ROYAL 1320 Lauderdale St  .  101, 269 S. Main*
 

Opened 1927  .    Closed 1955 ?  .   Seats 375 .  Now a Recording Studio

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

The ROYAL is listed in the 1927 through 1955 Memphis Directories.  It is not listed after 1955.

 From 1915-1922, this building was the Shamrock Theatre.  There was an earlier Royal Theatre at 101 S. Main and 269 N. Main from 1909-1913.  There is a Royal listed in 1919 at 124 W. Carolina for one year. 

 
 

Royal Theatre

Royal Theatre

1940 Ad

1953 Ad
 
     

     

1954 Ad
   
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Donald Canestrari, Memphis:   "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 may have been the only movie theater that was 'backwards'".  

 

 


 

 

Historic Memphis Website

 

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