building is gone.
I remeber that in the 60’s, the Montague advertised itself as “Nashville’s Only Independent”, as all of the other drive-in’s in Nashville were run by the Martin chain>
Could this be the Carroll Drive In, which was located on Highway 22 about halfway between Huntingdon and McKenzie? I don’t know a lot about it, but it was open in late 70’s and early 80’s, and is now gone.
That is definitely a photo of the Bruceton Theatre, which on the outside at least seems well preserved. It has been closed a long time; I don’t ever remember when it was open, and I probably first drove by it in the late 60’s or early 70’s
The Capitol closed in about 1970 or 1971. The last movie I ever saw there was “ANGEL ANGEL DOWN WE GO” which was released in 1970. It was part of the Martin Theatre chain. When it was closed it was first converted into a Fred’s Dollar Store, but later was purchased by Grace Episcopal Church, which is next door, and is still used by the church to this day, though the building is unrecognizable as a former movie theatre. The Capitol would show A movies Sunday through Wednesday, and B movie double features (my favorites!) Thursday through Saturday in the 60’s when I was a kid. Martin also owned the Sky Vue Drive In, and closed it the same year, but it was reopened soon by a local businessman, and lasted until the mid 80’s. I have seen old photos from when the theatre was used for graduation ceremonies by the local high school in the 30’s. It is possible that Basil Rathbone performed there, as there was a stage. My mother once told me that there was a personal appearance there by the actor Frank Lovejoy sometime in the mid 50’s
I used to drive by that building just about every day, and never knew it had been a theatre. From the address and the photo, I can remeber the building. Not sure what was there in the 70’s when I lived in Knoxville. Happy Holler was still a pretty rough place back in those days. The last time I drove through there, about 3 years ago, it looked like the neighborhood is holding it’s own now. I’m glad the building is being put to a constructive use
The Ramada 4 is now the Truman 4. The hotel it is located next to pulled out of the Ramada chain, and is now known as the Truman Hotel, and the theatre also changed names. Otherwise it is unchanged;
Bob Brown
Here is a link to a photo and story about the Princess:
http://www.ewgrove.com/prhnpic/princess.htm
The Princess probably closed in the mid 50’s. I was born in 1953, and I can remember the Princess looking pretty much like it did in this picture, although my first memory of it was that it was already closed. It was on the corner of North Brewer and East Washington facing North Brewer. The actual entrance and box office was just to the right of where the photo ends. The theatre facade was intact for quite a while after it closed, then it became a Butler and Harbor’s Shoe Store for decades. Accordibg to the article it was still a shoe store in 1995. Since then it has been used for a variety of businesses including video arcades, restaurants, and I think briefly a bar. I’m not sure what it is now. You can’t really tell by the photo, but to the right of the building is East Washington Street, which goes steeply downhill, and there was a level of the building below the street level of Brewer Street, with some small businesses facing East Washington, some of which are still in use. The last time I noticed there was at least a barber shop and a small office open. The building appears to still be structurally very sound, and has remained in almost constant use since the theatre closed. I don’t know when it was built.
In the 70’s, I lived in East Knoxville,and used to go by this little theatre quite often. There was a little IGA Supermarket still open in what had been the business district of Burlington that I often shopped at that was very close by the theatre building. I think the bar there was still open at the time. I am sad the building is gone. I would like to learn more about it’s history.
Bob Brown
I lived in Knoxville in the 70’s, and for much of that time lived in East Knoxville, only a few blocks from the Park/Studio One. At that time, it was the only indoor theatre in Knoxville that wasn’t downtown or in West Knoxville along Kingston Pike, and also the last neighborhood theatre. I saw quite a few movies there, including HAROLD AND MAUDE. I am sad that the building is gone.
Bob Brown
The Park was open into the 80’s. I saw WAR GAMES there in 1983. I’m not sure when it closed.
Bob Brown
I remeber that in the 60’s, the Montague advertised itself as “Nashville’s Only Independent”, as all of the other drive-in’s in Nashville were run by the Martin chain>
Bob brown
Could this be the Carroll Drive In, which was located on Highway 22 about halfway between Huntingdon and McKenzie? I don’t know a lot about it, but it was open in late 70’s and early 80’s, and is now gone.
That is definitely a photo of the Bruceton Theatre, which on the outside at least seems well preserved. It has been closed a long time; I don’t ever remember when it was open, and I probably first drove by it in the late 60’s or early 70’s
Bob Brown
Unless it has been closed very recently, the Court is still open,
Bob Brown
The Capitol closed in about 1970 or 1971. The last movie I ever saw there was “ANGEL ANGEL DOWN WE GO” which was released in 1970. It was part of the Martin Theatre chain. When it was closed it was first converted into a Fred’s Dollar Store, but later was purchased by Grace Episcopal Church, which is next door, and is still used by the church to this day, though the building is unrecognizable as a former movie theatre. The Capitol would show A movies Sunday through Wednesday, and B movie double features (my favorites!) Thursday through Saturday in the 60’s when I was a kid. Martin also owned the Sky Vue Drive In, and closed it the same year, but it was reopened soon by a local businessman, and lasted until the mid 80’s. I have seen old photos from when the theatre was used for graduation ceremonies by the local high school in the 30’s. It is possible that Basil Rathbone performed there, as there was a stage. My mother once told me that there was a personal appearance there by the actor Frank Lovejoy sometime in the mid 50’s
Bob Brown