Capitol Theatre
382 Second Street,
Macon,
GA
31201
382 Second Street,
Macon,
GA
31201
6 people
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Closed 1976 as a full-time movie theatre by GTC.
Opened November 10th, 1916
Capitol Theatre opening 09 Nov 1916, Thu The Macon News (Macon, Georgia) Newspapers.com
That’s what I’m talking about, great photo of the marquee and the Capitol, what a treasure and resource, the boxoffice publication.
The Capitol was a an extremely popular theatre in the 50’s and 60’s with a grand marquee, “Love Me Tender”, Elvis' first movie had it’s Macon premeir at the Capitol. I am so glad they restored it, however they made changes and reconfigurations inside and of course the fabalous marquee is gone, but most of the original was saved, way to go Macon.
The September 16, 1916, issue of The Moving Picture World said that the new Capitol Theatre in Macon was scheduled to open on October 2. They missed the deadline, though, as the theater’s official web site says that it opened on November 10. Here’s the complete item from MPW:
Look for it in John Huston’s 1979 film Wise Blood" which was filmed in Macon.
The correct website address for the Capitol Theatre is now:
www.coxcapitoltheatre.com
The Allen 317-EX organ, loaned by theatre organist John McCall has now been removed, but not before it was recorded by McCall in a new CD, “A Capitol Idea”. For information on the purchase of this recording, please contact John McCall at Also, a limited number of CD’s are available at the theatre.
Here are a couple of recent photos of the Capitol Theatre. The Capitol is among the finest midsize theatres in the country. Well worth the trip from Atlanta or anywhere else in the northern hemisphere.
As of the beginning of June, the theatre is programming independent films, musical shows, and mainstream films weekly. The restaurant management has changed. The theatre organ is still present and still being used when an organist is available. In April the first annual Macon GA Film and Video Festival (www.maconfilmfestival.com) was held and was very successful. It included concert performances and silent film screenings with the Grand Organ featuring international theatre organ star Ken Double. The theatre seems to be enlivening the downtown area and is an exciting place to be.
Given the sponsorship of the theater by a cable company, I can imagine that the daily feature starts sometime between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Theatre re-opened January 18, 2006. Facility operates 5 nights per week.
Pie Hole and Tap House is managing operations. Their phone number for information is 478-318-7860. Web site is Capitoltheatremacon.com.
David Thompson
The Capitol Theatre’s Grand Opening will be Wednesday evening, January 18, at 6:00 p.m. An Allen 317EX organ will be installed for the occasion and John Clark McCall, Jr. will be featured at the console as part of the inaugural program on stage. Tickets will be available at the box office on the evening of the performance. The theatre is loccated near the corner of Second and Cherry Streets.
I just uncovered an interesting “celibrity” link with the Capitol’s last Wurlitzer organ (a Style “E” divided):
According to organ technician John Tanner, “When John Bagley took the organ out many years ago he had this rather large country boy with him to help take it out and drive the truck. You may know him later as Junior Samples on the TV show, ‘Hee Haw’.”
I have just toured this theatre to inspect the restoration efforts and they are remarkable. Under the guidance of Tony Long—who comes from a construction background that started in the 1930’s—the theatre is being sensitively adapted, ever mindful of its architectural heritage.
A grand opening for the first phase of the restoration is planned for early January, 2006.
Lucas and Jenkins operated the theatre in the fifties and possibly early sixties. The original organ was a two-manual, four-rank Wurlitzer, Style 135A, opus 372, which was later moved to the York
Theatre, Chattanooga, TN, in 1925. A 2/6 Wurlitzer, Style 160 was installed in December, 1925. In August, 1927, the Capitol recieved its THIRD Wurlitzer organ: a Style “E” (divided), Opus 1698. The Capitol probably holds the distinction of having the most Wurlitzer organs ever installed in a Georgia theatre!