Albany Theatre
107 N. Jackson Street,
Albany,
GA
31701
107 N. Jackson Street,
Albany,
GA
31701
2 people
favorited this theater
The Albany Theatre opened as “Southwest Georgia’s Magnificent Theatre” on September 12, 1927. Dedicated to “the pleasure loving public of South Georgia”, the Albany Theatre’s premiere program featured H. L. Tallman at the console of the three-manual Robert Morton pipe organ (Opus 2304), Ralph Barnes and his Albany Theatre Orchestra and, on the screen, Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky in “The Magic Flame”. The first director of this Adam-inspired style theatre was Homer W. McCallon.
The theatre made a successful adaptation to sound films. It was severely damaged by a tornado on February 10, 1940. Repairs were carried out and it remained Albany’s first-run theatre a few years prior to its closing in 1980.
The theatre was purchased from the Farkas Estate by Oglethorpe Development Group, a minority enterprise which began underwriting a restoration of the theatre as a performing arts center. Unfortunately, nothing came of this and the building stands vacant in 2024.
On August 21, 2006 the Albany Theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contributed by
John Clark McCall, Jr.
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
Here’s a January 2011 picture of the Albany.
My first job ever was usher/ticket taker at the “Albany”. I worked afternoons after till closing, and all day Sat and Sun. I made $35 a week. But gas was only about 25 cents a gallon. Fun times.
Thanks Tom O.Plez post more stories,most all of us worked ,or managed in the business.
this place was opulent by sowega standards. saw ‘green berets’ here, as well as many others. the problem is not that the theater is in disrepair, the problem is that albany is in disrepair. the inner city is pretty much an island where everyone exists on entitlements of one kind or another. it would be ludicrous to invest even one dime in restoring this theater.
This was a magnifcent theatre in the 60’s, very large for a town the size of Albany. I’m of the opinion that all historic movie theatres should be restored, what treasures they are, that we will never experience again, please save the Albany Theatre.
Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 2006 Reference number 06000733 Architectural style: Late 19th and 20th Century Revival: Classical Revival
I was given the opportunity to tour this old theatre when the proposed renovation was planned. It was a shame to see such a magnificant building in the shape it was in. I wrote a story about the theatre tour and if anyone would like to read it, please send me a request at . A few of the orchestra seats remained and all of the balcony seats remained. Odd thing I noticed about this theatre was that the restrooms were on the mezannine level, I found not on the main floor. Went down under the stage and could look up through the open stage floor and see the electric hub. Stage timbers were handing down. There was no water in the area so the drains must still work. Could not locate a heating plant but i know there had to be one as the building had a chimney.
This was a segregated theatre with persons of color seated in a corner of the upper balcony reached through a separate entrance. This seated area was referred to by the now politically incorrect term “Crows Nest”.
Severely damaged by a tornado on February 10, 1940.
Closed in 1980.