Modjeska Theater
813 Broad Street,
Augusta,
GA
30901
813 Broad Street,
Augusta,
GA
30901
2 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 39 of 39 comments
Hi, Mike. “The Great Escape” was a year old before that Modjeska engagement. I remember the Modjeska getting some good action pictures, but always as late subruns or reissues. I wonder if in earlier decades it was a bonafide first-run theater that competed at least a little with the Miller and the Imperial.
NOW SHOWING a pretty decent picture for the Modjeska THE GREAT ESCAPE. JUNE 5 1964.
NOW SHOWING JUNE 7 1964 DOUBLE FEATURE SOLDIER IN THE RAIN and ONE EYED JACKS,
NOW SHOWING JULY 6 1964 OPERATION BIKINI
NOW SHOWING JUNE 6 1965 EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN and NIGHTMARE
NOW SHOWING JUNE 3 1966 GIRLS OF THE NIGHT
March 31 1972 The Modjeska is playing its regular fare. THE STEPMOTHER. Rated R. The newspaper here made them take out the word SIN in the ad and add TRANSGRESSION. Shows start at 12:30.
1976 now playing the classy, J.D.’S REVENGE and FRIDAY FOSTER with Pam Grier. Both ratedR,
FROM VOODOO WOMAN to now showing at the MODJESKA,some things never change, Pam Grier is FOXY BROWN and second hit ABBY. Rated R. April 28 1977.
NOV,23 1963 very sad weekend. many theatres are not showing afternoon shows in Augusta.Probably the same all over the country. Now playing at the MODJESKA is VOODOO WOMAN,QUEEN FROM OUTER SPACE and SHE CREATURE Triple chills!
July 28 1969 Now playing THE SECRET SEX LIVES OF ROMEO and JULIET. rated X and it was HELD OVER.
SEPT 10 1971
Now playing at the MODJESKA
“The wildest shootout in film history” is the quote.
The movie is WIT’S END starts at 12:30 Rated R
MODJESKA THEATRE July 26 1975 THE CHEERLEADERS which was one time RATED X is now playing with an R rating. A re-cut?
MODJESKA THEATRE Feb,26 1975 A WOMAN FOR ALL MEN. Judith Brown is THE WOMAN. with a second feature BUTTERFLY AFFAIR. Both of these “fine” films are playing day and date MODJESKA AND SKYVIEW DRIVE IN.
MODJESKA THEATRE July 2 1965 Brigitte Bardot in LA PARISIENNE and second feature YOUNG FURY.
MODJESKA THEATRE July 4 1965 Another Brigitte Bardot movie called SCHOOL FOR LOVE with a second feature HOW TO MAKE A FRENCH DISH.Adults only. 75 cents.
The Modjeska Theatre always seemed a little creepy. I worked at the Imperial and had to walk over one night to borrow ice for the Imperial’s concession. Even though we were different theatre chains, the three downtown theatres would help each other.
It opened in 1912 and was an outstanding example of Moorish-Persian design, as Frank Christian wrote in the Richmond County News. However, there was an orginal Modjeska that burned to the ground so the one built in 1912 was the new one. The Modjeska was named after Madame Modjeska, a star of silent movies in the early 1920s. In those days the Modjeska was a showcase theatre. In its closing days it was a soft porn theatre playing “The Cheerleaders” “Savage Sisters” “A Woman For All Men” and of course “The Slasher” (the sex maniac!)
A 1979 article by Bob Young, Mike Rogers, and projectionist F.B. Beaufort Jr. told that the Modjeska was classy and beautiful. Beaufort said the Modjeska had live Vaudeville shows. In 1929 the Modjeska gained local fame when it showed the first sound movie, “The Jazz Singer” with Al Jolson. Beaufort said by 1935 the Modjeska had hit a slump and never recovered.
The Imperial and The Miller would shine on with grade A product for the most part until the kung fu/black film rage of the 1970s. Today The Modjeska sits empty after briefly opening as a slick nightclub aimed at the yuppie crowd.
I went inside the theatre once it had closed, and all that was left were some reports filled out by the RCA soundman who checked all the local theatres in the 1970s. I often wondered what happened to all the one sheets. I was able to get most one sheets out of the Miller while us stagehands were painting the dressing rooms below the stage. But I’m sure any one sheets at the Modjeska were trashed.
In the 1950’s my Dad (John Hutto)played in a Band at the Modjeska on stage between movies. Brenda Lee (from augusta) sang with them, also on a Channel 12 WRDW TV Show.I went with him to the TV station and talked with Brenda between songs out in the Lobby of the station. She was about 12 , I was about 14. Nice girl and great singer.
Ray Hutto
Renewing link.
Thank you for that photo, Lost Memory. I’d never imagine what building I was looking at. I got to Augusta one time in my post-Army years – 1970, I think – and the town already was changing. – Ed Blank
I remember this theater being by far the least attractive of Augusta’s four single-screen indoor theaters when I was stationed at Fort Gordon from August 1965 through May 1966. Unlike the Daniel Village, the Imperial and the Miller, the Modjeska was seedy and played late-run double bills. As I recall, the double bills unquestionably accented action to draw male audiences who were not concerned about the theater’s disrepair. I remember going in only once to catch a favorite from several months earlier, “The Train.” – Ed Blank