National Hills Theatre

I can't tell you much about this theatre, as I don't remember what it looked like except for the fact that it was a single screen shopping center theatre built probably in the mid to late 60s. For a theatre of that period, which were usually pretty plain, it was of good size. comfortable, with a large screen and yes, it did have a curtain that was opened as the lights faded away for the beginning of the show.

I was there in the fall of 1969 while stationed at Ft. Gordon. I went there one time to see the movie "The Sterile Cuckoo" starring Liza Minnelli. The theatre was located north of the city on the hiway that becomes Broad Streen in town which is the main street that all he downtown theatres were located on. I took a bus up to the theatre late one Sunday afternoon and discovered that when the movie got out in the evening there were no more buses running at that time of day on a Sunday. I had to thumb it back into town to catch a bus from there back to the base.

Renewing link.

It opened Nov. 18, 1966 with the movie "Texas Across The River" with Dean Martin. A movie star was there in person, Phillip Alford, who was Jimmy Stewart's son in "Shenandoah".

National Hills Theatre had all purpose projection on a depth wall-to-wall screen, and transistorized magnetic and optical high fidelity sound. The large lobby had an elegant ladies lounge, and the auditorium had rocking chair seats, ceiling-to-floor drapes, and a contour curtain. The admission in 1966 was $1.25 for adults, and 50-cents for children. It was the only theatre in Augusta that played 70MM.

Watching "2001" in 70MM blew my yound mind away. It was mainly a family theatre although it did play a few R-rated movies like, "Lovers and Other Strangers" "Summer of 42" "Up the Sandbox" "Easy Rider" "Mash" and "Woodstock" in 70MM in the 70s. The hardest R-rated movie that played not on a late show format was "The Groove Tube". In the middle 70s when I worked there we did play quite a few R-rated late shows but those were for an entirely different crowd.

I was hired Sept. 21, 1974 by John Mackey who said, "I wasn't going to hire you because you acted like you knew more about the theatre business than I did." But John did hire this smart ass kid and we became great friends, and have remained friends even today.

The first movie I worked was "For Pete's Sake". I would've worked for free as I loved the business that much. Within about a year and a half I was promoted to Assistant Manager over Mark Kuchinski who had been there much longer. I don't remember any hard feelings when I moved up but he did get me one Thursday night when I had him put up the new marquee. I went outside about 10:30PM to look it over, and Mark had made up his own title and it was glowing for all of Augusta to see.

He thought it was quite funny! Needless to say he did change it to what was starting but that was Mark. Charles Bruni would start about 2 months after me, and he too shot up to the management level. Mark did finally become Assistant Manager at the Imperial, our sister theatre downtown.

National Hills was the pride of Augusta theatre-wise. I was proud to work at that 1st class theatre. There are so many stories about it. The sad part was when Georgia Theatres bought it, and for greed turned that beautiful theatre into a triple! I was able to take quite a bit of stuff out of the theatre when it closed so I saved some history.

I loved National Hills. I remember the Koi pond. I also remember them playing alot of late night movies. If Im not mistaking, didnt they play "Rocky Horror Picture Show" as a late night feature?

Just recently a group of managers from National Hills got together for lunch. This included Bob Gordon Smith, our relief projectionist. Bob now is a TV weatherman at TV12 in Augusta. He also worked in radio at WROW and WBBQ. He thought FM radio would never make it being mainly "elevator music".

Bob discussed with us guys working with Mr. Pete, the old crusty projectionist who grew-up with the great Augusta native character actor Dub Taylor. Mr. Pete was always tickled when Dub Taylor was in a movie that he was running. Bob was impressed with National Hills ability to play 70mm, that was a task indeed.

Also attending were Tommy Capers, Lewis Robertson, and Bill Barkley and Mark Barkley who would later run movies at National Hills. Jerry Tiney, the city manager spoke of the classics that played: Gone with The Wind, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dr. Zhivago, Ryan's Daughter, Little Big Man, and Woodstock - all in 70mm. Neil Morgan and Mike Rogers were assistants in the mid-to-late 70s. Mike Rogers would do all the marquees until he moved to Columbia 1 and 2.

To the best of my knowledge these are all the films to play in 70mm:

Sound of Music (I have some of this 70mm print)
Oliver
Dr. Zhivago
2001: A Space Odyssey
Gone With The Wind
Woodstock
Grand Prix
Ryan's Daughter
Little Big Man
The Right Stuff
Indiana Jones Temple Of Doom
Oklahoma
Star Trek: The Wrath Of Kahn
Chorus Line
Quest For Fire
Amadeus

And according to projectionist Bill Barkley, Stroker Ace also played in 70mm - that was the Burt Reynolds turkey of all time.

Ice Station Zebra was in 70mm and Rocky Horror played first run for one week until it was pulled. However, it did play on a midnight show but never got the response that the film received at regency I, II, III in Augusta in the early 80's. In fact, one county comissioner threated to pull the business license from regency I,II, III if we didnt cancel the show. General Cinema in Boston told him politely to shove it.

-Mike Rogers

Mike Rogers... Were those 70mm bookings of "Woodstock" and "Little Big Man" first-run or re-issue? How confident are you that they were actually shown at National Hills in 70mm? "Woodstock," in particular, is one of those titles that historians cannot seem to agree upon or prove definitively that it actually had 70mm prints. (It certainly had a large run of 35mm 4-track mag prints.)

And "Stroker Ace"? Surely, that title is being confused with "Sharky's Machine" or "City Heat," two other Burt Reynolds films with 70mm prints produced around the same time as "Stroker Ace."

MICHEAL, YOU COULD BE CORRECT. I WAS BASING MY FACTS ON TWO RETIRED PROJECTIONISTS.BOTH MOVIES WERE FIRST RUN AT NATIONAL HILLS BEFORE I WORKED THERE. BILL BARKLEY SWEARS THAT STROKER ACE WAS IN 70 mm I JUST COULD NOT BELIEVE IT BUT HE WAS IN THE BOOTH. SHARKY'S MACHINE:FILMED IN ATLANTA HAD IT FIRST RUN AT REGENCY 1 2 3 CINEMAS AT THE MALL. I WAS ASSISTANT MANAGER THERE. CITY HEAT ALSO PLAYED at the TRIPLE. WHEN THEY CLOSED NATIONAL HILLS I WENT UP IN THE BOOTH AND DRUGGED OUT THE FILM CASES THAT THE 70mm PRINTS WERE STORED.THEY NOW HAVE A HOME IN MY BASEMENT ALONG WITH THE TICKET CHOPPER AND ASSORTED ITEMS FROM THAT BEAUTIFUL THEATRE.

micheal coate, I HAVE ASKED ONE LIVING PROJECTIONIST LIVING AND HE THINKS YOU COULD BE RIGHT ABOUT WOODSTOCK, BUT FEELS LITTLE BIG MAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN 70MM SINCE THEY WERE RELEASED PRETTY CLOSE TOGETER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CATCHING MY ERROR....MIKE.

micheal coate, I HAVE ASKED ONE LIVING PROJECTIONIST LIVING AND HE THINKS YOU COULD BE RIGHT ABOUT WOODSTOCK, BUT FEELS LITTLE BIG MAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN 70MM SINCE THEY WERE RELEASED PRETTY CLOSE TOGETER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CATCHING MY ERROR....MIKE.

WAY BEFORE COMPUTERS,SOMETHING IN ME SAID TO JOT DOWN EVENTS OF THAT THEATRE. I SPENT ALOT OF SATURDAYS THERE AS A 12 YEAR OLD WATCHING CHRISTOPHER LEE IN DRACULA OR BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS WAS A GREAT HORROR FILM THAT PLAYED A FEW WEEKS. IN 1974 I FINALLY GOT HIRED AFTER TRYING SO MANY TIMES. HERE ARE SOME REAL STORIES FROM NATIONAL HILLS. ONCE WHILE PLAYING A LATE SHOW; THE DUNWICH HORROR OUR OLD PROJECTIONIST MR.PETE HAD THE SOUND UP SO LOUD WE COULD HEAR IT IN THE MANAGERS OFFICE ACROSS THE HALL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS HORRIBLE DEVIL SCREAM BLASTS OUT OF THE SPEAKER IN THE BOOTH; WE JUMP UP. RUN IN AND FIND MR.PETE HOLDING HIS PANTS SAYING " THAT DAMN SCREAM SCARED ME OFF THE TOILET!" A YOUNG ASSISTANT MANAGER, TOMMY CAPERS BEING TOLD THAT NO ONE COMES TO THE MOVIES ON CHRISTMAS DAY. THEY OPEN UP WITH THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE AND SELL OUT A 781 SEAT THEATRE WITH TOMMY and TWO CONCESSIONSTAND GIRLS AND A BOX OFFICE GIRL. ONE NIGHT ON A DISNEY DOUBLE FEATURE OUR PROJECTIONIST WAS TOLD TO RUN THE FIRST FEATURE ON THE DOULBE FEATURE BY A DRUNK THEATRE MANAGER AT A NEARBY BAR. UNION PROJECTIONIST. DOUBLE TIME THAT MANAGER WAS QUICKLY GONE. THE FAMOUS BOTTLE BANDIT ROBBER HIT THE BOX OFFICE ONE NIGHT WITH A COKE BOTTLE HIDDEN LIKE A GUN UNDER HIS JACKET. HE WAS CAUGHT BEFORE HE GOT OUT OF THE SHOOPING CENTER. THE LOCAL PAPER REPORTED IT AND A.P. PICKED UP THE STORY AND WENT NATIONWIDE. THE ROBBER DID TIME AT A LOCAL MEMTAL HOSPITAL. THE FIRST FEMALE ASSISTANT MANAGER WAS CINDY MUNS.UP TIL THEN THE GUYS WERE MANAGEMENT. WHEN JOHN MACKEY BOOKED A MARX BROTHERS LATE SHOW GREG SHAPPARD, CHARLES BRUNI AND MIKE ROGERS WERE DRESSED LIKE THE MARX BROTHERS. WHEN THE FIRST RUN ON THE LONGEST YARD PLAYED MACKEY HAD HIS USHERS AND DOORMEN TO DRESS IN FEMALE CHEERLEADING OUTFITS WHILE THE GIRLS ON STAFF HAS WILDSHOULDERPADS AND FOOTBALL JERSAYS ON. ONE TIME WHEN BILLY JACK WAS PLAYING , A OLDER WOMAN BOUGHT A TICKET AND WENT IN TO SEE THE MOVIE. IT WAS NOT A MINUTE BEFORE SHE CAME OUT SAYING '' THAT IS NOT THE SOUND OF MUSIC''. ON HOT SUMMER DAYS THE CONESSION STAND GIRLS WOULD CHANGE INTO THEIR BATHING SUITS AND LAY ON THE LOBBY ROOF.SUNBATHING. THIS DID NOT GO UNNOTICED BY LEWIS ROBERTSON WHO THREW A BUCKET OF ICE ON THE SUNBATHING GIRLS FROM THE TOP OF THE THEATRE ROOF! WE PLAYED BENJI AT NATIONAL HILLS THE SAME TIME THE IMPERIAL HAD JAWS SO BOTH THEATRES WERE KICKING BUTT. WE DECIDED TO GIVE SOME PUPPIES AWAY IN THE LOBBY. AT NIGHT WE KEPT THEM UPSTAIRS IN THE SUPPLY / FURANCE ROOM. THEY WERE NOT HOUSEBROKEN AND THAT SUPPLY, WELL , WE NEVER DID GET THE STINK OUT.

ALSO BACK IN THOSE DAYS ALMOST ALL THEATRES PLAYED LATE SHOWS. HERE ARE THE LIST OF THE HIGHEST GROSSING LATE SHOWS EVER TO PLAY FROM 1974 TO 1975. THEY ARE MANY TYPES OF FILMS I CERTAINLY HOPE ONE OF YOURS IS LISTED HERE......... 2001, VANISHING POINT, SILENT RUNNING... DUCK SOUP, FRANKENSTEIN AND DRACULA 1931, WOODSTOCK, FRITZ THE CAT, EASY RIDER, STRAWBERRY STATEMENT , DEATH WISH, FRIENDS, ALOHA BOBBY AND ROSE, TOMMY, LET IT BE, IN COLD BLOOD,WIZARDS,HARRAD EXPERIMENT AND FRENZY. YOU CAN SEE FOR THE TIME NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE COVERED ALMOST EVERY TASTE IN FILM. WE THOUGHT BEFORE WE BOOKED ANYTHING AND I THINK OUR MOVIEGOERS REALLY LIKED WHAT WE PUT ON THAT BIG SCREEN.

SPEAKING OF THE KOI POND WHILE I WAS THERE SOMEHOW THE THEATRE HAD TO KEEP It CLEAN. WHICH WE DID DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. OF COURSE, MOST OF THE MONEY THROWN IN THE POND WENT IN THE DOORMAN'S POCKETS. ONE SUMMER, MARK KUCHINSKI THROWNS SOME SMALL BASS IN THE POND. NEXT DAY, ALL THE SMALL GOLDFISH GONE. WE FIGURED THE BASS ATE THEM.
MY FAVORITE CONCESSIONSTAND GIRL/ BOX OFFICE GIRL WAS TERESA HUMMELL, SHE ALWAYS HAD A SMILE ON HER FACE.

MORE STORIES FROM AUGUSTA'S FINEST THEATRE.... We had some good luck with our late shows. HOWEVER,we were not perfect. these are the five worst late shows... FLESH GORDON....at one time rated X.WE GOT THE RATED R ONE. .....200 MOTELS with FRANK ZAPPA. ....BLINDMAM..A RINGO STARR WESTERN....ZABRISKE POINT.......JOHNNY GET YOUR GUN..
SHERLOCK HOLMES ,SMARTER BROTHER WAS BOOKED FOR THE IMPERIAL, NATIONAL HILLS GOT IT.
I WAS IN THE BOX OFFICE GOING OVER SOME BOR'S WHEN A MAN SEE'S OUR SIGN THAT SAID NOW AT POPULAR PRICES HE SAID TO WINDY, YOU CALL 2.50 A SEAT POPULAR? WINDY WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT SAID '' WE LIKE IT!''
JUNE 9 1976 WE ARE PLAYING ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN. VERY SLOW NIGHT. NEXT WEEK WE GET THE EXORCIST...WOW. A RERUN.
AUGUST 2 1977 NATIONAL HILLS IS PLAYING OUTLAW BLUES WITH PETER FONDA.

MORE STORIES FROM AUGUSTA'S FINEST THEATRE.... We had some good luck with our late shows. HOWEVER,we were not perfect. these are the five worst late shows... FLESH GORDON....at one time rated X.WE GOT THE RATED R ONE. .....200 MOTELS with FRANK ZAPPA. ....BLINDMAM..A RINGO STARR WESTERN....ZABRISKE POINT.......JOHNNY GET YOUR GUN..
SHERLOCK HOLMES ,SMARTER BROTHER WAS BOOKED FOR THE IMPERIAL, NATIONAL HILLS GOT IT.
I WAS IN THE BOX OFFICE GOING OVER SOME BOR'S WHEN A MAN SEE'S OUR SIGN THAT SAID NOW AT POPULAR PRICES HE SAID TO WINDY, YOU CALL 2.50 A SEAT POPULAR? WINDY WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT SAID '' WE LIKE IT!''
JUNE 9 1976 WE ARE PLAYING ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN. VERY SLOW NIGHT. NEXT WEEK WE GET THE EXORCIST...WOW. A RERUN.
AUGUST 2 1977 NATIONAL HILLS IS PLAYING OUTLAW BLUES WITH PETER FONDA.

MikeRogers: Your stories are great! They're what this website is all about. I'm glad you finally found your way to Cinema Treasures.

Bill, you know what the sad part is and i have gone out of my mind, but there are at least 10 friends of mine who meet up everyonce in awhile and talk nothing but the theatre, THE REAL THEATRE business from the 70's.Some of those guys could add so much if nothing more than a strong history of Augusta Theatres. Sadly, most of our projectionists are gone. They have so much info.THEY LIKE reading my stories,BUT NOOOOOOOOO, they are too shy to join in.

Mike, that's too bad because this is such a great place to keep those memories alive, and to share them with people who'll really enjoy reading about them.

Bill, I worked at Columbia Square Cinemas And GCC's REGENCY 1.2.3 in AUGUSTA;IF YOU have not checked those sites out. I am trying to get my ABC theatres guys to write.

I remember one night when we were getting ready to let the late show crowd in.Sitting on the lobby seating was four kids.We had been playing most likely a Disney feature and the kids came to the 9;15 show.No those young kids had been in the theatre since the TWO O'CLOCK show!!!One of them told us.The whole crew on duty that night was stunned.YouKNOW in those days you couldBUY
a ticket and watch the movie again. So basically,NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE was a 3 0r 4 dollar baby sitter. I DON'T know if it was CHARLES OR Mr,Mackey, they were walking to the phone to call the police when there "parents" SHOWED UP. At that time it had to close to 11;30 PM. SADLY, THEY WILL LET ANYONE BE A PARENT!

NOV.9 1978



Hey, I am banned from NATIONAL HILLS. The story goes that the manager a Mr.Jordan wanted Charles and me to call up and go by COLUMBIA SQ, to get tools for them to use to do some minor fix ups. They wanted to work on the seats on a saturday morning. I ASKED Charles who would pay me for my time? Well, Jordan couldn't answer that so he has Charles to call Tommy . He finally got Tommy up and i heard he was upset.THEY finally got TOMMY to go.HE drove his motorcycle to NATIONAL HILLS ,and Charles DROVE Tommy to Columbia Square to get the hand tools. Lately,he even gave Bill Barkley's family getting in to see a movie, AND BILL SHOWS MOVIES AT THE IMPERIAL! I WILL GET IN NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE... CHARLES HAD to break the news to be about being BANNED. I HOPE they transfer him.


March 8 1977 NATIONAL HILLS continues to have sound problems on the late show concert movies. Charles said Jordan will not give out refunds.On the next concert movie Charles is going to make an annoucement over the P.A. system in the theatre, WIZARDS has been the biggest Late Show feature yet.


MORE MARCH 8 1977.... A STAR IS BORN is on its 12th week at COLUMBIA SQUARE. TOMMY is stuck at the IMPERIAL MAKING $2.75 AN HOUR WHILE I AM making $2,50 AT Columbia Square.I Have more screens shouldn't that be more money. I THINK Tommy and I do make a bit more than CHUCK.


April 2 1977.... There is talk Jim Neely might move out to COLUMBIA SQUARE AS MANAGER! Okay,with me,less paperwork.


FEB.17 1977.....Talk is General Cinema might be coming to town. Charles wants to work for them.Talk is Cindy Muns might be the first Female Assistant Manager at NATIONAL HILLS. Talk was right...Cindy Did become a Assistant Manager at NATIONAL HILLS A First for our Circuit,

Sometime in the summer 0f 1975, Mr.Pete our projectionist decided to train his grandson in the booth. On the big day Mr.Pete had is grandson open up for the first show.Guess what His grandson forgot the keys to the booth. In those days managers did not have a key to the booth.You know,Something about the Union. I think we finally got ahold of Mr.Pete and got the first show on. Later on we had keys to the booth.

I know i should have kept the date ,but didn't Department.....


RETAILER PLANS TO EXPAND
By John Mills

J.B. White's will open a 15.000 square-foot home furnishing store in the space of the former NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE. The three screen theatre closed in january. The center's owners will spend about $500.000 on construction to convert the theatre into a retail space, said Ofer Schecter,agebt and representative for National Hills Associates.
The new store expected to open this summer or fall.will also consume one tenant space next to the former theatre and enclose open space at the theatre's entrance.


FOR THE RECORD...This place only stayed open a few years before closing. Mike Rogers.They ruined a beautiful theatre for a bunch of household goods.

What a double feature, JAWS at The Imperial and BENJI at National Hills.Most all the doormen that wanted extra bucks could head downtown and work a double.And with JAWS it was work.Some folks passed out in the body heat from the Imperial and summer heat.To stay at National Hills in that nice neighborhood,most doormen begged off, but i was down there helping a understaffed theatre.And I know Jim Neely liked it because all he did for weeks is pop corn. One time we had to pop corn for the Imperial at National Hills.

I guess like most theatres you could make a sitcom like the short lived CBS show THE POPCORN KID.It is impossible to list all the gang that worked at NATIONAL HILLS during the mid 70's.The projectionists who had to put up with a young theatre Manager,John Mackey,with liberal ideas on movies. You Had in the Booth Mr.Pete cussing another John Mackey "hippie late show"or Gordon rushing up om sunday evenings with a coke and a bag of popcorn to relieve Mr.Pete.To the ring of Ed Williamsl laugh nd to the utter seriousness of putting on a good show;To the playfulness of Bill Barkley and finally one cannot forrget about the artful nutsyness of Mark Barkley. AND THAT WAS JUST OUR PROJECTIONISTS!!



One night our city manager saw about three minutes of the GROOVE TUBE and stood by the box office checking everyone's I.D.


I will never forget Chewy calling me off the marquee only to spray me with a water cannon he had rigged up. His maniacal giggle as he drove off. Putting Bullets out on the ticket chopper to freak out Charles{ he thought someone was going to kill him].Lewis and CHEWY STOLE THE SHOW with the fake phone call to Mike Rogers in the lobby/ PAY phone.


The wrestling match between Lewis and Charles in the lobby after the show was over, Charles almost geeting down to his underwear for extra offense during the match. John Mackey standing there looking for the City Manager to walk up. or have a spy tell on John.


Mark[chewy] SENDING NEW GUYS AFTER THE MARQUEE STRECHER.



AND NOW...a quote from TOMMY CAPERS ABOUT me, Mike Rogers this was videotaped at our ABC-PLITT THEATRE CHRISTMAS PARTY REUNION...


"Mike was very good to work with; Everybody worked! The theatre business was good because you worked for 30 minutes,that was when the crowd got in. And Mike was good for the other hour and a half while the show was running. Dec.1986.

We had an Assistant Manager Neil Morgan who was a big help to me when i got started.He Showed me the ropes.Duty on the popcorn machine and doing the marquee. IT wasn't long before Mr,Mackey just said tell "Mike the movie,and he will do the rest." that gave a 17 year old alot of conifidence. Neil could always see things in different films i never picked up on. We had one Doorman named Peter and he saw ZARDOZ with Sean Connery and it just plained overwheled him. I think he never trusted our city manager and felt some the concessionstand girls were out to get him and John Mackey. I wasn't there a week before i fell in"love" with two concessionstand girls. NEIL said it was some kind of record.

Hey, Neil Mr. Mackey didn't make you dress up like a cheerleader in a dress like the rest of the doormen on THE LONGEST YARD? If he did i remember you not wanting to come out of the managers office? I Know Mr.Mackey did not waer a dress. THINGS you do for the movies.

IT is not clear on the above,That was Neil that did not trust the concessionstand girls or city manager, not Peter.I don't think by that time Peter cared about anything except ZARDOZ.

National Hills Theatre also ran lady shopper movies on tuesday at 10a.m. Ladies would get in free get free gifts from merchants in the shopping center,Then watch a free movie aimed at their taste in films.This ran for along time and was the only theatre in town to do such a thing.

July 10 1975,Big sell out for PART 2 WALKING TALL. Lighting from a bad storm hit nearby the theatre and somehow knocked the sound off to almost a whisper.If you were eating popcorn you never would have heard the movie.Luckly,the lighting hit was towards the end of the movie.no one ask for a refund.

Mr.Tinney made an ad up on YOUNG FRANKENSTIEN and put a quote from John Mackey "It is the funniest movie ever made,but you did not hear it from me." 4th weekk run.

April 5 1975 ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN.effects not good,but kids seem to like it. Remember GUS. what bad Disney movie.


1966 The second movie ever to play at NATIONAL HILLS was THE WRONG BOX with Peter Sellers.


NATIONAL HILLS April 25 1974 we have THE GREAT GATSBY and i can not wait till it leaves boring.Bad news is CONRACK is coming about a South Carolina Teacher.

NATIONAL HILLS Great to see BUTCH CASSIDY AND SUNDANCE KID back saw it in 1969 here.WE are tying it in with the STING our ad line for BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID is "ACTION WITH A STING" not bad.

NATIONAL HILLS Today 2 and 8 p.m. 70mm and sterophonic sound GONE WITH THE WIND.Reserved seats .Tickets now at the box office or by mail.Wed.MAT.$1.50 other times $2.00

NATIONAL HILLS Charles said CLOCKWORK ORANGE should do great business since the X RATED VERSION was banned in Augusta.It is on a late show.

Dec.24 1974 Charles and me pop what we believe to be a record for bagged popcorn. It is for the Christmas movie ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD.Sadly, by evening shows most of it gone.People do go to the movies on Christmas day and night.

NATIONAL HILLS CLOSE ENCOUNTERS is doing great. Charles Bruni with all the in house advertising believes it might be one of the greatest movies ever made. I saw it in Charlotte with John Mackey.

March 1972. John Wayne was a great star.NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE would have been a theatre Duke would have been proud to play is pictures.In most all his Bios,he was always concerned about how his films were presented to his fans. Sadly, very few John Wayne movies played here. THE COWBOYS did get that honor to play on that big screen.THE COWBOYS played first run at NATIONAL HILLS. Glad we could do it for you Duke.

Oct. 1974 We have a roadshow on JEREMIAH JOHNSON. Which meant a checker was there for every show counting heads in the theatre and at night emptying out the ticket chopper and counting every stub.

THE HIDING PLACE opens to huge crowds and i mean weekday night sellouts. Unheard of for the most part.By then John Mackey was gone and Mr.Tinney was running the show. Well, either he was too cheap to put more girls on or did not expect large weeknight sell outs. He really teed me off sticking me behind the Concession stand. For the record this 1975 release ran 145 minutes and was about a true story of two Dutch Christian sisters hiding Jews from the Nazi Concentration camps. Produced by Billy Graham.Which explained to me the LARGE turn outs from all the churches.Most likely, they bought tickets though their churches orbox office. It was something.

JOHN MACKEY has all the girls dressed up in costume for SNOW WHITE.Thankgoodness he doesn't have the doormen dressed in some silly outfit. Wearing a female cheerleading dress for THE LONGEST YARD was enough for any guy.

Speaking of THE LONGEST YARD it is amazing that the semi pro football team here the Augusta Eagles were used as extras in the film are here almost every showing to try and spot themselves in the film.One donated his MEAN MACHINE jersery to show behind the concessionstand.We lock it in the safe at night.One night a fellow and lady offered me $10.00 to let them in after THE LONGEST YARD sold out.WE always left a few empty seats and i thought real hard about doing so $10.00 was alot of money in them days.


Some of the ballplayers / extras i think were a little upset to see that they ended up on the cutting floor in Hollywood.That's life i told them.

1975
We are playing alot of concert movies.GIMME SHELTER > ALICE COOPER.I don't think Mr Tinney is balancing the films. You know drama/ action etc. So far CONCERT MOVIES. With WBBQ getting the radio spots.

NATIONAL HILLS STUPID MANAGER DEPARTMENT 1977

The concessionstand prices changed friday.Mr.Jordan was $16.00 short.

NATIONAL HILLS STUPID MANAGER DEPARTMENT 1977

The concessionstand prices changed friday.Mr.Jordan was $16.00 short.

FROM MY 1977 ABC THEATRE JOURNAL..i actually kept one when COLUMBIA 1 and 2 were opening.

1977 THE GOODBYE GIRL is playing in COLUMBIA ONE.The big wigs at ABC THEATRES think this second run will do business. Heck, It is playing at two drive ins and SOUTHGATE CINEMA is charging 99 cents.We are charging first run prices $3.00 a seat.


1977 would you believe the bookers are putting a 1969 movie MARROONED. with GREGORY PECK. This film played on NBC SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES.

1977 Well. tommorrow is tuesday and i will be in the box office. And then again on thursday.Itis a bummer.I am really thinking about going to GENERAL CINEMA when the mall opens.CHARLES is also looking to GCC.

1977 I love working with Tommy. We made a EASY RIDER display since we did not have a one sheet.

1977 CASEY'S SHADOW is coming to COLUMBIA TWO. THIS HORSE movie would do great in Aiken S.C. Horse country.

1977 FOR THE LOVE OF BENJI is set for COLUMBIA ONE ,If it does what BENJI did in 1975.We will make money.

COLUMBIA ONE is playing THE CHEAP DETECTIVE. PETER FALK is great in it. Play on BOGIE. COLUMBIA TWO IS picking up the OMEN 2 from the IMPERIAL. We should do okay because so many folks here will not go downtown.

1977 THE LATE SHOW a movie with Art Carney is opening.I just do not think this will sell at all.Lily Tomlyn is co-star.

APRIL 2 1977 We are getting word that STAR WARS is coming here.And the Deep. {we got THE DEEP}

NATIONAL HILLS FROM MY FILM JOURNAL 1977

Just for employees before the friday night late show.Mr.Jordan invited all THE ABC THEATRE folks to see his favorite film he booked on an upcoming LATE SHOW. LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL Well. some of us were acting a bit crazy.SO i left with my cashiers and two guys from the IMPERIAL to go to COLUMBIA SQUARE for our own little party.

1976 FILM JOURNAL

COLUMBIA 1 and 2 getting ready for opening.THE city manager and our District manager invite me to lunch.

Mike: I remember how in early 1977 "Star Wars" was on absolutely no one's radar as a potential box office smash. Everybody was looking forward to "The Deep" because of its Peter Benchley/"Jaws" connection. That all changed on May 25th, the day "Star Wars" opened.

Boy, Bill are you right. I almost did not want to include that little error on my part because i always had a good track record on this market. I did not want some"DISNEY" space caper. Well, it went to the WEIS CENTER CENTER here and played all summer,But they seated less than COLUMBIA ONE probably over a hundred seats less. I did get a great advance one sheet that I want back in the poster room and kept after i realized STAR WARS was far from a "DISNEY" flick.

WEIS CINEMA CENTER IS ON CINEMA TREASURES.

MORE FROM MY 1976 1977 LOST THEATRE JOURNAL NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE.

LATE SHOW problems on YESSONGS we had to refund forty tickets.I know Mr.Pete in the booth did all he could do on our sound.I think the RCA SOUNDMAN IS coming in. But, It is like i told Mr.Tinney on regular features no one says a word.

HAWMPS is playing At NATIONAL HILLS to great KID business. Makers of Benji. I see MOTHER , JUGS , and SPEED is set next with RAQUEL WELCH. Have not seen alot of her on the screen.

NATIONAL HILLS my theatre journal 1977

A complete sell out on REEFER MADNESS .We oversold more than 781 seats. The HINDENBURG is doing good business at the IMPERIAL. BUT LUCKY LADY at the MILLER is dead.

NATIONAL HILLS 1977

{ in 2009 i hate to post this } NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE is now one of the worst theatres in Augusta.It hurts to say that! After i left NATIONAL HILLS for COLUMBIA SQUARE I had everything in order. I walked upstairs after seeing Mr.Pete and peeked in the FURANCE/POSTER/ MARQUEE LETTER ROOM. Boy, MArquee letters ,posters thrown all over the floor!IT looks like a stinking fire hazard. A DUMP.
Even the MARQUEE in front of the theatre i counted several misspelled words. And this is NATIONAL HILLS the theatre that prides itself on being Augusta's best.It is clearly a management problem.

STILL MORE FROM MY 1977 ABC PLITT THEATRE JOURNAL.

Well, i am back on the marquee friday.Seems their usher was slow thursday that the road marquee did not get changed. I ended up taking care of it for Mr.Jordan. I could do a great Marquee on the theatre and have plenty of time for the Road Marquee. They do not care.

Well. over beers Tommy Capers tells me John Mackey since Mr.Davis.NATIONAL HILLS Always seemed to have good men there until the last year or so.

FROM MY ABC THEATRE FILM DIARY 1977

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE is next weeks NATIONAL HILLS late show.But they still have FRITZ THE CAT on the Bottom part of marquee. I pointed it out to Charles and he told me"I DO NOT GIVE A DAMN" He told me that !

I see JUNGLE BOOK is set to play here.Saw it right here as a kid First run at NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE.

1977

THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME. WE could call it theSOUND REMAINS THE SAME. More sound problems on this.SO bad Charles had to call two cops to deal with two late show moviegoers. All this over sound. Why can't we just go back to plain old movies.

The next weekend Mr.Jordan was out of town and Charles ask me to come up to NATIONAL HILLS to help him again he feared sound problems on THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME. We simply put up a sign on the box office explaining the Sound may not be 100%. WE had no trouble AT ALL !

TIME CAPSULE in front of NATIONAL HILLS placed 1966 opened 1996.Bill Barkley was the only rep. from our theatre era. Bill saw it open.He videotaped it i am sure,but we let him down even yours truly did not make it.

John Mackey has decided to show JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR on our weekend late show. 1974. He might run into trouble with the churches in town,but like he said its a late show. { 2009 i think it did pretty good business}

Word is we are getting a PG version of MASH. That is right,A PG version. Will adults care or even remember the 1970 was a R RATED film. I think the first run was here. {NATIONAL HILLS]

DEATHRACE 2000 has kicked butt.It is a ROGER CORMAN film and these West Augusta moviegoers are eating it up. It just seems like it outta be at WEIS CINEMAS.

Bill, I left a comment on the 200 highest grossing theatres.A little insight from the theatre business.

1974 I was happy Mr.Mackey booked A MAN CALLED HORSE for a late show he asks me often about what to play on our late shows.So far i am batting close to 100% Chewy doesn't care and he should take more interest since he is the head doorman.

Nov.6 1977

BOBBY DEERFIELD is still doing pretty good business. I will be surprized if we don't get it. {it never played at COLUMBIA 1 and 2}

Before i worked at NATIONAL HILLS and had to buy a ticket i saw THE MAN THAT LOVED CAT DANCING and with a title like that no one would believe it was a pretty good western.I also saw SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE there and it too was a good movie.I had always wanted to get FIVE on a late show,but we never did. At least i don't have it written down.

THEATRE JOURNAL May 14 1978

Charles called he is upset again at Jordan.Seems like Charles put up a Marquee and Mr.Jordan ripped him a good one. I never had anyone critize a marquee i did. Charles said " He does even care about the stuff. He said Jordan lacks creativity ." .Will National Hills theatre ever become a peaceful place.

MORE THEATRE DIARY NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE.

Everyone has been wanting me to come over and hear this DIMENSION 360 sound they just had put in the theatre for the movie DAMNATION ALLEY. I can't tell a big difference except for those ugly speakers hanging off the walls. 1977.

DEATH WISH plays to good LATE SHOW crowds.It is one of my favorite movies,so much so, that I talked Mr.Mackey into going up in the booth after Mr.Pete left on Saturday night and we got a reel out and we clipped a couple of frames of film out for me.

I wished i would have gotten the frame at the end of the movie where CHARLES BRONSON makes a gun out of his finger to some creeps that grabbed a lady's packages and threw them on the floor. CLASSIC BRONSON. {i guess whoever played the movie next i hope they correctly fixed the print because we just used plain tape to put the film back together. I still have those clips} 1974.

1974 Talked John Mackey into playing LAST AMERICAN HERO with JEFF BRIDGES. Its a stock car movie filmed in his neck of the woods in North Carolina. {2009 I believe it did okay for a very off beat late show}

August 10 1976

We have CHILDREN'S APPRECIATION DAY. The employees are dressing up as Cartoon figures in crazy costumes. Parents get in free, charing the kids $1.50. Large crowds.

Nov. 1974,I EXPERIMENT and put sugar in our popcorn popper. THE popcorn comes out with brown spots.OH, well in the trash before anyone sees it. Sometimes you get bored.

OCT 22. 1977 DAMNATION ALLEY is playing in 360 SOUND,not Dimension 360 sound as i wrote earlier.

08/ 03/ 76.

We get a WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM from Mr.John Huff,our V.P. ABC SOUTHEASTERN THEATRES telling us: AMERICAN GRAFFITI will be withdrawn by UNIVERSAL PICTURES and there can be no theatre showings beginning after Sept. 3 1976.
So naturally,NATIONAL HILLS gets it and man, we SELL OUT several weekend shows!

Sometime in the late 70's Mark Kuchinski's little sister Lisa becomes an assistant manager after Cindy Muns leaves.

Great comments Mike but I could not find any pictures. You must be like me I have many stories and memories of my theater days but I did not take any pictures that I can remember or find.I am checking out the other movie houses you have listed.

TISLOEWS, I have tons of pictures of all my theatres. I just don't have anyway to print them. I have in friend in Tampa that was looking into it, I wondered if i mailed them to CT if they would put them on? I am real new to this. Heck, My kids have cut the computer on and find CT. IF you some grat stories let me know the theatres I would willing to bet i witness the same thing down here.

Will do.

Mike you ought to write a book about this theater. Well you almost have with all the posts on this site.If you post any pictures let me know.

I guess i have so many posts is because i really enjoyed working at that Theatre. I mean it sounds strange to love a building? I have many friends i worked with there ,but sadly i have come to realize that while i loved working there to those guys it was just a job.
We even had ABC THEATRE reunion back in 1985 and we had quite a few old employees to show, so much so that about the next 4 years we had a get together every holiday season.Now, they have something like this and all i get is "I have said it all. Not so." A few of them where there way before i got hired.

Mike you posts remind me of when we showed some dumb Kung Fu movie we showed the movie a whole week with 2 of the reels out of order and no body knew the difference or complained.Also when we showed "THE LAST WALTZ" a concert movie I called the booth to turn up the volume and the union man in the booth said no.Our city manager called the union the next day and we got the volume right for the rest of the run.LOUD.Did the same when we showed a PINK FLOYD movie.Those union guys thought they owned the place.

Look I know you started about the same time i did and in Augusta they did own the Booth. IT took awhile,but with time we became friends,they help get me in local 629 Stagehands local here. Hey, Unless i worked at the Imperial i never saw those FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH flicks. And yes, you could play reel second and reel five third. I had an old projectionist here and you might have read it he swore you could leave reel 7 out of GONE WITH THE WIND and if you hadn't seen the movie,never miss it. Knowing him, i am sure he pulled it off at a drive in.

WE, played THE WALL at REGENCY 1.2.3. first run and cannot remember anyone coming out asking about the sound. We lost sound somehow one night on FIRST BLOOD and i ran down the mall where our projectionist was getting some coffee and he thought i was pulling HIS LEG!

There is a scene in BILLY JACK where a local thug is getting ready to cut a woman's bra. One time while the scene was getting ready to come on Gordon our projectionist adjusts the framing on the film to where it is above the bottom masking and WOW, there are her nipples showing Clearly. Framed back you never see them. The majic of a movie operator. I never did like BILLY JACK.

Jim Neely , doorman remembers one night a couple were leaving the show when BANG they hit the big plate glass window by the door, Our manager had moved the plant that was there just to keep someone from doing that.I told Mr.Tinney, and the next day the plant was back by the window.

Laura Tinney remembers NATIONAL HILLS ; Well, Jerry took me to our first date there to see SONG OF THE SOUTH there. On HERBIE GOES TO MONTE CARLO he asked me to marry him after the show,and i even went into Labor there after calling Mike away from a date with Beverly we rushed to the Hospital. That was a wild night!

Jerry Tinney,CityManager, remembers National Hills fondly with this story. well, when Laura and I were married in a church by the Theatre on our way to our Honeymoon the employees had congratulated us on the NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE MARQUEE. When our child AMANDA was born they put A STAR IS BORN...AMANDA TINNEY.on the marquee.

Cool story Mike, but how many tickets did they sell?

Our late shows are set for late 1975

11/ 7-8 EASY RIDER

11/ 14-15 JUNGLE FREAKS and SEX MADNESS {are we trying to run WEIS CINEMA CENTRE films 2009 }

11/ 21-22 WOODSTOCK

11/ 28-29 HELP and LET IT BE

12/ 5-6 DEATH WISH [ Mr. Mackey and Mike clip some frames out when the Projectionist leaves .}

12/ 12-13 REEFER MADNESS and MARTIAN SPACE PARTY
REEFER MADNESS and MARTIAN SPACE PARTY would be pulled.

July 28 1969 NATIONAL HILLS is playing the comedy IF IT'S TUESDAY THIS MUST BE BELGIUM, Rated G Box office opens at 1:45 pm shows at 2:00, 3:35, 5:30 7:25 & 9:15 Admission is Adults $1.50 and child 75 cents.

Starting July 31 1969 OLIVER returns with 2 shows daily at 2;30 and an evening show at 8:00 ADVANCE TICKETS ON SALE NOW. Evening and sunday matinees is $2.25 .

April 27 1968 this saturday Augustans can enjoy in 70mm and Sterophonic sound GONE WITH THE WIND,

1968 and 1969 were great years for Hammer films and National Hills played them.
DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE. {my little sis and me sat on the first row and watched it,she still talks about it today}

TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA {maybe a little more graphic nudity and violence}

FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED {Peter Cushing,need i say more.]

TROG {Joan Crawford's last movie }

All these were great for a 13 year old. Today, Horror films stink.


Can't forget WILD,WILD, PLANET. {not a Hammer film}

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