Palace Theatre

Numerous items in trade journals starting in the mid-1930s indicate that the Palace at Athens was then a Lucas & Jenkins house. A July 13, 1935 Motion Picture Herald item noted that Paramount partners L&J had just taken over two houses at Athens. The item didn’t give the names of the theaters, but the Palace was likely one of them. Lucas and Jenkins didn’t enter the theater business until 1934, when they took control of the Atlanta Fox.

At the 1921 opening there was a II/10 Moller pipe organ to accompany the silent pictures. While Loews was spending a lot of money on new buildings just after World War I, they skimped on their organs, buying Mollers instead of the more expensive makes. In larger markets many of Loew’s Mollers were replaced after just a few years. Here in Athens it seems the Moller survived to the sound era, at which point Loews fired all their organists and left to the organs to the mice. There is no record of what became of this one but it would not be unusual if it went to the landfill.

It was still going strong with first run pics in the late 60’s. My wife and I attended this theater often.

The Film Daily of February 9, 1921, said that the Palace Theatre in Athens had opened on February 1. The Palace was a Loew’s house.

Summer Prices for the PALACE 1 and 2 Theatres will be “BLUE THUNDER” at $4,00 a seat and Child $2.00 a seat, “SUPERMAN” has Adults paying $4.00 a seat, but the kids tickets go up to $2,50 a seat.This from the 1983 Knoxville Home Office admission Prices Memo.Still under the Plitt banner.

Too bad there are no pictures of this “PALACE”.

More letters from the DISTRICT MANAGERS DESK of the Palace Theatre in Athens.

Mr. Ernest Woods
Royal theatre
Gainsville,Ga.

Dear Mr. Woods.
Each week your reports are coming in three cents postage due. This causes a delay in us getting them. Please check your postage befor mailing them.So we will avoid a delay.

Kindest Regards.

Very truly yours
T.O. Tabor
District Manager Palace .

ANOTHER IN the exciting Letters of Mr. Tabor

Mr. Ernest Woods
Royal Theare
Gainsville,Ga.

Dear Mr. Woods:
on my return to Athens found a letter awaiting me from the Public Health. stating they had checked the STATE and RITZ theatres and giving us hell, which was entirely in line. On the way we are handling POPCORN at both these theatres. They state that anyone can reach in with their hands. I am asking you to install any glass in doors or at sides that might be out. Also the popcorn pots must be cleaned and kept in that condition.

Until you put both of these machines in shape I am going to ask you that you make no further sales of popcorn.

Very truly yours
T.O. Tabor Jr.
District Manager
May 22 1944

Here is a letter typed Oct.31 1943 to Mr.Tabor.PALACE THEATRE Athens,Ga.

Dear Mr. Tabor,
I am planning on going to Atlanta on Wednesday of the coming week and if it meets with your approval I would like very much to go from Atlanta to Macon on Thursday. I will be back on Thursday night.

With kindest regards and best wishes ,

Very truly yours,
ERNEST WOODS

The Palace opened in February 1921, was split in 1971, sold to Plitt in 1977, and closed in May 1987.