Arcade Theater
155 E. Church Street,
Sandersville,
GA
31082
155 E. Church Street,
Sandersville,
GA
31082
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Sandersville had two theaters open in 1948, and one of them was likely the Arcade, though the names are not given in this item from Motion Picture Herald of November 6 that year:
The Arcade was still in operation in 1962, when manager B. L. Brown had three capsule movie reviews published in the “Exhibitor Has His Say” column of Boxoffice for January 15.This web page has six photos of the outside of the Arcade building after the demolition of the front section, and says that it was operating as a theater into the 1970s. The fake mansard on the front which can still be seen in the June, 2014 Google street view is characteristic of the 1970s and 1980s, so was probably added when the Arcade was converted to other uses, but the glass brick around the entrance was pure 1930s, or maybe early 1940s. That’s probably the period when it opened, unless it was converted from some other original use later.
The auditorium building looks like it might have been added behind an even older commercial building at some point, and could originally have housed something else, like a skating rink, a dance hall, or a bowling alley, any of which would have been likely to use glass blocks as a feature in the 1930s. The external projection booth, which could have been added later, also suggests that something of that sort might have happened.
Demolition of the front revealed an amusing note from management on the door to the projection booth (which is now high up on the wall of the remaining structure):
‘A PROJECTIONIST’S PLACE
IS IN THE BOOTH
DURING THE SHOWTIME
SO UNTIL IT’S GO TIME
DON’T LEAVE NO TIME’
The entry does look right for about 1950, but the construction looks pretty old-fashioned, with the big auditorium at the back, and a tin clad projection booth stuck onto the wall. The Arcade name is also old-fashioned. The 1923 map shows this corner occupied by several public school buildings. The front was still there in 2014.
This is a really poor listing. No address, and closed 40 years as of when? The correct address is 155 E Church St. The entire front has been torn down, as well as the projection booth. There is a new door stuck into the wall of the auditorium, so someone must still be using it for something.
Thanks for the photo J.B. rather plain looking theatre.
Here is a picture of the Arcade Theater.
www.flickr.com/photos/jfb57/4740489248/
I was in Sandersville over the weekend and my cousin told me about the Twin Cities Drive. It has been closed about as long as the Arcade.
I was in Sandersville over the weekend and my cousin told me about the Twin Cities Drive. It has been closed about as long as the Arcade.
Maybe Robin can teach you how to post photos>
I did TAKE pictures of the PASTIME theatre there,But Heck, I ain’t got no way to put them on here.I wish i could mail them to CT and let those computers brains put them on.
What no photos.
I noticed TWIN-CITY DRIVE-IN in Sandersville is not on CT. Does anyone down that way have anything on that Drive-in.
You can go to the Pastime Theater in Sandersville and look at th big ariel photo of Sandersville. From the red dot for the Pastime go south to the next intersection. Then turn east and on the northwest corner of the next intersection is the Arcade Theater building. I know that is not the best picture but at least you can get an idea of what the building looked like.
The Arcade Theater is listed in the 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook, but no further details such as address or seating capacity are given. This usually means that the theatre is new and full details have not been passed to the publishers.
Jesse, could you please take a picture of it this theatre and post the link to it here.
thanks