Ritz Theater

997 Mississippi Boulevard,
Memphis, TN 38126

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vastor
vastor on December 15, 2012 at 2:28 pm

Got tired of that inaccurate Google view so I posted a photo of the actual site. You can see a section of the remaining building’s wall in the American Classic Images photo of the Ritz. The entry faced Mississippi and the theatre was in the larger building to the left. All is demolished.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on December 10, 2012 at 10:16 am

This webpage has some more information about the Ace and shows an aerial view of its former site.

vastor
vastor on November 4, 2012 at 7:11 pm

Dave Lebovitz owned and operated several “Colored” movie theaters: Ace, Harlem, and Georgia. He and his brother also owned and operated three Drive-in movies: Sky-Vue, Lamar, and Sunset (West Memphis).

DoctorPhil
DoctorPhil on November 7, 2010 at 7:29 am

My dad and his brother owned and operated this theater from the time it opened until it closed, probably in the wake of the MLK assassination. It plus the Ace and the Georgia were all part of the orginal group which they owned and all were in black neighborhoods that could be pretty rough on weekends.

juliagreen
juliagreen on March 10, 2010 at 10:06 pm

It is pretty clear from satellite imagery that this theatre is no longer there. Status should be closed/demolished. The site currently appears to be a park and playground.

juliagreen
juliagreen on March 10, 2010 at 10:04 pm

If Elvis was a Negro.

GeorgeStrum
GeorgeStrum on January 9, 2010 at 6:37 pm

Could Elvis have attended this theatre?

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on March 8, 2005 at 4:59 am

The Film Daily Yearbook’s, 1941 and 1943 give a seating capacity of 500 and it is also listed in the Negro theatre section. The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. gives a 700 seat capacity (still a Negro theatre)