My father worked for many years as the builder, architect, remodeler for Mr. Tommy Thompson. Hawkinsville was Thompson’s home, and the home office of Thompson Theaters. The office was located on the second floor next to the only theater in Hawkinsville. Thompson was originally Martin-Thompson Theaters before they split as partners. Many of the old downtown theaters in small town Georgia belonged to one or the other of this chain. At the height of his career, he owned almost 200 theaters in Georgia and North Florida. Many of the old drive-in movies also belonged to this chain. I can remember watching my fathers' crew build and scale those tall screens and the exciement of a new opening. I never paid to see a movie growing up, needless to say, I was a “cheap date.”
My father worked for many years as the builder, architect, remodeler for Mr. Tommy Thompson. Hawkinsville was Thompson’s home, and the home office of Thompson Theaters. The office was located on the second floor next to the only theater in Hawkinsville. Thompson was originally Martin-Thompson Theaters before they split as partners. Many of the old downtown theaters in small town Georgia belonged to one or the other of this chain. At the height of his career, he owned almost 200 theaters in Georgia and North Florida. Many of the old drive-in movies also belonged to this chain. I can remember watching my fathers' crew build and scale those tall screens and the exciement of a new opening. I never paid to see a movie growing up, needless to say, I was a “cheap date.”