Southside Twin Cinemas
3757 Old Savannah Road,
Augusta,
GA
30906
3757 Old Savannah Road,
Augusta,
GA
30906
2 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 28 comments
may 22 RAY HUTTO day I am told my his many friends…
Augusta lost a great showman May 21 2014. RAY HUTTO passed away, this man built his dream the SOUTHSIDE CINEMAS,,Ray, you loved Theatres, Film and westerns..
Can’t forget, his wife Bonnie Hutto brings an old fashion Popcorn Popper and makes popcorn for the seniors.
Ray started out showing 16mm movies to friends and local groups,then he decided to open a single screen 35mm Theatre,later to Twin it, In a few years it was all closed.Gone. Today, Ray Hutto is back showing 16 mm movies to retirement homes in Augusta,He was showing"THREE LITTLE BRUINS MAKE MISCHIEF".
“Raiders of the lost Ark” plays here after playing forever at Weis Cinemas and a couple other screens.Ray is charging $1.00 a seat two shows nigthly.August 27 1982.
Cool photo Nick.
Thanks Nick.I let Ray know about the Picture.Figured he would have gotten on by now.So it Goes.
Photo of booth with Mike Rogers and Manager Ray Hutto:
View link
Nov.6 1982 “POLTERGEIST” is showing.
August 27 1982 Southside Cinema is playing “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK” and Ray has a Western Film Matinnee on Saturdays,This day was ‘LONE PRAIRIE" and “RED RIVER VALLEY”.
Sept.3 1982 and “TRON” is playing with Western Film Matinee evey Saturday.
Dec 24 1982 “THE LAST UNICORN” Rated G.
Feb.25 1983 and “THE TOY” is playing.
TLsloews, this guy,Ray Hutto BUILT his own twin theatre and showed 35mm.Even GCC was impressed we went out to see his theatres.He even played a 007 trailer for us O.H.M.S.S. .
We will Mike.
Ray, it was great talking with you about the SOUTHSIDE CINEMA. i had forgotten you reopened one side after closing the twin up. I couldn’t get Tony B.,but I think I will have a good story on the HIGHWAY 56 DRIVE-IN.Keep your eyes on CT.
Ray, Bill Barkley has a great picture of you and your family/staff under the SOUTHSIDE marquee.You outta call him a get a copy.He has business cards you must have given out.thatwould be great on CT.Call him.
Ray, did you read the owner of the KNOX THEATRE passed away? It is on the KNOX THEATRE site on CT. You knew him?
Ray, I hope you will soon post pictures of Southside. Ifound one of you and me in your booth there,don’t know why i didn’t take more. Maybe i did and have not found them.
RAY, a member named RAYSSON has Southside Cinema listed as one of his FAVORITE theatres. You outta go to his site and see SOUTHSIDE.
ED. I found this under CINEMA TREASURES NEED MORE INFO ON THIS….
IT has army bases which i had forgot about FORT GORDON.It had an old white theatre my dad showed me . Fort Gordon Had Two new ones.
There are a few – try putting “Base” or “Post” into the theater search engine. The Presidio Theater (meaning the one on the former army post, not the one currently operating in San Francisco) is also listed.
Mike, Please explain the note above. Are Army post theaters on CT? I can’t find anything under Fort Gordon or Army or military.
RAY, I mentioned your theatre on theatres on military bases you getting the seats from the cinema at Fort Gordon. IT IS ON Cinema Treasures need more info on.
RAY, I noticed THE KNOX THEATRE is on CT.Might want to check it out.You might be able to add some history.I have added a lot to our Augusta theatres in the past few weeks.
Dear N DiMaggio,
Thanks for your comments very much.
When we opened with 1 Screen the picture was 22 feet wide (Scope). When I twinned it I rearranged the walls at the screen and still had 22 foot wide (Scope) Screens then too.
Some close friends of mine, Claude Casey Vocal Charles Reece Steel Guitar.Jerry Reece may have been the Drummer.
Jim Shirah also had a small part in the movie “Squirm”.
I forgot to mention that even though when we opened Southside Cinema (35mm) I still continued to show thw Old Time westerns on 16mm on Saturdays at Noon. A double Feature each saturday. I made a porthole above the others and made a shelf that I would put in place with henges that when I placed the pins in them the shelf lined up right for the Screen. The a sturdy post with a safety setup woulld hold it the right height. Then I had maks where to place a Niki Zenon 16mm on it. Connect the speaker to the 35mm Amp and flip a switch. Then I had great sound for the Westerns.
Also I made up 2300ft reels with outer extensions so I could run the whole western and sometimes a cartoon on one reel.
When the westerns were over I took down the 16mm and started back with the regular 35mm Films.
We often had 40-60 people for the westerns.
Thanks for all your interest.
Rah Hutto
Ray: Enjoyed your theatre story! It’s great that you were able to actually achieve what so many of us theatre lovers often dream of. It must surely have been exciting for you to see it happen. Opening my own theatre has been an ambition of mine for years but I don’t envision it happening in view of today’s market and economy. And not to mention the ever growing threat to today’s theatres — the ever expanding number of home theatre set-ups that can duplicate and in some cases surpass the “movie theatre experience”.
It’s great that family and friends were eager to assist, and worked so hard to make your theatre a success. I would’ve gladly offered my assistance if I lived nearby! Opening day had to be worth all the hard work.
You mentioned Jim Shirrah from Metter. I met Jim at a Western Film Convention several years back. He had a part in the film “Buster and Billie” playing Billie’s father. I had my photo taken with him…a real nice guy. I believe the drive-in he owned was also featured in the film.
Do you recall the size of your screen when Southside was a single screener?
RAY, I HAD ALWAYS HOPED YOUR THEATRE WOULD MAKE IT AGAINST THE CHAINS AND I KNEW IT WOULD BE HARD. WHEN WE LEFT YOUR THEATRE THAT DAY MY MANAGER FROM GCC REALLY ADMIRED YOU AND I THINK A LITTLE ENVY SHOWED ON CRAIG’S FACE. I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY MOST OF THE FOLKS READING THIS ADMIRED YOUR DECISION TO OPEN A THEATRE WHEN LIKE YOU SAID SO MUCH OF THE PRODUCT WAS HORRIBLE LIKE PORKY’S OR VISTING HOURS. MIKE.