Loew's Crescent Theatre

This theatre in my years with Loews ran matinees 7 days a week.Most of the movies started at 12:30 to 1:00 P.M. the last movie always started at 9:00p.m. or later. Most nights we would get out around 11:30.The other Loews houses in Nashville only had matinees on the weekends and during the summer school break.Some Days at the Melrose or Madison I would have to work open to close at least one day a week sometimes more,the good thing was during school days these theatres would only show two screenings a night so you only had to work about 4 to 5 hours a day.And in some cases no one would show up for the last show and we all got to go home early.I can only remember getting to go home early from the Crescent due to no customers about 2 or 3 times.It was good for everyone but the Manager who would have to hang around til after 11:00 P.M. to call Dallas with our daily receipts, after the long distance rates went down at that time.Oh the theatre business!

Thanks again Mike,about the Ice thing at times where we would run out of ice before we had the back-up machine we would have ice delivered from a local ice house I believe it cost $10.00 a 100 pound bag.Of course this was large chunk ice and not the cruched ice our regular machine would make.

During “JAWS” i was driving all over Augusta buying ice I bet a lot of theatres had to.that would be an interesting question to ask CT members that were THEATRE EMPLOYEES.

You would think it would have stayed there.Well, I have never worked a World Premiere,You are going to have to do some research and find out.

DIDN’T WE WORK AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE BUSINESS.

Decor of the Crescent.The box office was enclosed on the left hand side of the theatre the entrance had brown marble on the walls. Of course we had three attraction cases on the right side, the first for Now Showing the second for Next Attraction and the third held the one sheet advertising the Now Showing at Loews Melrose and Madison. At times in the comming attractions case we would have a 1-sheet promoting a Loews Hotel,I still have some of those 1-sheets.The entrance had 3 sets of glass double door.The lobby had Red and Black patterned carpet. There were two attraction cases that were on the right side of the lobby which mirrors had been installed.They still opened and locked like an attraction case but had hooks mounted on the wall inside which we would hang out old ticket stubs.We would string up our tickets,as Loews tickets had holes in them that would slide on a rod in the doormans stand a latter could be threaded to string them.We were to string the tickets dailey,but this hardly ever happened.We could audit these tickets to make sure all tickets sold had been torn.The concession stand was on the left side of the lobby and the popcorn machine and warmer were right near the front doors. On nice days we would pop the corn and leave one of the front doors open to let the smell out,folks would come in just to buy popcorn.The restrooms were at the back of the small lobby the Womens next to the concessions and the Mens on the right.I small closet in the Mens room was used as a doormans usher room.3 Double wood finished door lead to the theatre itself,which had door closers on top that could be locked open between movies.After entering the theatre there was about 15 feet of open space which a half wall behind the seats with a short curtain hanging on it.The walls were draped with red drapes as was the screen,which opened and closed between shows ran by a motor controled from the booth.The seats were also red 415 on each side.Two exit doors were to the left and one on the right which lead to the back of the theatre to the alley.You could not get to the booth or other offices from the theatre,they had there own entrance to the right of the theatre by the bookstore.The floor sloped down of course but first few rows sloped upward toward the screen.

Another thought of the W.W. Movie,although the L&C Tower was used in the movie, they covered their sign with a fake sign for the movie, maybe they did not want their name used.I looked this movie up on the internet and it is interesting that this film has never been released on VHS or disk.It does show up on T.V. sometimes,I wanted to tape it but never knew when is was showing till too late. A very brief shot the the Vertical sign of this theatre, looking from 4th Ave North to the West up Church Street is seen in this film if anyone has it on tape,or sees it on T.V.Another thing about our booking as Mike commented on,most of the time we showed first run films., but as it happened we where showing a Kung Fu Movie that week and this was early 1975, we did show it for 6 days and did not show it at all the night of the premier,we never did much business with the Kung Fu films in the Nashville market, however I have read were they did well for Loews in other cities.They may have been just trying out these films in Nashville or in this cause just booked it that week because of the Premier and would have time to really clean up the place for the big night. The other times we book Kung Fu flicks they never played over a week. One time we showed a film with 2 reels out of place all week 5 shows a day and no one noticed or no one said anything about it.The funny thing I was saying that we may have a Kung Fu for a week which did hardly any business and Friday we would open with a New Rocky or 007 movie and be packed for week.Those were the days.

More Info on the World Premier of W.W. and the Dixiedance Kings,as posted 11/30/09.This Burt Renolds movie had it premier at this theatre in early 1975 I have a program from that night but cannot find it at this time so I am not sure of the exact date.I got to open the limo doors as the actors from the movie arrived at the theatre.Church Street was blocked off to traffic between 4th and 5th Ave.that night and a Keg Light was located on the street.The cast was Burt as W.W. Bright,Connie Van Dyke played Dixie,Jerry Reed was Wayne in his first movie apperance,Ned Betty played Country Bill, Don Willams was Leroy, and The great Art Carney played Decon John Westley Gore.All these actors where they that night plus many Nashville music and civil leaders, I remember Chet Adkins and Bobby Goldsboro also where in attendance.Most of the movie was shot in Nashville and the surounding area.The L&C Tower was next door to the theatre and many scenes from the film where shot outside and inside there,you can also see a quick shot of the theatre in the movie. It was strange to watch the movie and see the theatre you are watching it in on the screen.Also this movie was directed by John Avildsen of Rocky and other movie fame.It was a great night as I got paid to see the movie and meet many Stars,plus I got to change the marquee the night before the premier and after the show was over I got to change it again, back to the Kung Fu movie that we were showing that week.

My guess is that it was not a roulette wheel; it probably a Dec-O-Win wheel (or a variation; different theaters used different names for similar promotions). Dec-O-Win or its clones were used by theaters from roughly the 1930s to the 1950s during times when attendance was slacking off. Patrons were given numbered tickets and a theater worker would spin the wheel. Holders of winning numbers got small prizes such as household items like glassware, theater passes, and occasionally small amounts of cash. The Oakland Paramount still revives Dec-O-Win when it shows classic films; there a story and a video about it here: View link

LOL.

Thanks Tlsloews,George Washington Slept in Augusta and President Wilson grew-up here.Of course everybody in the World that plays Golf and has a conection at the Augusta National has slept here.Presidents To Clint Eastwood,Yes he flies in and doesn’t even give me a CALL.

You are welcome.Have a nice evening.

I think its O.K. Mike not that many people post on this page.I have seen a few of my old time buddies but they are the same they are doing something else now and do not think about the old days that much.To each his own they say.