Sadly, the Beechwood Cinema closed without advance warning after rhe last shows on Thursday, July 25, 2024. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/beechwood-cinemas-closing-doors-final-192322721.html
The concessions building was leveled and hauled off around the middle of the ‘90s, mere days after a friend and I salvaged a curved-glass candy display case, a stack of popcorn boxes, and 40,000 unused tickets from it. We had no idea that anything was going to happen— we were just prowling through the ruins on a whim.
The huge chandelier still exists, but now hangs deep underground in Cumberland Caverns, near McMinnieville, TN. I believe that they have the organ, as well.
Here’s a pretty remarkable photo of a personal appearance by Chewbacca at the Astro III in 1977 or so (I’m not certain that this mask was available before 1978, but STAR WARS played there for at least three separate runs before EMPIRE came out): View link
The Clemson Theater was open into the early ‘80s; the last film I can say with certainty that I saw there was THE ROAD WARRIOR in May 1982 (my father took me, even though it was in the middle of final exams for the year). Mr. York, the manager, then moved down the street to the Astro III.
Sadly, the Beechwood Cinema closed without advance warning after rhe last shows on Thursday, July 25, 2024. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/beechwood-cinemas-closing-doors-final-192322721.html
The concessions building was leveled and hauled off around the middle of the ‘90s, mere days after a friend and I salvaged a curved-glass candy display case, a stack of popcorn boxes, and 40,000 unused tickets from it. We had no idea that anything was going to happen— we were just prowling through the ruins on a whim.
The huge chandelier still exists, but now hangs deep underground in Cumberland Caverns, near McMinnieville, TN. I believe that they have the organ, as well.
I have a schedule under the “Dixieland Drive-In” name for July 1977, so it seems that the name change didn’t stick.
It’s now Cutter’s Pub, a frat boy bar. Never realized it was a former theater, but I can kind of see it.
Here’s a pretty remarkable photo of a personal appearance by Chewbacca at the Astro III in 1977 or so (I’m not certain that this mask was available before 1978, but STAR WARS played there for at least three separate runs before EMPIRE came out): View link
The Clemson Theater was open into the early ‘80s; the last film I can say with certainty that I saw there was THE ROAD WARRIOR in May 1982 (my father took me, even though it was in the middle of final exams for the year). Mr. York, the manager, then moved down the street to the Astro III.