Can Anyone tell me what happened to Archies Restaurant and Cas Walker Supermarkets? (Knoxville: theatre, high school) - Tennessee (TN) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Bear Creek · 03-19-2009, 04:46 PM

I remember Dolly Parton being on the Caz Walker tv show when she was a young girl. And "Red and Fred" and a singing cowboy and his "trick" horse, who were on the show, came to my small elementary school. Red and Fred told a joke or two and then the cowboy sang, his horse raised up on it's hind legs and pooped all over the little stage. People ran out of the auditorium. The show was over.

ceeglass · 03-19-2009, 08:08 PM

Thank you all for your input. Now I know what not to try to find anymore
when we get there. Oh, is Blount Mansion still there? I know when we go to the Smokey's you can't feed the bears anymore like you could when I was growing up. Are you still allowed to roam the mountain trails without having to get a license or something?

stevep111 · 03-20-2009, 08:55 AM

The thing I will always remember about Cas Walker (not the breed of dogs named after him) but his fight with the NAACP. Remember back in the early 70's when there was a big debate about Tarzan movies being shown on local T.V. and there was so much talk about integration of T.V.? Well ole Cas evidently had a round with these people about no blacks in his commercials. He went out and got the blackest people he could find, dressed them up in white tee shirts and had them eating watermellons in his commercial. I still remember the song. "Thumpin good, thumpin good Cas Walkers mellons are thumpin good" At that point the people would look up from their watermellon and grin as big as they could. It was about as racist of a thing I have ever seen. I can't believe he found someone to do those commercials.

tntim · 03-20-2009, 11:45 AM

Oh yes, Blount Manson is still here as well as the James White Fort on the other side of the Hill Ave. viaduct. Also the Tennessee and Bijou theatres have been restored and are both presenting live entertainment with occasional movies thrown into the mix. The old Riviera has been gone for years, but a new Regal Riviera is in its place with eight screens to choose from.

stevep111 · 03-20-2009, 11:53 AM

We used to go to the Tennessee Theater when I was a kid. Saw movies like Walking Tall, God Father, Billy Jack Gone in 60 seconds, Dirty Harry to name a few. The Bijou at that time showed x rated movies and there was a gay club near by. I remember some nut with a gun mowed down a bunch of people on Gay Street by the Pennys. The duck pond in Fountain City was a great place to catch carp and throw them into the road. I went to South High School and finished up at South Young which I know is closed now. Neyland Stadium only held 75000 at the time and we had the Ernie and Bernie show along with good ole Bill Battle and coach Ray.

ceeglass · 03-20-2009, 08:49 PM

Dude, the Bijou was X Rated! No Way! I saw Old Yeller (a Disney flick) and The Bridge on the River Kwai there around 1957 when I was about 8 and South Pacific in '59. There weren't any bars in the area then, much less gay ones. You couldn't buy alcohol on Sunday either. Does that still hold? I know my parents used to talk about Knox being a "dry" county.

jabogitlu · 03-20-2009, 08:57 PM

No, Knoxville isn't a dry country, on Sundays either.

tntim · 03-21-2009, 09:55 AM

The Bijou went X rated in 1965 and lasted until 1975. It was very close to being torn down in 1976, but was saved by Knox Heritage in the twelfth hour.

Liquor by the drink was passed in 1972.

Beretta · 03-21-2009, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tntim

The Bijou went X rated in 1965 and lasted until 1975. It was very close to being torn down in 1976, but was saved by Knox Heritage in the twelfth hour.

Liquor by the drink was passed in 1972.

No wonder I couldn't think back to Knox County being dry; I was itty bitty when it passed. I do remember when Blount County was dry but you could get a mixed drink at the airport. Well, my parents could get a drink that is.

ceeglass · 03-21-2009, 03:16 PM

But does anyone know anything about Archies Restaurant. If I remember correctly, it was really near Cas Walker's but I can't remember the street, maybe Kingston Highway. Cedar Lane and Kingston Hwy used to be streets we were on all the time.
And what about Alcoa? Is it still there and is the big swimming pool there?