Regency Exchange Cinema

HEY, RUSSELL, we really had it great at GCC. i know one you got on the calulator and figured out on salsry you and me were making about $ 1.25 an hour when you factored in those regular run features that always had to start at 10;15PM!

Then the kiddie shows and MIDNIGHT SHOWS!!! I REMEMBER one time when ROCKY HORROR was kicking butt Zacker asked you and me and DRAY IF WE WOULD STAY FOR A 2;30 AM SHOWING AGAIN FOR THAT crazy movie. I would not have done it for any other man,and i know you and chuck felt the same way. YOU DO IT FOR THE SHOW. aND MY I ADD THAT CASE OF BUD SURE WAS GOOD THAT NIGHT, never figured out how he got that case that late at night. MAN, THAT IS THE REAL THEATRE BUSINESS. These places today are hardly the showmanship we had. About GCC there are a lot of GCC THEATRES listed with comments. MAYBE stan knows.

I used to be the manager of this theater when it first opened. That picture sure brings back alot of memories! In fact, seeing the blue roof above the entrance reminds me of us putting signs up there when we did promotions. Also, just inside the lobby, the ceilings were exceptionally high and dark, and made a great place to position other props for promotions and holiday decorations. Mike, next time you travel over to the old place, let me know and I’ll go with you! Mike, I also remember us telling those “smart GCC Bostonians” that they needed to put up a theater around the Augusta Mall back then before the Exchange, but they didn’t listen to that either. Now, Regency has been closed for decades and Augusta Mall is still thriving. Oh, well..what do us country boys know?

I’d be willing to bet Regency 8 opened in 1986. I was there on grand opening night, a guest of the manager Russell Smeak. Russell and I had served together at The Triple under Craig Zacker. Summer Heart had a World Premiere at The Imperial the night before one of the actors Clu Gulager who’s been in 100’s of movies was there with WBBQ Harlew Drew. Summer Heat was one of the first to play there. Before the theater was built when I worked at the Triple I was instructed to do an Area Impact Study for the new 8-plex. They had thought about adding on to the triple; expand in the parking lot- but wanted another location- North Augusta being underscreened was my selection for a site and I told GCC thats where it should go. Since the Hilltop Drive-In had closed in the late 70’s. North Augusta had nothing. But no, they built it in a place that in a few years became a depressed area. They put it in a shopping center near the mall. It casted about 10 years. I recently got in the 8-plex. Its like time stood still- The projection booth is like it was left when Bill Barkley cut off the Lights- Office computers- candy popcorn in stock room which quite a few rats were enjoying. It smelt of mold. I think the Board of Education has it now and is trying to sell it.