New Pal Theatre
122 Church Street,
Vidalia,
GA
30475
122 Church Street,
Vidalia,
GA
30475
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The Pal Theatre opened in 1928. It was operated by Brice Enterprises during the time I was growing up in my birthplace, Vidalia, Ga. (1949-1960). During this time, Baron Godbee was the manager and I well remember being sent home on several Saturdays after Mr. Godbee stopped the movie and scolded us for being so unruly at the matinee.
I enjoyed getting an end seat with a seat standard that was lit so that I could tell what flavor of Charms I was eating.
The Pal Theatre showed first-run films during my childhood there. I saw Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” there and haven’t been exactly right since.
I had an early passion for theatre organs and didn’t find out until many years later—after I had left Vidalia—that the Pal Theatre actually had a theatre organ—a Page, installed in 1928!
I fondly remember the “Iron Claw” serials on Saturday, and also watching Mr. Brice come in to town from his estate in a big, black 1958 Lincoln Continental Mark III. Mr. Brice not only owned the Pal Theatre, but Brice Banking Company next door. He was Vidalia’s legendary wealthy man and saw to it that the Pal Theatre was well managed, stocked with good films, and was clean and sanitary.
I hope others can add more architectural and historical information about the theatre using this posting as a springboard.
Contributed by
John Clark McCall, Jr.
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
According to Bowers' “Encyclopedia” page 551, there was a “Colonial” theatre in Vidalia equipped with a Reproduco organ made by the Operators Piano Co. I could not find a page for the Colonial, so I am putting this here for the time being.
1986 night photo of the Pal Theatre.
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1986 daytime photo of the Pal Theatre.
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There were a number of Pal theatres throughout Georgia.
I seen it right across from my bank BB&T and now it’s closed for good. No, wait. That’s Sweet Onion Cinemas 4 and Lost Memory, I add it for you and put in the info.
If you want to add the Sweet Onion Cinemas to Cinema Treasures, go right ahead. I don’t have any additional information for it.
Most if not all the PAL theatres were in South Georgia.
The Pal Theatre web site is now at this URL, but it looks like hasn’t been updated for at least a few months, and possibly for more than a year. The “Upcoming Events” section has dates listed for October, November and December, but no year listed, so they could be from 2011 or even 2010. It doesn’t list any movies at all.
It also gives different telephone numbers from the one listed in our “phone numbers” field above, but I haven’t called them as it would be a long distance call for me. Maybe someone local (or with Internet phone service) could check them to see if the numbers are even connected. The theater might have shut down.
When you call the business number the lady was reluctant to give any information but did say the theatre was still operating but not on a regular basis
Probably another operation hanging by a thread, then. I hope they manage to find a ladder.
I’ve also come across references to a Brice Cinema (presumably owned by the same Mr. Brice who owned the Pal) at 1101 E. First Street in Vidalia, but I haven’t found out any details except that it’s closed, and that the building was renovated in 1969 with plans by Savannah architect Allan H. Eitel. It’s unclear if it was already a theater that was renovated, or an existing building with some other use that was converted into a theater.
Apparently the Sweet Onion Cinemas (which has instantly become one of my favorite theater names ever), with five screens, is the only movie theater now operating in Vidalia.
Yeah, Chuck and Joe sometimes small time operators really clam up when you visit or call, other times they will talk and talk,Onions are the main deal there, not movies.
Joe, when you google the Brice the building is still there but closed. From the looks of the building it appears to have been built as a theatre. It is located in the rear of a strip shopping center and a free standing building. On the Vidalia home page it lists the Brice Cinema but there is a line through the Cinema.