Comments from gspragin

Showing 1 - 25 of 35 comments

gspragin
gspragin commented about Buchanan Theatre on Oct 10, 2009 at 8:07 pm

Here is a photo from 10/3/09.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Oldham Theatre on Oct 10, 2009 at 7:30 pm

Here is a photo taken in September 2009.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Mi-De-Ga Theatre on Oct 22, 2008 at 3:50 am

It was looking great in October 2008: http://flickr.com/photos/gspragin/2956144591/

gspragin
gspragin commented about Rialto Theatre on Feb 11, 2008 at 5:46 am

Here’s a better link to the photo I took of the old Rialto: View link

gspragin
gspragin commented about Summer Quartet Drive-In on Jul 24, 2007 at 3:45 am

My favorite drive-in was the Southwest Twin Drive-In. 4233 South 3rd Street – Hwy 61 Memphis, TN 38109. 1968 – 2000

gspragin
gspragin commented about Ridgeway Cinema Grill on Jul 24, 2007 at 3:28 am

I remember when the Ridgeway 4 opened and the mural was quite a hit. I saw many movies there, too. Always clean with comfortable seating. I liked those rows near the front.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Paramount Theatre on Jul 24, 2007 at 3:17 am

I saw the “Sound of Music” in the early ‘60s at the Paramount. Later, I stood in a long line to see “The Exorcist” in 1973. I was too young to get in without a parent. My mother and I had nightmares for years…

gspragin
gspragin commented about Whitehaven 2 on Jul 24, 2007 at 3:11 am

I remember it opening in the late ‘60s or early '70s. Personally, I preferred going to the Whitehaven Cinema just across the street.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Balmoral Cinema on Jul 24, 2007 at 3:08 am

I saw a few second run movies there in the mid ‘80s. Horrified when I saw the hot tub store. I couldn’t bring myself to go in.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Southbrook Theatre on Jul 24, 2007 at 3:04 am

I, too, visited this theatre many times as a child and teenager. I worked at the Service Merchandise next door to the three add-on theatres. It was a great place to catch a movie after the store closed for the night.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Village Cinema on Jul 24, 2007 at 3:01 am

I saw “An Officer and a Gentleman” at the Village. It was a second-run showing, and I’m pretty sure it was in 1983. There was an Army surplus store nearby.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Park Theatre on Jul 24, 2007 at 2:55 am

Count me in for “Altered States” and “Watership Down” during my Memphis State University days.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Malco's Quartet Cinema on Jul 24, 2007 at 2:49 am

The first movie I saw there was “Patton” with George C. Scott.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Whitehaven Cinema on Jul 24, 2007 at 2:44 am

I spent many, many Saturdays at the Whitehaven Cinema. Jack, you have described it exactly as I remembered it. It was a wonderful theatre…until the split…then it was just strange!

gspragin
gspragin commented about Linden Circle Theatre on Jul 24, 2007 at 1:39 am

I drove by in July 2007 and was excited to see renovation going on. The front doorw were open and building materials were stacked inside. Will go back to get more information and photos.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Rialto Theatre on Jul 5, 2007 at 7:38 am

I took this photo on 7/4/07: View link

gspragin
gspragin commented about Roxy Theatre on Jul 5, 2007 at 7:36 am

I went on a search on Chelsea for the Avon Theatre. Take a look:
View link
View link
View link

gspragin
gspragin commented about Rosewood Theatre on Jul 5, 2007 at 7:01 am

Nice story about the barbershop! I visited on 7/4/2007 and took a few photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gspragin/722746655/

gspragin
gspragin commented about Royal Theatre on Jul 5, 2007 at 6:27 am

Here is how this theatre looks on 7/4/2007: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gspragin/723338364/ and here is the annex: View link

It seems to be freshly painted. The sign on the front says, “The Studio.”

gspragin
gspragin commented about Princess Theatre on Jun 27, 2007 at 6:19 am

June 2007 Here is a shot of The Princess showing Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Orpheum Theatre on Nov 20, 2006 at 6:17 am

I have a memory of the Orpheum from the early 1960s (1963 – 1965) when it was the Malco movie theatre. We had parked past the theatre on Beale. We walked along Beale on the side of the theatre toward Main. There was a ticket booth on Beale that I walked toward, but my mother told me I couldn’t go to that one. We had to walk to Main to the larger ticket booth. The Beale ticket booth was for “colored” movie patrons. Once we entered the theatre from Main, I wanted to go up the stairs to sit in the balcony. My mother told me I couldn’t because the balcony was for “colored” movie patrons. She seemed very uncomfortable trying to explain why this was set-up this way. Finally, she told me that she was from Ohio where all movie patrons used the same ticket booth and sat in the same areas together. This prompted a discussion that was difficult for a 7 year old to understand. The side entrance still exists, but tickets are not sold there.

gspragin
gspragin commented about Madison Theatre on Nov 20, 2006 at 5:03 am

I drove by in November 2006 and it is a parking lot now :(

gspragin
gspragin commented about Palace Cinema on Nov 20, 2006 at 4:55 am

Palace Cinema in November 2006

It has 12 screens, all with stadium seating. I remember going there when I was a sophomore in college (1978, I think) to see Sylvester Stallone in a pre-Rocky film called “The Italian Stallion.” It was re-released after Rocky became such a big hit. As I recall, it seemed like a soft-porn film to me, and I was horrified. My date, now my husband, told me he was shocked, too! Right….

gspragin
gspragin commented about Peabody Theatre on Nov 20, 2006 at 4:47 am

Former Peabody Theatre, now the Memphis Drum Shop.

It’s a wonderful drum store! It has a separate room for cymbals and a studio for performances and clinics. It’s a drummer’s dream!!

The manager showed me where the candy counter used to be and the spiral staircase that went to the projection room. He showed the old sloping floor leading to the storage area and the original brick blackened by a long-ago fire. He believes the old theatre opened in the 1940’s and closed in the 1950’s. It has been the Memphis Drum Store since 1991 or 1993. What fun I had on this little visit!

gspragin
gspragin commented about Linden Circle Theatre on Nov 20, 2006 at 4:34 am

Linden Circle Theatre November 2006.
This old theatre seems to be perfectly intact with a fairly recent coat of paint. It is located in a block where all the businesses are closed. The old night club next door was the victim of a fire, but I couldn’t tell that this building was impacted. I even went around back to get a few shots.

Article from 2004 Plans for Linden Circle Theatre property