Daniel Village Theatre
2803 Wrightsboro Road,
Augusta,
GA
30901
2803 Wrightsboro Road,
Augusta,
GA
30901
2 people
favorited this theater
This theater was originally owned by the Georgia Theatre Company. It opened on September 25, 1964 with the hit Disney movie “Mary Poppins”. Along with the National Hills Theatre in Augusta, it would play a lot of Disney product. The theatre was built with a small lobby and concession area. Many times moviegoers would have to wait outside.
Projectionist Bob Smith remembered playing “Walkabout”, an Australian film that was rated PG and had full frontal nudity. He lobbied the manager to change the rating to an ‘R’ as he knew he would be the first to go when the cops saw such a movie with a PG rating. However, the manager let the rating remain a PG. Even though “Billy Jack” contained full frontal nudity, PG pictures of the 1970’s were much different from PG movies today.
Notable films played at the Daniel Village, much like the National Hills. Both theatres were in nice ‘ritzy’ neighborhoods. “Von Ryan’s Express” played a long run at the Daniel Village, and “Murder on the Orient Express” also played to good crowds. It also played the first Augusta run of “Wind and the Lion”.
I saw “Freebie and The Bean” there along with “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot”. “The Tamarind Seed” with Julie Andrews packed the ladies of the garden clubs in. I also saw “True Grit” and “Network” along with countless others.
In 1977 Daniel Village Theatre was twinned which ruined the theatre. There was such a rush in those days to twin or triple any theatre. It reopened as a twin with “Smoky and the Bandit”.
One thing I hated about this theatre was that there were no doors going into the auditorium. If you were anywhere near the back row you heard the popcorn popping and the concession stand girls talking. I believe when they twinned it they finally put doors up. But it was a lousy design to begin with without any doors.
The theater was purchased in 1987 by United Artists, finally closing in 1993.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre, Mike Rogers
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Recent comments (view all 102 comments)
When I was down in Augusta in the summer of 1965 this theater played “Sound of Music” most of the summer. I was station at Fort Gordon. A friend wanted to go there but we did not want to take a chance of getting there and not making it back to the base.
I have read it on several of our theatres.I thought we had better bus service.It played at NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE here in 70mm.Daniel Village had 35mm,but a nice size screen,until they twinned it.
Whe in was in Aurusta (Aug-Nov 65) the National was not buid yet. The Daniel was “THE SOUND OF MUSIC"n has a reserve seat attraction. I donot know when it end the run. I knew Augusta had good bus service, but being in the army we did not want to take a chance of getting lost. One time I head it also played ‘MY FAIR LADY” for a short run.
One last comment. Alot of new theaters back then did not have doors between the lobby and the viewing room. Our Villag Shoregae and Parmatown did not have doors. The Colony had them put on when they remodeled in 64. They did it because they were going to start showing reserve seat movies
riausche,good info on the doors, i always thought Daniel Village needed them, while at National Hills the concession was for enough away.But on busy nights we would rope off the lobby and fill it up,which would have ruined anyone watching the movie from the noise.
I worked here from 1972-1974…way below minimum wage, I think it worked out to .50/hr. If I worked 20 hrs, the pay envelope had $15.90 and 40 hours (summer), it had $27.90 in it. New owners/management put up curtains in 1974 and told concessionaires not to be watching the movies (for FREE!!!??!!) and put up curtains so we couldn’t stand in the doorway to stand. White Lightning played there for the longest time in 1973; I had the entire film memorized line-by-line by the time it finished its run.
I have a seat from the Daniel Village theater sitting in my bedroom right now. My Mom gave it to me. I lived right back behind the theater on Cardinal Drive, I saw most of my childhood movies there. I remember when the theater closed down and my parents went in the theater and took a few items before it closed down. I will never get rid of that movie chair and the little piece of carpet that came with it.
thanks for the comments nonnie 74 and Koakes.Been trying to get locals to comment especially the employees.nonnie 74, i have a seat from Columbia Square and the IMPERIAL.
Just like the Daniel Village Theatre in Augusta,Georgia…………
The Northgate Theatre in Durham, NC (which opened in X-Mas of 62) would play a lot of Disney movies as well,and basically was the market for both Disney and MGM. It also played “Mary Poppins” as a general release on April 13,1965.
thanks raysson i always enjoyreading your stuff.