Vincent, thanks for the confirmation on the name Majestic. There is a photo of one of Memphis' Majestics (not the one still standing) in the book Nickelodeon Theatres and Their Music. Wonder if it was this one?
Joe: what a great article! And I stand corrected. The Jefferson Theatre, stood on Madison, not on Jefferson, a block away. It soon became known as the Lyric and later the Mazda. Thanks for the addition. Now if we can just find some more photos…
Vincent, it’s been too long since I did this research and can’t tell you a date anymore. Seems odd that there would be a Jefferson Theatre on Madison Ave when Jefferson Ave is just a block away. It is certainly possible, but you have to hope that the owners weren’t that blind to the possibility for confusion. Since you have access to the city directories maybe this will help: the storefront at the far left, the big sign is cut off but says “…aus and Co. Dyers” and the small sign up under the canopy says “..raus and Co. Cleaners.” The word “Dyers” appears again right next to the entrance. Could be Straus or Kraus.
Immediately to the left of the theatre’s lobby appears to be a barber shop. (What is it about theatres and barber shops?) For all the world I think the name is “Ed’s.”
Can’t make out what’s immediately to the right of the lobby, one word on the window might be “buffet.” Did they have buffet’s in 1910?
The building at far right looks like “Memphis Storage Company.” Can’t make out the first word well, but it’s “something Storage Company.”
What I wouldn’t give to be able to read the poster cases at the theatre entrance and the little A-frame sign on the sidewalk. (And did you notice the horse at the far right?)
Re the Germania Hall, I remember seeing that in a different context entirely. Correct me if I’m not wrong, but wasn’t that where Oscar Wilde spoke in 1882 (1883?). Probably a different venue from this entirely.
The address 275 South Main puts the Bijou on the same side of the street as the Orpheum at 195-197 South Main (west side of the street). The Loew’s State, the Strand and the Warner (nee Pantages) were on the east side of Main. The Orpheum’s vertical sign is visible in the street view here – if you look closely.
Doctor Phil: any photos? The Memphis Public Library would be really interested in anything you’d like to donate – old ledgers, photos, anything at all. Can you describe the interiors of any of those theatres? It’d be great to hear any details you can remember.
Vincent, there’s a seperate listing for the Jefferson Theatre, but the address I found was 309-311 Jefferson Ave not 291 Madison. Ideas about the descrepancy?
KenRoe et al, I’ve heard a rumor that the II/8 Wurlitzer from this theatre survived in Chattanooga in a person’s home into the 1990’s. Any confirmation or knowledge on this topic?
During the late 1980’s the Lamar’s side doors (on the side away from the cross street)were so rotten that they had fallen out of the door frames, leaving the theatre open to -ahem- exploration. The building was ruined, the roof mostly gone, however, enough remained of the interior to know what it had alooked like. The seat end standards were ornate, but every other row of seats had been removed – apparently to facilitate the live portion of the adult entertainment shown in its last days. There were two organ chambers at stage level, one on each side of the small stage. No sign of the organ of course. No dressing rooms or stage facilites. There was a boiler room under the stage. The auditorium side walls had simple plaster moldings creating large rectangular panels.
Coming in from the front doors, there was a very small lobby with floor sloping up. Doors opened into the standee area with a cross aisle to exit doors at each end. There was no balcony.
The biggest surprise was up in the projection booth: it was obvious that the wall between booth and auditorium had been an exterior wall – there were bits of stone moldings and details which would never have been placed there just for the projectionist to look at. If you look at the photos of the front, you’ll see an arched top window, just above the marquee. That opens into the projection booth. The small window on the angled portion was the generator room. Directly below the booth (main floor) were two small restrooms, an office, the concession stand (later addition) and of course, the tiny “lobby.” That front 10-15 feet seems to have been added to and existing building. What was it previously? Don’t know. Theatre? Storefront? Couldn’t say.
TLSLOEWS, your patience is admirable. BTW it’s taken me forever to get restablished on CT. The new format looks great, but I got unsubscibed from EVERY page I was watching. I thought everyone had given up and gone home.
Jack, from Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge: “The name ‘Mazda’ was (a brand name of light bulbs) used from 1909 through 1945 by … General Electric… The company chose the name due to its association with Ahura Mazda, the transcendental and universal God of Zoroastrianism whose name means "Wise Lord” in the Avestan language."
In the longer version of the story, there is an association between Ahura Mazda and the triumph of light – so a movie theatre with the name Mazda is pretty clever.
Friends: a bit of clarification please – I just found this link to a theatre organ, currently located in the Asbury Park Convention Center. The photo certainly does not seem to be the Paramount auditorium. Is the organ over in the other part of the building? Out over the water? http://www.gstos.org/asbury.htm
Mike: I think it says “Ford.” I know it sounds odd that cars might be on display at a movie theatre, but I know for sure that cars were occassionally displayed on the stage of Knoxville’s Bijou. It’s a thought anyway.
Yes yes yes, I know, very odd to hear about having 70mm in a new multiplex, but that was what was in the paper. Can’t say if they’ve ever used it or not, but with the thousands of screens that Regal owns, you don’t think they could have moved a couple of old 35/70mm machines from a different location, especially since this is their biggest venue in their hometown? Does Regal call the Pinnacle their flagship theatre? They didn’t initially, that was the West Town Mall theatre (not to be confused with their Downtown West theatre which is their Knoxville art house). At this point in time, I suspect anything they wanted to show which had originally been released on 70mm would now be transfered to digital. Now let’s all take a deep breath snd be grown-ups and refrain from saying how much we hate digital projection.
SiliconSam: Looks like Broad Street was renamed University Boulevard (see the first photo on Wikipedia). A quick look at MapQuest and the address 2322 University Boulevard gives us a red star near a suspiciously theatre shaped parking lot in downtown Tuscaloosa.
And Lost, thanks for the “source” link you posted 2/26/2008. That article shows a local man, D.O. Whilldin as the Bama/Druid/Cobb’s architect. He must have been a pretty talented guy.
Recently found a photo of this theatre. The 2-story front shows modest tapestry brickwork, 3-over-1 double hung sashes in the 2nd story windows complete with stripped canvas awnings. The marquee did not have changable letter boards – only the name Hollywood spelled out in single-stroke neon and a pair of horizontal neon stripes. The marquee seems to have had 3 (!) metal columns at the curb – the center one also held the downspout for the marquee roof. In the (apparently mid-1950’s) photo, a round Coca Cola sign has been mounted on top of the marque. There are no outstanding architectural features but it is a solidly handsome little building. A fine, small town theatre.
According to the friend who shared the photo, the Hollywood was built in 1936 replacing an earlier theatre. The Hollywood has itself since been torn down and a new-ish commercial building stands on this site.
Kilgen organ company records show a 3 manual pipe organ installed in the Bama Theatre. It must be this hall since the later Bama would not have had an organ.
There is a record of Kilgen organ company installing a 3 manual organ at a Loew’s theatre in Birimingham. The record does not give a date or an opus number. Was this it?
Where else? Stan Hightower.
Vincent, thanks for the confirmation on the name Majestic. There is a photo of one of Memphis' Majestics (not the one still standing) in the book Nickelodeon Theatres and Their Music. Wonder if it was this one?
Joe: what a great article! And I stand corrected. The Jefferson Theatre, stood on Madison, not on Jefferson, a block away. It soon became known as the Lyric and later the Mazda. Thanks for the addition. Now if we can just find some more photos…
Vincent, it’s been too long since I did this research and can’t tell you a date anymore. Seems odd that there would be a Jefferson Theatre on Madison Ave when Jefferson Ave is just a block away. It is certainly possible, but you have to hope that the owners weren’t that blind to the possibility for confusion. Since you have access to the city directories maybe this will help: the storefront at the far left, the big sign is cut off but says “…aus and Co. Dyers” and the small sign up under the canopy says “..raus and Co. Cleaners.” The word “Dyers” appears again right next to the entrance. Could be Straus or Kraus.
Immediately to the left of the theatre’s lobby appears to be a barber shop. (What is it about theatres and barber shops?) For all the world I think the name is “Ed’s.”
Can’t make out what’s immediately to the right of the lobby, one word on the window might be “buffet.” Did they have buffet’s in 1910?
The building at far right looks like “Memphis Storage Company.” Can’t make out the first word well, but it’s “something Storage Company.”
What I wouldn’t give to be able to read the poster cases at the theatre entrance and the little A-frame sign on the sidewalk. (And did you notice the horse at the far right?)
Re the Germania Hall, I remember seeing that in a different context entirely. Correct me if I’m not wrong, but wasn’t that where Oscar Wilde spoke in 1882 (1883?). Probably a different venue from this entirely.
The address 275 South Main puts the Bijou on the same side of the street as the Orpheum at 195-197 South Main (west side of the street). The Loew’s State, the Strand and the Warner (nee Pantages) were on the east side of Main. The Orpheum’s vertical sign is visible in the street view here – if you look closely.
Doctor Phil: any photos? The Memphis Public Library would be really interested in anything you’d like to donate – old ledgers, photos, anything at all. Can you describe the interiors of any of those theatres? It’d be great to hear any details you can remember.
Vincent, there’s a seperate listing for the Jefferson Theatre, but the address I found was 309-311 Jefferson Ave not 291 Madison. Ideas about the descrepancy?
KenRoe et al, I’ve heard a rumor that the II/8 Wurlitzer from this theatre survived in Chattanooga in a person’s home into the 1990’s. Any confirmation or knowledge on this topic?
During the late 1980’s the Lamar’s side doors (on the side away from the cross street)were so rotten that they had fallen out of the door frames, leaving the theatre open to -ahem- exploration. The building was ruined, the roof mostly gone, however, enough remained of the interior to know what it had alooked like. The seat end standards were ornate, but every other row of seats had been removed – apparently to facilitate the live portion of the adult entertainment shown in its last days. There were two organ chambers at stage level, one on each side of the small stage. No sign of the organ of course. No dressing rooms or stage facilites. There was a boiler room under the stage. The auditorium side walls had simple plaster moldings creating large rectangular panels.
Coming in from the front doors, there was a very small lobby with floor sloping up. Doors opened into the standee area with a cross aisle to exit doors at each end. There was no balcony.
The biggest surprise was up in the projection booth: it was obvious that the wall between booth and auditorium had been an exterior wall – there were bits of stone moldings and details which would never have been placed there just for the projectionist to look at. If you look at the photos of the front, you’ll see an arched top window, just above the marquee. That opens into the projection booth. The small window on the angled portion was the generator room. Directly below the booth (main floor) were two small restrooms, an office, the concession stand (later addition) and of course, the tiny “lobby.” That front 10-15 feet seems to have been added to and existing building. What was it previously? Don’t know. Theatre? Storefront? Couldn’t say.
Joe, you might also remember that the Memphis Loew’s State (q.v.) auditorium had been built into the shell of an existing warehouse.
TLSLOEWS, your patience is admirable. BTW it’s taken me forever to get restablished on CT. The new format looks great, but I got unsubscibed from EVERY page I was watching. I thought everyone had given up and gone home.
Jack, from Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge: “The name ‘Mazda’ was (a brand name of light bulbs) used from 1909 through 1945 by … General Electric… The company chose the name due to its association with Ahura Mazda, the transcendental and universal God of Zoroastrianism whose name means "Wise Lord” in the Avestan language."
In the longer version of the story, there is an association between Ahura Mazda and the triumph of light – so a movie theatre with the name Mazda is pretty clever.
Friends: a bit of clarification please – I just found this link to a theatre organ, currently located in the Asbury Park Convention Center. The photo certainly does not seem to be the Paramount auditorium. Is the organ over in the other part of the building? Out over the water? http://www.gstos.org/asbury.htm
Mike: I think it says “Ford.” I know it sounds odd that cars might be on display at a movie theatre, but I know for sure that cars were occassionally displayed on the stage of Knoxville’s Bijou. It’s a thought anyway.
Put in the address listed above in Google Earth and the street view photos take you to a sad sad street. That might be the Dixie on the corner.
Tim
In the photo “Auditorium 1929” what’s with the trellis-like railing at the orchestra pit? Never noticed that before.
Yes yes yes, I know, very odd to hear about having 70mm in a new multiplex, but that was what was in the paper. Can’t say if they’ve ever used it or not, but with the thousands of screens that Regal owns, you don’t think they could have moved a couple of old 35/70mm machines from a different location, especially since this is their biggest venue in their hometown? Does Regal call the Pinnacle their flagship theatre? They didn’t initially, that was the West Town Mall theatre (not to be confused with their Downtown West theatre which is their Knoxville art house). At this point in time, I suspect anything they wanted to show which had originally been released on 70mm would now be transfered to digital. Now let’s all take a deep breath snd be grown-ups and refrain from saying how much we hate digital projection.
Here’s some good news.
View link
Got an e-mail today saying that the new marquee was lit up for the first time last night.
SiliconSam: Looks like Broad Street was renamed University Boulevard (see the first photo on Wikipedia). A quick look at MapQuest and the address 2322 University Boulevard gives us a red star near a suspiciously theatre shaped parking lot in downtown Tuscaloosa.
And Lost, thanks for the “source” link you posted 2/26/2008. That article shows a local man, D.O. Whilldin as the Bama/Druid/Cobb’s architect. He must have been a pretty talented guy.
The original Riviera’s page is
/theaters/16357/
Gastonia NC. Good way for a projectionist to get fired.
Recently found a photo of this theatre. The 2-story front shows modest tapestry brickwork, 3-over-1 double hung sashes in the 2nd story windows complete with stripped canvas awnings. The marquee did not have changable letter boards – only the name Hollywood spelled out in single-stroke neon and a pair of horizontal neon stripes. The marquee seems to have had 3 (!) metal columns at the curb – the center one also held the downspout for the marquee roof. In the (apparently mid-1950’s) photo, a round Coca Cola sign has been mounted on top of the marque. There are no outstanding architectural features but it is a solidly handsome little building. A fine, small town theatre.
According to the friend who shared the photo, the Hollywood was built in 1936 replacing an earlier theatre. The Hollywood has itself since been torn down and a new-ish commercial building stands on this site.
Kilgen organ company records show a 3 manual pipe organ installed in the Bama Theatre. It must be this hall since the later Bama would not have had an organ.
There is a record of Kilgen organ company installing a 3 manual organ at a Loew’s theatre in Birimingham. The record does not give a date or an opus number. Was this it?
Records show a Kilgen pipe organ opus 3459 at the Lyric.