Fox Theatre
660 Peachtree Street NE,
Atlanta,
GA
30365
660 Peachtree Street NE,
Atlanta,
GA
30365
48 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 126 comments
Disney’s “Song of the South” had its world premiere here 75 years ago today.
Take a look at this long, detailed and generously illustrated article from CNN
90th anniversary and highest grossing venue of it’s size worldwide for a decade.
https://www.ajc.com/blog/music/fox-theatre-earns-recognition-top-venue-its-size-for-the-decade-worldwide/7EwbMXNKp2LemKxmnU6rWN/?fbclid=IwAR0R4ZxT-AgleRI-N5cueCcadXJpR6y5RA8iXoM3gEz5Nmsja4XzdD0l_YY
1929 image in below Atlanta History Center link.
http://atlantahistorycenter.tumblr.com/post/28907821763/1929-view-of-atlantas-fox-theatre-browse-and
Any news of the new 70mm print of 2001:A Space Odyssey appearing at the Fox this summer?
New article out on Atlanta’s large format and roadshow history. The Fox’s numerous Summer Film Festival screenings get plenty of coverage in the piece.
Grand opening ad in the photo section and below:
The Fox’s webpage has their technical specifications manual which has a lot of tech details about the theatre and stage facilities, as well as partial floor plans. It can be accessed here:
https://foxtheatre.org/general-information/technical-package/
Proscenium opening is 79 feet wide and stage depth from fire curtain to back wall is 34 feet 7 inches.
I was there in the summer of 1976 and watched Lynard Skynard perform live. And when you listen to Freebird live that’s when he say’s “Play it pretty for Atlanta”.Forrest Gump moment moment of my life, everytime I hear that song I think of the red velvet chairs and the white brick walls and the huge stage and Lynard Skynard playing Freebird and Sweet Home Alabama.
A recent visit a few weeks ago was not a good time for me at the Fox Atlanta. We saw ‘The Shining’ The Fox run some ads in the local art/entertainment free newspapers and tell about the Coke Film Festival Night. They show the time starting at 7:30PM. What they don’t tell you about all the wonderfull things going on during the pre show at 6 45PM. The pipe organ, cartoons, news, plus trailers all in 35mm film. Most of the main features are DCP video. Not the best look with such a long throw from the back high up balcony projection booth. They did not close the curtains like they did in the past after the organ or between the main feature. So many ads cover the above the screen section and projected on the walls. This gave the place a junkie look, not like a first class classic movie theatre. What was so sad many people came in at 7:30PM or later and blocked screen view looking for their seats and talking. Most had no idea about coming early I think or looking for a place to park. They ran so many screen ads before the video main feature started I thought I was at a Regal Theatre. The lady at the boxoffice told me they open at 6 PM. She was wrong I had to wait in the hot heat till 6 30PM. I did talk to some sort of manager lady in the lobby and told her how important the curtains are with some color lights on them like they did in the past. She did listen to me so let’s see If they can get a stage person backstage to open and close them at the correct time (slowly) as they do adjust the screen masking by hand for flat or scope. The screen they use is way smaller then the huge CinemaScope® screen they had in the 50’s. The Fox need’s to change the name to Coke Video Festival as they don’t show 35mm or 70mm film on the main features they book. Glad the place is still open and let’s wish they bring some showmanship back on these great movie/video nights and change the newspaper ads to show what is going on before the main feature plus mention COME EARLY and open at 6 PM. They now have metal detectors out side the front doors so you will be checked to enter just like at the airports. This adds some time also to get in. Watching a movie is not like going to a rock show.
Yes, Joe is gone at the age of 89. There was a small private memorial service in the chapel of Crawford Long Hospital for family and a few close work associates. There is talk of a public memorial service in the future, but no word on if the Fox will offer to host it.
In a very appropriate alignment of events, James H. (Jimmy) Williams, a long time Atlanta projectionist died on the same day at age 90. Jimmy moved from the Roxy (also managed by ABC) in the late 50’s and worked as a regular Fox projectionist for many years. After the Fox reopened in ‘78 he would occasionally work a shift on the Summer Movie Series.
All of the old timers who were such a part of those great years are now moving on. Those of us who were young enough and lucky enough to have worked with them in their later years have some great memories, to say nothing of the many stories we post here.
Fox savior & resident Joe Patten died http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/joe-patten-dead-atlanta-s-phantom-of-the-fox-was-89-1.11670877
As part of a private party which was held in the vast lobby we were also treated to a short organ concert.
I hope I get to come down there soon and see this magnificent theatre and meet one of the men who keeps it going Mr Bob Foreman.
Longtime Fox organist Larry-Douglas Embury has passe away.
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/fox-theatre-organist-dies-at-home/nqTDt/
A new site, “Backstage at the Fox 1929,” an insiders' tour of the theatre when it was new, from a technical standpoint.
Part I Hub Switchboard Operating Manual Part II Audio and Electro-mechanicals Part III Talking Picture Projection
http://backstagefox1929.blogspot.com/
After years of long to see The Fox, I finally got a change to come from Birmingham, AL. Only thing I was disappointed in was the particular venue (Million Dollar Quartet) istead of some big Broadway-type production and no organ that night. Wish I could go back in a few weeks to see “Phantom Of The Opera.”
The grandest of all theaters! What a magnificent movie palace, the interior is fabulous and the exterior is awe inspiring and just think it was almost torn down what a tragedy that would have been. I was living in Atlanta and working in the area in 1973 when that was going on. The first time I saw the Fox was in 1963 and later saw Willie Nelson in concert at the Fox around 1975, but this is still a great place to see a movie, especially “ Raiders of the Lost Ark” which my wife and I took our boys to see in the late seventies, what a magical time!
Just put up a bunch (127!) of photos from my visit to the Fox last July. Most of these are interior shots – this is quite the place!
My favorite theater on Earth and the jewel of Atlanta!
Tinseltoes thanks for alerting me to Boxoffice on line, lots of neat info to be had here,plus pictures!
Actually, I did mention the fact that The Metropolitan Opera played the Atlanta engagement of its spring tour (the most important stop on the tour) at The Fox. The superb accoustics of The Fox made those performances especially memorable. If I remember correctly, The Junior League (that great bastion of snobbery) controlled the distribution of tickets. The only way that I got to see the Met in those years was to usher for the performances (through a friend who was a member of The Atlanta Music Club). Those performances hooked me on opera, too!
I have just had my first look at the Fox Theatre comments and really enjoyed them. However, I am 65 years old and I remember the Fox from my childhood and teen-age years—prior to 1964. This was one of the Fox’s heydays. Had a number of birthdays at the Fox. Saw “The Scoutmaster” starring Clifton Webb, saw “Gigi” (I think) but lots of other films as well.
One MAJOR memory of the Fox I didn’t see in the comments was its years (decades?) as the home of the Metropolitan Opera touring company when it spent a week in Atlanta each year. This was THE social event each year, and subscription tickets were jealously guarded and passed along from generation to generation. My family didn’t rate, but my spinster counsin did—and she took me to my first opera performance. I was hooked—who wouldn’t be seeing the Met at the Fox? If you ever imagined how totally elegant the Fox could be as a setting for a live performance the Met was it!
While at a convention a number of years ago a cocktail party, with dancing, was scheduled in the spaceous lobby. We were also treated to a concert on the magnificent organ.
The Fox is a magical place to see a movie. Why can’t we get more than 6 a year? The ones scheduled are pretty lame every summer lately.