StanMalone is correct about everything he says in the last two paragraphs, above. While I always thought Georgia Theatre Company’s Lenox Square Theatres were well run and certainly did excellent business, in general I felt that the Stembler family was a little slow circuit-wide to react to competition. As the “new guy” in Savannah they had difficulty because, as was said, they were at the mercy of relying on United Artists product. Thus the Oglethorpe was sort of a corporate step-child. It also didn’t help that John Stembler was responsible for the Oglethorpe though inbased in Atlanta. My memories of John then was that he preferred to party.
Weis had the screens and had relationships with Paramount and Warners; sometimes Fox. In Savannah, Fox often played the two ABC houses, the Lucas and the Terrace Cinema (MASH played the Terrace.
When I was downtown in Savannah running the Weis, I had a good friend, Tony Rhead, who ran the Lucas and was responsible for the Terrace as well. He was a life-long employee of ABC but ultimately left to join Carmike; first as a regional manager of many theatres. In time he became the circuit’s head film buyer and oversaw all of the bookers.
I managed the Weis Cinema (906 seats) on Largo Drive beginning in 1967. It had a large lobby to accomodate sell-out crowds. Ticket price was $1.50 for adults.
There were two open-air courtyards on either side of the lobby. In time the one to the right (looking towards Largo Drive from the concession stand) was enclosed and Cinema II was created (326 seats). The left side courtyatd was encloed too and was rented to a Spa/Exercise club. After that failed Albert Weis converted the space to Cinema III. Cinema II played mostly “art” films; often foreign language which was a tough sell then in Savannah.
By then Albert moved me downtown into the main office on Broughton Street from where I ran the adjacent Weis Theatre (1200 seats)
The Savannah Theatre was where “roadshows” were booked when such things existed; approx 800 seats, two shows a day. Films like LION IN WINTER, CATCH 22 and PAINT YOUR WAGON. Often a twelve week booking.
I tried to be there for the start of PAINT YOUR WAGON as often as I could. (Drove the 50'ish manager crazy; she thought I was spying on her.)
That film began with the soundtrack score only playing. The Grand Drape rose slowly while sepia toned footage began as the screen curtain opened. It was magic. And the ticket price? $1.75!
I came to this website to look through possible pictures of theatres I worked in (1967 to 1974) in Savannah, Georgia.
I worked for Weis Theatres which did essentially control exhibition in Savannah with five hardtops and three drive-ins. ABC theatres had the Lucas around the corner from the Weis and another hardtop (name escapes me) plus there were one or two competing drive-ins as well.
I started at the Weis Cinema on the southside of Savannah which was their 906 seat flagship. In time, I took on the print advertising responsibilities for the entire circuit (theatres in Savannah, Macon, Augusta, Statesboro and Atlanta).
To take that on I was moved to the main office adjacent to the Weis Theatre (approx. 1200 seats) which I managed, too.
The company was run by Albert Weis, son of Fred and Edna Weis. Fred was already dead but Edna was still very active and was a presence in my lobby nearly every day especially if we were busy.
It was Viet Nam and I had to join the Air Force in 1966. After training I was assigned to Savannah where my next door neighbor hired me to be his part-time assistant running the southside Weis Cinema. He left soon after for the Army and I was in charge of the Weis Cinema after the replacement manager was caught stealing.
I was permitted to be generous with theatre passes so as to have my days free and satisfying the Air Force overnight.
Working for this company brought me into contact with all of the studios setting up co-op advertising budgets. In 1974 I left to go to work for Universal where I stayed until 1999. Universal first put me in the Atlanta office. From there I was in the New York office for two years and the at the Studio until retiring.
StanMalone is correct about everything he says in the last two paragraphs, above. While I always thought Georgia Theatre Company’s Lenox Square Theatres were well run and certainly did excellent business, in general I felt that the Stembler family was a little slow circuit-wide to react to competition. As the “new guy” in Savannah they had difficulty because, as was said, they were at the mercy of relying on United Artists product. Thus the Oglethorpe was sort of a corporate step-child. It also didn’t help that John Stembler was responsible for the Oglethorpe though inbased in Atlanta. My memories of John then was that he preferred to party.
Weis had the screens and had relationships with Paramount and Warners; sometimes Fox. In Savannah, Fox often played the two ABC houses, the Lucas and the Terrace Cinema (MASH played the Terrace.
When I was downtown in Savannah running the Weis, I had a good friend, Tony Rhead, who ran the Lucas and was responsible for the Terrace as well. He was a life-long employee of ABC but ultimately left to join Carmike; first as a regional manager of many theatres. In time he became the circuit’s head film buyer and oversaw all of the bookers.
I managed the Weis Cinema (906 seats) on Largo Drive beginning in 1967. It had a large lobby to accomodate sell-out crowds. Ticket price was $1.50 for adults.
There were two open-air courtyards on either side of the lobby. In time the one to the right (looking towards Largo Drive from the concession stand) was enclosed and Cinema II was created (326 seats). The left side courtyatd was encloed too and was rented to a Spa/Exercise club. After that failed Albert Weis converted the space to Cinema III. Cinema II played mostly “art” films; often foreign language which was a tough sell then in Savannah.
By then Albert moved me downtown into the main office on Broughton Street from where I ran the adjacent Weis Theatre (1200 seats)
The Savannah Theatre was where “roadshows” were booked when such things existed; approx 800 seats, two shows a day. Films like LION IN WINTER, CATCH 22 and PAINT YOUR WAGON. Often a twelve week booking.
I tried to be there for the start of PAINT YOUR WAGON as often as I could. (Drove the 50'ish manager crazy; she thought I was spying on her.)
That film began with the soundtrack score only playing. The Grand Drape rose slowly while sepia toned footage began as the screen curtain opened. It was magic. And the ticket price? $1.75!
I came to this website to look through possible pictures of theatres I worked in (1967 to 1974) in Savannah, Georgia.
I worked for Weis Theatres which did essentially control exhibition in Savannah with five hardtops and three drive-ins. ABC theatres had the Lucas around the corner from the Weis and another hardtop (name escapes me) plus there were one or two competing drive-ins as well.
I started at the Weis Cinema on the southside of Savannah which was their 906 seat flagship. In time, I took on the print advertising responsibilities for the entire circuit (theatres in Savannah, Macon, Augusta, Statesboro and Atlanta).
To take that on I was moved to the main office adjacent to the Weis Theatre (approx. 1200 seats) which I managed, too.
The company was run by Albert Weis, son of Fred and Edna Weis. Fred was already dead but Edna was still very active and was a presence in my lobby nearly every day especially if we were busy.
It was Viet Nam and I had to join the Air Force in 1966. After training I was assigned to Savannah where my next door neighbor hired me to be his part-time assistant running the southside Weis Cinema. He left soon after for the Army and I was in charge of the Weis Cinema after the replacement manager was caught stealing. I was permitted to be generous with theatre passes so as to have my days free and satisfying the Air Force overnight.
Working for this company brought me into contact with all of the studios setting up co-op advertising budgets. In 1974 I left to go to work for Universal where I stayed until 1999. Universal first put me in the Atlanta office. From there I was in the New York office for two years and the at the Studio until retiring.