Belk Place: Carolina Theater and Hotel Intercontinental

[Cadi40]

Who’s Elvis? 

[videtur quam contuor]

Though well after Mrs. KJ, I attended the Carolina to see the Ali-Floyd Patterson fight in 1972. Closed circuit theatre screening. Floyd Patterson was the first two-time heavyweight champion and was born in tiny Waco, NC. It was the final fight for Patterson. I also saw a movie there in 1976-77 when it was kung-fu movie heaven. No one remembers such a thing but there was a time when Asian made kung fu movies with fighting and nunchuks and such were popular with the yoof of the time. Dubbed dialog that was out of sync and hilariously bad. I went because a 12 year old I mentored was highly interested. 

[jjwilli]

14 hours ago, dnlleffingwell said:

Do we have a tower crane there yet?

Walked by on Sunday, no crane or even a pad for a crane visible yet.

[Windsurfer]

56 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

Though well after Mrs. KJ, I attended the Carolina to see the Ali-Floyd Patterson fight in 1972. Closed circuit theatre screening. Floyd Patterson was the first two-time heavyweight champion and was born in tiny Waco, NC. It was the final fight for Patterson. I also saw a movie there in 1976-77 when it was kung-fu movie heaven. No one remembers such a thing but there was a time when Asian made kung fu movies with fighting and nunchuks and such were popular with the yoof of the time. Dubbed dialog that was out of sync and hilariously bad. I went because a 12 year old I mentored was highly interested. 

Awesome memories!!! I gathered some classmates of mine in 1977 from South Charlotte and convinced them to ride the bus with me up town one night to eat at The Radisson and walk over to see the last movie before they shut it down. And, YES, it was a Kung Fu movie! We were the only ones in the theater. Boy, was it a ghost town or what?  My buddies had never ridden a bus, let alone been uptown.  This was just after I returned from South America as an exchange student and had become acquainted with my new-found freedom of public transportation.

Other movies I saw there in the early-mid 60's: Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, Flipper, Dr. Zhivago...

[KJHburg]

^^  That is what the restoration of this theater means to Charlotte.  It means a lot.  From KJ's mom and her Elvis concert she had to walk out on because my aunt had to go to work as a cracker packer with Lance (at 1300 South Blvd) to these Kung Fu movies   this place means alot to  Charlotteans.    Most large cities in NC have restored their old theaters but not the largest city until now.  To me it is a bonus that a high rise hotel is on top the main attraction will be the restored theater.  

[Windsurfer]

Just now, KJHburg said:

^^  That is what the restoration of this theater means to Charlotte.  It means a lot.  From KJ's mom and her Elvis concert she had to walk out on because my aunt had to go to work as a cracker packer with Lance (at 1300 South Blvd) to these Kung Fu movies   this place means alot to  Charlotteans.    Most large cities in NC have restored their old theaters but not the largest city until now.  To me it is a bonus that a high rise hotel is on top the main attraction will be the restored theater.  

Sure does. There were two other theaters in Charlotte about the same vintage. I can't remember their names off the top of my head.  My dad used to work between the three back in the early 30s.  Back then, 11-12 year olds could work, obviously. He sold popcorn, dressed up in gorilla outfits for Tarzan movies and helped with the Saturday cowboy movies.  He used to tell me how smelly it was when all the farmers would come to town on Saturday and spit their tobacco juice in the isles.  One of his life-long buddies who he met there ended up becoming a concession supplier whose office was on "Theater Row" on Church Street later on.  He eventually had to move out to Mint Street when progress hit that street. In the early 90s he lost his business and building to the NFL stadium. He died right after  that.  My dad went on to work for our family wholesale business after WWII. He had had enough of theaters.

[Guest]

@KJHburg @Windsurfer @tarhoosier your stories are the highlight of my day so far. Thank you!

[tozmervo]

I have heard there have been some recent delays, because the building is getting taller

[KJHburg]

Just talked to mom she remembers a State Theater on E Trade and for kids it was 9 cents admission and the popcorn was 10 cents a bag.   She does remember some other theaters but cant remember their names.   Also Mrs J blames Elvis for them walking out.  She said he was really late starting to sing and my aunt had to get to work at Lance so they had to leave.   so yes KJ's mom blames Elvis Presley himself for this situation.   He was probably chowing down on some fried chicken or a pork chop at an uptown eatery LOL!   Don't you hate  it when main performers come out so late.

Edited June 12, 2018 by KJHburg

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

9 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Just talked to mom she remembers a State Theater on E Trade and for kids it was 9 cents admission and the popcorn was 10 cents a bag.   She does remember some other theaters but cant remember their names.   Also Mrs J blames Elvis for them walking out.  She said he was really late starting to sing and my aunt had to get to work at Lance so they had to leave.   so yes KJ's mom blames Elvis Presley himself for this situation.   He was probably chowing down on some fried chicken or a pork chop at an uptown eatery LOL!   Don't you hate  it when main performers come out so late.

I don't think Elvis actually performed anywhere besides the original Coliseum. There might have been a simulcast at the Carolina Theatre.

[Windsurfer]

7 minutes ago, CarolinaDaydreamin said:

I don't think Elvis actually performed anywhere besides the original Coliseum. There might have been a simulcast at the Carolina Theatre.

Actually, he did perform at The Carolina. My aunt saw him there too.

And, YES, KJ, State was the one where my dad worked most often.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, CarolinaDaydreamin said:

I don't think Elvis actually performed anywhere besides the original Coliseum. There might have been a simulcast at the Carolina Theatre.

There is photos of him there on the Carolina Theatre Website, along with construction photos on the inside.

[videtur quam contuor]

Dilworth Theatre on South Boulevard between CVS and Wachovia now. I saw "Summer of 42" there. Center Theater on Morehead between Harding and Kings Drive. Never went there. Plaza Theatre where the Wachovia is now near Central and Plaza where I saw Fantastic Planet which was mind blowing. 

[TheOneRJ]

9 minutes ago, tarhoosier said:

Dilworth Theatre on South Boulevard between CVS and Wachovia now. I saw "Summer of 42" there. Center Theater on Morehead between Harding and Kings Drive. Never went there. Plaza Theatre where the Wachovia is now near Central and Plaza where I saw Fantastic Planet which was mind blowing. 

Wachovia? What’s that? 

[videtur quam contuor]

Sorry, Wells Fargo is next to the former Plaza theatre location.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

I stand corrected, he did perform on Feb. 10th 1956 at the Theatre.  Songkick incorrectly had him playing at the Carolina Theater in Spartanburg. 

[Hunted]

1 hour ago, tozmervo said:

I have heard there have been some recent delays, because the building is getting taller

I heard it’s that new tallest we keep hearing about. They’re waiting for Duke to make a move so they can one-up ‘em!

[ssh214]

30 minutes ago, Hunted said:

I heard it’s that new tallest we keep hearing about. They’re waiting for Duke to make a move so they can one-up ‘em!

We would need one of those skinny tall towers that keep sprouting up all over New York 

[KJHburg]

^^^Don't doubt KJ's mama now.  This true story is legendary in our family.   Elvis was a rising star when he went to the Carolina and when he returned to the Charlotte Coliseum (Bojangles arena) he was major league then.  As my mom said this morning they would have never bought the tickets if they thought he was going to be late on stage as they knew my aunt had to get to work on time at Lance.   Ironically they never saw him at Charlotte Coliseum.   My uncle was a soda jerk at the Providence Road Sundries when it was on the edge of town! 

Well your dad @Windsurfer might have taken my mom's ticket at the State as she said they went there a  lot.   

[Windsurfer]

8 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

^^^Don't doubt KJ's mama now.  This true story is legendary in our family.   Elvis was a rising star when he went to the Carolina and when he returned to the Charlotte Coliseum (Bojangles arena) he was major league then.  As my mom said this morning they would have never bought the tickets if they thought he was going to be late on stage as they knew my aunt had to get to work on time at Lance.   Ironically they never saw him at Charlotte Coliseum.   My uncle was a soda jerk at the Providence Road Sundries when it was on the edge of town! 

Well your dad @Windsurfer might have taken my mom's ticket at the State as she said they went there a  lot.   

Ha!  No doubt our parents/aunts/uncles met many times. My aunt (85 ish) probably was served by your uncle. 

[videtur quam contuor]

The wife says she attended shows at the Imperial Theater, 124 South Tryon. It was originally a vaudeville  theatre with a proscenium stage converted to projection at some point. Killed by tv.

[Crucial_Infra]

4 hours ago, tozmervo said:

I have heard there have been some recent delays, because the building is getting taller

Are we just gonna let this post slide by without inquiring for more info?? Not that I'm not enjoying all this Elvis talk from the old heads (I'm sorta one too) but the idea that this might be getting taller is a very interesting development.  

[15895]

3 hours ago, Crucial_Infra said:

Are we just gonna let this post slide by without inquiring for more info?? Not that I'm not enjoying all this Elvis talk from the old heads (I'm sorta one too) but the idea that this might be getting taller is a very interesting development.  

IMO the building is already tall considering no parking deck. 

[Crucial_Infra]

^ True but anything shorter than 400' won't make much or any impact in that location so any added height is good in terms of skyline dynamics (not that I care about such shallow things) 

[Guest]

14 hours ago, Crucial_Infra said:

^ True but anything shorter than 400' won't make much or any impact in that location so any added height is good in terms of skyline dynamics (not that I care about such shallow things) 

It'll make a ton of impact from a few angles, Cordelia Park, Wesley Heights, etc, but none from Metropolitan and Southend