Plaza Theatre
2 Biltmore Avenue,
Asheville,
NC
28801
2 Biltmore Avenue,
Asheville,
NC
28801
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Famous Players, Paramount Pictures Inc.
Styles: Art Deco
Nearby Theaters
The Plaza Theatre was located in the heart of downtown Asheville in Pack Square. It opened January 12, 1925 with Douglas Fairbanks in “The Thief of Bagdad”. It was operated by Famous Players-Lasky. By 1941 it was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary Carl Bamford. It was twinned on December 18, 1969. It was closed in July 1985.
Contributed by
Mark Huffstetler
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Recent comments (view all 28 comments)
Additional comment from TOBY 11: If anyone knows IRMA JEAN PARKER (BYRD), a former employee and friend, please have her contact me at Thank you, Kenneth Eu(Gene) Gaddy
Closed In July 1985.
If anyone knows or has knowledge of employees during 1957-59 (Irma Parker/Boyd, Judy Monroe, etc.), please contact me at , or 540.370.1642. As indicated in my comments above, I was head usher during most of that time, and would like to reconnect with those folks. Thank you, Ken (Gene) Gaddy
i was the manager of the plaza theater from 1980-82. does anyone in asheville knows what happened to former employees of mine? michael grant was a projectionist and former manager of the plaza back in the 70’s, cathy hall, matt hawkins, and tim i cant remember his last name a former manager in the 70’s who quit and went to work for 3 mountaineers in asheville. i did my internship at the plaza for my management degree at unc-a and later became the manager there thanks to tims help. email at . also what happened to plaza theater after it closed in 1985, and why did it close?
Gene Shipman found this job for me. Last year in high school I joined in. Roy Gibbs was the City Manager. (He smoked Salem cigarettes. And always used green ink in his pen.) I my worked my way up from second (!) usher to assistant manager. Garry Miller and Mr. Simpson anchored the projection booth. The box office was held down by Mrs. Hall and Mrs. Porter.
It was a beautiful theatre! Since ushers really worked during show changes, we got to goof off. My favourites were the balcony and behind the stage in Plaza I. We called it the catacombs. The dressing rooms and back stage were evident. It was cool to think of what it was like with a house full of 1200 people seeing a live performance!
I got promoted to Assistant Manager, working with Bruce Crossman. Soon after Irvin-Fuller opened the Merrimon Twin Theaters. Tony Tracy from Columbia, SC was our manager. Dean Campbell and I were his assistants. I met my first wife there.
I burned out as a manager, and went back to work at the Plaza as a projectionist. (What a great job!) I left around 1976. As you can see from my narrative, it was one of the best times of my life.
If you want to contact me, please go right ahead.
This was one of the best times of my life!
i totally agree with all the comments. I was head usher and worked with Mr. Hall closing many nights; hanging posters for upcoming movies. Also remember Mrs. Hall, forgot the gentleman’s name who handled cleaning duties, popping the corn, etc. Great group of young ladies working the concession. Left December 1959 for Great Lakes and the U.S. Navy. Great memories. Would like to reconnect with some or all of those fine people.