Weller Theatre

The Morley Theatre opened as early as 1918 by John A. Morley (which is why the theatre is named the Morley Theatre). He has been managed by various groups and individuals including the Comerford organization, Nye Merrill, F. Dean Rundell, F. L. Heweitt, Nathan Meltzer, and Job A. Morley.

In 1921, H. E. Weller, who graduated from Temple University during that year, took over the management and flipped the table into a modern based movie house.

On the evening of November 24, 1922, a Dodge Brothers car north of Main Street and had reached a point in front of the Morley Theatre as he attempted to pass another car going in the same direction on the right side and then rammed into the back of a Hupmobile coupe that was parked north of the corner. Mrs. Bean of Litchfield was thrown forward by the impact and sustained some bruises and a possible injury. The Dodge was thrown out of line and the fill extent of damage has not fully detailed, and the Hupmobile is badly damaged at the back.

Sound was installed in 1930, and 3 short years later, the Morley Theatre was decorated, and reopened on December 22, 1933 with Eddie Cantor in “Whoopie” along with one of America’s most popular cartoons on the planet, Walt Disney’s “Three Little Pigs”, and a newsreel. On its grand opening advertisement, a line from that cartoon recommends that “everyone is not afraid of the big bad wolf”, a line that represents the Silly Symphony short itself that the short is coming to Athens. 5 years later in 1938, new sound equipment was installed. It is the only theatre within a 100-mile radius that has individual acoustics. 20 people in total who have gone deaf or having such hearing loss may use those instruments at the same time practically unnoticed. A newly based ventilation system affords a complete change of air every 5 minutes in total. The theatre as of 1939 was operated by a chain known as Friendly Theatres Incorporated, who also operated the Bandbox Theatre in Troy, NY.

In January 1946, the Morley Theatre closed its doors due to an announcement. Doc Weller has announced that a new name will be coming to the Morley Theatre. It was announced on January 26, 1946 that the last film will be played at the Morley Theatre. The last film they played was Robert Walker in “What Next, Corporal Hargrove?” before reopening the next day as of Weller Theatre. The theatre had a fast flipflop, and it became the Weller Theatre on January 27, 1946 with Robert Young in “Those Endearing Young Charms”. The theatre would later be taken over by Mrs. Hazel P. Weller.

On February 11, 1955, CinemaScope was installed at the Weller Theatre with “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers” being its first CinemaScope film 3 days later, with the additional screen being 390 square ft (13x30 ft).

The theatre ended its run as a movie house and closed its doors on September 8, 1959 with Rock Hudson in “This Earth Is Mine” as its last film. The building itself and all of the equipment were later went on sale exactly less than a week later before it became a church in 1960, retaining its Weller Theater name. It would later be converted into Athens' own dress company.

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