Our next Belcourt 100 Seminar, Nashville in Hollywood’s Golden Age, traces the rich, often overlooked legacy of actors and filmmakers who began their journeys on Nashville stages — many on the Belcourt’s historic 1925 Hall stage — and went on to leave their mark on the silver screen. Spanning the 20th century, this seminar highlights the city’s surprising contributions to cinema history, from early appearances in Pathé and Vitagraph films to roles in MGM musicals, made-for-TV movies, and major studio productions.
This historical overview brings to light the careers of local talents who secured bit parts in Hollywood classics, as well as those who rose to become leading stars, earning Golden Globes and Academy Awards along the way. By weaving together archival research, film history and performance culture, this seminar explores how a city best known for its music has also nurtured a legacy of cinematic artistry — on-screen and behind the scenes. The seminar reveals how Nashville’s theatrical roots — and the Belcourt’s — provided a vital training ground for generations of artists whose work helped shape American popular and film culture.
Presented by T. Minton, Belcourt’s public historian and archivist