The 2,000-seat Airdome opened its gates on May 25, 1909 with a live presentation of “A Dangerous Friend”. It was originally scheduled for open one day before but was postponed due to both severe weather and electric fixture delays. It was originally operated by Grand Opera House manager A.R. Waterman.
The actual opening date is June 9, 1924 with Lloyd Hughes in “Judgement Of The Storm” along with five acts of vaudeville by the Junior Orpheum circuit.
Fact: Both the New Grand Theatre and the Ferris Grand Opera House ended its operations with a fire destruction within 11 years, three months, and ten days apart.
The Princess Theatre opened its doors on October 10, 1912 with a live presentation of “The City” (which previously had its long-run engagement in both New York and Chicago at the time), and was renamed the Chief Theatre on August 20, 1949.
The Chief Theatre name came very unexpectedly from local resident John K. Lorenz when he received a whole shoe box filled with letters during a free theater naming contest that was held between July 30 and August 6, 1949. Some other people submitted other names but was unlisted. At the time, the theater was operated by H.S. (Doc) Twedt.
The Chief Theatre closed as a movie house in the mid-1980s, and was then bought out by the Britt Chamber of Commerce following renovation in August 1988.
First known as Plaza Theatre, later the State Theatre, and finally the Strand Theater since July 30, 1931. The Strand Theatre last operated as a weekend-only theater before closure in the mid-to-late-1960s.
The entirety of the Masonic Temple building took at least more than a year to construct when it was first erected in early December 1893, while the clock tower was erected in mid-August 1894. It was home to many offices and stores.
The theater had many changes over the years. It started life as the Avenue Theatre in 1908, renamed the Star Theatre in August 1910, briefly renamed the Rainbow Theatre in April 1919 but was unused, renamed the Princess Theatre the following month, and renamed the Stuart Theatre in 1936.
The Palace Theatre actually was still open in 1972 and 1973. According to what I searched from the archives of the Cedar Valley Daily Times, showtimes continued at the Palace into the next couple of years as a first-run theater. However for a very short time in early 1974, the theater went under the name “Palace Enterprises Theatre” for a very short time and began screening a mix of second/third-run family-oriented films.
It appears that it did not have that much of a success, and the Palace Theatre closed in 1974. Then it was used for retail purposes into the next two decades.
Act One took at least almost three years for the Palace Theatre to renovate. After all the hard work, the Palace Theatre reopened back as a first-run movie house on November 14, 1999 with “Runaway Bride”.
The idea of Pratt’s Opera House came exactly almost four months after the original Fulton Opera House was destroyed by a fire.
In late-April 1903, a deal was both closed and accepted to build a 900-seat opera house in Fulton as it was decided when the Ways and Means committee appointed by the citizens' meeting consummated the final arrangements with John Pratt for the construction of his playhouse to cost not less than $12,000. According to a previous meeting, the committee asked for an extension of time in order to perfect its subscription list and get the same in more secure shape by ten days. After carefully canvassing the situation, the committee discovered that $100 was still lacking to make up the necessary $3,000 bonus but notwithstanding the resolution being unanimously adopted that authorize Pratt to proceed with the erection of the playhouse. They later launched a public enterprise that has not only labored diligently and untiringly for the successful outcome of the project.
Construction started several months later from both his theater and the neighboring Arlington Hotel that was both led by Contractor Braun. During the final touches, Claude Wilkerson became the manager of the theater. At the same time, Wilker booked the Quincy Adams Sawyer Company for a production that will give in Fulton that finished a two-week engagement in the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, exactly three weeks before the catastrophic 1903 Iroquois Theatre Fire. Due to multiple delays throughout the first quarter of 1904, its formal opening was rescheduled from late December 1903 to March 1904.
After all the delays, the Pratt’s Opera House opened its doors on March 14, 1904 with a live presentation of Walker Whiteside in “We Are King”. Throughout its history, it had a couple of renames. It was once renamed Pratt’s Theatre and finally known as simply Pratt Theatre.
The Pratt Theatre continued operating as both a special events and vaudeville house until closing in 1937.
The Electric Theatre’s building was known as the Powell Building when J.T. Ogle opened the theater on August 2, 1907, but unfortunately the management did receive trouble due to major crowding that causes a lack of room in the auditorium.
The Electric Theatre was renamed the Gem Theatre in January 1914 while being managed by H.L. Crockett.
The Alpharetta Drive-In is a very short-lived drive-in, opened in 1958 and closed in 1964. Throughout its short run, it was operated by Atlanta real estate Donald E. Brown.
Originally housed 450 seats.
The 2,000-seat Airdome opened its gates on May 25, 1909 with a live presentation of “A Dangerous Friend”. It was originally scheduled for open one day before but was postponed due to both severe weather and electric fixture delays. It was originally operated by Grand Opera House manager A.R. Waterman.
It was closed in September 1916.
The actual opening date is June 9, 1924 with Lloyd Hughes in “Judgement Of The Storm” along with five acts of vaudeville by the Junior Orpheum circuit.
Still operating in the 1980s, but was gone by the 1990s.
I’m very sure it was the last drive-in theater to open before the death of the war.
Still open in the 1980s, but was gone by the 1990s.
The Princess Theatre opened its doors on October 10, 1912 with a live presentation of “The City” (which previously had its long-run engagement in both New York and Chicago at the time), and was renamed the Chief Theatre on August 20, 1949.
The Chief Theatre closed as a movie house in the mid-1980s, and was then bought out by the Britt Chamber of Commerce following renovation in August 1988.
First known as Plaza Theatre, later the State Theatre, and finally the Strand Theater since July 30, 1931. The Strand Theatre last operated as a weekend-only theater before closure in the mid-to-late-1960s.
Good news is that the tornado didn’t hit downtown. It was southwest of it.
This opened in January 1914 as a replacement of an older Star Theatre that was renamed Tryit Theatre at the same time.
Opened in September 1907, closed in July 1908.
The entirety of the Masonic Temple building took at least more than a year to construct when it was first erected in early December 1893, while the clock tower was erected in mid-August 1894. It was home to many offices and stores.
The theater had many changes over the years. It started life as the Avenue Theatre in 1908, renamed the Star Theatre in August 1910, briefly renamed the Rainbow Theatre in April 1919 but was unused, renamed the Princess Theatre the following month, and renamed the Stuart Theatre in 1936.
The Stuart Theatre closed in 1965.
Opened on April 19, 1913 (first operated by E.B. Hewitt), closed in early 1919.
Opened on May 13, 1914, closed in January 1918.
The Palace Theatre actually was still open in 1972 and 1973. According to what I searched from the archives of the Cedar Valley Daily Times, showtimes continued at the Palace into the next couple of years as a first-run theater. However for a very short time in early 1974, the theater went under the name “Palace Enterprises Theatre” for a very short time and began screening a mix of second/third-run family-oriented films.
It appears that it did not have that much of a success, and the Palace Theatre closed in 1974. Then it was used for retail purposes into the next two decades.
Act One took at least almost three years for the Palace Theatre to renovate. After all the hard work, the Palace Theatre reopened back as a first-run movie house on November 14, 1999 with “Runaway Bride”.
There’s catastrophic damage from a recent confirmed tornado being reported in Greenfield. It was unknown if the theater is impacted by it yet.
Opened on August 17, 1968 with “Benjamin”, and twinned in 1971.
The Lund Theater opened on August 5, 1949 with Randolph Scott in “Canadian Pacific” (unknown if any extras added).
If I have to take a guess on the car capacity, I’ll say 150 cars.
The idea of Pratt’s Opera House came exactly almost four months after the original Fulton Opera House was destroyed by a fire.
In late-April 1903, a deal was both closed and accepted to build a 900-seat opera house in Fulton as it was decided when the Ways and Means committee appointed by the citizens' meeting consummated the final arrangements with John Pratt for the construction of his playhouse to cost not less than $12,000. According to a previous meeting, the committee asked for an extension of time in order to perfect its subscription list and get the same in more secure shape by ten days. After carefully canvassing the situation, the committee discovered that $100 was still lacking to make up the necessary $3,000 bonus but notwithstanding the resolution being unanimously adopted that authorize Pratt to proceed with the erection of the playhouse. They later launched a public enterprise that has not only labored diligently and untiringly for the successful outcome of the project.
Construction started several months later from both his theater and the neighboring Arlington Hotel that was both led by Contractor Braun. During the final touches, Claude Wilkerson became the manager of the theater. At the same time, Wilker booked the Quincy Adams Sawyer Company for a production that will give in Fulton that finished a two-week engagement in the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, exactly three weeks before the catastrophic 1903 Iroquois Theatre Fire. Due to multiple delays throughout the first quarter of 1904, its formal opening was rescheduled from late December 1903 to March 1904.
After all the delays, the Pratt’s Opera House opened its doors on March 14, 1904 with a live presentation of Walker Whiteside in “We Are King”. Throughout its history, it had a couple of renames. It was once renamed Pratt’s Theatre and finally known as simply Pratt Theatre.
The Pratt Theatre continued operating as both a special events and vaudeville house until closing in 1937.
The Electric Theatre’s building was known as the Powell Building when J.T. Ogle opened the theater on August 2, 1907, but unfortunately the management did receive trouble due to major crowding that causes a lack of room in the auditorium.
The Electric Theatre was renamed the Gem Theatre in January 1914 while being managed by H.L. Crockett.
So it closed in 1984.
Opened in 1950.
The Alpharetta Drive-In is a very short-lived drive-in, opened in 1958 and closed in 1964. Throughout its short run, it was operated by Atlanta real estate Donald E. Brown.
Special credit to Filmack for that shot right there!