Gordon Theatre
960 Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard SW,
Atlanta,
GA
30310
960 Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard SW,
Atlanta,
GA
30310
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hello friend, my name is Ronnie Ratley.My family moved to west end in 1958.I attend peoples street school and lee street school, and attended Brown high. I worked at the Gordon Theater as an usher and had a host of friends, Mike Cantrell, Kenny Strickland, Tommy Waters, Buddy Parker, June Pittman, Sandra Hood, Donna Price, Kay Peavey, Jenny Dorsey, Robin Dorsey,and Ronnie Hayes Just wondering if anyone out there know any of my old friends.I lived there as a child when there was a Sears woolworth, Thomas restaurant. The Gordon Theater was my second home I rode through west end several years ago and it made me sad to see what it has turned into. There ws soo much happiness there at one time everybody knew everybody I lived on the corner of Gordon and Peoples street across from Howell Park.
After watching the movie,NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD,at the Gordon,I was terrified,leaving the theater after dark,the walk to our home in Adair Park was one of the most frightful moments of my childhood rearing in the West End of the beautiful Atlanta Ga.,Walking “down” Gordon St.[east] toward the railroad overpass I would cross the street to avoid the alcove doors of the shops,so afaraid the Zombies were going to get me any minute,I waited in front of The Krispy Kreme until an adult walked toward the underpass in front of me so the zombies would eat them first and I could run away;
saw lots of movies at the Gordon.. my dad used to take us to the movies there a lot… and it was one of the rare air-conditioned buildings back in the ‘50’s. And I especially remember “Thunder Road”… My dad had just bought a new 1957 Ford, and had traded in his 1952 Ford, both featured cars in the movie.
“On the first of April, 1954 The Federal man sent word He’d better make his run no more… He’d have a thousand agents a'coverin the state, whichever road he tried to take they’d catch him sure as fate….
Son, his daddy told him, make this run your last you’re all filled up with hundred proof, you’re all tuned up and gassed… Now don’t take any chances if you can’t get through I’d rather have you back again than all that mountain dew"
I was an elementary school student at peoples st. elementary school; the gordon was an afternoon delight.there were many good movies in this theatre before it was a porno establishment.james bond and the pink panther films were just a few to mention,the oversize black chery lollipops were the bomb.I captured many cheek kisses after holding hands in the balcony with the west end girls of atlanta.
1940’s for sure!Thanks again Mr.Jeter.Really enjoy the photos.
Here is an early 1930s ad:
http://tinyurl.com/yg43clr
Here is a September 1951 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/nzyv6z
This was one of at least three theaters that Lucas & Jenkins built in 1940 in Atlanta.
See this article for a contemporary mention:
BoxOffice, (March 23, 1940) L&J Circuit Building Three In Atlanta (page 75)
The article indicates the Gordon was 1,300 seats when built. The Little 5 location was the Euclid (now Variety Playhouse) and if you look at the photos linked above you can see a definite similarity between the Gordon’s design and that of Variety.
The third location described is where the downtown connector & Georgia Archives are now, so it no doubt is long demolished.
Back in the 1940’s, the Gordon was a rather elegant neighborhood theater, featuring plush seats (some of them built for two). Either side of the stage were huge sculptures of Native Americans or other tribes. I spent many happy days at matinees there, seeing films such as “Holiday Inn”, and “Blue Dahlia” .
Once my brother and I sat through three showings of “Song of the Islands” with Betty Grable.
Prior to becoming a porno house, the Gordon was only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Obviously not enough people were attending during the week. It stayed this way about a year before going all adult. When it first began showing “Art films,” the Gordon was showing rather high class porn becacuse I remember seeing these at other downtown theaters. Although after a few weeks, it was showing the usual stuff.
It is interesting to note that the East Point Theater also was only opened on the weekends before it closed.
“THUNDER ROAD” Now Playing at The Gordon Theatre.
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Here is a night shot of the Gordon Theatre.
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The Gordon Theatre (now the Shrine of the black Madonna at 960 Ralph Abernathy Boulevard – formerly Gordon Street) should not be confused with the West End Theatre, which once stood at 595 Lee Street, SW. If you know West End, then you probably realize that Lee Street intersects Ralph Abernathy Boulevard (Gordon Street), near the train trestle. The former site of the West End Theatre on Lee Street and what was once the Gordon Theatre on Gordon Street were about a quarter of a mile apartment. The two theaters really looked nothing alike. When I first encountered the old West End Theatre, it had ceased to operate as a movie theater. It was being used as the location of Cantrell’s bookstore. The West End Theatre was one of a number of Atlanta area movie theaters that went out of business in the early to mid 1950’s. The West End Theatre was torn down in the 1960’s, as I recall.
The Gordon Theater (the original address was 960 Gordon Street, SW) was possibly the largest of the second run, neighborhood theaters in the Atlanta area in its day. It was one of only several to have a balcony (another was the Euclid Theater in Little Five Points). Although I didn’t get to attend the Gordon Theatre as much as the neighborhood theaters on Atlanta’s east side, I did like this theater a lot.
On one occasion, my father took me to see TARZAN THE MAGNIFICENT (1960) on a first run engagement. Gordon Scott, who starred as Tarzan, made a personal appearance.
The Gordon Theatre was a great venue for horror movies and other such guilty pleasures when I was a kid.
Here’s (atlantatimemachine.com/commercialbldgs/gtheatre.htm )a now & then photo of the Gorden from the Georgia State Unv. photo archive. Strange it’s uncanny resemblance to the West End.