Imperial Theatre
745 Broad Street,
Augusta,
GA
30901
745 Broad Street,
Augusta,
GA
30901
8 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 343 comments found
Yes, it played there riausche,ANYONE interested,“REMEMBERING PLITT THEATRES” is now on Facebook for Plitt Theatre folks.ENJOY.
I am sure Big for the little lady played sometime in late summer or early fall of 1965. I am sure I saw this film for the first time at the Imperial. I saw the film again overseas some time in early summer 1966
Thanks for the update Mike.
Got to shoot Spotlight last night on a horrible play,but that is show business,Hadn’t been in there in a couple of years and while it is far different from my days there the memories flooded back.Glad Augusta Saved Her!!!!!!!!!!
I was thinking about watching “OBLONG BOX” tohight.but settled on “TRUE CRIMES” with Clint.I had parents that would take me to movies as a kid,but they were never like yours and alot the good movies played downtown some 17 miles away from home,now i am right in the city,sadly.I loved the ad in the Paper on “OBLONG BOX” much like the dvd cover.I guess if I had a printer I would run out of paper just printing ads from Augusta theatres.and just think At one time i had saved hundreds of ads clipped from the paper.Guess you did too.wasn’t Friday’s paper the best no matter if it was Nashville,Tampa or Augusta in the good old days of Theatres.Hi Nick and Tis.
Mike, Thanks for the great listing of films that played the Imperial. Somehow I missed seeing “The Oblong Box” when it played at the indoors & drive-ins in my area. I remember “Klute” being pretty controversial at the time. “The Exorcist” made tons of money wherever it played as did “Jaws.” “The Heretic” did pretty good b/o the first weekend but word quickly spread and I doubt it played much more than a couple weeks anywhere. Same goes for “The Swarm” which I found boring. “Up in Smoke” seemed to do good business everywhere but I can’t recall now anything about it. I doubt it even had a plot!
Hi Tlsloews…great you’re back on!
Nov 2 1960 “BEN-HUR”
Jan 1 1965 “AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY”
June 25 1966 “BIG HAND FOR A LITTLE LADY”
June 2 1967 “ABSENT MINDER PROFESSOR” and “SHAGGY DOG”
June 1 1968 Projectionists Bill Barkley’s Favorite.“BONNIE and CLYDE”.
April 15 1969 “THE APRIL FOOLS”
June 13 1969 a pretty good horror flick, “THE OBLONG BOX” And on June 27 1969 the opening of “TRUE GRIT”.
June 8 1971 “ESCAPE FROM THE PALENT OF THE APES” The Miller had the first one the IMPERIAL played the Sequels except for “BATTLE”.
Jane Fonda in a rough R rated movie Sept 24 1971 “KLUTE”.
March 15 1974 “THE EXORCIST” opens breaking all house records until that shark shows up in 1975.
“UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT” plys Oct,4 1974 and my first Employees meeting with ABC THEATRES.
Speaking of Sharks, “JAWS” is going on week 9 August 15 1975.and on Sept 26 1975 I bet the print is getting a little worn,“JAWS” is on week 15.
Sept.26 1976 a funny Western,“GREAT SCOUT AND CATHOUSE TUESDAY plays.
Nov.24 1976 a good Heston film,“TWO MINUTE WARNING”
June 3 1977 Augusta was waiting,but not long,“THE HERETIC” is a DOg.
Sept 16 1977 “THE HILLS HAVE EYES”.
JUly 14 1978 the Imperial is let in on the Nationwide joke.“THE SWARM” opens.LOL
Nov 3 1978 one film that made money,“UP IN SMOKE” i never could get into it.
And June 30 1979 a movie I hoped we would get “ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ” plays.I did get to share a beer with James Brown as he watched it from The Balcony.All the paper work was done and the money in the bank.Just so you don’t think I wasn’t doing my job.I think this was the summer I was moved down there as Assistant,cause no one wanted to work there from National Hills which was Closer than Columbia Square to the Imperial.
I miss you and Nick.
Thanks for the info MIke.I cannot get on C.T. on my old cumputer,having to use my wifes new one.TLSLOEWS.
884 seems right today on seating since some have been removed,it was 881 or pretty close to it when i was the Assistant Mgr.
Yes,Dave,Davis came home and gave a lecture about his work I bought the book and a Print of The IMPERIAL.just wish he would have done it when we had a better Movie.
There’s a great local piece about this theater in our alt-weekly from last week, and this marquee, along with many others are in the former Augusta, GA author’s book, “Popcorn Palaces: The Art Deco Movie Theater Paintings of Davis Cone.”
View link
View link
Thanks enjoy.
Thanks for your kindness Mike.
Wow you are fast.
I will go thru the boxes next time I am in Marquette (they are stored at my aunt’s house).
I usually get there about once a week – sometimes more.
Greg, sending all the stuff you wanted in the mail monday.
Sounds Good Greg.Keep the stories coming!
I will look up my stories on the raid – also in boxes – may take a while – and will look for my box of negatives – likely had some prints made.
Just saw them while going thru boxes last fall – will god back to find.
I will get some copies to you and will look for the obit.I know i have down in the Basement with my thousands of Theatre items and A couple hundred papers.It would be great if they could be put on a site like this related to newspapers.Any Photos on the raid put them on,story too.
Was reading some of the above comments – I actually went along on the Last Tango raid with vice squad and took photos – think I still have them.
Wrote about it in AJC.
Will check out this site and the photos.
Thank you.
I would love anything you are willing to send me – they are valuable to me.
Plus would treasure a copy of his obit if you can find it.
Did not realize the Metro Spirit went out of business – that very sad and bad for a healthy community.
Even wrote a thing for Metro Spirit about Mr. Brown when he died.
Must be getting old when I refer to everyone dying.
The Augusta Chronicle has long held a strangle hold on up and coming newspapers – even threatening advertisers.
A truly free and thriving community needs more than once source of print news – otherwise viewpoints get muffled and there runs a risk of a limitation on what gets covered because often the daily papers (in cities Augusta’s size and smaller) do not do investigative reporting – and get too close to the power structure – or in the Morris case is the power structure.
I remember doing several investigative things in Jay’s paper like one story about Augusta Vice Squad member taking bribes.
Sorry for asking for so much – but I miss Jay greatly and when I think back on our times it seems like a unbelievable dream – almost unreal.
When it was happening – it seemed like every day stuff – now it seems like an adventure.
If Jay had lived – I probably would have returned to Augusta.
Speaking of National Hills,the sister to the IMPERIAL it is on CT Greg,Plenty of Pictures if you have the time to scroll down,in fact ALL of Augusta’s Theatres from the Silent days and even that monster 20 plex is on are on CT.
we forget Bob Young.I think he told me he was a Doorman at National Hills Theatre!
Greg,Do want one the First editions or a later edition.I didn’t know Jay was even sick until I saw his obit.I saved it.I wish he was still around,The Metro Sprit went out of Business our free newsweekly.Jay was so ahead of his time; they did print a story I wrote on Augusta’s Drive-ins years and years ago,time flies.I can send you the Story I have about Thirty copies.
Hi Mike,
I remember Jay’s effort to save a theatre but I could not remember for sure which one till now.
Jay was a great teacher – when I started doing news in my teens at WGAC – I could not believe the stories of payoffs, corruption, back door political deals and much more – till I witnessed myself.
My WGAC News Director Diane Tannen recommended me to replace her as the East Georgia correspondent at AJC – got my first byline in Atlanta paper when I was still in high school at Westside and it was a pretty cool moment – ended up working as correspondent off and on for about 10 years.
I was especially thankful to get tutored by Keller Mccartney (The Jay Mann of Atlanta papers) and Frank Wells (another AJC dean old time state of GA journalism)– when they both took on jobs with the state desk at AJC.
Yes – Jill also helped out at the paper – she eventually moved to DC – married an investment banker – had 3 kids but filed for divorce a year ago after 15 years or more of marriage after they lost everything ($20 million) in a bad investment – they both blame each other.
Still doing news thing- and doing lots of volunteer environment media stuff for various projects (search yooperneswsman – my usual username for examples).
Also still as broke – but as Jay mann said – they can’t hurt you if you have no money to lose – and if you are poor its proof you are honest.
I would LOVE to get whatever you are willing to send me.
Jay and I remained close friends till I moved in 1988 – returned two years later to see him because he was sick with luekemia. Died a few weeks later but I could not afford to return for funeral.
My other good friend – another Westsider – is Terence Dicks – and we remain in touch.
Strange thing ref. your comment about Fleming – after I left you message – read story in Augusta Chronicle about Fleming comment today and wrote comment about him being biased – weird coincidence.
My address:
307 N. Brown Ave.
Apt. 1
Negaunee, MI
49866-1500
ph: 906-401-0109
Thank you Mike – and keep fighting the good fight.
Just imagine if all the old-time theatres could return to the look and popularity of their past years – really the first version of television – tho far more majestic and romantic.
Nice to hear from someone who remembers Jay so well.
Greg,i have plenty of copies of his newspaper and would be glad to send you a couple.i remember your by-line in the Atlanta papers,a dream I had.4595 Silver Lake Drive,evans 30809.I learned so much about Augusta Politics and Newspapers than any thing taught at Augusta College.Jay made one of the early attempts to Save the Modjeska if you remember that.I think you sister Jill helped out with the NEWS. I just wish more locals would get on CT. thanks.