HE PUT THE "P" IN PRINCESS!

I stopped by Rocky Top Sign and Neon today and spoke with owner James Ryan.  We discussed the Princess project, and how things are getting rushed toward the end, and how much pressure he was to get the marquee up!  Naturally, any restoration project is going to be pushing to get it's most visible part up and functioning.  In the case of the Princess, it's the marquee that's the most visible!

I just happened to mention how much I wanted to be there when the first letter, hopefully the "P", was hung to take the historic photograph.  He said, "Why don't you take it now?"

As my granddaughter would say, "What!"

Yes, there they were, all spread out on his shop floor.  I was so happy to see them, and they surprised me too!  In my mind's eye I could see dull looking flat letters fastened to the front of the black and white sign that's now hanging there.  Nope, they will be raised letters, some 8 to 10 inches deep, and in the most brilliant red and blue baked on paint...just like the blueprints illustrate!

Each letter is outlined in a white stripe about an inch wide.  Each letter will have neon that will flash just like the original once did.  I know I've spoken about LED, but that's for the lights beneath the canopy.  The letters will be fitted with the latest in neon technology.

Look closely at the clear plastic letters laying on the new concessions counter (below) and 

you'll see that these plastic letters will enclose the back of each red or blue letter.  The clear plastic shapes attach to the marquee, enclosing the backside of each letter, and allow access for the electrical connection that will light up the neon letter shapes on the front of the letters.

The marquee will be as it looked in 1939 (above), which is much more beautiful than what most of us grew up knowing.  Double click the photo to see them larger!

CLICK HERE  to see what most of us remember.

In the '39 photo, you can easily see that the letters are raised, both the PRINCESS and the THEATRE letters.  You will also note that it is correctly "THEATRE".

Well James, I still want to be there when you hang the "P", but I'll have to say this was pretty exciting too!  Thanks!

Inside I was pleased to see that all the seats are now in place.  It now looks like a theatre!

Also, I can't get over how much the actual photo above looks like the blog header!  The drawings were a better depiction of what we were to see than any of us ever thought.

Everything seems ready for the carpet!

To the rear of the stage a strong trap door has been built to cover the stairs down to the basement, giving the stage an extra three or four feet of performance space.

Out in the lobby, the terrazzo has been filled and sanded down, and over in the concessions lobby the elevator doors are on and the lift is operational.

Hang on folks...it won't be long now!

HISTORICAL 1939 VIDEO OF THE PRINCESS THEATER AND HARRIMAN, TENNESSEE

Some years back a Kiwanis Club member in Somerset, KY discovered an old film clip that had been left behind when a member died. The member was a former manager of the Princess Theater in Harriman, Tennessee and had taken the film clip with him when he moved. The clip was 15 minute Newsreel clip of the 1939 reopening of the Princess Theater after the second fire.

The Kiwanis member thought that the film belonged to the people of Harriman and Roane County, so he got in touch with Cecil Johnson, the last manager of the Princess, and sent him the film. Cecil had the presence of mind to have the strip preserved to DVD and later passed on a copy to James “Dub” Harmon, also a former manager and his brother-in-law. Dub, once being my father-in-law, gave me the DVD and I converted it to an .avi file and uploaded it to FACEBOOK, so I could embed the clip for your viewing pleasure.

This clip means so much to us working with Princess Productions to restore the Princess Theater, and I’m sure you will enjoy it too.

On the clip you will see many people in the street, maybe some of your kinfolks from yesteryear, who knows. If you see someone you know, let us know by either sending an email or leaving a comment.

You will also see Mr. L. W. Bevel, the manager in ’39, being greeting and congratulated by city officials of the day. You will also see many young kids streaming out of both the Harriman and South Harriman Schools…maybe you will see your parents or grandparents!

Let us know what you think of the clip and if you see someone you can identify.