Paramount Theatre
727 Church Street,
Nashville,
TN
37203
727 Church Street,
Nashville,
TN
37203
2 people
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Showing 101 - 125 of 142 comments
Oh, Lost Memory I sure hope we are wrong, but Google is probably accurate. If so, another Eberson piece of history lost to another PARKING LOT! I can just imagene the CMA awards being broadcast tonight from the Paramount IF it were still with us!
What is on the former Paramount property now?
Will: Those photos are most fascinating to view yet such a sad Eberson note in history and for the City of Nashville.
When and why? 1978 and it wasn’t making enough money for the ower.
In the 1960’s these old theatres were considered a dime-a-dozen – every town had a beat-up Loew’s that had been butchered for Cinerama, a Paramount that hadn’t been painted in 40 years, a Warner with seats that were harder than oak church pews, the balcony at your local Orpheum hadn’t seen anyone but a couple of ushers sneeking cigarettes since Fred & Ginger had danced across the screen, the stage curtains at your Majestic were rotting, the lights were half burned out at your United Artists, the marquee at your Bijou didn’t have all its neon burning anymore.
The land all those glorius, abused, magnificient, drafty old theatres was sitting on was prime realestate for a concrete and steel office building or a parking lot for the neighboring department store to try and lure customers back from the suburbs.
Jack Coursey had some sad, but compelling photos of the Paramount as it was being torn down at
View link
And when?
Thanks again, but I have a sad heart to think that this theatre does NOT exist in Nashville! Do you know the reasons why this Eberson theatre was brought down?
Patsy, please refer to my post of October 3, 2005 at 5:57 a.m. above(thankfully, Pacific time). It begins “Jack, tisk tisk tisk…”
Will: What does it mean Eberson “hard top”? I may have asked you this before, so please forgive me if that is the case.
Actually, I mis-spoke: there were four on Church – Paramount, Tennessee, Cresent (later Loew’s Cresent) and Vendome (later Loew’s Vendome). And just off Church were the 5th Avenue and the Knickerbocker. Of the list, the Paramount was the grandest, the Vendome the oldest.
There must have been others but I haven’t done the research to unearth them. I do have an old Nashville post card that show’s a sign in the distance that clearly reads “Orpheum” but it could be that one of the other halls was booking Orpheum vaudeville and it wasn’t a theatre named Orpheum – you know the Audacious Theatre presents Orpheum Vaudeville and Lubish Film favorites at popular prices – that sort of thing.
It is truly a shame that Nashville no longer has this former Eberson theatre!
“Nashville had several big movie palaces downtown, three on Church Street. All have been razed.” What were the names of the “several big movie palaces” in downtown Nashville so I can at least read about them on CT. Thanks.
Will, I pleaded the fate of the Tennessee with the developer, too. As you already know, what’s on the site now is a very uninspired high rise condo/apartment building.
I never considered the Cresent to be a palace – interesting signage, but small lobby and very plain auditorium. Historically, it was important because it became a Cinerama venue before that concept moved to the Belle Meade. Also, it became a Loew’s after the Vendome burned. I think it was built in the shell of the old Princess Theater but I never found out when that was.
The Cresent was commercially successful, particularly during the Loew’s period. But a palace. Can you remember anything of note about it’s interior. I can’t.
Although I never had the opportunity to visit the Paramount, I have toured a few of Mr. Eberson’s works of art and have no doubt the Paramount was superior to the stark and unremarkable TPAC. But to dispel the notion that Nashville lacks a flair for fashion, take a peek at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. This new home for the Nashville Symphony looks to be a spectacular venue.
MH, You neglect to mention the Cresent, which though not really a movie palace per se, was a large theatre on Church. T-PAC was built AFTER the Paramount,the Cresent and the Vendome were razed. The Tennessee came down because a developer (whom I met, talked with and pleaded the case for saving the Tennessee and its 11 story office building) wanted to build a larger, newer building. T-PAC did not make these theatres redundant.
Nashville is a money city. It retains very liitle of what doesn’t make money.
Actually, there were only three movie palaces on Church Street – the Paramount, the Tennessee and Loew’s Vendome. The Vendome burned down. The Paramount and Tennessee were razed. I think one of the reasons none of the palaces were saved is the fact that Nsahville is the state capitol. It houses TPAC, a complexz of three state built theaters. As a result of TPAC, the old palaces served no practical use.
brucec: I’m familiar with the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville though have yet to visit it.
Most American cities have restored at least one to two of there downtown movie palaces. Its a shame that the Paramount was torn down after surviving so many years. Both Memphis and Knoxville have restored downtown movie palaces. Nashville joins a very short list of cities not to have any historic downtown movie palaces left.brucec
With all due respect, Nashville’s loss is proportional with most other metropolitan areas particularly when you consider how many theatres have shuttered in Manhattan over the past few years. There are still quite a few fantastic theatres still in operation just outside of Nashville including the Franklin, the Lincoln in Fayetteville and the Roxy in Clarksville. Also, there remains a glimmer of hope that maybe a circuit like Landmark or Lefont could revive either or both the Belle Meade and Melrose. Fortunately we still have the Belcourt and according to a recent posting on the Madison Theatre site, there are plans underway to restore part of the building for use as a theatre.
Jack: Thanks for this theatre update for Nashville. I can’t believe that a city like Nashville would allow so many of their beautiful old and historic theatres to be demolished! Such a shame!
Here are a couple of recent photos of theatres in Nashville and throughout Tennessee. The Belcourt (circa 1925) on Belcourt Ave is the only theatre built before 1960 still in operation. The Fifth Ave (1909-60) and the Donelson (1950-73) are still standing although neither resembles a theatre anymore. The Peafowl (1915-29) on 4th Ave N, the Woodland (1924-55) on Woodland St, the Melrose (1940-83) on Franklin Rd, the Belle Meade (1940-90) on Harding Rd, Roxy (1940-55) on Wilburn St, the Gem (1945-55) on 1st Ave S and the Woodbine (1950-60) still retain some of their exterior charm although none have operated as theatre in over a decade.
Does Nashville have any remaining old theatres today?
“Nashville had several big movie palaces downtown, three on Church Street. All have been razed.” Very sad and very surprising that that particular city would allow all of these theatres to be lost, forever!
Larry: Interesting post as I’m sure your introduction gave you the opportunity to speak with Mr. Hortenstein about his days at the Paramount in Nashville. Now I’ll have to check out the Paramount link and read what happened to that theatre.
Last week I was assisting with the tuning (and playing) of the Wurlitzer Organ at the Tivoli Theatre in Chattanooga and met Mr. Everett Hortenstein, a gentleman in his 80’s. He was introduced to me as the former theatre organist at the Paramount Theatre in Nashville.
Joe, thanks for the grin. A subscription to Variety is so expensive I’ve never taken it regularly: only pick up an occassional issue. On the subject of “Slanguage” I bow to your greater knowledge and will follow the link you provided. Jack, I don’t know if AIA keeps an “opus list” for its members but suspect not. The Cinema Treasures lists can be sorted by architect though and provides a wonderful starting point for research. The webmaster here and the support team have done a wonderful job with this site. Can’t compliment them enough!