Cedar Bluff Theatre

Jake, the former lobby area has been demolished, but the old auditorium structure has been repurposed for retail. I have posted a recent picture in the photo section.

This was the first theatre in Knoxville to show Star Wars, then it moved to the Capri 70 for 13 weeks. The 1978 re-release then came to Knoxville’s Cinema 6.

This theatre was opened on December 21, 1976 by ABC Southeastern Theatres. It had two auditoriums each seating 375. The first movies were “Nickelodeon” and “Great American Adventure”.

Ownership changed to Plitt, to Cineplex Odeon, and then to Carmike. After Carmike build the Commons Six Theatre less than half a mile away, they closed the Cedar Bluff Theatre on April 15, 1988.

I worked at that theater in the late 80’s. It was my first job, and I have very fond memories of it. The theater was rarely crowded, except on the weekends, and there wasn’t much to do except flirt with the cute concession stand girls. I remember Ronnie McHone and his assistant manager David Fry, nice guys who went to work at the 6 plex a few miles down the road. I could go on and on about about that theater, what a great place for a first job.

I saw Smokey and the Bandit and Corvette Summer, as well as many other “classics” there in the late 70’s

You know you’re right,I even worked as Assistant Mgr at GCC Georgia Sq.in Athens.All we had were UGA students,Never realize it until I read what you wrote.

Did all the guys and gals that worked in the theatre business in Knoxville just vanish? For a city to be this big it is amazing very little conversations and theatre stories,just like Columbia,S.C.Oh, I forgot they are College towns,

JACK. CEDAR BLUFF’S SISTER WAS LOCATED IN MARTINEZ GEORGIA,OR AUGUSTA,GEORGIA. COLUMBIA SQUARE CINEMAS IS THE SAME THEATRE JUST LIKE STONE MONT IN ATLANTA.ALL THREE THEATRE WERE ABC THEATRES UNTIL PLITT BOUGHT ABC OUT.ALL THREE WERE OPENED ABOUT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE A BIT OF HISTORY ON COLUMBIA SQUARE,BUT SADLY IT WAS SOLD TO GEORGIA THEATRES WHO HAVE A HABIT OF ADDING SCREENS SO MY COLUMBIA SQUARE BECAME A TINY FOUR PLEX. WE DID HAVE BEAUTIFUL SCREENS THAT EVEN 2001 WOULD HAVE LOKED GREAT. HOPE I HELPED.

I won tickets on local radio to East TN premiere of Star Wars at this this theater. I was 15 and I’ll never forget that day at the old Cedar Bluff Theater. it was a 2 auditorium thater. Hard to believe that of all the movie houses in Knoxville this one got such an honor, but the movie was a complete unknown at the time.

The Cedar Bluff was converted to office space in the mid-1990’s. At this date, it is un-recognizable as a former theatre. It had been a twin in its last years. Don’t know if it was built that way or not.