MGLCC will host a book signing for
Images of America: Memphis Movie Theatres
by GLBT community historian Vincent Astor
Memphis has always been a theatrical town—a crossroads in the center of America for entertainment as well as commerce. From the vaudeville palaces on Main Street to the nickelodeons on Beale Street movie theatres helped shape the culture of the city. Kemmons Wilson operated movie theatres before he built the first Holiday Inn. Several movie theatres played roles in th...
MGLCC will host a book signing for
Images of America: Memphis Movie Theatres
by GLBT community historian Vincent Astor
Memphis has always been a theatrical town—a crossroads in the center of America for entertainment as well as commerce. From the vaudeville palaces on Main Street to the nickelodeons on Beale Street movie theatres helped shape the culture of the city. Kemmons Wilson operated movie theatres before he built the first Holiday Inn. Several movie theatres played roles in the life of Elvis Presley. W. C. Handy attended the opening of a theatre named for him. Local censorship practices influenced decisions in Hollywood and the first multiplex in the region was built in Memphis. The first Miss Gay Memphis pageant was held at a movie theatre with a gay manager.
Vincent Astor is a native Memphian and local GLBT historian with a special fondness for movie theatres. He has many memories of movie-going when theatres had only one screen and of working at the Malco/Orpheum theatre. He has assembled photos from the Memphis Public Library, Memphis Heritage, Malco Theatres and several family collections into a chronicle with memories for Memphians of all ages to enjoy.