I don’t do a whole lot of going to concerts anymore, they’re just too danged expensive. But last week, thanks to the generosity of a friend, I headed downtown to the Tennessee Theatre to catch the Allman Betts Family Revival tour. The group is headed by Devon Allman (son of Greg) and Duane Betts (son of Dickey) of the Allman Brothers.
Anyway, during an acoustic interlude about halfway through the show, Devon said, to paraphrase, the we had a mighty beautiful place (the Tennessee) and that we should cherish it. Indeed. Even Harrison Ford was there.
As a child of the late 60s and 70s, my first experiences going to see movies were Disney productions at the Tennessee. Throughout my life, then and now, whenever I walk through its doors, I marvel at it. I always take a moment to wander around and take it in, and, now, take oodles of pictures.
Of course, at this time 80 years ago, the United States and the rest of the planet were emerging from World War II. The many theatres downtown had many offerings on hand. The Tennessee was showing Our Vines Have Tender Grapes with Edward G. Robinson and Margaret O’Brien. The Bijou featured the skating actress Sonja Henie in It’s a Pleasure with Michael O’Shea. The original Riviera was showing George White’s Scandals, which starred Jack Haley and Margaret Hamilton from The Wizard of Oz along with Joan Davis.
The old Strand Theatre was showing The Tiger Woman, and The Roxy had Grissly’s Millions and Kid Ranger. Of course, all of the theatres also showed news reels and cartons as televisions in homes just weren’t’ a thing yet. Other theatres outside downtown were open for Christmas Day viewings as well: the Park on Magnolia, the Booth on Cumberland and the Palace in Fountain City.
The primary form of entertainment in 1945 was still the radio, and Knoxville’s giant’s, WROL and WNOX, had big line-ups for Christmas. WROL had its regular local features, like Cas Walker’s Hillbillies 7:30 AM. But at 9 AM also broadcast the Christmas message from Britain’s King George VI (Elizabeth’s dad). The early to mid-afternoon was dominated by Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus followed by holiday music with Victor Arden’s Orchestra. The evening programming was Bob Hope followed by Red Skelton with NBC’s News of the World sprinkled in throughout the day
WNOX had Bing Crosby on at 10 AM (can’t have Christmas without Bing) and Kate Smith at 11. The station advertised a 2:30 PM Christmas Musicade featuring Burgess Meredith in a holiday fantasy, three decades before the world watched him train Sylvester Stallone in Rocky. The evening programming had Helen Hayes narrating The Littlest Angel. WBIR didn’t have quite the lineup as WNOX and WROL, but did have Breakfast in Hollywood, Dick Tracy, The Nutcracker Suite and Guy Lombardo.
Beth Kinnane writes a history feature for KnoxTNToday.com. It’s published each Tuesday and is one of our best-read features.
Sources: The Knoxville Journal digital archives, McClung Digital Collection-Knox County Library
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