The old Rialto Theater moved around during its lifetime. The first Rialto was located at 313 N. Gay Street opening in 1927. The theater was then moved to 31 Market Square in 1929. In 1935 the Rialto moved down to 5 Market Square and the Crystal Theatre opened in the Rialto’s old location at 31 Market Square. In 1939 the Rialto moved one last time to 19 Market Square and remained in that location until it finally closed for good on March 1, 1946, the same day that its neighbor the Crystal Theatre also closed.
Joe, Booth Enterprises did open a Booth Theatre in Knoxville in September 1928. Link They evidently had trouble competing with Publix because there was a notice in the Sept. 12, 1929 addition of Motion Picture News that the equipment was sold in bankruptcy court for $6000.
The Broadway Theatre was a small neighborhood theatre that opened in 1939. Ownership changed when former Publix manager and local theatre owner, William Drumbar, purchased the theatre in 1947. The theatre closed in 1957 and was used briefly as the home of newly formed Arlington Church of Christ.
Westown Theater opened on December 20, 1972. The theatre closed as a single screen theatre on October 16, 1983. After the theatre was twined, it reopened as Westown I & II on October 28, 1983. The last day of operation was on June 28, 1990, and it was demolished shortly after.
When Westown opened, it replaced the historic Tennessee Theatre downtown as the flagship theatre for ABC Southeastern Theatres in Knoxville. When Bill Courey, the city manager, was asked what the future for the Tennessee was, his response was; “We will continue to operate it, but it is hard to keep a large theatre that is located in the downtown area, and my guess is we will have to close it. After that, I am afraid it will become a parking lot.” Today the Tennessee is alive and enjoying the best years of its life, and the theatre that was built to replace it is now the parking lot.
An aerial photo of the theatre can be found here: link It is the oval building in the lower left hand corner of the mall parking lot.
Knucks, the aerial shot in the photo section shows the drive-in west of Ehrmann Street. On Google maps, there is a second lake west of Ehrmann where the drive-in use to be. So it appears that the lake is where the drive-in was located.
I found the article about the construction of the Pike here
in “The Showman’s Trade Review”. It is not as long as the one in “Boxoffice”, but it is still informative.
A 1927 photo of the Rialto at its original location on Gay Street is on the photo page.
The old Rialto Theater moved around during its lifetime. The first Rialto was located at 313 N. Gay Street opening in 1927. The theater was then moved to 31 Market Square in 1929. In 1935 the Rialto moved down to 5 Market Square and the Crystal Theatre opened in the Rialto’s old location at 31 Market Square. In 1939 the Rialto moved one last time to 19 Market Square and remained in that location until it finally closed for good on March 1, 1946, the same day that its neighbor the Crystal Theatre also closed.
Update with pictures on the Arlee Theater can be seen here: Link
Joe, Booth Enterprises did open a Booth Theatre in Knoxville in September 1928. Link They evidently had trouble competing with Publix because there was a notice in the Sept. 12, 1929 addition of Motion Picture News that the equipment was sold in bankruptcy court for $6000.
The Millertown 10 opened on Dec. 17, 1993.
Here is an update on the renovation of the Rex Theatre by the Harvest Church. Link
Here is a news story that was on ABC 7 news. Link
Well this news along with the opening of the Kings next week makes me smile from all the way down here in Tennessee!
The Broadway Theatre was a small neighborhood theatre that opened in 1939. Ownership changed when former Publix manager and local theatre owner, William Drumbar, purchased the theatre in 1947. The theatre closed in 1957 and was used briefly as the home of newly formed Arlington Church of Christ.
I have added a picture of the highway entrance in the photo section.
I posted a picture of the marquee in the photo section.
I have added the newspaper article announcing the closing of the Riviera in the photo section.
This is the Tennessee Theatre and Gay Street in Knoxville.
This is the Tennessee Theatre and Gay Street in Knoxville.
This in not the Nashville Tennessee Theatre, it is the Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville after the $29 million renovation 1n 2005.
It’s true that the Star Theater was the first theater that Mike Campbell rented. This was the beginning of Regal Cinemas. Link
The exact opening date was November 6, 1998.
Film footage of the 1963 fire can be seen here: Link
Yes, it was one of the Ultra-Vision theatres of the same design that ABC build around the south.
The projection equipment is being auctioned off today July 1, 2014. Link
Westown Theater opened on December 20, 1972. The theatre closed as a single screen theatre on October 16, 1983. After the theatre was twined, it reopened as Westown I & II on October 28, 1983. The last day of operation was on June 28, 1990, and it was demolished shortly after.
When Westown opened, it replaced the historic Tennessee Theatre downtown as the flagship theatre for ABC Southeastern Theatres in Knoxville. When Bill Courey, the city manager, was asked what the future for the Tennessee was, his response was; “We will continue to operate it, but it is hard to keep a large theatre that is located in the downtown area, and my guess is we will have to close it. After that, I am afraid it will become a parking lot.” Today the Tennessee is alive and enjoying the best years of its life, and the theatre that was built to replace it is now the parking lot.
An aerial photo of the theatre can be found here: link It is the oval building in the lower left hand corner of the mall parking lot.
Knucks, the aerial shot in the photo section shows the drive-in west of Ehrmann Street. On Google maps, there is a second lake west of Ehrmann where the drive-in use to be. So it appears that the lake is where the drive-in was located.
I would love to know what is under that water.
These pictures were taken shortly after the theatre opened in 1920. The auditorium was unusually long and narrow and had 44 rows with 23 seats each.
I found the article about the construction of the Pike here in “The Showman’s Trade Review”. It is not as long as the one in “Boxoffice”, but it is still informative.
Picture of the projection booth. Link