I agree with Stan Malone. The Capri was a first-run theater in the 70s. 70mm, like Cinerama, was rare. The number of screens became more important as multiplex theaters grew. With multiple screens and staggered
showtimes, management could keep staff
busy. Theaters like single-screen Phipps
Plaza, were split into two screens. With competition from quality, home-theater systems, streaming options, and hybrid releases (theater/streaming), what draws moviegoers to theaters? … Marvel Universe,
Avatar, Top Gun: Maverick, etc.?
Stan Malone, you’re right about the extended runs at the Capri. I think they often used the term “road show” for those extended runs. The Capri had numbered seats … and I think some of these “road shows” were possibly reserved seats.
“The Taming of The Shrew” with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor was a 1967 run. I reached a point where I was repeating dialogue from “Shrew” and “To Sir, With Love” after seeing them so often. I also worked some shifts at The Fine Art in ‘67 while “A Man For All Seasons” (6 Oscars including Best Picture, Director and Actor) was playing.
I also posted this obituary for Ruth Carter, former owner of the Brookhaven and Garden Hills/Fine Art theatres.
CARTER, Ruth Goss Ruth Goss Carter, one of Atlanta’s last Grande Dames, died on September 22, 2009. She was 94 years old. Mrs. Carter was born in 1915 in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended Hollins College in Virginia, and married John Hennen Carter of Atlanta, in 1936. She and her husband were co-owners of the Brookhaven, the Buckhead “Capri” and the Garden Hills “Fine Art” theaters. Mrs. Carter was a devoted bridge player and a life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. She was an avid history buff and worked as a docent at the Swan House adjacent to the Atlanta History Center in Atlanta. She will be missed by her friends and surviving family: her son, John Hennen Carter Jr. of Stockbridge, Georgia; her grandchildren, John Carter III and Kimberly Marx of Atlanta, Georgia, Erik Perschmann of Carver, Minnesota, James Gardner of Stockbridge, Georgia, and Amy Castillo of Jackson, Georgia; and her great-granddaughter, Therese (Princess) Carter. The memorial service will be held at Peachtree Road Methodist Church on October 17, 2009 at 2 o'clock pm.
Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on October 11, 2009
Although Ruth Carter was a co-owner with her husband, John, I remember her as the most visible in day-to-day business activities when I worked there in 1967.
CARTER, Ruth Goss Ruth Goss Carter, one of Atlanta’s last Grande Dames, died on September 22, 2009. She was 94 years old. Mrs. Carter was born in 1915 in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended Hollins College in Virginia, and married John Hennen Carter of Atlanta, in 1936. She and her husband were co-owners of the Brookhaven, the Buckhead “Capri” and the Garden Hills “Fine Art” theaters. Mrs. Carter was a devoted bridge player and a life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. She was an avid history buff and worked as a docent at the Swan House adjacent to the Atlanta History Center in Atlanta. She will be missed by her friends and surviving family: her son, John Hennen Carter Jr. of Stockbridge, Georgia; her grandchildren, John Carter III and Kimberly Marx of Atlanta, Georgia, Erik Perschmann of Carver, Minnesota, James Gardner of Stockbridge, Georgia, and Amy Castillo of Jackson, Georgia; and her great-granddaughter, Therese (Princess) Carter. The memorial service will be held at Peachtree Road Methodist Church on October 17, 2009 at 2 o'clock pm.
Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on October 11, 2009
As my memory serves me, the Phipps Plaza Theatre was originally a single screen downstairs. They added the Penthouse upstairs at a later date. I was thinking they split the original theatre downstairs into two screens.
The original theatre was one of the most comfortable with more leg room per seat… great when someone had to get by you to get to their seat, or exit to the lobby.
As I mentioned in a post for the Roxy/Capri, the Fine Art was owned by John & Ruth Carter prior to Weis Cinemas. I worked at primarily at the Capri circa 1967. Ruth Carter died in 2009:
CARTER, Ruth Goss Ruth Goss Carter, one of Atlanta’s last Grande Dames, died on September 22, 2009. She was 94 years old. Mrs. Carter was born in 1915 in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended Hollins College in Virginia, and married John Hennen Carter of Atlanta, in 1936. She and her husband were co-owners of the Brookhaven, the Buckhead “Capri” and the Garden Hills “Fine Art” theaters. Mrs. Carter was a devoted bridge player and a life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. She was an avid history buff and worked as a docent at the Swan House adjacent to the Atlanta History Center in Atlanta. She will be missed by her friends and surviving family: her son, John Hennen Carter Jr. of Stockbridge, Georgia; her grandchildren, John Carter III and Kimberly Marx of Atlanta, Georgia, Erik Perschmann of Carver, Minnesota, James Gardner of Stockbridge, Georgia, and Amy Castillo of Jackson, Georgia; and her great-granddaughter, Therese (Princess) Carter. The memorial service will be held at Peachtree Road Methodist Church on October 17, 2009 at 2 o'clock pm.
Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on October 11, 2009
RE: “Films Inc was a private screening room used mainly for bid screenings for southeastern film bookers. For years this duty was handled by the Columbia Pictures Screening Room and Universal Screening room which were across the street from each other downtown. posted by StanMalone on Jun 8, 2005 at 10:02am
Since my dad worked for Columbia Pictures I was fortunate to see quite a few screenings at the Columbia Screening room at their office on Luckie Street. The Rialto Theater was within walking distance and Herren’s restaurant was a famous spot for a businessman’s lunch.
Box Office, the trade magazine, referred to the screening room as “Columbia’s Filmrow Playhouse” and maintained that 90% of the trade and press screenings were held there. Most of the movie distributors and some of the exhibitors were in the area they called “Film Row”. I think Columbia was 195 Luckie Street. It didn’t seat very many people. I vaguely remember about 50 seats, but it could have been a few more (50 – 75). There was a woman that was the film censor for Atlanta at most of the screenings.
My first job was at the Capri Cinema when John & Ruth Carter owned it. My father was the Atlanta Branch Manager, then Southern Divisional Manager for Columbia Pictures. Ruth Carter asked my father to let me work there. I would fill in some at the Fine Art Cinema down the street. This was probably around 1967. I remember “To Sir, With Love” and “The Taming Of The Shrew” at the Capri and “A Man For All Seasons” at the Fine Art. If I remember correctly, “Taming Of The Shrew” was reserved seating. There was an elderly woman named “Dovie” that worked some in the boxoffice.
I agree with Stan Malone. The Capri was a first-run theater in the 70s. 70mm, like Cinerama, was rare. The number of screens became more important as multiplex theaters grew. With multiple screens and staggered showtimes, management could keep staff busy. Theaters like single-screen Phipps Plaza, were split into two screens. With competition from quality, home-theater systems, streaming options, and hybrid releases (theater/streaming), what draws moviegoers to theaters? … Marvel Universe, Avatar, Top Gun: Maverick, etc.?
Stan Malone, you’re right about the extended runs at the Capri. I think they often used the term “road show” for those extended runs. The Capri had numbered seats … and I think some of these “road shows” were possibly reserved seats.
“The Taming of The Shrew” with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor was a 1967 run. I reached a point where I was repeating dialogue from “Shrew” and “To Sir, With Love” after seeing them so often. I also worked some shifts at The Fine Art in ‘67 while “A Man For All Seasons” (6 Oscars including Best Picture, Director and Actor) was playing.
I also posted this obituary for Ruth Carter, former owner of the Brookhaven and Garden Hills/Fine Art theatres.
CARTER, Ruth Goss Ruth Goss Carter, one of Atlanta’s last Grande Dames, died on September 22, 2009. She was 94 years old. Mrs. Carter was born in 1915 in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended Hollins College in Virginia, and married John Hennen Carter of Atlanta, in 1936. She and her husband were co-owners of the Brookhaven, the Buckhead “Capri” and the Garden Hills “Fine Art” theaters. Mrs. Carter was a devoted bridge player and a life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. She was an avid history buff and worked as a docent at the Swan House adjacent to the Atlanta History Center in Atlanta. She will be missed by her friends and surviving family: her son, John Hennen Carter Jr. of Stockbridge, Georgia; her grandchildren, John Carter III and Kimberly Marx of Atlanta, Georgia, Erik Perschmann of Carver, Minnesota, James Gardner of Stockbridge, Georgia, and Amy Castillo of Jackson, Georgia; and her great-granddaughter, Therese (Princess) Carter. The memorial service will be held at Peachtree Road Methodist Church on October 17, 2009 at 2 o'clock pm.
Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on October 11, 2009
Although Ruth Carter was a co-owner with her husband, John, I remember her as the most visible in day-to-day business activities when I worked there in 1967.
CARTER, Ruth Goss Ruth Goss Carter, one of Atlanta’s last Grande Dames, died on September 22, 2009. She was 94 years old. Mrs. Carter was born in 1915 in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended Hollins College in Virginia, and married John Hennen Carter of Atlanta, in 1936. She and her husband were co-owners of the Brookhaven, the Buckhead “Capri” and the Garden Hills “Fine Art” theaters. Mrs. Carter was a devoted bridge player and a life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. She was an avid history buff and worked as a docent at the Swan House adjacent to the Atlanta History Center in Atlanta. She will be missed by her friends and surviving family: her son, John Hennen Carter Jr. of Stockbridge, Georgia; her grandchildren, John Carter III and Kimberly Marx of Atlanta, Georgia, Erik Perschmann of Carver, Minnesota, James Gardner of Stockbridge, Georgia, and Amy Castillo of Jackson, Georgia; and her great-granddaughter, Therese (Princess) Carter. The memorial service will be held at Peachtree Road Methodist Church on October 17, 2009 at 2 o'clock pm.
Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on October 11, 2009
As my memory serves me, the Phipps Plaza Theatre was originally a single screen downstairs. They added the Penthouse upstairs at a later date. I was thinking they split the original theatre downstairs into two screens. The original theatre was one of the most comfortable with more leg room per seat… great when someone had to get by you to get to their seat, or exit to the lobby.
As I mentioned in a post for the Roxy/Capri, the Fine Art was owned by John & Ruth Carter prior to Weis Cinemas. I worked at primarily at the Capri circa 1967. Ruth Carter died in 2009:
CARTER, Ruth Goss Ruth Goss Carter, one of Atlanta’s last Grande Dames, died on September 22, 2009. She was 94 years old. Mrs. Carter was born in 1915 in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended Hollins College in Virginia, and married John Hennen Carter of Atlanta, in 1936. She and her husband were co-owners of the Brookhaven, the Buckhead “Capri” and the Garden Hills “Fine Art” theaters. Mrs. Carter was a devoted bridge player and a life Master of the American Contract Bridge League. She was an avid history buff and worked as a docent at the Swan House adjacent to the Atlanta History Center in Atlanta. She will be missed by her friends and surviving family: her son, John Hennen Carter Jr. of Stockbridge, Georgia; her grandchildren, John Carter III and Kimberly Marx of Atlanta, Georgia, Erik Perschmann of Carver, Minnesota, James Gardner of Stockbridge, Georgia, and Amy Castillo of Jackson, Georgia; and her great-granddaughter, Therese (Princess) Carter. The memorial service will be held at Peachtree Road Methodist Church on October 17, 2009 at 2 o'clock pm.
Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on October 11, 2009
Some past issues of Box Office are available to view online:
http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs
There is usually a section for Atlanta and other Southeast cities.
RE: “Films Inc was a private screening room used mainly for bid screenings for southeastern film bookers. For years this duty was handled by the Columbia Pictures Screening Room and Universal Screening room which were across the street from each other downtown. posted by StanMalone on Jun 8, 2005 at 10:02am
Since my dad worked for Columbia Pictures I was fortunate to see quite a few screenings at the Columbia Screening room at their office on Luckie Street. The Rialto Theater was within walking distance and Herren’s restaurant was a famous spot for a businessman’s lunch.
Box Office, the trade magazine, referred to the screening room as “Columbia’s Filmrow Playhouse” and maintained that 90% of the trade and press screenings were held there. Most of the movie distributors and some of the exhibitors were in the area they called “Film Row”. I think Columbia was 195 Luckie Street. It didn’t seat very many people. I vaguely remember about 50 seats, but it could have been a few more (50 – 75). There was a woman that was the film censor for Atlanta at most of the screenings.
My first job was at the Capri Cinema when John & Ruth Carter owned it. My father was the Atlanta Branch Manager, then Southern Divisional Manager for Columbia Pictures. Ruth Carter asked my father to let me work there. I would fill in some at the Fine Art Cinema down the street. This was probably around 1967. I remember “To Sir, With Love” and “The Taming Of The Shrew” at the Capri and “A Man For All Seasons” at the Fine Art. If I remember correctly, “Taming Of The Shrew” was reserved seating. There was an elderly woman named “Dovie” that worked some in the boxoffice.