Cameo Theater

61 Peachtree Street NW,
Atlanta, GA 30303

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Showing 13 comments

rivest266
rivest266 on April 2, 2018 at 4:46 pm

This opened on May 11th, 1925. Grand opening ad in the photo section.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 2, 2015 at 10:42 pm

Photo added, credit Special Collections Department, Pullen Library, Georgia State University.

Likely one of the 1950’s photos previously posted in 2005, on the now dead links.

WHITEFIELD
WHITEFIELD on June 27, 2009 at 10:26 pm

Here is a 1940 movie ad for The Cameo Theatre
View link

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on December 6, 2008 at 1:04 pm

Sorry for the typos. I’m referring only to the vertical portion of the sign in the first 1952 picture.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on December 6, 2008 at 1:01 pm

I’m looking at the very first of the May 24th 2005 pictures posted. There
The one before giant eyeglasses were added to the front of the marquee. Doesn’t that say just Rodeo on the small vertical portion?

The very first comment/post has only one picture. The 2nd post has two more. A different marquee in all three pictures.
My monitor is unfortunately a TV, so maybe the “S” looks like an “O”. But please take another look at the very first comment & photo posted.

1234
1234 on December 6, 2008 at 12:52 pm

Dear David: The Cameo closed as a theater then Rodes Opticans opened a store in the building, What you see in the photo is the signs for the opticans shop. However I will say they do look right theatrical.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on December 6, 2008 at 9:41 am

In Don. K.’s original 2005 post, the 1952 photo shows the Cameo as being called the Rodeo. Any ideas as to how many years it operated under the Rodeo name?
It was probably chosen due to it’s inexpensive change to the marquee. Three letters versus another sign completely.

themexsays
themexsays on December 6, 2008 at 6:32 am

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1234
1234 on June 26, 2007 at 7:10 pm

The Cameo opened on May 11,1925 with the Film “A Thief in Paradise”, starring Aileen Pringle and Ronald Coleman. Was located at 61 Peachtree Street

1234
1234 on January 31, 2007 at 4:19 pm

The Cameo opened in 1925 as second run house. Located on Peachtree street the Cameo repalced a drug store. The theatre interior was designed by the firm of Hentz, Reid, and Alder (architects of the Howard,later Paramount located just up the street)
The design of the theatre reused some of the wall treatments of the drug store. The theatre remained in business through the depression and into the early 1950’s. The building was demolished in the early 1970’S when Central City Park -Now known as Woodriff Park was built.
Photo’s of the building as it was being torn down show some of the wall treatments still exsisted.

Don K.
Don K. on May 25, 2005 at 1:32 am

Here’s another link to a photo of the Cameo when it was in operation:

View link

This photo, from the Lane Brothers Collection housed at Georgia State University, is undated.

The following link is to another photo of the Cameo building, dated 1954:

View link

So, by 1954 the Cameo had ceased to operate. Chances are it had closed by 1952, the date of the photo in the link in my previous post.

Don K.
Don K. on May 25, 2005 at 1:10 am

Here’s a link to a photograph of the Cameo, dated 1952:

View link

As you can see, the marquee is blank. It’s possible that the theater had closed by this point. Yes, the building did survive for some time afterward.

The Cameo seems to have been a downtown second run house, similar to the Central Theater at 104 Whitehall Street, NW.