Old Ellis was finally remodeled and updated over a several year period from 1956 to the early 1960s.  There are no exact dates because it was "business as usual" during the remodel.   The upgrades included the addition of escalators, plus new lighting and new sound equipment.  But the major improvement was a "Sound Curtain".  When this was lowered, it allowed two different events to go on at the same time in the two different halls - newly named "Music Hall" and "Amphitheatre".   When it was all complete, the Memphis Chamber of Commerce published this Brochure telling all about it. 

Brochure Cover

Note:  True to Memphis' inclination toward name changes, the "Music Hall" name was later changed to DeFrank Hall and the "Amphitheatre" name was later changed to Dixon-Myers Hall.