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The Airway was one of the larger "neighborhood" theaters. It had a spacious auditorium with a balcony. In size it would compare favorably to the Rosemary but with less ornate decoration. In the 60s it was already a porn house, showing mostly Euro-trash. The balcony was "reserved for couples only."   The Airway was still in operation during the early 1980's.  It has since been demolished. 

"Kemmons Wilson, who later founded Holiday Inn’s got his start selling popcorn from a rented popcorn machine in the lobby of The Airways". - Vincent Astor

The Auditorium was probably the first Cinema in Memphis, and where, in 1897, the new Cinematograph was first demonstrated in the city.  Edison's Concert Phonograph also had its Memphis debut at The Auditorium.  The Auditorium opened in 1894 and lasted until 1903. The building at S. Main and Linden, was originally a huge barn used as a garage for horse-drawn carriages.  When electric trolleys replaced the carriages, the building was converted to a theatre.  The Auditorium became the Bijou in 1903 and the building burned down in 1911.  Sometime after 1918 it was supposed to have been rebuilt - closing in 1940.  We can find no record of that in the Directories.

"Here are two new photos of the actual Bristol.  The address on the center storefront matches and that was the location of the box office.  Visible are the places in the brickwork which supported the pie-shaped marquee.  The center storefront has a seam in the walls where the front doors to the Bristol were".  -Vincent Astor

The Bristol was a smaller neighborhood theater just West of Highland Street. According to Memphis old-timers, it got its name from the time when the area was way out in the suburbs and that section of Summer Avenue was called the "Bristol Highway." Bristol was considered "...clear at the other end of Tennessee, about as far away from Memphis as you can get and still be in the state". In the mid-to-late 1970s it was being run by a Memphis movie buff named Mitchell Shapperkotter, probably more for a hobby than as a true commercial endeavor.  It was demolished shortly after that. The theater had a very long, narrow lobby running clear through the office block to the auditorium on the back side.  The theatre was a rather standard design with the usual Art Deco appointments.

The Bristol opened in 1930.  It is listed in the 1930 Memphis Directories and then continuously from 1930 through 1958 (That's as far as we've been able to verify).

This theater is best-known as the home of the legendary Stax Records studios after its demise as a theater. Though the original building was demolished about 1989, a new building, Soulsville U.S.A., home of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, has incorporated a replica of its exterior into its design.  The first listing of the Capitol in the Memphis Directories is 1931 and it is listed continuously from that date up to 1958 (as far as we've been able to verify).

"During the last half of the 30's my brothers and I would walk from my dad's small grocery store on Mississippi Blvd to the Capitol Theater on McLemore (now STAX) where we would see a double feature movie, with an episode of a serial (Flash Gordon, etc), and enjoy a 5 cent box of popcorn.  They did not sell soft drinks in the movies then, so we did not step into sticky places on the floor.  They did sell 5 cent candy bars, however."  --  Donald Canestrari, Memphis

Robert Church, one of the nation's first black millionaires, built the Church Auditorium and Park in 1899 at the corner of Beale and 4th.  It was one of the grandest facilities in the city and attracted major talent to Memphis.  The auditorium was demolished in 1921 and a new one was built, which lasted to the 1970s.

The Crosstown Theatre opened in May 1951.  With 1400 seats, it had the distinction of being the largest and most luxurious suburban theatre in the metropolitan Memphis area.  The Crosstown was on the East side of Cleveland a little South of North Parkway and the huge Sears Roebuck store. Old-timers said it had been started in 1941 and construction was suspended during WWII so it was just a hole in the ground until 1946. It was still in business in 1973, playing things like "Towering Inferno" and re-releases of "2001-a Space Odyssey." Malco, which owned the Crosstown, wasn't pleased with the cash flow, but didn't want to let anybody else run it for fear of the competition, so they let it sit vacant for a while in the late 70s. They were looking for a way to unload it to someone who wouldn't use it a movie theater. Enter the Jehovah's Witnesses. By 1983, they had taken over not only the theater for a conference center, but the entire surrounding block for offices, classrooms, and so forth. They left the marquee and the huge vertical "Crosstown" sign in place.   In 2005, after the photo above was taken, the vertical marquee was removed and destroyed, and the church began constructing a new look to replace the marquee.  Elvis Presley used to rent the theater our in the 1960s and 1970s for all-night movie sessions.  The Crosstown is listed in the 1955-57 Memphis Directories..

1908 "The Freeman"

112 S. Main ?

112 S. Main ?

1909 Parade  "Dixie"  sign

The entrance to The Dixie was on the second floor and was accessed by an outside stairway.  This theater was run by the same organization that ran the Theatorium.  The entrance was very near the old Waldorf Cafe that appears in early Memphis Postcards.  The Dixie is listed in the 1908 Memphis Directory at 112 S. Main, with Henry Wade, Proprietor.  Billboard Magazine of the period contained updates which mention The Dixie - "The Palace, Theatorium, Amuse U, Dixie, Ruby, and Odeon are drawing good returns with songs and moving pictures".

From 1906-1909 the 112-116 S. Main buildings were Sturla's Hotel.  From 1909-1913 these addresses were The New Waldorf Hotel and Cafe.  Apparently the Dixie Theater took over the second floor of Sturla Hotel's 112 building from 1906-1908.

There is a Dixie Theatre listed for 1 year in the 1906 Directory at 161 Hernando.  This one may have moved to 112 S. Main Street shortly afterwards.  But there may have been a 2nd Dixie on North Main during this same time period.  It doesn't  appear in the Directories but a "Dixie" sign shows up in early North Main Photos.

Ellis 1926

Dedication -1925

Ellis North Hall

  Ellis South Hall

Ellis Auditorium was located in downtown Memphis on the corner of Poplar and Main Street. The completion of the Auditorium in 1924 made Memphis one of the first cities in the nation to offer comprehensive meeting and convention facilities. The auditorium was way ahead of its time, offering 30,000 square feet of display space and seating for 12,000. It even featured a movable stage that was entirely electric. A period brochure boasted that the mechanical marvel took only 12 hours to move! The auditorium was so advanced, it would be 50 years before a new facility was needed  ...

Ellis Auditorium  has its own major comprehensive coverage on another page of this website.  Click here... 

        Empire #1

80 N. Main

Previously Majestic #3

The Empire #1 is listed in the 1914 through 1918 Directories. Previously this address was occupied by the Majestic #3.  The building still exists on S. Main, now occupied by  the EasyWay store and at some period, the 4 story building was reduced to a 2 story building.  The Empire Theaters were managed by The Majestic Amusement Co. which explains the name changes from Majestic to Empire.

William Goodwyn was a successful Memphis cotton merchant.  He bequeathed his entire fortune for a public library and an annual series of educational lectures.  The Goodwyn Institute opened in 1907 and the 7-story Beaux-Arts building was notable for four large columns above the entrance and for lions heads in terra-cotta.  The top floor held the library and the third floor was taken up by a 900 seat auditorium.  The building was demolished in 1962 to make way for a bank.

 1927 Goodwyn Ad

 Goodwyn Portrait

Built in 1860, the Greenlaw was a 4 story Romanesque Opera House that had been built with greatness in mind:  a ballroom that could accommodate 300 couples; an opera house with 8 foot wide doors operated by pulleys and counterweights; and an auditorium with fifty foot ceilings.   It's 200 foot frontage faced Second Street.  The entire ground floor consisted of shops, stores, and restaurants.  The halls were available for meetings, lectures, social events and theatrical productions.  But the stage measured only 10 feet deep - sufficient for singers and speakers but very limiting for actors in a theatrical production.  Thus there was always competition between the Greenlaw and The Memphis for the major productions.  The Greenlaw burned in 1880 and was not rebuilt.  A marker for the Opera House is in place today, but although there are numerous historical references to the Greenlaw, we have not been able to locate a photo or drawing of the building.

Marker

1875 School Commencement

Greenlaw History:  Large PDF file - Be Patient.

The Hollywood Theater is listed in the 1940 through 1958 Memphis Directories.  We've not been able to verify directories beyond that date.

"The Hollywood theater ended its career as a church."  - Vincent Astor, Memphis

Idlewild

Idlewild - Lobby

Idlewild - Ticket Booth

The Lamar Theatre opened in 1926. Now closed for over 20 years, the Theatre has clearly not withstood the wear and tear of time very well.  It dates back to the silent movie era. There is a small stage and a small organ chamber left and right of the proscenium at stage level. The arched window visible in the photo above opens into the projection booth. In the projection booth there are vestiges of an older facade, indicating that the booth and lobby are additions to an older theater.  When last seen in 1990 the roof was nearly gone, the side exit doors falling out of the walls. Every other row of seats had been removed for the live part of the porno show which was the Lamar's last use.

The Lamar is listed in the 1930 through 1958 Memphis Directories.  We've not been able to verify beyond that date..

LEUBRIE'S THEATRE  .  Memphis  .  New Memphis  .   82 Jefferson 
 

Leubrie's is listed in the 1880-1886  directories.  The Memphis is listed in the 1859 directory at a Washington address and then in 1877-79 at the Jefferson address.  The New Memphis is listed in 1865-74...and then again in 1887-1891. 

1943

Auditorium 1943

Today

The Linden Circle is listed in the 1930 through 1958 Memphis Directories.  We've not been able to verify beyond that.  The address varies 305 to 311 Somerville.

Loew's Palace Theatre (or the Palace Theatre, as it was later and better known) opened in 1920.  It closed in 1977 and was demolished in 1985.  The Loew's Palace had a fairly small lobby with stairs on each side. There was a glass window wall between the lobby and the auditorium. Beyond the window wall as an open orchestra foyer/standee area. Above this was an under-balcony dome. Ascending the stairs led one to an lower balcony cross aisle with a well at the dome. Looking down into the well, one looked down on seats. Looking up one saw the saucer (under-balcony) dome. This whole lower balcony cross-aisle was cove-lit in pink neon.  Loew's Palace was the Memphis Cinerama movie house.

Loew's Palace is listed at 79-81 Union in the 1922 Memphis Directories and not listed again until 1930.  The listing stops in 1936-1940 (Unknown reason).  Verified listing up to 1958.

"Often, major movie stars would come to Memphis to promote their new films, because Memphis was considered a big "movie town". After the film was shown, the lights would come up and the actors would come out on stage for a little discussion and/or question and answer period. I remember seeing Van Johnson and Janet Leigh at the Palace to promote their film 'Romance of Rosy Ridge' (1947)".  - Gene Gill, Pasadena CA

Loew's State became notable for being the place where Elvis Presley got his first job, in 1948, as an usher and later being fired, and then re-instated.

Loew's auditorium was built into an older warehouse which actually fronted Second Street. Second Street wasn't a suitable address for such a prestigious theater so Loew's acquired a single storefront on Main Street which aligned with the warehouse/auditorium on 2nd. Unfortunately, there was an alley between the two buildings which the City of Memphis would not allow Loew's to close off. The solution? The storefront was gutted and turned into a lovely half-block-long lobby which ended in a single grand stairway. This stairway rose to a level high enough to allow a bridge over the alley and entered the auditorium at balcony level.  When the theater was not at peak capacity, the sign on the stairs said "downstairs closed" instead of the usual "balcony closed" so familiar to movie-goers in the 1960's.

The State had a vaudeville stage and pit. The hall was never renovated during its life and so retained all it's Thomas Lamb "Loew's Adam" decor to the end.  The first organ in the Loew's State was a Moller. It was replaced by a Wurlitzer in the mid-1920's. The 2 big Loew's theaters in downtown Memphis were under construction at the same time.  The last movie at Loew's State was "WUSA" with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

The State had a vaudeville stage and pit. The hall was never renovated during its life and retained all it's Thomas Lamb "Loew's Adam" decor to the end.  The first organ at Loew's State was a Moller. It was replaced by a Wurlitzer in the mid-1920's. The 2 big Loew's theaters in downtown Memphis were under construction at the same time.  The last movie at Loew's State was "WUSA" with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. Loew's Metropolitan at 152 S. Main is listed in the 1920 Memphis Directories.  The name changes to Loew's State in the 1921 Directory and continues up to 1958.  We've not been able to verify beyond 1958.
	1953 Ad

The Demolition of Loew's State - 1972 ...

"I worked as an usher at the Loew's State the year before Elvis. It was the summer of '47 when "EASY TO WED" with Esther Williams and Van Johnson and "CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA" with Vivien Leigh, Claude Rains and Stewart Granger played there. The manager was right out of a comic book… but not funny. He thought because he was the manager of the Loew's State, he was ruler of the world. My classmate, Fred Dennison, told me about the job. Poor Elvis. No wonder he got fired by that ass.... However, Elvis was reinstated… so maybe the manager got fired."  - Frederick Regenold

" The Big Bands of the 40's-50's frequently appeared at Loew's State. For the regular price of the movie, you got a first run film and then a stage show featuring one of the bands - usually when they had a hit record. I remember seeing Vaughn Monroe's show in 1947 when he had a major hit of 'Dance Ballerina Dance' .  And during this same period Louis Prima and Keely Smith appeared with their stage show."  - Gene Gill
 

"My Mother took me to Loew's State Theatre for my birthday to see the picture show and Sammy Kaye's Orchestra Show which was also playing. Sammy Kaye invited guests from the audience to lead his band and I was picked. What a thrill for me ... and I led the band to the tune of 'Orange Colored Sky'.  I was presented a baton from Sammy Kaye and a picture of my performance, which I still have to this day."  - Jo Lynn Yarbrough Smith

"Anyone who ever went to the movies at the Loew's State remembers the feeling of royalty as you walked up and up from one landing to the next between walls and ceilings of mirrors. And with all the glass chandeliers. It was a pretty spectacular entrance! It wasn't until many years later that I figured out that all those mirrors were just to make a long tunnel seem wider and shorter. They were really leading us up and over the alley behind Main St. and into the theater which was actually in a building on Second. Those rascals !" - Eddie Cooper, Memphis

"My Dad was the manager of the Loew's State from 1949 till the mid 1960's, not too sure. As many may know, my Dad did fire Elvis Presley when he was an usher scuffling with another usher in the early 50's, but eventually hired him back. Truly amazing....a kid is an usher and about 5 years later, he is coming back to see himself up on the screen. That was quite a night. My Dad held a private screening for Elvis, his parents, and friend visiting from Hollywood, Nick Adams, and of course the Groom family was there in full force!   I was a candy girl at the Loew's State during my high school years and met my future husband who was an usher at Loew's Palace". - Micki Groom Creamer

The Luciann was gutted and converted into a bowling alley after it closed.  Later it became the Paris Adult Theatre.  The theater was built by Michael Cianciolo and it was named for his two daughters Lucy and Ann.  In 1966 it was turned into a night club.  But by the 70s, the neighborhood had changed and it was sold to Paris Adult Group for Adult movies.  The Luciann listing has been verified in the 1940 through 1958 Memphis Directories.

"The Luciann Theater was owned and run by Augustine Cianciola. He owned the Plaza and the Rosemary also."  - Pat Grisanti,  Princeton, Texas

"Michael Cianciolo built The Luciann in 1939-40 and his son Augustine ran it.  The Luciann is named after sisters Lucy Cianciolo and Ann Cianciolo Angelo.  In 1958 it became a bowling alley; in 1966 it became a night club called "The Party" which was very popular with Memphis Sound artists and the public.  The Luciann, perhaps had the first lighted dance floor in the city.  In the early 70's it was sold to the Paris Adult Group and for a number of years the concrete "Luciann" was covered by plywood.  About one quarter of the auditorium was being used for adult films in 2011, with a few of the "venetian blind" side lights still intact and some architectural details.  Therefore, technically, there is still one screen operating under the Paris management.  The exterior is amazingly well preserved as opposed to many other former neighborhood theatres in Memphis.   Another Cianciolo operation, the Rosemary Theatre, was named for the third daughter, Rosemary.  It did not survive the 1960's."   - Vincent Astor, Memphis

Lyceum - 1935

Lyceum - Interior

Vintage Lyceum Postcard

The Lyric Theater presented the best in stage and Vaudeville.  Sarah Bernhardt performed here, but in later years, prizefights were held.  The theatre burned on January 23, 1941.  Today the site is empty.  This theater has a very similar history to the Lyceum, and it's easy to confuse the two. Billboard Magazine, 1908, mentions that the Lyric's first manager was Jack Amick, who had owned The Palace at 135 N. Main.  J. J. Amick also owned Amick's Vaudeville Exchange.

The Lyric is listed in the Memphis Directories.from 1908 -1930.  In 1931 the name changed to Mazda and it's listed for two years.  1933 is the last listing and a new name:  :Junior Order United American Mechanics Theatre.   

The vintage post card (2nd photo above) shows the Lyric building with "Jefferson Theater" printed on it, and a banner across the street reading "Jefferson".   Two years after opening, The Jefferson became the Lyric.  The Billboard Magazine (above) has an article about The Lyric and about Jack Amick.  The articles below discuss The Jefferson and contradict the dates of the Memphis Directory listings.
Jefferson item 1908	Jefferson 1909	Jefferson Name Change 1911	Jefferson Ad 1909-10

"...I saw the information...regarding the early Palace Theatre which opened in 1907.  You mentioned it was headquarters for Amick's Vaudeville Exchange.  ...James J. Amick was my grandfather. ... I have a copy of the 1908 Memphis City Directory showing a listing for Jack Amick, manager of Amick's Vaudeville Exchange and Palace Theater.  It gives his residence as the Arlington Hotel.  Following that entry is the listing for Amick's Vaudeville Exchange at 135 N. Main. ... Here are the pictures we talked about.  James Jackson Amick was born in Springfield TN 1884 and died in Michigan February 29, 1940. - Diane Dunn, Round Rock TX -  4/2012.

"...The Lyric started out as The Jefferson in 1908.  Its name was changed to The Lyric when the management changed in 1911.  The name was changed again to the Mazda about 10 years before it burned in 1941."  - Stephen Huff

At various times, from 1908 to 1930, there have been from 2 to 8 different Majestic Theaters.  All 8 have been on Main Street and there have often been 4 at the same time.  They were listed in the Memphis Directories as #1, #2, #3, #4, New #2, and New #1.  The earliest two are #1 and #2 - first listed in 1909.  The youngest is New #1, first listed in 1915.  It gets confusing!!! 

The Majestic most people think of is the one located at 145 S. Main - known as the New #1 Majestic.  The beautiful building, which opened in 1913, is still there.  At various times it had a series of Moller organs during the silent era.  It had 1000 seats and was first listed in the Memphis Directories in 1915.  The Majestic showed silent films until 1936 when the building was sold to Julius Lewis Men's Store.  They occupied the building until 1956.  During the 60's it became a warehouse for Goldsmith's Department Store.  In the late 60's it became the Blue Light Studio (Photography) and in the 90's it was converted to a brewery and restaurant.  During this period they covered over a lot of the original details.  In 2005, Deni and Patrick Reilly purchased the building and restored it and opened the Majestic Grille in 2006.  This popular restaurant has consistently been on "Memphis Best..." lists ever since.  The two story building features a stunning terra cotta facade outlined with stud lights. On the north side is a mid-block alley where the theater had large windows on the alley side to allow ventilation.  The interior has been lovingly restored for a restaurant-pub. The stairs to the balcony were removed and a suspended ceiling installed at balcony height. Above this, the old decor has survived including the decorative proscenium.  Across the street at 138 S. main was the Majestic #2 which became the Strand Theatre in the 1920s.   (Thanks to Deni Reilly for filling in the gaps of this history)

"...The Majestic Theatre that is the building in which we are now housed...was called The Majestic No 1 and it was owned by Mr. Bert Jordan. His son Warren who passed away 2 years ago this August was kind enough to provide us with the history of the theatre as well as some family pictures. The family also owned another theatre around the corner on Union.  I'm not sure Frank Montgomery was involved with the Majestic No. 1 - but he may have been!   Construction on the theatre began in 1912 and the theatre opened in 1913. It remained a silent picture house until 1936, when the family decided to sell the building rather than take on the expenses of putting in speakers for 'talkies..."  -  Deni Reilly, Majestic Grille, 10/2011

"Look also at your 'Memphis Main St' postcards (link at bottom of page) and you’ll notice the Majestic’s (#2) canopy was over a business as well as the tiny entryway. The Strand’s marquee was narrower. Planters Peanuts, south Main store, was in the same building.   The woman not quite visible in the Majestic #1 boxoffice was Bessie Jerome, my grandmother’s (Bessie Mae Hill Garavelli) best friend. My mother, Angela Estelle Garavelli Astor, remembers being babysat in the front row of the Majestic with Bessie’s little boy when they were both very small."  - Vincent Astor, Memphis   .  Click here to see Photos

The Hopkins Grand Opera House opened on the corner of Main and Beale in 1890 and was touted as the finest opera house outside New York City.  Originally used for opera, the Grand Opera House soon was featuring vaudeville acts, and in 1907 became part of the Orpheum circuit.  It was renamed the Orpheum Theater that same year.

By 1940, after the heyday of vaudeville, the Orpheum Theater was purchased by the Malco chain and switched to a movies-only format. The renamed MALCO Theater continued to run first-run films until it closed in 1977.  The last movie was "House of 1000 Pleasures" and "The Four of Us".  In 1982, the Memphis Development Foundation acquired the Malco Theater and undertook a $5 million renovation project which brought the palace back to its 1928 glory after decades of decline. In January 1984, a grand reopening ceremony was held.

Today, it has been re-named the Orpheum Theater and is Memphis' premier venue for touring Broadway shows. The Orpheum Theater has hosted more touring Broadway productions than any other theater in the US. In addition to its stage shows, the Orpheum hosts concerts and everyone from the Vienna Boys Choir to Patti LaBelle to Harry Connick, Jr. have graced the stage. It is also the home to two of the city's finest local arts organizations, the Memphis Ballet and the Memphis Opera.

The MALCO name appears in the 1936 Memphis Directory at 81 Union.  The Orpheon Name is listed in the 1936 book at 197 S. Main.  In the 1940 through 1957 Memphis Directories, the Malco appears as 197 S. Main.

 New Daisy - 2012

 Dylan - 1999

   Awards

Tile floor of New Daisy

Located almost directly across the street from the Daisy Theatre.  It was built by Paul Zerilla and his partner Joe Maceri.  Originally it was a movie house, but occasionally sponsored live music.  Today, the New Daisy is one of the top performing venues for both upcoming and established R & B and rock music artists.  It is also available for rentals.  But there's been recent talk of closing the New Daisy.

The NEW Daisy is listed in the 1942 through 1958 Memphis Directories.

“Normal” was the name of the community, in fact the first name of the University of Memphis was Normal State Teacher’s College. Now Newby’s concert hall.  The entrance to the Normal/Studio/Movie House/Newby's is almost exactly like the entrance to the Bristol with the one-cashier-can't-sit down box office.  The Studio once was operated as "The Movie House".  - Vincent Astor

"... enjoyed the pics and history of the old Memphis theaters...I believe the Normal must have opened at least by the early thirties.  It was there when I started school (Messick 1934-1946) and used to go to the "Nickel Uproar" at the Normal every Wednesday after school.  The manager was a good man, last name Augustine.  Most days it cost a dime admission for kids.  He waited until I was about 14-15 and said "Jack, don't you think it's time you started paying adult admission?"  Soda-jerked at Normal Drugs during WWII and went to the theater when it closed at 10 PM to see the end of the current movie.  Incidentally, the first movie I ever saw was a double feature - a talkie with Buck Jones and a silent with Charlie Chaplin at the Madison with my grandfather".  John A. Osborne MD 10/2011

There was nothing much to say about it. It was a plain, somewhat barn-like, suburban hall.  It was specially fitted with a curved screen for the pseudo Cinerama road showing of "2001 A Space Odyssey".  The wide screen, large-format cinematography,70mm TODD-AO, 6 track stereophonic sound, music filled soundtrack, presentation of "The Sound of Music" was shown as a reserved seat road show engagement at this theater. It started on April 7, 1965 and played for 79 weeks!  That's over a year and a half!  In the 70s, the single screen was divided into two screens.   Today there's a Stein Mart where the Paramount was located.

The Park opened between 1940 - 1948.  It is listed in the 1946-1958 Memphis Directories.  Not checked beyond that date. 

First listings in the 1909 Memphis Directories.  The listings continue up to 1917.  This was the first African American MOVIE Theater in Memphis.  Opened by Sam Zerilla, who was a member of the Sousa orchestra.  This is the same address as the Beale PALACE which opened in 1920.  In 1914 the theater became the IMPERIAL for one year and then went back to the PASTIME name.   

Note:  There was also a #2 Pastime Theater at 252 Main - listed in 1913-1914, and a #3 Pastime at 318 Beale - listed in 1913.  This became the IMPERIAL in 1914, the LIBERTY in 1915, and the LINCOLN in 1918. 
 

Collection of Vincent Astor

1937 Ad

The Peabody has been the Memphis Drum Store since 1991 or 1993.  The first listing in the Memphis Directories is 1930 and it's listed continuously up to 1955. 

Located in Poplar Plaza shopping center at Poplar Avenue and Highland Street. At one point it had a huge metal spire on top of the front of the building, which was later taken down and stored somewhere else in Memphis.  The theater was opened in 1953 and closed long ago, but during the early 1990's Bookstar renovated and occupied the space, keeping the front entrance marquee.  The plaza was a superior movie theatre.  The exterior was clad in travertine marble (along with the rest of the Poplar Plaza shopping center) with an eccentric stainless steel finial atop the marble clad vertical sign. The long lobby led patrons past the adjacent storefronts to a broad orchestra foyer. The restrooms featured curving walls, curving leather settees and tinted mirrors. The auditorium opened up in a broad single floor with a cinemascope screen braced by backlit stainless steel spirals. Behind the screen was a tiny stage, really only big enough to hold the big Altec Lansing speakers. There was room back stage for expansion if  live theatre ever came to the Plaza, but a real stage house was never built.

169 S. Main St  . Opened 1912  .  Seats 641  . Closed 1969  .  Demolished 1972

An article in the Commercial Appeal mentions that The Princess was originally a Nickelodeon named COLUMBIA which opened in 1906.  It was acquired by Frank Montgomery, the "Moving Picture Man" in 1910, from C. E. Denton.  It's safe to say that it was one of Memphis's oldest theaters.  The Memphis Directories list a COLUMBIA at 177 S. Main in 1910.  Another COLUMBIA is listed in 1914 at 318 Beale.  Only those 2 years have listings.  The first PRINCESS listing is 1912 at 167-171 S. Main.  In the 1914 listing the address becomes 169-171 S. Main.  The listings continue up to 1918 when the name changes to LOEW's PRINCESS.  There are no listings from 1919-1921.  Listed for 1922 with no additional listings until 1930.  In 1932 the name changes to PARAMOUNT for one year.  The Princess listings reappear from 1930-1958.  We've not been able to verify later dates.

"The Princess on Main was also an interesting theater. It was owned by Malco and they would show most of the Republic B westerns there. They would first run a lot of the B movies like the Bowery Boys there also. In later years after B movies went away it became a last run house for many movies and usually had a triple feature. It was one of the first theaters to have air conditioning. But it had the old water cool system which made it very cold in summer but also very moist in the theater. You would come out of the theater almost damp.  The real interesting thing about the Princess was that the refreshment stand was outside on Main street. You could stop and buy something at the refreshment stand without going into the theater. The stand had a lot of items including Popcorn, candy, hot dogs, french fries, drinks and some of the best soft serve ice cream around. A lot of people downtown would have a quick lunch at the Princess refreshment stand.   The Princess stood on Main next to the alley between Beale and McCall so it had an alley entrance for African-American customers. It was a very narrow theater but it had several balconies."   - Walter Bolton

"The most memorable aspect of the Princess had to do with the alley. It’s convenience to Main street made it usable for personal purposes as there was a storm drain there. The stink at the Princess was legendary and lingered long after the theatre closed, inside and out." - Vincent Astor

Collection:  Vincent Astor, 2011

RITZ - GUILD - EVERGREEN - CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE
                              1705 Poplar   .  Opened 1930?    .  Seats 800   .  Closed 1967

The Ritz

1.  The oldest photo of the Ritz

2.  The Evergreen

3.  The Evergreen

"Here are current photos of the Ritz/Evergreen. I would suggest renaming the section Ritz/Guild (now the Evergreen). You can see the three center windows and the support for the vertical are common to almost all the photos.  The first photo (1) is the oldest known photo of the Ritz. The three windows and the support for the vertical sign are clear. A streetcar ran down Poplar at the time. There was a canopy but no marquee (forgot to check the date). The marquee in the photo you have was the second edition and survived through the Guild and Movie House on Poplar days. It was removed due to structural problems when the theatre became the Evergreen Movie Theatre and replaced with a flat signboard. When Circuit Playhouse bought the building this was removed and the cloth sign was added. This same sign now reads "Evergreen.  This should settle the discussion. This is the Ritz, Guild, Movie House, Evergreen, Circuit Playhouse, Evergreen on Poplar Ave. It is in very good shape and in regular use".  -Vincent Astor.

"There were two different Ritz Theaters.  At one time the Guild was named The Ritz... In addition, in segregated Memphis, the "white Ritz" was on Poplar, and the "colored Ritz" was on Mississippi.  The one on Poplar had a large fire and after it was re-modeled, it became an art house and the name was changed to GUILD." - Walter Bolton

"The Ritz you show as the second Ritz is the Idlewild under another name (compare the photos) I remember that incarnation well. If I remember correctly, the full name of that building would be the Idlewild, Front Street, Capri Art, Ritz, P.O.E.T.S. (as theatres). It was also divided into several storefronts and un-divided to become a gay bar called G. Bellington Rumples. It presently is a party room called The V" .  "The Ritz on Poplar and Evergreen still stands. Later photos show the same marquee reading “Guild” It’s full name would be the Ritz, Guild, Movie House, Evergreen (marquee removed), Circuit Playhouse, currently renamed the Evergreen. The third photo is the Idlewild on Madison, look at the marquee and the glass striping and the three small windows.  The other one should be the Mississippi Blvd location. The building on Madison was only the Ritz for a short time.  -Vincent Astor

The Rosemary is listed in the 1930 through 1958 Memphis Directories. 

:...The Rosemary was at the corner of Jackson and Watkins.  It did not close in 1955.  I saw the Beatles "A Hard Days Night" when it came out, I guess in 1964.  I think it closed not too long after that though.  Maybe '66-'67.  When it was torn down, they built a First Tennessee Bank.  I think it was open for several years and then it became something else.  Not sure what it is now.  The Rosemary was a great little neighborhood theater".   - Roy Archibald

The Royal is listed in the 1930 through 1955 Memphis Directories at this address.  It is not listed after 1955. 

The theater was turned into a recording studio and became the home base of Hi Records, which is still in business.

"At the Royal Theater, when you went from the lobby into the audience, the room was backward.  You would be walking toward the projection room and the screen would be at your back and you would be facing the viewers.  You would have to turn around to see what was playing on the screen.  This was the only movie theater that was 'backwards'".   -  Donald Canestrari , Memphis

popular enough with the sailors from Millington and college students, etc. to turn a profit for a few years.  Before the Strand occupied this building, it housed one of the MAJESTIC Theatres.

The Strand is first listed at this address in the 1922 Directory for one year.  The listing changes to LOEW'S STRAND from 1930-1933 and then goes back to STRAND in 1934-1958.  We've not been able to verify later dates. 

Thanks to Vincent Astor for the 3 photos above..

Suzores at 869 Jackson is first listed in the 1930-58 Memphis Directories.  The Suzores #2 is first listed in 1936-1958.  We've not been able to verify later dates.

This is generally considered Memphis first nickelodeon movie theatre and the first theatre where films were the main attraction.  Between films, singers sang as slides were projected on screen.  Films shown here included "The Great Train Robbery".  The theatre was opened by Charles Dinstuhl, who owned the confection shop next door at 156 N. Main.  The theatre was part of the "Crystal Circuit".  In 1908 the Theatorium was purchased by Frank Montgomery and was renamed the Majestic #1.

According to the 1924 Memphis Directory, the proprietor of the Venus was Anselmo Barrasso.   From 1913-1918, this property was listed as the Metropolitan Theatre.  By 1920 it was The Venus.  It may have become The Grand as early as 1922.  The Venus worked along side the Palace Theatre and the winners of Amateur Nite got to perform at the more prestigious Amateur Nite at the Palace.  Winners received $5.00.  See Palace  notes above. 

The Metropolitan is listed at 326-336 Beale in the 1913-1918 Directories.  The Grand is listed at 330-32 Beale in 1918.  The Venus is listed at 336 Beale in 1922.  The Grand is listed at 332 Beale in 1922-1925.  The NEW Grand is listed at 336 Beale in 1930-1933.

Originally known as the PANTAGES, the Warner Brothers bought the building from Pantages about 1928. The lobby was very small: really only a rear-of-house cross aisle. Built during the regrettable era of Jim Crow laws, there were two balconies - a large balcony for the white folks and above that the "colored only" balcony.  It was considered the grandest theater in town.  A brilliantly lighted marquee stretched the full width of the gleaming white, terra-cotta facade, and every inch of the interior was covered in ornate, gilded plasterwork.  The building was demolished in 1968 to make way for a bank skyscraper with a sunken, cheer-less, banal plaza where the Warner's auditorium once stood.  The last movie at the Warner was "Coogan's Bluff" with Clint Eastwood.

The Pantages is listed in the 1920 through 1930 directories.  The Warner is listed at this address in the 1930-1958 Memphis Directories.  The address varies from 48 to 52 S. Main.

"...During the late 1940s, the W.C.Handy Theater would have a "Midnight Ramble".  This was a black only theater at the time, but when the prime time show was over, a white only crowd would come in about 11:00 or 12:00 p.m. to see a top name orchestra.  I remember very well seeing the Count Basie Band, the Lionel Hampton Band,  and Lucky Millinder Band.  Those musicians would play their hearts out to a packed house.  I remember how entertaining Lionel Hampton was."   -Donald Canestrari, Memphis

"The Handy featured live music as well as movies" - Grand-daughter Julie Best Erwin - 10/2011

"...My grandfather...Chalmers Cullins, his brother, Edward, Nate Evans, Kemmons Wilson and his partner were all partners in the WC Handy. WC Handy opened the first night and many top bands played there. There was also a Saturday night Talent Show. The Handy was built after several black leaders in the community asked for a large nice theater to bring their out of town friends to....desegregation made the need for such a theater fade away..."  - Gail Collins  -10/2011