The fire at the Winecoff Hotel was one of Atlanta’s great tragedies. If memory serves, it occurred in 1946. The Winecoff Hotel was built circa 1913 and it did not have a sprinkler system or a fire escape (at that time). The fire swept through much of the building, trapping people on the upper floors. Regrettably, I do not recall the number of people who lost their lives. It was a positively dreadful event.
The thought of another fire in the Capitol Theatre the following year must have been genuinely frightening at the time. It’s no wonder that the Atlanta Fire Department took it very seriously.
Thanks, Lost Memory, for this bit of Atlanta history.
If you are in Atlanta, go to the downtown Atlanta Public Library and check the microfilm records of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for that era. It can be a laborious process, and very eye fatiquing, but it’s probably your most reliable source. Hopefully, one day this material will be transferred to a digital data base that will be easier to access.
Although I vividly remember the long lines of teenagers lined up at the Paramount for the original run of LOVE ME TENDER, I don’t actually remember any live appearences by Elvis. The line for the box office wound across Peachtree Street, around the corner to Ellis Street and all the way down the block to Juniper Street and down the street from there. One look at that line told me that Elvis was more than a passing fad.
What a great looking marquee! The vertical is simply terrific! Don’t remember seeing it the last time I was in Atlanta! Now that’s what you call progress!
Google the Georgia State University, Pullen Library Photograph collection. If you check out some of my comments on other theaters, you’ll find links to photos in their collection. Good photographs of the Atlanta area from that era are not necessarily easy to find. As a fellow baby boomer, I know about it. Good luck with your book, I’d love to see it in print!
Yes, the handwriting was on the wall for a long time. As I mentioned in an earlier post this locaton is far too valuable for a single screen movie house or small legit theater for that matter. If the landlord plays his cards right with this site, he’s sitting on a fortune!
As a native Atlantan, it looks correct to me. The position of the drug store (later an independently owned store, rather than part of a chain) also looks right. What a remarkable website! Any Atlantan who remembers the days of the elctric trolleys should definitely check this out! Since the trolleys began service circa 1937, this is probably from the early days of electric trolley service, as well as the early days of the Garden Hills Theatre. Thanks, Stan!
If you read my previous post you will realize that RODAN played at the Paramount Theatre, next door to the Loew’s Grand. During the 1950’s the Paramount booked a lot of “B” movies, particularly science fiction and horror films. The Loew’s Grand rarely booked sci-fi, fantasy films. Notable exceptions were Disney’s 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (1954), FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956), George Pal’s THE TIME MACHINE (1960)& ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT (1961), Alfred Hitchock’s THE BIRDS (1963), and THE HAUNTING (1963), among some others. By the 1970’s, the Loew’s Grand did start to book exploitation films, though.
Trust me, I attended both of these theaters often in the 1950’s and 1960’s!
The site of the Cascade Theatre was on what was originally Gordon Street near the juncture of Cascade Road, just outside the West End business district. The Cascade would have been basically within walking distance of the Gordon Theatre on Gordon Street, and not that far from the West End Theatre on Lee Street. The proximity of those theaters gives a pretty good idea of the health of movie exhibition in the Atlanta area in the years before television had such an impact on the business.
When I checked the street address in 2003, the lot where the Cascade Theatre would have stood was empty. Unfortunately, I don’t know when it was demolished. Hopefully, someone who lived in the West End area in those years will be able to give us more details.
YES, it was a great time to be a kid! We baby boomers were lucky to grow up in the ‘50’s and early '60’s. In spite of issues like the cold war, racial relations, and some of the repression of that time, it was a relatively innocent era. While I won’t pretend that it was a better time than the present, I certainly believe that it was a simpler time.
Each time I visit Atlanta I am struck by how many of the places that I remember from that era seem to be disappearing. Atlanta has little regard for the past and not much sense of history. It seems like a very temporary place.
Moreland Avenue? Would that have been the Madison Theatre on Flat
Shoals Road near the junction of Moreland Avenue in East Atlanta? Or, could it have been the Euclid Theatre in Little Five Points? I attended both of those theaters in those years. They were good movie houses!
Take a look at the link that Jack Coursey posted for a photo of the exterior of the Bankhead Theatre (Thanks, Jack!). The host site lists the photo as being from about 1936. However, it appears to be from a much earlier era. There is a poster for the serial PERILS OF PAULINE (circa 1914) on display. Also, the little girl standing outside is wearing a dress that looks like it is from the period around the First World War. So, the Bankhead may have been in operation as an early silent theater.
Grove Park and Bellwood were off the beaten path for me, since I grew up in East Lake and Decatur. Like many cities, the different sections of Atlanta had distinctly different personalities in those days.
Thanks, rcw, for the lucid clarification! You seem to be a native Atlantan, like myself. Even though I haven’t lived there for many years I really appreciate the lore of the city.
Do you know the years that the Bankhead operated as a movie house?
Great post, rcw! Love personal recollections of attending these movie houses way back when! We seem to be roughly contemporaries and I can identify with all the titles you refer to in your post. I had similar experiences growing up on the east side where I frequently attended the Decatur and the Glen on Saturdays. My personal favorites were the Hammer horror movies from that era! Saw a number of them at the Paramount first run and then in the neighborhood theaters. Scary movies were enormous fun in those days, weren’t they?
William – The Temple Theatre on Cherokee Avenue near Grant Park was much too small to hold 1000 seats. If memory serves, the entry for the Temple on cinematreasures lists the capacity at 300 seats. Could you be referring to another theater with the same name?
Jack – I believe that your information is correct. However, there was another African-American theater on Forrest Avenue (now Ralph McGill Boulevard) called the Forrest Theatre. Unfortunately, I have no idea as to whether or not it was part of the Bailey Circuit. The theater is listed in the “Current Amusements” section of the Atlanta Journal under “Colored Theaters”. My uncle had a grocery store on Forrest Avenue across the street from the present day location of the Atlanta Civic Center. The Forrest Theater was roughly a block further east on the same side of the street. The Forrest Theatre had a large billboard that prominently displayed movie posters for its attractions.
Since I never attended the Empire, the Grove, or the Temple I wouldn’t know about their admission policy. Of course, we are talking about the era of segregation. And yes, I can remember the time when black passengers were required to ride in the back of the bus. This seemed odd to me as a child. Looking back as an adult it seems pretty ghastly
Apart from that, I have no knowledge of any other Atlanta theater named the Paramount. That doesn’t mean that it might not have existed.
The Central was definitely declasse. It’s essential tackiness was hard to ignore. It was a remnant of an earlier day when downtown Atlanta had second run movie houses, also including the Cameo. Still, in the late ‘50’s and early '60’s I did manage to see several programs of double feature horror movies there. The interior of the theater gave you the sense that it was the product of a bygone era. The foyer was rather shallow and the auditorium was rather narrow. Curiously enough, the ceiling was “ribbed”, which was quite unlike the other Atlanta theaters that I attended in those years.
The programming was exclusively exploitation pictures in those days. They often consisted of second tier features that other exhibitors had passed on. At other times they were second run double features of B movies. The “atmosphere” of the Central did not inhance the dubious pleasure of seeing some of these pictures.
In fact, in attending the Central one had the distinct sense of stepping down in the world. It came as no surprise that it converted to a policy of booking so called “Adult” films. So, I never paid any attention to it after that time.
The story goes that the change of policy was due to a change of ownership. Allegedly, the Central was acquired by a notorious Atlanta racketeer who dealt in pornography. So, all in all the closing and demolition of the Central was no great loss.
Yes, I am familiar with the general history of the “Save the Fox” campaign. It was a wonderfully gutsy, populist movement that defied the will of corporate greed and a truly Machivellian civic strategem.
Personally, I like the Garden Hills Cinema. As I wrote earlier, it’s Art Moderne design reminds me of New York’s now demolished Beekman Theatre. Both were nice intimate settings for watching movies. The Plaza has stronger nostalgic ties for me because my dad used to take me to the movies there when I was a kid. Going there is like walking back into my own past. So, you could say I like both of these theatres by virtue of the fact that they are different.
Actually, I was more resigned to the loss of the Loew’s Grand. As several friends who were living in Atlanta at the time told me, the fire was highly suspicious to say the least. When the Paramount Theatre next door was demolished in 1960 it felt like more of a personal loss to me.
The land that the shopping strip housing the Garden Hills Cinema sits on probably includes the parking lot in back. It’s location on the approach to Buckhead makes it a very attractive property. So, I’m also certain that it’s fate will be decided by the asking price.
Thanks again, Stan, for another one of your sobering slices of Atlanta history. After the initial shock wears off it’s time to reflect on some facts of life. Like most people, I suppose I don’t really like change. At the same time I recognize that continual change is the one constant factor in life. Naturally I share the same affection for vintage movie houses that practically everyone who contributes to this site has in common. However, it also pays to be a realist. “Victor” certainly knows that he is sitting on a piece of prime Peachtree Road frontage real estate. Economic common sense dictates that he will seek to make the highest, best use of it. Frankly, I’d be somewhat surprised if another exhibitor leased this theater and operated it. The market may have changed too much. Developers are bound to be interested in this site. Although I would hate to see it, it may be inevitable.
The bottom line is that we need to remind ourselves that the movie business IS a BUSINESS! These theaters were intended as commericial venues and not public arts institutions. Its foolish to think otherwise. This theater and the shopping strip it’s in may have reached the end of their commercial life. The Garden Hills reminds me a bit of New York’s sadly demolished Beekman Theatre. Sloan Kettering Hospital acquired the site and intends to build a new wing for it’s cancer center. In Atlanta you can believe that someone is interested in the commercial potential of this site. “Victor” may well be considering seeking the highest possible return on his asset.
On reflection, it seems all the more remarkable that a grass roots movement succeeded in saving the Fox Theatre. I wonder if the same kind of popular movement would work in this day and age. The people that saved the Fox Theatre have my profound gratitude and respect.
Well considered observations, Stan & MPrice. The reality of commerce is that the marketplace is always changing. Lefont deserves credit for staying in business for 30 years. He may deserve credit for knowing when to downsize his business and/or get out while the getting is good. Having been born in Atlanta and grown up there, I’ve only seen the city on periodic visits over the years. My personal impression is that the traffic is just as bad as it is in Los Angeles. That traffic does mitigate against the Garden Hills' location. The changing demographics of the city do not bode well for the future of an independent operation specializing in art films. As the population of Atlanta contines to change people will have less and less reason to regard these vintage theatres with nostalgia. As far as the matter of sophistication goes, you would have to be dealing in irony, Jack. Personally I feel that Atlanta remains a provincial city at heart.
This one hurts! Yes, definitely the best art house in Atlanta. In fact, I was looking forward to attending the Garden Hills again on my next trip to Atlanta. Growing up in Atlanta I attended it when it was the Fine Art throughout the 1960’s. FELLINI’S 8 ½, YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMMOROW, and A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS spring to mind immediately, but there were many more. This is really a shame.
Actually the films that you are referring to are listed on the marquee of the Paramount Theatre, one door to the north of the Loew’s Grand (just across an alleyway). The Paramount was torn down in 1960. The Loew’s Grand rarely booked “B” movies in it’s prime years.
The fact that the current Ziegfeld looked better to me over time was simply evidence of diminishing returns. When I learned about how distinguished the original Ziegfeld Theatre had been, I felt cheated. The original theatre that Florenz Ziegfeld built on Sixth Avenue was designed by the distinguished Viennese designer, Joseph Urban. He designed the stage productions of the Ziegfeld Follies and was the principle scenic designer for the Metropolitan Opera from 1917 until Urban’s death in 1933. The present day Ziegfeld Theatre is a vulgar comment on Urban’s remarkable design sense.
However, I did manage to see many films at the Ziegfeld, among them CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, APOCALYSE NOW, and the restored version of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. Yet of all the films that I saw at the Ziegfeld, my personal favorite was Bob Rafelson’s little sung MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON in 1990.
Here’s the link to the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100196/
Check out the comments in which one commenter called it, “One of the best movies that no one has ever seen.†Regrettably, that seems to be true. In it’s original run at the Ziegfeld, the film was very impressive in a 70mm blowup and six track stereo sound. After having seen LAWRENCE OF ARABIA in the restored version at the Ziegfeld three times (as well as seeing it in its original road show version in 1963), MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON is one of the very few films that I would compare to LAWRENCE.
Relatively speaking, films like that made the current Ziegfeld seem better than it really was, especially when compared to most of the surviving movie houses in the New York area. To sum up my opinion of the current Ziegfeld, “Everybody knows its crooked, but it’s the only game in town.”
Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Maybe I should be more surprised that the theater was in operation for so many years. One can only hope that the Plaza Theatre’s new owner will want to operate it as a movie theater. However, I will not be too surprised if they have another agenda altogether. Looks like we’ll have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Always wanted to attend the Plaza again, but whenever I was in town there was nothing playing there that I hadn’t already seen. I’d hate to know that the Plaza ended its life as a movie house without having one more chance to attend it.
If the Plaza Theatre has actually closed, could we have some more details? It was my impression that George Lefont leased the theater, but did not own the building. Obviously times change, and that seldom bodes well for vintage theaters. Does anyone know if the theater is slated for demolition?
Although I haven’t lived in Atlanta for many years, I was born there and grew up there. In the ‘50’s I saw many movies at the Plaza Theatre. The last time I attended the Plaza Theatre was in 1985.
The fire at the Winecoff Hotel was one of Atlanta’s great tragedies. If memory serves, it occurred in 1946. The Winecoff Hotel was built circa 1913 and it did not have a sprinkler system or a fire escape (at that time). The fire swept through much of the building, trapping people on the upper floors. Regrettably, I do not recall the number of people who lost their lives. It was a positively dreadful event.
The thought of another fire in the Capitol Theatre the following year must have been genuinely frightening at the time. It’s no wonder that the Atlanta Fire Department took it very seriously.
Thanks, Lost Memory, for this bit of Atlanta history.
If you are in Atlanta, go to the downtown Atlanta Public Library and check the microfilm records of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution for that era. It can be a laborious process, and very eye fatiquing, but it’s probably your most reliable source. Hopefully, one day this material will be transferred to a digital data base that will be easier to access.
Although I vividly remember the long lines of teenagers lined up at the Paramount for the original run of LOVE ME TENDER, I don’t actually remember any live appearences by Elvis. The line for the box office wound across Peachtree Street, around the corner to Ellis Street and all the way down the block to Juniper Street and down the street from there. One look at that line told me that Elvis was more than a passing fad.
What a great looking marquee! The vertical is simply terrific! Don’t remember seeing it the last time I was in Atlanta! Now that’s what you call progress!
Jack – Really nice photos! Thanks! I’ll have to take a look at this location the next time I’m in Atlanta.
RCW – Sure – The Madison – that figures! Good movie house! My dad used to take me there beginning when I was around age five or six!
Google the Georgia State University, Pullen Library Photograph collection. If you check out some of my comments on other theaters, you’ll find links to photos in their collection. Good photographs of the Atlanta area from that era are not necessarily easy to find. As a fellow baby boomer, I know about it. Good luck with your book, I’d love to see it in print!
Yes, the handwriting was on the wall for a long time. As I mentioned in an earlier post this locaton is far too valuable for a single screen movie house or small legit theater for that matter. If the landlord plays his cards right with this site, he’s sitting on a fortune!
As a native Atlantan, it looks correct to me. The position of the drug store (later an independently owned store, rather than part of a chain) also looks right. What a remarkable website! Any Atlantan who remembers the days of the elctric trolleys should definitely check this out! Since the trolleys began service circa 1937, this is probably from the early days of electric trolley service, as well as the early days of the Garden Hills Theatre. Thanks, Stan!
If you read my previous post you will realize that RODAN played at the Paramount Theatre, next door to the Loew’s Grand. During the 1950’s the Paramount booked a lot of “B” movies, particularly science fiction and horror films. The Loew’s Grand rarely booked sci-fi, fantasy films. Notable exceptions were Disney’s 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (1954), FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956), George Pal’s THE TIME MACHINE (1960)& ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT (1961), Alfred Hitchock’s THE BIRDS (1963), and THE HAUNTING (1963), among some others. By the 1970’s, the Loew’s Grand did start to book exploitation films, though.
Trust me, I attended both of these theaters often in the 1950’s and 1960’s!
The site of the Cascade Theatre was on what was originally Gordon Street near the juncture of Cascade Road, just outside the West End business district. The Cascade would have been basically within walking distance of the Gordon Theatre on Gordon Street, and not that far from the West End Theatre on Lee Street. The proximity of those theaters gives a pretty good idea of the health of movie exhibition in the Atlanta area in the years before television had such an impact on the business.
When I checked the street address in 2003, the lot where the Cascade Theatre would have stood was empty. Unfortunately, I don’t know when it was demolished. Hopefully, someone who lived in the West End area in those years will be able to give us more details.
YES, it was a great time to be a kid! We baby boomers were lucky to grow up in the ‘50’s and early '60’s. In spite of issues like the cold war, racial relations, and some of the repression of that time, it was a relatively innocent era. While I won’t pretend that it was a better time than the present, I certainly believe that it was a simpler time.
Each time I visit Atlanta I am struck by how many of the places that I remember from that era seem to be disappearing. Atlanta has little regard for the past and not much sense of history. It seems like a very temporary place.
Moreland Avenue? Would that have been the Madison Theatre on Flat
Shoals Road near the junction of Moreland Avenue in East Atlanta? Or, could it have been the Euclid Theatre in Little Five Points? I attended both of those theaters in those years. They were good movie houses!
Take a look at the link that Jack Coursey posted for a photo of the exterior of the Bankhead Theatre (Thanks, Jack!). The host site lists the photo as being from about 1936. However, it appears to be from a much earlier era. There is a poster for the serial PERILS OF PAULINE (circa 1914) on display. Also, the little girl standing outside is wearing a dress that looks like it is from the period around the First World War. So, the Bankhead may have been in operation as an early silent theater.
Grove Park and Bellwood were off the beaten path for me, since I grew up in East Lake and Decatur. Like many cities, the different sections of Atlanta had distinctly different personalities in those days.
Thanks, rcw, for the lucid clarification! You seem to be a native Atlantan, like myself. Even though I haven’t lived there for many years I really appreciate the lore of the city.
Do you know the years that the Bankhead operated as a movie house?
Great post, rcw! Love personal recollections of attending these movie houses way back when! We seem to be roughly contemporaries and I can identify with all the titles you refer to in your post. I had similar experiences growing up on the east side where I frequently attended the Decatur and the Glen on Saturdays. My personal favorites were the Hammer horror movies from that era! Saw a number of them at the Paramount first run and then in the neighborhood theaters. Scary movies were enormous fun in those days, weren’t they?
Thanks for sharing your memories with us!
William – The Temple Theatre on Cherokee Avenue near Grant Park was much too small to hold 1000 seats. If memory serves, the entry for the Temple on cinematreasures lists the capacity at 300 seats. Could you be referring to another theater with the same name?
Jack – I believe that your information is correct. However, there was another African-American theater on Forrest Avenue (now Ralph McGill Boulevard) called the Forrest Theatre. Unfortunately, I have no idea as to whether or not it was part of the Bailey Circuit. The theater is listed in the “Current Amusements” section of the Atlanta Journal under “Colored Theaters”. My uncle had a grocery store on Forrest Avenue across the street from the present day location of the Atlanta Civic Center. The Forrest Theater was roughly a block further east on the same side of the street. The Forrest Theatre had a large billboard that prominently displayed movie posters for its attractions.
Since I never attended the Empire, the Grove, or the Temple I wouldn’t know about their admission policy. Of course, we are talking about the era of segregation. And yes, I can remember the time when black passengers were required to ride in the back of the bus. This seemed odd to me as a child. Looking back as an adult it seems pretty ghastly
Apart from that, I have no knowledge of any other Atlanta theater named the Paramount. That doesn’t mean that it might not have existed.
The Central was definitely declasse. It’s essential tackiness was hard to ignore. It was a remnant of an earlier day when downtown Atlanta had second run movie houses, also including the Cameo. Still, in the late ‘50’s and early '60’s I did manage to see several programs of double feature horror movies there. The interior of the theater gave you the sense that it was the product of a bygone era. The foyer was rather shallow and the auditorium was rather narrow. Curiously enough, the ceiling was “ribbed”, which was quite unlike the other Atlanta theaters that I attended in those years.
The programming was exclusively exploitation pictures in those days. They often consisted of second tier features that other exhibitors had passed on. At other times they were second run double features of B movies. The “atmosphere” of the Central did not inhance the dubious pleasure of seeing some of these pictures.
In fact, in attending the Central one had the distinct sense of stepping down in the world. It came as no surprise that it converted to a policy of booking so called “Adult” films. So, I never paid any attention to it after that time.
The story goes that the change of policy was due to a change of ownership. Allegedly, the Central was acquired by a notorious Atlanta racketeer who dealt in pornography. So, all in all the closing and demolition of the Central was no great loss.
Yes, I am familiar with the general history of the “Save the Fox” campaign. It was a wonderfully gutsy, populist movement that defied the will of corporate greed and a truly Machivellian civic strategem.
Personally, I like the Garden Hills Cinema. As I wrote earlier, it’s Art Moderne design reminds me of New York’s now demolished Beekman Theatre. Both were nice intimate settings for watching movies. The Plaza has stronger nostalgic ties for me because my dad used to take me to the movies there when I was a kid. Going there is like walking back into my own past. So, you could say I like both of these theatres by virtue of the fact that they are different.
Actually, I was more resigned to the loss of the Loew’s Grand. As several friends who were living in Atlanta at the time told me, the fire was highly suspicious to say the least. When the Paramount Theatre next door was demolished in 1960 it felt like more of a personal loss to me.
The land that the shopping strip housing the Garden Hills Cinema sits on probably includes the parking lot in back. It’s location on the approach to Buckhead makes it a very attractive property. So, I’m also certain that it’s fate will be decided by the asking price.
Thanks again, Stan, for another one of your sobering slices of Atlanta history. After the initial shock wears off it’s time to reflect on some facts of life. Like most people, I suppose I don’t really like change. At the same time I recognize that continual change is the one constant factor in life. Naturally I share the same affection for vintage movie houses that practically everyone who contributes to this site has in common. However, it also pays to be a realist. “Victor” certainly knows that he is sitting on a piece of prime Peachtree Road frontage real estate. Economic common sense dictates that he will seek to make the highest, best use of it. Frankly, I’d be somewhat surprised if another exhibitor leased this theater and operated it. The market may have changed too much. Developers are bound to be interested in this site. Although I would hate to see it, it may be inevitable.
The bottom line is that we need to remind ourselves that the movie business IS a BUSINESS! These theaters were intended as commericial venues and not public arts institutions. Its foolish to think otherwise. This theater and the shopping strip it’s in may have reached the end of their commercial life. The Garden Hills reminds me a bit of New York’s sadly demolished Beekman Theatre. Sloan Kettering Hospital acquired the site and intends to build a new wing for it’s cancer center. In Atlanta you can believe that someone is interested in the commercial potential of this site. “Victor” may well be considering seeking the highest possible return on his asset.
On reflection, it seems all the more remarkable that a grass roots movement succeeded in saving the Fox Theatre. I wonder if the same kind of popular movement would work in this day and age. The people that saved the Fox Theatre have my profound gratitude and respect.
Well considered observations, Stan & MPrice. The reality of commerce is that the marketplace is always changing. Lefont deserves credit for staying in business for 30 years. He may deserve credit for knowing when to downsize his business and/or get out while the getting is good. Having been born in Atlanta and grown up there, I’ve only seen the city on periodic visits over the years. My personal impression is that the traffic is just as bad as it is in Los Angeles. That traffic does mitigate against the Garden Hills' location. The changing demographics of the city do not bode well for the future of an independent operation specializing in art films. As the population of Atlanta contines to change people will have less and less reason to regard these vintage theatres with nostalgia. As far as the matter of sophistication goes, you would have to be dealing in irony, Jack. Personally I feel that Atlanta remains a provincial city at heart.
This one hurts! Yes, definitely the best art house in Atlanta. In fact, I was looking forward to attending the Garden Hills again on my next trip to Atlanta. Growing up in Atlanta I attended it when it was the Fine Art throughout the 1960’s. FELLINI’S 8 ½, YESTERDAY, TODAY & TOMMOROW, and A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS spring to mind immediately, but there were many more. This is really a shame.
Actually the films that you are referring to are listed on the marquee of the Paramount Theatre, one door to the north of the Loew’s Grand (just across an alleyway). The Paramount was torn down in 1960. The Loew’s Grand rarely booked “B” movies in it’s prime years.
The first film that I saw at the Ziegfeld was a very forgettable western called SOLDIER BLUE in 1970. To add to my disappointment was my impression of how dismally tacky the interior décor of the Ziegfeld was compared to some of the first run theaters that I grew up attending in Atlanta. Although some of the Broadway movie houses were still in operation in those years, apart from the Radio City Music Hall, I found most of them disappointing as well. Granted, I had missed the glory days of New York’s Roxy, Paramount, and Capitol.
The fact that the current Ziegfeld looked better to me over time was simply evidence of diminishing returns. When I learned about how distinguished the original Ziegfeld Theatre had been, I felt cheated. The original theatre that Florenz Ziegfeld built on Sixth Avenue was designed by the distinguished Viennese designer, Joseph Urban. He designed the stage productions of the Ziegfeld Follies and was the principle scenic designer for the Metropolitan Opera from 1917 until Urban’s death in 1933. The present day Ziegfeld Theatre is a vulgar comment on Urban’s remarkable design sense.
However, I did manage to see many films at the Ziegfeld, among them CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, APOCALYSE NOW, and the restored version of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. Yet of all the films that I saw at the Ziegfeld, my personal favorite was Bob Rafelson’s little sung MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON in 1990.
Here’s the link to the Internet Movie Database:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100196/
Check out the comments in which one commenter called it, “One of the best movies that no one has ever seen.†Regrettably, that seems to be true. In it’s original run at the Ziegfeld, the film was very impressive in a 70mm blowup and six track stereo sound. After having seen LAWRENCE OF ARABIA in the restored version at the Ziegfeld three times (as well as seeing it in its original road show version in 1963), MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON is one of the very few films that I would compare to LAWRENCE.
Relatively speaking, films like that made the current Ziegfeld seem better than it really was, especially when compared to most of the surviving movie houses in the New York area. To sum up my opinion of the current Ziegfeld, “Everybody knows its crooked, but it’s the only game in town.”
Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Maybe I should be more surprised that the theater was in operation for so many years. One can only hope that the Plaza Theatre’s new owner will want to operate it as a movie theater. However, I will not be too surprised if they have another agenda altogether. Looks like we’ll have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
Always wanted to attend the Plaza again, but whenever I was in town there was nothing playing there that I hadn’t already seen. I’d hate to know that the Plaza ended its life as a movie house without having one more chance to attend it.
That is strange. As an educated guess, I wonder if they are nearing the end of their lease. Hopefully, someone can fill us in on the facts.
If the Plaza Theatre has actually closed, could we have some more details? It was my impression that George Lefont leased the theater, but did not own the building. Obviously times change, and that seldom bodes well for vintage theaters. Does anyone know if the theater is slated for demolition?
Although I haven’t lived in Atlanta for many years, I was born there and grew up there. In the ‘50’s I saw many movies at the Plaza Theatre. The last time I attended the Plaza Theatre was in 1985.