The East Point was bought by Joe Patten when it appeared that the Fox Theatre in downtown Atlanta was doomed. He redecorated it in Spanish style, and painted the ceiling blue in preparation for the installation of twinkling stars like the Fox. The stars were never installed due to the expense of such a project. He obtained a Moller theatre organ and had the console installed on a lift; the lift however did not descend enough for the console to completely go below floor level. The theatre was to have been a venue for the 1978 ATOS Convention in Atlanta, but the organ could not be brought up to playable condition in time. As it was, a bunch of us ATOS Atlanta Chapter members gave the theatre a good cleaning for a non-event, and the concerts scheduled there were moved to the Fox, which by then had a secure future. The organ and furnishings were removed and sold before the building came down.
The Imperial Theatre was an ornate movie palace with appointments as good as those of the still-standing Carolina Theatre. In 1949 it was gutted, and the south half of the space became the Center Theatre. The Center is rather plain. Without checking to see if they were dimmable, fluorescent fixtures were installed on the walls. When the house lights were dimmed, these fixtures flickered erratically until finally doused. When you’re in the Center today, imagine what it would be like if it was twice as wide, and you’ll have a good idea of how big the Imperial was.
Both the Detroit Fox and the St. Louis Fox also run summer films, and they’re both larger than the Atlanta Fox (virtually the same size and design).
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The East Point was bought by Joe Patten when it appeared that the Fox Theatre in downtown Atlanta was doomed. He redecorated it in Spanish style, and painted the ceiling blue in preparation for the installation of twinkling stars like the Fox. The stars were never installed due to the expense of such a project. He obtained a Moller theatre organ and had the console installed on a lift; the lift however did not descend enough for the console to completely go below floor level. The theatre was to have been a venue for the 1978 ATOS Convention in Atlanta, but the organ could not be brought up to playable condition in time. As it was, a bunch of us ATOS Atlanta Chapter members gave the theatre a good cleaning for a non-event, and the concerts scheduled there were moved to the Fox, which by then had a secure future. The organ and furnishings were removed and sold before the building came down.
The Imperial Theatre was an ornate movie palace with appointments as good as those of the still-standing Carolina Theatre. In 1949 it was gutted, and the south half of the space became the Center Theatre. The Center is rather plain. Without checking to see if they were dimmable, fluorescent fixtures were installed on the walls. When the house lights were dimmed, these fixtures flickered erratically until finally doused. When you’re in the Center today, imagine what it would be like if it was twice as wide, and you’ll have a good idea of how big the Imperial was.