Ritz Theater
997 Mississippi Boulevard,
Memphis,
TN
38126
997 Mississippi Boulevard,
Memphis,
TN
38126
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Got tired of that inaccurate Google view so I posted a photo of the actual site. You can see a section of the remaining building’s wall in the American Classic Images photo of the Ritz. The entry faced Mississippi and the theatre was in the larger building to the left. All is demolished.
This webpage has some more information about the Ace and shows an aerial view of its former site.
Dave Lebovitz owned and operated several “Colored” movie theaters: Ace, Harlem, and Georgia. He and his brother also owned and operated three Drive-in movies: Sky-Vue, Lamar, and Sunset (West Memphis).
My dad and his brother owned and operated this theater from the time it opened until it closed, probably in the wake of the MLK assassination. It plus the Ace and the Georgia were all part of the orginal group which they owned and all were in black neighborhoods that could be pretty rough on weekends.
It is pretty clear from satellite imagery that this theatre is no longer there. Status should be closed/demolished. The site currently appears to be a park and playground.
If Elvis was a Negro.
Could Elvis have attended this theatre?
The Film Daily Yearbook’s, 1941 and 1943 give a seating capacity of 500 and it is also listed in the Negro theatre section. The 1950 edition of F.D.Y. gives a 700 seat capacity (still a Negro theatre)