Theatres of the past (and present)

[jice]

It's amazing to me all the theatres that used to be in the area... especially in or near downtown. Many of which are now demolished to make room for skyscrapers or sometimes just parking lots. Take, for instance, the Ace Theatre at 11th & Charlotte... its now a parking lot for NES work trucks. The Belmont Theatre in Hillsboro Village... now an office building. The Crescent Drive-In off Murfreesboro Pike... now pretty much a strip mall. Not to mention the many theatres that apparently once dominated 5th Ave North in downtown.

I have no idea of the state of any of these at the time they were closed/demolished... but as with everything else, im sure some were in great need of replacement... while others were probably jewels that are now lost forever.

Maybe someone with more... um, experience () than me can fill us in with more info...

http://cinematreasures.org/location/countr...1&state=44/

[nashvylle]

Nashville is in a need for a downtown theatre. With all the development going on in sobro, I believe an IMAX theatre, or an attractive name like "biggest theatre in Tennessee or The South" would be very appealing.

[Hankster]

I wonder how many of you all remember the Tennessee Theater in downtown Nashville. I'm old enough to. It was a beautiful, huge theater. Finished in the early 1950's The Tennessee had a screening room, fully rigged stage and spacious lobby. There was a single large balcony with edge-lit signs saying 'Smoking Loge'.

Located on Church Street in the 11 story, Art Deco Warner Building. Both the theater and Warner Building were razed in the late 1980's to make way for a new highrise. It was Nashville's last grand old theatre.

Does anyone have an old picture? I'd love to see one.

[opendrawerwhore]

It's amazing to me all the theatres that used to be in the area... especially in or near downtown. Many of which are now demolished to make room for skyscrapers or sometimes just parking lots. Take, for instance, the Ace Theatre at 11th & Charlotte... its now a parking lot for NES work trucks. The Belmont Theatre in Hillsboro Village... now an office building. The Crescent Drive-In off Murfreesboro Pike... now pretty much a strip mall. Not to mention the many theatres that apparently once dominated 5th Ave North in downtown.

I have no idea of the state of any of these at the time they were closed/demolished... but as with everything else, im sure some were in great need of replacement... while others were probably jewels that are now lost forever.

Maybe someone with more... um, experience ( ) than me can fill us in with more info...

http://cinematreasures.org/location/countr...1&state=44/

[MidTenn1]

I wonder how many of you all remember the Tennessee Theater in downtown Nashville. I'm old enough to. It was a beautiful, huge theater. Finished in the early 1950's The Tennessee had a screening room, fully rigged stage and spacious lobby. There was a single large balcony with edge-lit signs saying 'Smoking Loge'.

Located on Church Street in the 11 story, Art Deco Warner Building. Both the theater and Warner Building were razed in the late 1980's to make way for a new highrise. It was Nashville's last grand old theatre.

Does anyone have an old picture? I'd love to see one.

[jice]

Lots of great info! That website ^ has some great pics as well. Did anyone check out the link in my initial post above? It has a comprehensive list of theatres all across the state. Also a lot of good info in the comments sections at the bottom of each page. Apparently there are some folks on there who know quite a bit about theaters!

I didnt realize the Cumberland Apt's caused the tearing down of what sounds like such a grand old building and theater... how sad is that! Surely it could have been re-used in some way... but anyway.

I think there are a few more old theatre's in nashville... but none downtown, i dont believe. Two that immediately come to mind are the Melrose and the Belle Meade. Although the Belle Meade, as we know, no longer resembles a theatre on the inside.

There is also one in east nashville called the Roxy... that is being used as a recording studio & production studio... according to the website.

There are a couple others that are abandoned... i dont know what state the buildings are in though... Gem Theatre is at 1st ave S near Lafayette... and I believe State Theatre? near the Kroger on 8th ave. These might not be anything worth mentioning, however.

Im sure nothing can compare to some of the great downtown theatres of the past... I wish I could have seen them when they were still around!