Fulton Theater
Fulton,
KY
42041
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The October 4, 1937 issue of Film Daily listed the Fulton Theatre as a new house.
If I remember right back a long time ago there was some sort of office that was rented out. The office was on the upstairs in the front of the building on the east side. Wick Smith bought the place after it closed and turned it into a disco. He spent a fortune in that place. All of the seats were taken out and sold to Booth seating out of Memphis. I don’t know if Wick sold them to Booth or the people who owned it before did. There were several people who actually owned the building. Jane White Firestone and Joe Fall. I can’t remember who else. I think Malco leased the building from them. The Eagles later moved in. The downfall to that building was that they let the roof get bad and didn’t keep it repaired. The roof on top was the shape of a letter “W” with two drainage gutters. The one in the back completely collapsed letting water go in directly in front of where the screen once stood. The mortar and the bricks were another issue. They were supposely made over where the Fulton Electric company is now located at a foundry. The Front cap of the building was newer bricks and was in great condition. The sides and the back were all original and I think were put there in 1899. If I am not mistaken it was the first Theater to have air conditioning in West Kentucky. Don’t quote me on that one. It was a ground water circulating air conditioning system.
Please keep me posted on your research efforts. This is great information and much appreciated. The Theater was owned by Malco (out of Memphis) when I worked there from 1967 until its closing in 1978. The same building housed The Jewel Box on the east side and Rice Insurance on the west. Also, I would like to get copies of the pictures you have to add to my collection.
Thinking back I think the Theater open September the 7th of 1937. I believe the first movie was “The Good Earth” with Paul Muni. I will have to research it. I know the theater was renovated in 1950. I have pictures of it after the renovation. I think the theater was originally Warner Brothers and Malco bought it in 1950. A friend of mine worked at the theater in the late forties and early fifties. He met his first wife there and her name was Virginia Brady. She worked there also. I know she died a few years later like in 1957 and is buried in Greenlea Cemetery. The building was originally the T. M. Franklin dry goods store.
ballen270…Thanks for the heads up on the last picture that played at the Fulton Theatre. I worked that night but my memory went south on what was showing. I do remember that all the employees dressed up for the occasion and after the curtain came down on that memorable night, we left the theatre together in what was considered to be a “class act” departure for the final night at the Fulton Theatre.
The last picture that was shown at the Fulton Theater was “The Deep.” That was on Feb. 28, 1978. If I remeber right the Fulton Theater was opened in early September 1938 because of some writing that was carved into one of the attic rafters by a Joe Fall I believe.
I worked at the Fulton Theatre from 1967 until its closing in 1978. Lewis “Nubbin” Bizzle was the manager and I served as assistant manager and doorman. If my memory serves me correct, the final showing was a repeat performance of “The Last Picture Show”. The Fulton Theatre was demolished in the early 2000’s and many marquee memories were removed from the Twin-Cities of Fulton, KY and South Fulton, TN. If you have comments or pictures of the Fulton Theatre that you would like to share, you may email me at .