FOX THEATRE (ATLANTA) SCRAPBOOK

UPDATES! THE FOX THEATRE - ATLANTA, GEORGIA

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CHAPTER 31, FANCHON & MARCO IDEAS. Sept 22, 2011.

GROOVY TEST PANORAMIC SHOT, TAKEN NOV. 5, 2010

MY 1975 "SAVE THE FOX" LONG-SLEEVED T, SOMEWHAT THE BETTER FOR WEAR!
COMING THIS WEEK-- HOW THE FOX WAS SAVED! OVER 100 ARTICLES FROM 1974-1975!
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 CHAPETR 28 1996 FOX FIRE
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 CHAPTER 27 JOE PATTEN'S FRIENDS
SUN, SEPT. 5, 2010 CHAPTER 26 FOLLOW THE MONEY, FOX 2008 TAX RETURN
FRI, AUGUST 27, 2010 JOE PATTEN PART TWO; GRAND OPERA AND DESEGREGATION OF THE FOX-- CHAPTERS 19 AND 25
WED, AUGUST 2, MET AT THE FOX!
TUES, JULY 26, 2010 FOX PRE-OPENING AD TEASERS
THURS, JULY 22, 2010 JOE PATTEN STORY!
SAT, JULY 10, 2010 CHRONOLOGY OF MET OPERAS AT THE FOX POSTED CHAPTER 17
THURS, JULY 8, 2010 GRAND OPERA AND THE LOCAL STAGEHANDS NOW UP AND RUNNING! CHAPTER 18
WED, JULY 7, 2010 CHAPTER 23, ARCHITECT CONTROVERSY
THURS, JULY 1 2010 ADDED ARTICLE ON "ELECTRONOVISION THEATROFILM" IN APPENDIX #16
WED, JUNE 30, 2010 WORKING FEVERISHLY TO COMPLETE MET OPERA ARTICLES!

TEASER TIME! ATLANTA FOX THEATRE OFFICIAL WEBSITE WWW.FOXTHEATRE.ORG

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WOW! WE GOT THE COVER! "CITY BUILDER," THE FIRST ATLANTA MAGAZINE, MARCH, 1928

GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS MADE TO THE ANNE COX CHAMBERS, HONORARY FOX BOARD MEMBER, AND THE AJC TO REPRODUCE ARTICLES HEREIN!

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DOUBLE-CLICK ON ANY PAGE TO ENLARGE! ALL NARRATIVE COPYRIGHTED BY BOB FOREMAN, 2010

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I AM QUOTED AS HOPING THE HOUSE "WILL BE SAVED FOR SOMEBODY."

YOUR AUTHOR, GIVING A TOUR OF THE FOX (BACKSTAGE), FROM THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1975

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, YOUR AUTHOR, HIS FATHER ROBERT L. FOREMAN, JR., AND JOE PATTEN IN 2003.

FOREMAN, JR., "DEAN OF ATLANTA REAL ESTATE ATTORNEYS" AND PATTEN, WHO CALLS THE FOX HIS HOME (LITERALLY), WERE THE PIVOTAL PLAYERS IN SAVING THE BUILDING.

I INTRODUCED THEM TO ONE ANOTHER IN 1969 WHEN I WAS A MERE SAPLING.

AN ORIGINAL FANCHON & MARCO THREE SHEET WHICH I FOUND IN A TRUNK IN MY GRANDFATHER'S (R.L. "TROT" FOREMAN, SR.) BASEMENT IN THE EARLY 70'S. HE COULD NOT RECALL HOW HE CAME TO OWN IT! I DONATED HER TO THE FOX, WHERE SHE HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO FADE AND IS KEPT HIDDEN AWAY FROM PUBLIC VIEW.

THIS ATLANTA FOX THEATRE SITE, BETTER THAN WIKIPEDIA WAS CREATED BY BOB FOREMAN III IN THE 1970S. CONTACT BOB AT LOVETHATBOB@AOL.COM.

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660 PEACHTREE STREET, EARLY 1930, MOTION PICTURE WORLD, MARCH, 1930.

NEWSPAPER CLIP-ART SLICK, CIRCA 1970, FROM ABC-SOUTHEASTERN THEATRES; ROXY (nee GEORGIA) DEMOLISHED IN EARLY 70'S; THE OTHER TWO LUCAS & JENKINS DOWNTOWN HOUSES, THE PARAMOUNT (nee HOWARD) AND THE CAPITOL WERE DEMOLISHED RESPECTIVELY IN THE 60'S AND LATE 40's. THE CAPITOL BUILDING STILL STANDS AS PART OF THE FORMER DAVISON'S DEPARTMENT STORE.

TWO EARLY POSTCARDS OF THE FOX-- TOP, AN ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING, SHOWING A DIFFERENT PEACHTREE STREET TREATMENT AND NO VERTICAL SIGN POSSIBLY THE THEATRE ENTRY WAS ON PONCE, THROUGH WHAT IS NOW THE VERY ELABORATE MAIN FOYER EXIT VESTIBULE; BOTTOM, AS BUILT.

HOW THE FOX WAS SAVED

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IT'S ALL IN CHAPTER TWENTY!

THE ATLANTA FOX THEATRE IS ONE OF THE FEW REMAINING "SUPER-DELUXE" MOTION PICTURE PALACES. SHE OPENED ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 1929, TO A HOUSE OF 4,462

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AS A MEMBER OF AN EXCLUSIVE RANK OF GIANTS, SECOND ONLY TO THE NEW YORK ROXY, ONE OF THE FIVE SUPER-DELUXE FOX THEATRES. ATLANTA, DETROIT AND ST. LOUIS SURVIVE; THE SAN FRANCISCO AND THE BROOKLYN ARE LONG GONE.

THE ATLANTA FOX DIFFERED IN TWO WAYS FROM THE OTHER FOX HOUSES: FIRST, SHE WAS BUILT AS PART OF A SHRINE TEMPLE, THE THEATRE SECTION DESIGNED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WILLIAM FOX CHAIN (CHIEF AMONG HIS CONQUESTS THE 5,8O0-SEAT ROXY), THE CONDITION BEING BILL FOX WOULD TAKE A LONG-TERM LEASE ON THE BIG ROOM. DESIGNED BY VETERAN ATLANTA ARCHITECTS MAYRE, ALGER & VINOUR, THE EXQUISITELY CRAFTED LAYOUT OF THE THEATRE PORTION WAS ENGINEERED BY C. HOWARD CRANE, DESIGNER OF, AMONG MANY OTHERS, THE B'WAY MUSIC BOX THEATRE.

SECONDLY THE FOX DIFFERED IN STYLE, FOR THE ATLANTA WAS AN "ATMOSPHERIC HOUSE" WITH STARS AND CLOUDS ABOVE (AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER "HARDTOPS"), AN IDEA STOLEN FROM ATMOSPHERIC ARCHITECT KING JOHN EBERSON, WHO IN FACT WAS "MISTAKENLY" LISTED AS THE THEATRE'S DESIGNER IN THE MAY, 1930 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD.

COMMENCING OPENING DAY IN 1929, THE FOX WAS A "PRESENTATION HOUSE" WITH A "COMBINATION POLICY" (TALKING PICTURES AND FANCHON & MARCO STAGE SHOWS), BUT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DEPRESSION, FOX FILMS FELL INTO RECEIVERSHIP, AND LACKING THE NECESSARY LEASE MONIES, THE YAARAB SHRINE TEMPLE DEFAULTED ON MORTGAGE AND TAX PAYMENTS. THE $2.28 MILLION HOUSE (source: Atlanta History, summer, 1995) WAS AUCTIONED FOR $75,000 ON THE FULTON COUNTY COURT HOUSE STEPS IN DECEMBER, 1932.

SUBSEQUENTLY ACQUIRED IN 1933 BY LUCAS & JENKINS AT A COST OF $725,000, THE SOUTH'S LEADING FILM EXHIBITION CHAIN, THE FOX PROSPERED AS THEIR FLAGSHIP HOUSE AND UNDER L&J'S GUIDANCE, FOR THE NEXT THIRTY-FIVE YEARS, THE FOX WAS THE SINE QUA NON AMONG SOUTHERN THEATRES, PLAYING THE VERY BEST PRODUCT OF ALL STUDIOS, PRIMARILY FILM FARE FOR THE FAMILY. "SONG OF THE SOUTH" DEBUTED THERE IN 1946, AND THE FOX WAS FOR TWO DECADES HOST TO THE ONE WEEK STAND OF THE PRESTIGIOUS METROPOLITAN OPERA SPRING TOUR.

BY THE EARLY 70'S, THE FOX WAS REDUCED TO SCREENING POORLY-ATTENDED "BLAXPLOITATION" FLICKS AND, IN 1975, SLATED FOR CERTAIN DEMOLITION, THIS MAGNIFICENT STRUCTURE WAS SAVED AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR BY CONCERNED CITIZENS IN THE FORM OF ATLANTA LANDMARKS, INC., HER CURRENT OWNER.

THE FOX HAS SINCE 1975 BEEN LISTED AMONG THE TOP-GROSSING LEGITIMATE THEATRES IN THE WORLD! (photo by Author, load-out of WICKED, November, 2008)

FOR A MUCH MORE DETAILED HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION, SEE CHAPTER 13.

STOP TEASING ME, YOU DARNED FOX!

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TWENTY-ONE AD TEASERS PRIOR TO OPEN!!! CHECK OUT CHAPTER 1! GET SOME KLEENEX!

DRAWINGS OF FOX, ELEVATIONS AND PLANS

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THESE DRAWINGS (NOT TO SCALE) WERE COPIED FROM A 1928 PRE-CONSTRUCTION SET. THEY ARE ABOUT 95% ACCURATE. DOUBLE-CLICK TO ENLARGE. PEACHTREE STREET (FRONT) EXTERIOR ELEVATION, LOOKING WEST

FOR FULL SET, SEE CHAPTER 12.

MOST FABULOUS INVENTORY EVER TAKEN OF A MOVIE PALACE!!

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WOW! DOWN TO THE LAST CUSPIDOR!

FOR ALL 37 PAGES GO TO CHAPTER 10!

PETER CLARK STAGE ELEVATORS AND THE HEROICS OF THE MOVIETONE LIFT

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CHECK OUT THIS STORY OF THE STAGE LIFTS! SEE CHAPTER 15!

1965 FOX THEATRE (STILL A MOVIE HOUSE) VIEW BOOK

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TO SEE THE WHOLE BOOK, GO TO CHAPTER 14!

FABULOUS HUB STAGE SWITCHBOARD!

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EVERYTHING YOU AWLAYS WANTED TO KNOW! SEE CHAPTER 22!

INTRODUCING CINEMASCOPE 1953

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COOL! TO SEE THE WHOLE STORY GO TO CHAPTER 16.

GRAND OPERA AND ATLANTA SOCIETY

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IT TOOK THE FABULOUS LUIS MAZA TO GIMME THE DEAL --THE ESSENCE-- ON THE MET AT THE FOX! HE RECALLED THIS SPECIFIC ARTICLE OF FORTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO! ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, MAY 1962.

GRAND OPERA AND THE FOX STAGEHANDS

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UNION STAGEHANDS HAVE BEEN WITH THE FOX FROM DAY ONE. "AVERTING CATASTROPHES" IS THEIR MIDDLE NAME.

READ CHAPTER 18 FOR ALL THE NEWS!

HERE THEY AVERT YET ANOTHER, WHEN THE MET'S SCENERY TRAIN FOR "CARMEN" ARRIVED TWO HOURS LATE IN 1948. THEY ARE TAKING DIRECTION FROM AN ANGRY GIRL! YIKES!

GRAND OPERA AND DESEGREGATION OF THE FOX

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ATLANTA FOX THEATRE COLORED ENTRANCE SIGN. SEE CHAPTER #19 FOR THE STORY.

FOX PEOPLE: JOE PATTEN

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JOE PATTEN! PHANTOM OF THE FOX! LIVES IN THE FOX!
FOR DISH, SEE CHAPTER 24!

FOX PEOPLE: MANAGER NOBLE ARNOLD

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TO LEARN THE WHOLE TRUTH, SEE CHAPTER 21!

CHAPTER 1 PRE-OPENING ADVERT BLTZ

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COMMENCING 31 DAYS OUT, THANKSGIVING, 1929, THE FOX BEGAN THEIR AD BLITZ. FOR THE NEXT THREE SUNDAYS, THEY RAN 1/4 PAGE ADS; THEN ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 16TH, THEY BEGAN THE DAILY AND SMALLER ADS. SATURDAYS WERE EXCLUDED FOR THE PAPER WAS RATHER SOMBER, TELLING OF THE NEXT DAY'S CHURCH SERVICES. FORTUNATELY, KLEENEX WAS INVENTED FOUR YEARS EARLIER!

ATLANTIANS (YES, THAT WAS THE USAGE BACK WHEN) HAD SUFFERED A TERRIBLE COLD SNAP, BUT THE FOX TOOK CHARGE, AND WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME ONE SAW CHRIST IN A FRONT PAGE HEADLINE?

APPENDIX #1-- 1976 SECURITY ROUTE THROUGH ALL 285 ROOMS

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THE RAISON D'ETRE BEHIND MY WRITING THIS DOCUMENT FOR TED STEVENS WAS THAT WE HAD HIRED FREE-LANCE SECURITY GUARDS, TO MAN THE FRONT DOOR. THUS THE FIRST THREE PAGES EXPLAIN ONE'S DUTIES. RALPH X. SCHUSLER!

PAGE -ii- DUTIES, CONT'D.

PAGE -iii- DUTIES, CONT'D.

PAGE -1- TOUR OF DUTY, COMMENCING AT THE MAIN FOYER, AND DOWN TO THE LOWER LOUNGES

PAGE -2- UP, INTO THE ORCH SEATING, STAGE, BACK TO HOUSE

PAGE -3- SWEEP OF BALCONIES, STARTING AT MEZZANINE FOYER

PAGE -4- FROM MAIN FOYER, TO THE EGYPTIAN BALLROOM AND GRAND SALON

PAGE -5- FROM SHRINE SECTION, DOWN INTO FRONT-OF-HOUSE THEATRE BASEMENTS

PAGE -6- THEATRE BASEMENTS, CONT'D, INTO STAGE RIGHT DRESSING ROOM TOWER

PAGE -7- THEATRE BASEMENTS (BENEATH THE STAGE), DOWN TO THE SUB-BASEMENT, UP TO THE STAGE RIGHT SHRINE TOWER

PAGE -8- THEATRE EXTERIOR

TYPED BY THE LOVELY SUE LIPOMA, TED STEVENS' FIRST SECRETARY.

APPENDIX #3 CONSTITUTION 12/26/29; JOURNAL 12/26/29; FILM DAILY 12/27/29

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APPENDIX #4 ATLANTA JOURNAL, DEC. 22, 26, 29, 1929

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APPENDIX #5 RADIO AT THE FOX WJTL OGLETHORPE 1932 YEARBOOK; WSB JOURNAL 12/22/29

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APPENDIX # 6 ATLANTA GEORGIAN SUNDAY-AMERICAN [HEARST] SPREAD, 12/22/29

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APPENDIX #7 GEORGIA TECH EXAMINER 1/57

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APPENDIX #8 BEN HALL'S BEST REMAINING SEATS 1961

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APPENDIX #9 GUIDE TO ATLANTA '67; THIS IS ATLANTA, '73

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CHAPTER 10 INVENTORY OF FOX (1935), TAKEN BY E.E. WHITTAKER, OF LUCAS & JENKINS, AFTER THEIR ACQUISITON OF THE THEATRE (NOT INCLUDING SHRINE)

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THIS IS AN UNIQUE DOCUMENT, AND EXTRAORDINARILY DETAILED, COUNTING RADIATOR RIBS AND SPITOONS--OH, PARDON ME, "CUSPIDORS!"

PAGE -1- THEATRE SEATING; ORCHESTRA PIT AND ORGAN; BOX OFFICE

PAGE -2- BOX OFFICE, CONT'D; FRONT OFFICE FURNISHINGS

PAGE -3- FRONT OFFICES, CONT'D; "ENGINE ROOM"

PAGE -4- RADIATORS AND FIRE HOSES

PAGE -5- RADIATORS AND FIRE HOSES, CONT'D; ORGAN; MARQUEE

PAGE -6- LIGHTING FIXTURES

PAGE -7- LIGHTING FIXTURES, CONT'D.

PAGE -8- LIGHTING FIXTURES, CONT'D.

PAGE -9- LIGHTING FIXTURES, CONT'D.

PAGE -10- LIGHTING FIXTURES, CONT'D.

PAGE -11- LIGHTING FIXTURES, CONT'D.

PAGE -12- LIGHTING FIXTURES, CONT'D.

PAGE -13- CARPETING

PAGE -14- CARPETING, CONT'D.

PAGE -15- PROJECTION ROOM

PAGE -16- PROJECTION ROOM, CONT'D; BASEMENT PREVIEW ROOM BOOTH

PAGE -17- STAGE

PAGE -18- STAGE, CONT'D.

PAGE -19- STAGE, CONT'D.

PAGE -20- HVAC MOTORS AND BLOWERS

PAGE -21- HVAC MOTORS AND BLOWERS, CONT'D.

PAGE -22- RADIATORS AND FIRE HOSES (FROM PAGE -4-); FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

PAGE -23- MASTER CLOCK SYSTEM; REFRIGERATED WATER COOLERS; STAGE LIFTS; MISC OFFICE FURNITURE

PAGE -24- ORNAMENTAL LOUNGE AND FOYER FURNISHINGS

PAGE -25- ORNAMENTAL FURNISHINGS, CONT'D.

PAGE -26- ORNAMENTAL FURNISHINGS, CONT'D.

PAGE -27- ORNAMENTAL FURNISHING, CONT'D.

PAGE -28- ORNAMENTAL FURNISHINGS, CONT'D; PASSENGER ELEVATORS

PAGE -29- BASEMENT ROOMS FURNITURE

PAGE -30- BASEMENT ROOMS FURNITURE, CONT'D.

PAGE -31- BASEMENT ROOMS FURNITURE, CONT'D.; DRESSING ROOM FURNITURE

PAGE -32- DRESSING ROOM FURNITURE, CONT'D.

PAGE -33- DRESSING ROOM FURNITURE, CONT'D; MARQUEE LETTER ROOM; HOUSE TELEPHONE SYSTEM; FRONT-OF-HOUSE EQUIPMENT; COAT CHECK TAGS

PAGE -34- OFFICE FURNITURE (DRESSING ROOMS 2ND FLOOR)

PAGE -35- STAFF UNIFORMS; HOSPITAL EQUIPMENT

PAGE -36- CLEANER AND JANITOR EQUIPMENT; ENGINEERS' EQUIPMENT; CENTRAL VACUUM SYSTEM

PAGE -37- BASEMENT PREVIEW BOOTH

APPENDIX #11 "FABULOUS IS RIGHT!" ATLANTA MAGAZINE NOVEMBER, 1963

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CHAPTER 12 DRAWINGS, SHRINE SECTION SHOWN IN YELLOW

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THESE DRAWINGS (NOT TO SCALE) WERE COPIED FROM A 1928 PRE-CONSTRUCTION SET. THEY ARE ABOUT 95% ACCURATE. PEACHTREE STREET (FRONT) EXTERIOR ELEVATION, LOOKING WEST

PONCE DE LEON AVENUE (NEE KIMBALL STREET) EXTERIOR ELEVATION LOOKING NORTH

CYPRESS STREET (NOW STAGE LOADING ALLEY) EXTERIOR ELEVATION LOOKING EAST

EXTERIOR ELEVATION LOOKING SOUTH FROM PARKING LOT

PLAN AT STAGE BASEMENTS AND AUDITORIUM LOWER LOUNGES ELEVATION; UPPER PORTION OF SUB-BASEMENT (SHOWN AT TOP OF PLAN)

PLAN OF AUDITORIUM AT MAIN FOYER AND STAGE DECK ELEVATION; DRESSING ROOM (AND STAGE LEFT) TOWERS 1ST FLOOR; SHRINE OFFICES STREET ENTRY ELEVATION; SHRINE SERVICE AREA AT LOCKER ROOM (NOW "SPANISH ROOM") ELEVATION; ARCADE AND RETAILS STORES, STREET LEVEL

PLAN OF AUDITORIUM AT INTERMEDIATE ELEVATION; DRESSING ROOM (AND STAGE LEFT) TOWERS 2ND FLOOR; SHRINE SERVICE AREA AT PRACTICE ROOM ELEVATION; ARCADE UPPER PART; RETAIL STORES AT MEZZANINE ELEVATION

PLAN OF AUDITORIUM AT MEZZANINE (LOGE) ELEVATION; DRESSING ROOM (AND STAGE LEFT) TOWERS 3RD FLOOR; BALLROOM AND GRAND SALON AT MAIN FLOOR ELEVATION; SHRINE OFFICES LOWER FLOOR; SHRINE SERVICE AREA AT KITCHEN ELEVATION

PLAN OF AUDITORIUM AT DRESS CIRCLE ELEVATION; DRESSING ROOM (AND STAGE LEFT) TOWERS 4TH FLOOR; BALLROOM AT BALCONY ELEVATION; SHRINE OFFICES, TOP FLOOR

PLAN OF AUDITORIUM AT GALLERY ELEVATION (GALLERY RESTROOMS ARE ACTUALLY AT SAME ELEVATION AS 6TH FLOOR BRODCAST ROOM); DRESSING ROOM TOWER 5TH FLOOR; AND INSERTS OF DRESSING ROOM TOWER BROADCAST ROOM(6TH) AND BROADCAST CONTROL (7TH) FLOORS; PROJECTION ROOM (ABOVE GALLERY RESTROOMS)

CHAPTER 13 MY DETAILED FEBRUARY, 1974, HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF THE FOX

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION

THE FABULOUS FOX THEATRE

1. History In Brief

CONSTRUCTION OF THE FOX THEATRE BUILDING (OR THE SHRINE MOSQUE AS IT WAS KNOWN IN THE EARLY DAYS) BEGAN IN THE SUMMER OF 1928 ON THE CORNER OF PEACHTREE AND KIMBALL (NOW PONCE DE LEON AVENUE) STREETS. THE BUILDING WAS FINANCED BY AND BUILT FOR THE ANCIENT ARABIC ORDER OF THE NOBLES OF THE MYSTIC SHRINE, YAARAB CHAPTER, WHO HAD PLANNED FOR THEIR ELABORATE HEADQUARTERS SINCE 1916. IN 1928, THE YAARAB TEMPLE BUILDING COMPANY ANNOUNCED THE SIGNING OF A TWENTY-ONE YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE (NATIONAL) FOX THEATRE CORPORATION, ENABLING THE SHRINERS TO CONSTRUCT NOT ONLY A TEMPLE WITH MEETING ROOMS AND A BANQUET HALL, BUT A DELUXE MOTION PICTURE PALACE AS WELL.

AS ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED THE FOX COMPANY WOULD OCCUPY THE THEATRE SECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXHIBITING FOX PICTURES, EXCEPT FOR FOUR DAYS A YEAR WHEN THE HALL WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR SPECIAL TEMPLE USE. IN EXCHANGE, FOX RENTAL MONIES WOULD BE USED TO REPAY THE DEBTS INCURRED IN BUILDING THE STRUCTURE. THIS RENT, COMBINED WITH THAT OF THE STREET-FRONT SHOPS, WAS TO GENERATE $150,000 A YEAR. THE CRÈME AND BUFF BRICK BUILDING, WHICH WAS DESIGNED BY O.J. VINOUR OF THE ATLANTA FIRM MAYRE, ALGER & VINOUR (BASED ON THEATRE ARCHITECT C. HOWARD CRANE’S LAYOUT), WAS CONSTRUCTED AT A COST OF $3 MILLION DOLLARS.

THE FOX THEATRE OPENED ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 1929, TO A FULL HOUSE AND RAVE REVIEWS. ACCORDING TO THE ATLANTA JOURNAL, OF DECEMBER 22, “THIS FOX THEATRE, IN THE SIMPLEST AND LEAST PATRIOTIC TERMS POSSIBLE, IS A BEWILDERING SPECTACLE OF SHEER OPULENT MAGNIFICENCE. ITS ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPTION WAS AT OUTSET UNIQUE, AND THE EXECUTION OF THE PLAN LEAVES NO FLAW IN THE IDEA SOMEBODY HAD OF CREATING A PLACE WITH A RICHNESS, A COLOR, A PICTURESQUE AND ALMOST DISTURBING GRANDEUR BEYOND IMAGINATION.”

THE FOX OFFERED A NEW STAGE SHOW AND TALKING PICTURES (MOVIETONE) EACH WEEK FOR ITS 4,600 PATRONS TO THE TUNE OF 60 CENTS TOP ADMISSION. BY THE END OF 1929, AND WITH THE COMPLETION OF ITS FIFTH AND FINAL SUPER-DELUXE CATHEDRAL (JOINING OTHERS IN BROOKLYN, DETROIT, ST. LOUIS AND SAN FRANCISCO AS WELL AS THE MANHATTAN FLAGSHIP ROXY), THE YAARAB TEMPLE HAD ACQUIRED A MAGNIFICENT SHRINE, AND ATLANTA WAS GIVEN FOR CHRISTMAS OF THE FINEST THEATRES IN THE WORLD. (There is no accurate information available concerning the construction cost of the FOX. Estimates range from one and one-half to five million dollars. Three million dollars, however, would seem to be the most reliable figure, as it is the most frequently cited in publications of the late 1920’s and early 1930’s.)

CHAPTER 14 FOX THEATRE (AS MOVIE HOUSE) VIEW BOOK, CIRCA 1965

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CHAPTER 15 PETER CLARK STAGE ELEVATORS, AND THE HEROICS OF THE MOVIETONE LIFT, LIVE SHOWS

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DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT
THE FOX WAS SET SO FAR APART FROM ANY OTHER MOVIE THEATRE IN ATLANTA! WHEN I WAS A KID AND MY FOLKS WOULD TAKE ME AND MY SIBLINGS THERE TO SEE THE LATEST DISNEY OR DORIS DAY, I CAME TO EXPECT THE EXTRAORDINARY, FOR UNLIKE THE RIALTO, LOEW’S GRAND OR ROXY, THIS THEATRE WAS “OUTDOORS!” OR SO IT SEEMED TO US, AND WE WOULD INSIST UPON BEING SEATED IN THE BALCONY, SO WE COULD WATCH THE BLINKING STARS AND MOVING CLOUDS. WE COULD BE HEAVENLY TOO, AT TIMES. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, ME, MY SISTER ALEXA, AND MY BROTHER JIM.

THE FOX WAS ALWAYS MORESO. BEFORE THE FEATURE, THERE WAS THE MOVIETONE NEWSREEL; A TECHNICOLOR CARTOON; AND THE “FOX QUOTE OF THE DAY,” WHICH WAS A RIDDLE POSED AND THEN ANSWERED IN STILL CAPTIONS, WHICH WE DIDN’T GET, BUT THE ADULTS DID, AND SO WE ALSO LAUGHED.

THE MAGNIFICENT BRIGHT WILD YELLOW AND RED STENCILED EIGHTY-FOOT WIDE TRAVELER CURTAIN WOULD CLOSE TO A GRACEFUL OVERSWEEP, ONLY IMMEDIATELY TO REOPEN TO REVEAL THE FEATURE; THE HOUSELIGHTS, IN SYNC, WOULD RISE AND DIM AGAIN (THIS WAS WHAT BEN HALL TERMED, “A DELUXE PRESENTATION.”)

ONE WEEKEND NIGHT, WHEN WE KIDS WERE SUFFICIENTLY SOPHISTICATED TO HAVE MEMORIZED THE FOX ROUTINE, QUITE SUDDENLY WE HEARD LOUD AND LIVE MARCHING BAND MUSIC. BUT WHERE FROM? ARC LIGHTS SHOWED THE WAY, AND TO OUR STUNNED AMAZEMENT THIS UNIFORMED HIGH SCHOOL BAND ROSE UP INTO VIEW, IN FRONT OF THE STAGE, THEIR INSTRUMENTS GLISTENING IN THIS SPECIAL NEW AND DAZZLING LIGHT, PLAYING OUT THEIR HEARTS! “WHAT IS THAT, DADDY?” “THAT’S THE ORCHESTRA PIT, ROBERT,” BUT IT WASN’T A PIT, IT WAS AN ELEVATOR, THE BIGGEST I’D EVER SEEN OUTSIDE THE HARDY BOYS, IT WAS MAGIC! MY EYES WERE OPENED.

THOSE MOMENTS WERE RARE AND IN BETWEEN, BUT AFTER 1963, ONCE JOE PATTEN GOT THE MOLLER WORKING, HOUSE ORGANIST BOB VAN CAMP’S UPS AND DOWNS ON THE ORGAN LIFT WHILST PLAYING SUPPLANTED PIT SHOWS. JOE HAD ALSO ACQUIRED A PIANO WHICH COULD BE PLAYED FROM THE ORGAN, AND THIS WOULD ASCEND ON YET ANOTHER PIT ELEVATOR IN TANDEM WITH THE ORGAN. THE EMPTY PIT LIFT WOULD STAY BELOW, AND THE “PHANTOM PIANO” APPEARED TO FLOAT IN SPACE! WOW! SO, AS MERELY A PATRON I HAD SEEN THREE ELEVATORS AT THE FOX, AND AS FAR AS I COULD MAKE OUT, THAT WAS THREE-TO-NONE AGAINST ANY OTHER THEATRE!

IT WASN’T UNTIL MUCH LATER I LEARNED OF THE LIFTS THAT LIVED ON THE STAGE PROPER: WHEN "THE ROBE" PLAYED ON OCTOBER 1, 1953 AND THE SOUTHEASTERN PREMIER OF CINEMASCOPE, THE FOX THEN BOASTED THE “LARGEST CURVED CINEMASCOPE SCREEN IN THE WORLD”, AND IT WAS AN IMMOVABLE OBJECT, THE EXCEPTION BEING THE METROPOLITAN OPERA’S SPRING TOUR, WHEN THE FULL STAGE WAS REQUIRED. THEN THE GIGANTIC SEVENTY-FOOT-WIDE ANGLE-IRON PICTURE SHEET FRAME WOULD ARDUOUSLY BE HAULED AND HOISTED INTO THE STAGE LEFT FLIES FOR THE ONE-WEEK DURATION. AFTER THE MET HAD PLAYED ITS FINAL SEASON AT THE FOX IN 1968, THE PICTURE SHEET REMAINED IN ITS PERMANENT PLAYING POSITION UNTIL--- WELL, READ ON!

THE FOX WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO RECEIVE TREATMENT FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL FORUM (MAY, 1930) AS PART OF A LENGTHY ARTICLE, “THE ABC’S OF THEATRE ARCHITECTURE,” WHERE IN PHOTO CAPTIONS JOHN EBERSON WAS MYSTERIOUSLY CITED AS ARCHITECT. (THE FOX IS NOT MENTIONED IN THE NARRATIVE.)

HOW I HEARD OF THIS ARTICLE I CANNOT RECALL, BUT ONCE I DISCOVERED THAT THE ONLY COPY IN TOWN WAS HELD BY GEORGIA TECH, I RUSHED OVER TO THE STACKS AND THE BOUND EDITIONS, BUT SAD TO SAY, THE PHOTOS OF THE FOX HAD BEEN SCISSORED OUT. YEARS LATER, AFTER ATLANTA NATIVE BEN HALL, AUTHOR OF “THE BEST REMAINING SEATS,” HAD BEEN MURDERED IN NEW YORK, JOE PATTEN TEMPORARILY HELD BEN’S FOX FILES BEFORE THEY WENT TO THE THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. LO & BEHOLD, THERE WERE THE SCISSORED PAGES! BAD BEN!

MY ACQUISITION OF A COPY OF THE MAGAZINE WAS ALSO LUCKY-- I FOUND IT IN THE BASEMENT OF A HOUSE SLATED FOR DEMOLITION IN ATLANTA, ADJACENT TO 12 15TH STREET WHERE I LIVED IN 1977.

HERE IS A MAGNIFICENT SHOT OF THE FOX, RIGHT PRIOR TO OPENING NIGHT. NOTE THE SEATS ARE COVERED. THE SHRINE ACT DROP IS LIT BY THE COVE, THE BALCONY RAIL, AND TORMENTOR SPOTS; THE FOOTS ARE CRANKED DOWN SO TO DISAPPEAR. NOTICE THE ORNATE BOX ABOVE THE ARCH: POSSIBLY THE WORLD'S FIRST “CENTRAL LOUDSPEAKER CLUSTER,” YET TASTEFULLY DISGUISED. THE ORCHESTRA AND ACT LIFTS ARE AT “BOTTOM” POSITION, AND THE DOUBLE DOORS TO THE TRAP ROOM ARE SHOWN.

I WAS HIRED BY JOE PATTEN AS ONE OF THE FIRST THREE "NEW REGIME" EMPLOYEES IN JULY, 1975 FOLLOWING ATLANTA LANDMARKS' PURCHASE OF THE HOUSE, ITS TENUOUS SAVIOUR.

ROOSEVELT, THE ANCIENT COLORED JANITOR, ROBBIE IRVIN, THE FORMER BOY THEATRE ORGANIST, AND I WORKED EIGHT HOUR SHIFTS OSTENSIBLY AS SECURITY GUARDS TO PROTECT THE DARK HOUSE UNTIL IT DEBUT AS LEGIT, WHICH WOULD OCCUR THAT AUTUMN. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT, ROOSEVELT, ROBBIE, ME, AND A 1975 BACKSTAGE PASS SIGNED BY THE FIRST LEGIT GENERAL MANAGER, TED STEVENS, WHO STARTED WORK THERE IN AUGUST. (I AM WEARING A C. 1950 WORKSHIRT DISCOVERED IN THE STAGE BASEMENT.)

HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE FIRST "TECH SPEC" I AUTHORED OF THE NEWLY LEGIT FOX.

WHAT IS NOT MENTIONED IN THAT THE LIFTS WERE BY PETER CLARK, STAGE RIGGER SUPREME, WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY TRACK RECORD. NOT ONLY DID HE RIG MOST OF THE BROADWAY HOUSES, BUT LATER THE RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, WITH ALL ITS MECHANICAL SPLENDOR. THE INTERNET SAYS, "Between 1907 and his death in 1934 at the age of 56, Peter Clark became an internationally known stage and screen designer, with his offices in New York City. Florenz Ziefeld, Earl Carroll, and Sam Harris are among the producers for whom he and his staff created magnificent staging illusions. His obituary in the Great Neck News (August 1934) highlighted his history:

“Perhaps his most widely known invention was the hydraulic lift for elevating theatre orchestras or organ consoles to varying levels of a stage. Mr. Clark also perfected the elaborate system of counterweights used in all new theaters which have scene-shifting problems. His counterweights banished the clumsy backstage sandbags.

“Mr. Clark was born in New York on March 10, 1878. He attended public school and later took a job in the iron works of his father, Joseph Clark. He went to Cooper Union for a course in mechanical engineering. Having learned the iron business thoroughly, Mr. Clark and Hugh Laverly formed the stage construction and equipment firm of Clark & Laverly in 1905. Four years later Mr. Clark bought his partner out and renamed the firm Peter Clark, Inc."

FROM THE EXHIBITOR'S HERALD-WORLD, FEBRUARY 15, 1930. THE BEACON SURVIVES AS WELL.

THE GREAT MASTER, PEERING INTO HIS FULLY WORKING SCALE MODEL OF THE MUSIC HALL.

THE STAGE ELEVATORS WERE CONTROLLED BY PUSHBUTTONS IN BRONZE HOUSINGS LOCATED IN A CLUSTER AT THE STAGE MANAGER’S DESK, STAGE RIGHT AT THE FOX. THE ORGAN LIFT HAD A REMOTE CONTROL ON THE ORGAN CONSOLE; THE PIT AND ACT LIFTS, REMOTED AT THE CONDUCTOR STAND. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT THE CONTROLS ARE, ORCHESTRA PIT LIFT; ACT LIFT; ORGAN LIFT; MOVIETONE LIFT; DS CHORUS LIFT; AND US CHORUS LIFT. SHOWN HERE IS CONTROL FOR ORGAN LIFT.

IN MOVIE PALACE PARLANCE, EITHER ONE WAS SHOWING A PICTURE, OR NOT SHOWING A PICTURE. THUS THE HUB SWITCHBOARD HAD A ROW OF DIMMERS TERMED “HOUSELIGHTS” AND BENEATH THEM A ROW, “PICTURE HOUSE.” SIMILARLY THE LIFT POSITIONS WERE DESIGNATED AS BEING IN “PICTURE POSITION,” WHEN:

ORGAN, ORCHESTRA AND ACT LIFT: THE TALLER INSTRUMENTS (HARP AND DOUBLE-BASS) BELOW THE LINE OF SIGHT OF THE AUDIENCE. MOVIETONE LIFT, FULL UP; CHORUS LIFTS, STAGE LEVEL.

THE ORCHESTRA, ACT AND ORGAN LIFTS HAD FIVE POSITIONS: TOP, OVERTURE, PICTURE, BOTTOM AND STOP. OVERTURE WAS THE EXCITING POSITION WHERE THE BAND COULD BE SEEN TO PLAY, A FEW FEET BELOW STAGE LEVEL. THE MOVIETONE AND CHORUS LIFTS, TOP, PICTURE AND BOTTOM. ALL LIFTS COULD MAKE THEIR TRAVEL IN ABOUT 45 SECONDS, AT A NON-VARIABLE SPEED.

IN THIS PHOTO, THE ORCHESTRA SEATING WAS NOT YET FULLY INSTALLED. THE STEEL FRAMING OF THE AS YET UNCOMPLETED ORCHESTRA PIT AND ACT LIFT (UP CENTER, SLIGHTLY ELEVATED) CAN BE SEEN. THE ACT LIFT (REFERRED TO AS THE “MET LIFT” IN THE 1935 INVENTORY) COULD TRAVEL WITH THE ORCHESTRA LIFT, IF UNDER-LIFT PIVOT I-BEAMS WERE ENGAGED, MANUALLY; OTHERWISE IT TRAVELED INDEPENDENTLY. THE ORGAN CONSOLE IS ABSENT, AWAITING FLOORING, BUT IT'S MASSIVE TRAVELING CABLE CAN BE SEEN, ASBESTOS-CLAD. THE DOORS ON THE DOWNSTAGE PIT WALL ALLOWED ACCESS FROM THE MUSICIANS CORRIDOR, CONTAINING THEIR CLUB ROOM, LOCKER ROOM AND TOILETS. THE LIGHT BRIDGE (DEMOLISHED C. 1980) SETS ON THE DECK LEVEL AWAITING ITS INITIAL FLIGHT; IT WAS RIGGED ON A TWO-TO-ONE COUNTERWEIGHT SET, TO ALLOW FOR ARC LIGHT OPERATOR WEIGHT.

BELOW THE FOX STAGE READY FOR A 1929 OR 1930 FANCHON & MARCO STAGE SHOW. THE ORGAN LIFT AND ACT LIFTS ARE AT “TOP:” THE ORCHESTRA LIFT SLIGHTLY BELOW “TOP;” THE ACT LIFT AT “TOP;” THE MOVIETONE LIFT AT “PICTURE” (THAT IS, ITS ROOF HAD BECOME THE STAGE DECK); AND THE TWO CHORUS LIFTS CONTAINING THE STAGE BAND ARE AT “PICTURE” BUT WILL PROBABLY BE ELEVATED FOR THE SHOW.

BELOW IS A SHOT OF THE STAGE, SHOWING FOUR OF THE FIVE LATER-DEMOLISHED BORDERLIGHTS (VALANCE AND N0. 1 NOT SHOWN.) THE LIGHT BRIDGE IS AT ABOUT A TWENTY FOOT ELEVATION; IN THE FOREGROUND AND FAR FIELD ARE THE TWO TORMENTOR LIGHT TOWERS, WHICH WERE REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF THE METROPOLITAN OPERA IN 1947. UPSTAGE, THE NON-CURVED HARD CYC IS “IN,” EQUIPPED WITH ITS 350 STARS AND WHAT LOOKS LIKE A MOON BOX. THE BOTTOM TRIM OF THE CYC WAS ABOUT THREE FEET BELOW THE DECK, WHERE IT LANDED GENTLY INTO THE CYC FOOTLIGHT PIT, OBVIATING THE NECESSITY OF A GROUND ROW. ONCE THE CYC FLEW, STAGEHANDS "DISAPPEARED" THE CYC FOOT PIT, BY THROWING SHUT TWELVE FOUR-INCH THICK TRAP DOORS (WHICH LAY FLAT ON THE UPSTAGE WHEN OPEN), EACH INCORPORATING A DOOR CLOSER, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SLAM! NOTICE HOW SMALL THE PICTURE SHEET IS IN CONTRAST TO THE STAGE WIDTH. CHECK OUT ALL THE HOUSE DRAPES!

THE FOX PETER CLARK FLY SYSTEM, SHOWING THE SR TORMENTOR LIGHTING TOWER:

BELOW A VIEW OF THE TRAP ROOM LOOKING UPSTAGE. THE MOVIETONE LIFT IS UP, BUT NOT AT “TOP.” BEYOND, THE PIT FOR THE CHORUS LIFTS, WHICH ARE AT “PICTURE” (STAGE) LEVEL, AS THE EIGHT FOOT DEEP FLAT BLACK VELOUR MASKING WHICH HUNG ON THE DOWNSTAGE FACE OF EACH LIFT IS SEEN. AH, THE GLISTENING OIL-COVERED WORM SCREWS! DO NOT TOUCH!

WHEN THE FOX WAS STILL A MOVIE HOUSE, THE CHORUS LIFTS SUFFERED THE INDIGNITY OF BEING FREIGHT ELEVATORS; FOR IN THE TRAP ROOM THE POPCORN WAS STORED. TODAY’S MANAGEMENT USES THEM SIMILARLY, TO HAUL UP THE ATLANTA BALLET'S FALSE "SPRUNG" DECK WHICH STORES IN THE CLUTTERED TRAP ROOM. “WARNING, WARNING! BIG HOLE IN THE FLOOR!” IS WHAT STAGEHANDS CALL OUT WHEN THE LIFTS ARE IN THE “BOTTOM” POSITION. THAT THE STAGE LIFTS CAN RISE ABOVE STAGE LEVEL, THAT THEY CAN BE USED FOR SCENIC EFFECT IS SADLY FORGOTTEN. SIMILARLY THE ORCHESTRA PIT LIFT IS UTILIZED ONLY FOR FREIGHT.

HERE, FINALLY IS THE MOVIETONE LIFT, OR AS IT IS DESCRIBED IN THE 1935 INVENTORY, “HORN TOWER LIFT,"_ BUT AS "A MOVIETONE LIFT" IN THE 1931 PETER CLARK BULLETIN. (SEE BULLETIN AT END OF THIS CHAPTER), “MOVIETONE” WAS THE TRADE NAME OF THE FOX FILM PROCESS OF SOUND-ON-FILM, AS OPPOSED TO WARNER BROTHER’S VITAPHONE, WHERE THE SOUND WAS ON DISC. THE FOX SYSTEM WON OUT. THE 1:33 RATIO PICTURE SHEET IS BARELY WIDER THAN MOVIETONE.

THE MOVIETONE LIFT IS UNIQUE TO THE ATLANTA FOX. IN 1929 THE BEST STAGECRAFT MINDS (ROXY AND PETER CLARK AMONG THEM) ATTEMPTED TO FACILITATE RAPIDLY THE "SCENE CHANGE" FROM PICTURE TO STAGE SHOW AND VICE-VERSA: THE MOVIETONE LIFT WAS THE SOLUTION. WHILE THE M.C. PLAYED IN IN-ONE, WITH THE ORCHESTRA, THE PICTURE LOUDSPEAKERS DESCENDED AND BECAME THE STAGE DECK, WHILE FLYMAN FLEW THE PICTURE SHEET. (THE MOVIETONE PLAYED AT FULL HEIGHT SEVENTEEN FEET ABOVE THE STAGE, FOR TREBLE AUDIO TRAVELS BY LINE OF SIGHT, AND THE HORNS HAD TO BE SUFFICIENTLY ELEVATED TO REACH THE UPPER BALCONY.) IT IS ASSUMED THE READER UNDERSTANDS THAT FILM SOUND MUST EMANATE FROM BEHIND THE SHEET TO GIVE THE ILLUSION OF SOUND-ON-FILM, AND THAT IS WHY PROFESSIONAL PICTURES SHEETS ARE PERFORATED.

MOVIETONE IS BACK IN SERVICE TODAY FOR THE SUMMER FILMS.

LITTLE MOVIETONE WAS PROBABLY IN USE UNTIL THE WIDE-SCREEN INSTALLATION OF 1953. AT THAT TIME, SHE WAS PERMANENTLY LOWERED AND DISPLACED BY CINEMASCOPE'S CONCOMITANT FOUR CHANNEL "STEREO", HOUSE "SURROUND" AND THREE (LEFT, RIGHT, AND CENTER) GIGANTIC ALTEC A-1 VOICE OF THE THEATRE ONSTAGE SPEAKER CABINETS, THE LARGEST LOUDPSEAKERS EVER BUILT!

YET LITTLE MOVIETONE EVENTUALLY AND INADVERTENTLY SAVED THE DAY.

IN THE EARLY 70’S WHEN THE FOX SEEMED IN A CERTAIN DECLINE, FOX-O-PHILES, SUCH AS I, WERE SCREAMING, “PLEASE LET THE STAGE BE USED!!!” BUT TO NO AVAIL.

IN 1972, THE TASKS OF PICTURE-HOUSE CLOSE-OF-SHOW FOX IA "HOUSE MEN" RAGSDALE AND SAM TAYLOR SEEMED EASY ENOUGH. DEPRESS THE “CLOSE TRAVELER” BUTTON, SO TO ENGAGE THE MOTORIZED EIGHTY-FIVE FOOT WIDE TRAVELER CURTAIN TO FULL CLOSE AND STOP; CRANK UP THE HOUSELIGHTS ON THE HUB SLOW-MOTION WHEEL; AND ONCE THE HOUSE HAD CLEARED, DEPRESS THE “TOP” BUTTON ON THE ORCHESTRA PIT LIFT, WHICH CARRIED AS ITS LONE PASSENGER THE GHOST LIGHT SO TO ILLUMINATE THE HOUSE FOR CLEANING.

BUT THAT ONE NIGHT, OWING TO DRUNKENNESS, SENILITY, OR DUMB LUCK, THE STAGEHAND MAN (HE LATER CLAIMED AN "USHER DID IT") PRESSED "TOP" ON MOVIETONE RATHER THAN THE ORCHESTRA PIT AND DEPARTED TO HIS DRESSING ROOM.

IT WAS THE PROJECTIONIST, THEY SAY, WHO SOUNDED THE ALARM, FOR AS HE HAD WALKED DOWN FROM THE BOOTH TO GALLERY LEVEL, HEARD A TREMENDOUS “KA-BOOM!” AND THOUGHT A BOMB HAD BEEN EXPLODED ON STAGE. "LAND'O'LUD!" HE EXCLAIMED, RUSHING BACK UP THE STAIR TO THE BOOTH, TAKING UP THE HOUSE PHONE TO WIRE THE STAGEHANDS' ROOM TO QUERY, “WHAT THE SAM HILL JUST HAPPENED?” NO ANSWER, FOR SAM AND RAGS THEMSELVES WERE BACK ON THE GREAT STAGE, SWEATING BULLETS!

WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS THIS---- THE MOVIETONE HAD MADE ITS UNSTOPPABLE FORTY-FIVE SECOND, SEVENTEEN FOOT HIGH ASCENT.

ON ITS DOWNSTAGE EDGE, IT HAD LIFTED THE UPSTAGE ARC OF THE MASSIVE ANGLE-IRON PICTURE SHEET FRAME, AND AS IF IT WERE PUTTY, HAD CRUSHED IT UP AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PROSCENIUM ARCH.

MEANWHILE THE CENTER LOUDSPEAKER CABINET, THE 1746 POUND ALTEC A-1 WHICH RESTED ON MOVIETONE’S UPSTAGE EDGE WAS HURLED ONTO ITS BACK, RESULTING IN THE EXPLOSIVE BANG.

IT WAS PERFECT! EVERYONE SAID SOMEONE ELSE DID IT, BUT THE END RESULT WAS THAT, ALTHOUGH THE FRAME WAS DESTROYED, THE SHEET ITSELF WAS UNHARMED, NOR WAS THE LOUDSPEAKER DAMAGED.

A FRANTIC MIDNIGHT FRIDAY CALL WENT OUT TO SLEEPY ATLANTA STAGEHAND FAMILIES: “GET YOUR REARS DOWN HERE-- NOW!”

“WHA? HUH? WHY?”

“SHUT UP, AND GIT HERE!"

"WHEN?" "NOW, GOSHDARNITALL!!!”

ALL NIGHT THE HANDS TOILED. BY THE MORN' AND IN TIME FOR THE ALL-IMPORTANT NOON PICTURE MATINEE, THE FRAME HAD BEEN TORCHED TO SMITHEREENS, R. I. P., IN THE CYPRESS STREET ALLEY.

THE UNDAMAGED 70' WIDE SHEET WAS NO LONGER CURVED, BUT WAS HUNG FLAT ON A SYSTEM PIPE.

AND VERILY AND FINALLY THE CHIEF ATTRIBUTE OF THE FOX, THE STAGE, WAS, AS, ROBERT E. LEE ONCE DECLAIMED, “FREE AT LAST!”

ONCE THE FOX RE-OPENED AS LEGIT, THERE WERE PLENTY OF ROCK SHOWS. ONE NIGHT A STONED PATRONESS FELL ONTO THE ORGAN WHICH WAS AT “BOTTOM” POSITION. SHE WAS UNHARMED BUT A COUPLE OF PRECIOUS STOP TABS WERE BROKEN. JOE PATTEN THEN CONSTRUCTED A REMOVABLE HARD DECK COVER FOR THE ORGAN, WHICH WOULD PROTECT IT FROM FURTHER ONSLAUGHT. THE ORCHESTRA LIFT WAS ORIGINALLY STEPPED TO ACCOMMODATE THE 75-PIECE HOUSE BAND. TO BECOME ESSENTIALLY A "THRUST STAGE," THE PIT WAS LEVELED OUT, AS IS SHOWN IN THIS C. 1980 PHOTO, BOTH ORGAN, ACT AND ORCHESTRA AT “TOP.”.

THE END

PETER CLARK BULLETIN, FROM MANCALL'S CATALOG, 1931, COURTESY JOE PATTEN

CHAPTER 16 INTRODUCING CINEMASCOPE, 1953

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JOURNAL, JANUARY 1964 THE WEB SAYS "ELECTRONOVISION THEATREOFILM" WAS A PROCESS WHEREBY A VIDEOTAPE WAS TAKEN OF A LIVE STAGE PERFORMANCE AND CONVERTED TO A 35MM KINESCOPE FOR THEATRICAL EXHIBITION. IT WAS A FAILURE.
Under construction

CHAPTER 17 GRAND OPERA AND ATLANTA SOCIETY

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COMING SOON! WHILE YOU WAIT, HERE IS:

CHRONOLOGY OF MET PERFORMANCES AT THE FOX
(Operas which played multiple times are marked "(#2)," etc.)

1947
Monday April 28th LE NOZZE DI FIGARO
Tuesday April 29th Matinee MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Tuesday April 29th Evening AIDA

1948
Thursday April 1st CARMEN
Friday April 2nd LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Friday April 2nd Matinee DER ROSENKAVALIER

1949
Monday April 18th OTELLO
Tuesday April 19th MIGNON
Wednesday April 20th Matinee LA TRAVIATA
Wednesday April 20th Evening L'ELISIR D'AMORE

1950
Monday April 24th TOSCA
Tuesday April 25th LOHENGRIN
Wednesday April 26th Matinee FAUST
Wednesday April 26th Evening RIGOLETTO

1951
Monday April 23rd IL TROVATORE
Tuesday April 24th DIE FLEDERMAUS
Wednesday April 25th Matinee CAV/PAG
Wednesday April 25th Evening IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA

1952
Thursday May 1st LA TRAVIATA (#2)
Friday May 2nd CARMEN (#2)
Saturday May 3rd Matinee LA BOHEME
Saturday May 3rd Evening AIDA (#2)

1953
Thursday April 30th DER ROSENKAVALIER (#2)
Friday May 1st SAMPSON ET DALILA
Saturday May 2nd Matinee COSI FAN TUTTE
Saturday May 2nd Evening TOSCA (#2)

1954
Monday May 3rd DON GIOVANNI
Tuesday May 4th Matinee FAUST (#2)
Tuesday May 4th Evening LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR (#2)
Wednesday May 5th LA FORZA DEL DESTINO

1955
Wednesday April 27th CARMEN (#3)
Thursday April 28th MANON LESCAUT
Friday April 29th ANDREA CHENIER
Saturday April 30th Matinee IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA (#2)
Saturday April 30th Evening MADAMA BUTTERFLY (#2)

1956
Wednesday May 2nd LE CONTES D'HOFFMANN
Thursday May 3rd DIE MEISTERSINGER
Friday May 4th BORIS GODUNOV
Saturday May 5th Matinee DON PASQUALE
Saturday May 5th Evening TOSCA (#3)

1957
Wednesday May 1st IL TROVATORE (#2)
Thursday May 2nd LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (#2)
Friday May 3rd LA TRAVIATA (#3)
Saturday May 4th Matinee LA PERICHOLE
Saturday May 4th Evening LA BOHEME (#2)

1958
Wednesday April 30th EUGENE ONEGIN
Thursday May 1st AIDA (#3)
Friday May 2nd DER ROSENKAVALIER (#3)
Saturday May 3rd Matinee FAUST (#3)
Saturday May 3rd Evening MADAMA BUTTERFLY (#3)

1959
Wednesday April 29th DON GIOVANNI (#2)
Thursday April 30th CARMEN (#4)
Friday May 1st RIGOLETTO (#2)
Saturday May 2nd Matinee DIE FLEDERMAUS (#2)
Saturday May 2nd Evening CAV/PAG (#2)

1960
Monday May 2nd ANDREA CHENIER (#2)
Tuesday May 3rd MADAMA BUTTERFLY (#4)
Wednesday May 4th LA TRAVIATA (#4)
Thursday May 5th DER ZIGEUNERBARON
Friday May 6th IL TROVATORE (#3)
Saturday May 7th Matinee SIMON BOCCANEGRA
Saturday May 7th Evening LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (#3)

1961
Monday May 1st TURANDOT
Tuesday May 2nd MANON LESCAUT (#2)
Wednesday May 3rd RIGOLETTO (#3)
Thursday May 4th LA BOHEME (#3)
Friday May 5th MARTHA
Saturday May 6th Matinee L'ELISIR D'AMORE (#2)
Saturday May 6th Evening NABUCCO

1962
Monday April 30th ELEKTRA
Tuesday May 1st LA FORZA DEL DESTINO (#2)
Wednesday May 2nd TOSCA (#4)
Thursday May 3rd LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR (#3)
Friday May 4th MADAMA BUTTERFLY (#5)
Saturday May 5th Matinee COSI FAN TUTTE (#2)
Saturday May 5th Evening LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

1963
Monday April 29th LA TRAVIATA (#5)
Tuesday April 30th OTELLO (#2)
Wednesday May lst DIE MEISTERSINGER (#2)
Thursday May 2nd BORIS GODUNOV (#2)
Friday May 3rd DIE FLEDERMAUS (#3)
Saturday May 4th Matinee CAV/PAG (#3)
Saturday May 4th Evening TOSCA (#5)

1964
Monday May llth AIDA (#4)
Tuesday May 12th LA BOHEME (#4)
Wednesday May 13th MANON LESCAUT (#3)
Thursday May 14th DON GIOVANNI (#3)
Friday May 15th FAUST (#4)
Saturday May 16th Matinee LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR (#4)
Saturday May 16th Evening FALSTAFF

1965
Tuesday May 4th SAMPSON ET DALILA (#2)
Wednesday May 5th RIGOLETTO (#4)
Thursday May 6th TURANDOT (#2)
Friday May 7th OTELLO (#3)
Saturday May 8th Matinee DIE FLIEGENDE HOLLANDER
Saturday May 8th Evening MADAMA BUTTERFLY (#6)

1966
Monday May 2nd FAUST (#5)
Tuesday May 3rd PIKOVAYA DAMA
Wednesday May 4th LA BOHEME (#5)
Thursday May 5th DON GIOVANNI (#4)
Friday May 6th LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR (#5)
Saturday May 7th Matinee IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA (#3)
Saturday May 7th Evening IL TROVATORE (#4)

1967
Monday May 1st LA GIOCONDA
Tuesday May 2nd UN BALLO IN MASCHERA
Wednesday May 3rd TURANDOT (#3)
Thursday May 4th DIE FLEDERMAUS (#4)
Friday May 5th LOHENGRIN (#2)
Saturday May 6th Matinee LA TRAVIATA (#6)
Saturday May 6th Evening OTELLO (#4)

1968
Monday May 6th LUISA MILLER
Tuesday May 7th TOSCA (#6)
Wednesday May 8th CARMEN (#5)
Thursday May 9th LE NOZZE DI FIGARO (#4)
Friday May 10th LA FORZA DEL DESTINO (#3)
Saturday May llth Matinee MADAMA BUTTERFLY (#7)
Saturday May 11th Evening ROMEO ET JULIETTE

THE MET ALSO PLAYED ATLANTA IN OTHER VENUES:
GRAND OPERA HOUSE (later LOEW'S GRAND)
1901 Wednesday October 28th LOHENGRIN
Thursday October 29th Matinee ROMEO ET JULIETTE
1905 Wednesday April 26th PARSIFAL

THEREAFTER THE MET PLAYED FULL WEEKS AT THE MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM
AS PART OF THE SPRING TOUR: 1910-1917; 1919-1930; AND 1939-42.
THE MET PLAYED THE CIVIC CENTER UNTIL THE FINAL SPRING TOUR,
FROM 1969 TO 1986.
Sources: "Opera Caravan: Adventures of the Metropolitan on Tour,
1883-1956," Quaintance Eaton, 1957
"Annals of the Metropolitan Opera, 1883-1985,"
Gerald Fitzgerald, 1989

CHAPTER 18 GRAND OPERA AND THE FOX STAGEHANDS

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"EVERYTHING ABOUT THE FOX THEATRE IS KING-SIZED," ACCORDING TO NOBLE ARNOLD, THEATRE MANAGER FROM 1951 TILL 1969.

THE ARTICLE BELOW PROVES HIS POINT: SEVENTY-FIVE EMPLOYEES FOR A MOVIE HOUSE! OF COURSE, THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL FOR TWO SHIFTS, AS THE HOUSE OPERATED FROM ABOUT NOON TILL MIDNIGHT, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. THIS EXCELLENT ARTICLE, (JOURNAL, SEPTEMBER, 1950) GIVES THE COMPLEMENT AS FOUR PROJECTIONISTS, TWO ELECTRICIANS, 20 USHERS, TWO CHIEF USHERS, THREE DOORMAN, TWO ENGINEERS, A MANAGER, THREE ASSISTANT MANAGERS, TWENTY-FIVE CLEANERS, AND UNNAMED OTHERS FOR A TOTAL OF SEVENTY-FIVE, OR ABOUT 25 EACH FOR TWO OPERATING SHIFTS AND AN EARLY MORNING CLEANING CREW OF 25. THESE FIGURES DO NOT INCLUDE OPERATION OF THE SHRINE AREAS, EGYPTIAN BALLROOM AND SO FORTH.THE FOUR PROJECTIONISTS AND THE TWO ELECTRICIANS COMPRISED THE FULL TIME IA CREW. FROM OPENING ON CHRISTMAS DAY, 1929, THE FOX HAS BEEN AN IA HOUSE, INITIALLY LOCAL 41, NOW LOCAL 927. TWO PROJECTIONISTS WERE ON DUTY AT ALL TIMES, AND THE ELECTRICIAN (STAGEHAND) WOULD OPERATE THE HUB SWITCHBOARD AND THE MOTORIZED TRAVELER CURTAIN AND PERFORM MAINTENANCE AS DIRECTED. AT THE TIME THE FOX CLOSED AS A MOVIE HOUSE IN JANUARY, 1975, THESE MEN WERE HARRIS RAGSDALE AND SAM TAYLOR. SAM AND RAGS HAD A WOODEN BOX WHICH WOULD STRAP OVER THEIR SHOULDERS CONTAINING MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF LIGHT BULBS, AND THEY WOULD ROAM THE HOUSE RELAMPING.

WHEN THE FOX OPENED IN 1929, WITH STAGE SHOWS AND PICTURES, IT CAN BE GUESSED THAT THE FULL TIME IA CREW WAS AT LEAST 26, OVER TWO SHIFTS. I INCLUDE FOUR PROJECTIONISTS (COULD HAVE BEEN SIX-- THERE WERE THREE MACHINES); TWO AUDIO OPS (YES, THE FOX HAD A HOUSE PA FROM DAY ONE); FOUR ELECTRICIANS; FOUR CARPS; FOUR FLYMEN; FOUR PROP, AND FOUR WARDROBE. IN 2010 THE FOX HAS FIVE DEPARTMENT HEADS ON CALL (ELEC, CARP, FLY, AUDIO, PROP) BUT THEY ARE NOT PRECISELY "FULL TIME," FOR THEY ARE NOT CALLED IF THE HOUSE IS DARK. HOUSE MAINTENANCE HAS PASSED OUT OF IA JURISDICTION; EGYPTIAN BALLROOM IS NON-UNION.

"FOX GETS SCRUBBING FOR HIGHBROW AUDIENCE" (Atlanta Journal, May, 1952) GIVES AN IDEA OF THE IMPORTANCE THE FOX PLACED UPON THE OPERA'S VISIT. BILL JENKINS AND LATER JOHN STEMBLER, PART OWNERS OF THE BUILDING WERE ON THE BOARD OF THE PRESENTING ORGANIZATION, THE ATLANTA MUSIC FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION. JENKINS WAS A CLASSY GUY; IT IS SAID HE HAD A 35MM BOOTH INSTALLED IN THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE DRESSING ROOMS (GREEN ROOM) WHERE HE WOULD EXHIBIT STAG FILMS FOR THE PLEASURE OF A SELECT GROUP. OTHERWISE THE FIVE FLOORS OF DRESSING ROOMS WERE VACANT EXCEPT FOR THE OPERA'S YEARLY STAY. THIS WRITEUP DESCRIBES THE CLEANERS BEGINNING WORK AT 6AM, A MINIMUM OF 32 STAGEHANDS ON THE OPERA RUNNING CREW, AND AN AUGMENTED USHER STAFF OF 100, "TO SEAT THE 5000 IN FORTY MINUTES," ACCORDING TO MANAGER ARNOLD. AS HE POINTS OUT, MANY FIRST NIGHT PATRONS ALSO HELD TICKETS FOR SOME OR ALL OF THE OTHER PERFORMANCES, FOR THE MET PLAYED IN REP. MENTION IS MADE OF THE YELLOW AND RED STENCILED TRAVELER WHICH THE OPERA UTILIZED (IT WAS NOT RIGGED TO FLY) AND THE USE OF THE FIRE CURTAIN BEFORE AND AFTER EACH PERFORMANCE.

FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF MAY, 1964 THIS WAS THE FINAL PUFF PIECE ON THE FOX AND OPERA BEFORE THEY DEPARTED FOR THE CIVIC CENTER FIVE YEARS LATER. THE FOX WAS PROBLEMATIC TO THE MET IN TWO WAYS: TOO SHALLOW AND TOO WIDE. THE FOX STAGE WAS 36 FEET DEEP COMPARED TO THE OLD MET (FIFTY TWO FEET) AND AFTER 1966, THE NEW (ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE, INCLUDING UPSTAGE WAGON); AND TOO WIDE, WITH AN ALMOST EIGHTY FOOT PROSCENIUM OPENING, COMPARED TO FIFTY AT THE METS, BOTH OLD AND NEW. IN EVERY OTHER RESPECT, THE FOX WAS MORE THAN SATISFACTORY. RUDOLF BING, MET GENERAL MANAGER FROM 1951 UNTIL 1971 NOTES IN HIS 1972 AUTOBIOGRAPHY "5000 NIGHTS AT THE OPERA" THAT THE FOX HAD, "AN IMPOSSIBLE STAGE...BUT [HAD] STYLE, GRACE, AND GOOD ACOUSTICS. I WAS PARTICULARLY FOND OF IT BECAUSE THE HOTEL WHERE I STAYED [THE GEORGIAN TERRACE] WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, AND I COULD SIT ON THE PORCH IN A ROCKING CHAIR AND STILL BE "ON DUTY": IF ANYTHING HAPPENED IN THE THEATRE I COULD BE SUMMONED ALMOST AS QUICKLY AS IF I WERE IN THE AUDIENCE. NOW [1969] ALAS, ATLANTA HAS BUILT A NEW CIVIC CENTER, WITH A HALL ALMOST AS IMPRACTICAL AS THE OLD MOVIE HOUSE (THE ORCHESTRA PIT IS FAR TOO SMALL), MUCH LESS ATTRACTIVE, AND FAR FROM MY HOTEL." BING WAS QUITE HESITANT TO LEAVE THE FOX, AND IN FACT THE 1968 SEASON HE CHOSE TO PLAY THE FOX RATHER THAN THE NEW HOUSE EVEN THOUGH IT HAD BEEN COMPLETED.

IN AN APRIL, 1948 JOURNAL PHOTO, THE LOCAL CREW CAN BE SEEN UNLOADING ONTO THE STAGE FROM A TRUCK IN THE ALLEY, THE OCCASION BEING "CARMEN" WHERE SEVERAL OF THE TRAINS WERE DELAYED, NECESSITATING THE OPERA BEING PLAYED IN STREET CLOTHES, TO THE DELIGHT OF THE FIRST NIGHTERS. FRANCIS ROBINSON, THE MET'S PR MAN AND A SOUTHERNER WHO WAS MUCH BELOVED IN ATLANTA, EXPLAINS IN HIS BOOK "CELEBRATION: THE METROPOLITAN OPERA" (1979) THAT "THE CLOSEST THE COMPANY EVER CAME TO MISSING A PERFORMANCE SINCE [THE] SAN FRANCISCO [EARTHQUAKE] WAS ON TOUR IN 1948. SPRING RAINS WASHED OUT THE TRACKS ON THE MAIN LINE BETWEEN RICHMOND AND ATLANTA. OUR SECOND [COMPANY] TRAIN DID NOT ARRIVE UNTIL 6:30PM FOR AN 8:00 CURTAIN-- NOT TIME ENOUGH TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC THERE WOULD BE A DELAY. LOOKING AS ONLY HE COULD IN WHITE TIE AND TAILS [THEN MET GM] EDWARD JOHNSON CAME IN FRONT OF THE CURTAIN AND BEGGED THE INDULGENCE OF THE AUDIENCE. IN THE SHUFFLE SOME OF THE BAGGAGE DIDN'T REACH THE THEATRE. RISE STEVENS [CARMEN] HAD HER COSTUME WITH HER, BUT THE COMPANY TRUNKS HADN'T ARRIVED. THE RESULT WAS A COSTUMELESS "CARMEN"--- IN STREET CLOTHES, NOT IN THE NUDE--- WHICH BEGAN AT 10 PM AND DIDN'T COME DOWN UNTIL ONE THE NEXT MORNING. MANY OLD-TIMERS SAID IT WAS THE MOST EXCITING "CARMEN" THEY EVER WITNESSED. THE STORY MADE FRONT PAGES AROUND THE WORLD. 'YOU GIVE A HUNDRED PERFECT PERFORMANCES,' MR. JOHNSON SAID RUEFULLY, 'AND NOBODY PAYS ANY ATTENTION TO YOU.'"

THE MET SPRING TOUR BORE ALMOST NO RESEMBLANCE TO WHAT IS THOUGHT OF AS "STANDARD TOUR PRACTICE" TODAY. UNTIL THE LATE 60'S, FOR INSTANCE, THEY TRAVELED BY TRAIN. IN SINGER ROBERT MERRILL'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY "BETWEEN ACTS" (1976) HE NOTES THAT "AFTER WORLD WAR TWO, THE MET TOURED SIXTEEN PRODUCTIONS WITH 500 PEOPLE IN PULLMANS (THE SCENERY AND EQUIPMENT MOVED ON TWENTY-SEVEN FLATCARS [SIC]); BY 1972, WE WERE DOWN TO EIGHT SHOWS, TRANSPORTED BY TRUCK, WHILE WE SQUEEZED IN TO TWO CHARTERED PLANES." (THE COMPANY OF FIVE HUNDRED INCLUDED THE PRINCIPAL SINGERS, THE CHORUS, THE BALLET, A HUNDRED-PIECE ORCHESTRA, THE STAGE CREW AND THE MANAGEMENT.)

RUDOLF BING CONTINUES, "WE TRAVELED ABOUT THE COUNTRY IN SPECIAL TRAINS, THE BIGGEST THING AFTER BARNUM AND BAILEY, EXCEPT THAT GIRAFFES DON'T GET HOARSE. IN 1959, WE NEEDED NO FEWER THAN TWENTY-SEVEN BOXCARS WITH US FOR THE PHYSICAL PRODUCTION. FROM BOSTON TO ATLANTA WAS TWO NIGHTS AND ONE DAY ON THE TRAIN. WE ALL ATE IN THE SAME DINING CARS. I NEVER KNEW WHAT WENT ON AT NIGHT..."

THE MET TOUR WAS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT AS WELL FOR THEY PRESENTED NOT A ROAD SHOW, BUT THE NEW YORK SHOW, INCLUDING THE STARS AND THE ENTIRE COMPANY, NEW YORK COSTUMES AND WITHIN LIMITS, THE STAGE SCENERY. BING, AGAIN, "WE COULD NOT HOPE TO BRING THE THEATRICAL VALUES OF OUR BEST PRODUCTIONS IN NEW YORK, BECAUSE THE THEATRES WERE SIMPLY NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE OUR SOLID SETS--- IN FACT. . . WE HAD TO PREPARE SPECIAL [RELATIVELY] INEXPENSIVE 'TOUR SETS,' PAINTED DROPS THAT COULD BE HUNG ON THE WRETCHED STAGES WE PLAYED DURING THE TOUR."

THE IATSE ROAD CREW, THAT IS THE TRAVELING STAGE HANDS, WERE NOT "ROAD GUYS" BUT THE ACTUAL NEW YORK HOUSE HEADS.

DROPS TRAVELED ROLLED IN FULL SIXTY-FOOT WIDTH ON WOODEN BATTENS AND ATTACHED TO SYSTEM PIPES WITH METROPOLITAN DROP HOLDERS, A CLEVER DEVICE WHICH MADE DROP-HANGING INSTANTANEOUS-- NO TOOLS, NO TIES. THE MET TRAVELED WITH LIGHTING INSTRUMENTS, BUT, AT LEAST IN THE CASE OF THE FOX, USED THE HOUSE (HUB) SWITCHBOARD, AS CAN BEEN SEEN IN PHOTOS FURTHER ON.

THERE WAS STILL EVIDENCE OF THE MET WHEN THE FOX WAS SAVED IN 1975. WHEN JOE PATTEN TOOK ESTIMATES ON SANDING AND RE-STAINING THE STAGE FLOOR, IT WAS DISCOVERED THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF TACKS HAMMERED INTO THE DECK, TACKS WHICH THE MET HAD USED TO FASTEN DOWN THE GROUND CLOTHS USED IN EVERY PRODUCTION. THE TINY NAILS HAD TO BE HAND PULLED.

THE COMPANY TRAINS ARRIVED AT ONCE-PROUD DOWNTOWN ATLANTA'S TERMINAL STATION AMIDST MUCH HOOPLA; THE SCENERY TRAINS ARRIVED AND WERE PLACED ON A SIDING WITH NO FANFARE AT ALL, AS BELOW DESCRIBED (CONSTITUTION, MAY, 1956), AT THE CORNER OF BOULEVARD AND 10TH STREET. (THE PORTION OF BOULEVARD NORTH OF PONCE DE LEON WAS RENAMED "MONROE" IN THE EARLY 60'S BY MAYOR IVAN ALLEN IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN ATLANTA'S RACIAL NEIGHBORHOOD DIVIDES.) IA HANDS WOULD UNLOAD THE HARD PIECES, ACCORDING TO LONG-TIME IA STAGEHAND LEE FREEMAN, ONTO 50 FOOT TRACTOR TRAILER "TRANSFER TRUCKS;" THE DROPS WOULD BE PLACED ON OPEN TRAILERS CUSTOMARILY USED TO TRANSPORT TELEPHONE POLES AND DRIVEN WITH SPECIAL PERMIT TO THE FOX. (THE ARTICLE NOTES SOME DROPS WERE TOO LONG (DEEP) FOR THE FOX AND HAD TO BE "TRIPPED.")

FREEMAN POINTS OUT THAT THERE COULD BE NO "PACK-BACK" OF EMPTY CASES ONCE AN "IN" WAS COMPLETE, FOR THE TRANSFER TRUCKS WERE LONG-GONE. ALL TOURING MATERIEL STAYED IN THE HOUSE; AND THIS WAS AT THE TIME WHEN THE STAGE LEFT "SHRINE DRESSING ROOM" TOWER, NOW CONSIDERED A NECESSARY STAGE ADJUNCT AND STORAGE FACILITY, WAS STRICTLY OFF-LIMITS: IT WAS LOADED WITH MOVIE-HOUSE CANDY AND POPCORN, THE CITY'S CENTRAL REPOSITORY OF RASINETS, ACCESSIBLE ONLY FROM THE ALLEY.

MENTION IS MADE OF THE STAGE RIGHT DRESSING ROOM TOWER PASSENGER ELEVATOR AS "SMALL AND OVERWORKED." THE ORIGINAL OTIS CAR WAS THE FIRST AUTOMATIC ELEVATOR IN ATLANTA, BUT PRIOR TO ITS REHAB IT COULD BE ERRATIC. ON ANY JOURNEY IT COULD, IF IT WISHED, ELEVATE ONE AT FULL SPEED, STOPPED ONLY BY THE TOP OF THE SHAFT, THEN IMMEDIATELY HURL ONE DOWN THE EIGHT FLOORS TO THE BASEMENT, BOUNCING ON THE PIT SPRING! THIS HEADY SENSATION YOUR AUTHOR EXPERIENCED MANY TIMES. THE MET HAD THE FOX HIRE AN OTIS MAN TO SIT IN THE PENTHOUSE FOR THE RUN OF THE ENGAGEMENT, SO THERE WOULD BE NO UNFORESEEN DIFFICULTIES.

AFTER THE INSTALL OF THE "LARGEST INDOOR CURVED CINEMASCOPE SCREEN IN THE WORLD" IN OCTOBER, 1953, STRIPPING THE HOUSE FOR THE MET BECAME A COMPLICATED AFFAIR. WITH THE FLAT SHEET, IT NEED ONLY BE FLOWN OR RELOCATED, AND THE MOVIE HORNS WOULD DESCEND ON THE MOVIETONE LIFT. CINEMASCOPE'S ATTENDANT THREE GIGANTIC ALTEC A-1 LOUDSPEAKER CABINETS ON TOWERS REQUIRED A TEN MAN CREW TO STRIKE, SO TO BE TRUCKED OFF-SITE FOR THE DURATION, AS THE JOURNAL PIECE BELOW OF MAY, 1964 DESCRIBES IN DETAIL. THE SEVENTY BY THIRTY CURVED SCOPE SHEET, MOUNTED ON AN EIGHT FOOT DEEP ANGLE-IRON FRAME, WAS SOMEHOW (CAREFULLY? GINGERLY?) HAULED UPSTAGE AND, ACCORDING TO JOE PATTEN (WHO TOOK TIME OFF FROM HIS DAY JOB TO WORK AS A HAND ON THE OPERA), FLOWN TO THE GRID ON ITS OWN MOTORIZED CHAIN HOISTS.

"WE TAKE PRIDE IN OUR OPERATION," SAYS FOX MANAGER NOBLE ARNOLD, ARGUABLY THE BEST MANAGER THE FOX EVER SAW; HE AND RUDOLF BING WHOSE TENURES NEATLY COINCIDED MADE A TEAM TO BE RECKONED WITH.

THIS CONSTITUTION ARTICLE OF MAY, 1956 CITES THE EIGHT FOOT DEPTH NUMBER, WHICH RAISES THE QUESTION OF THE ALREADY TOO-SHALLOW-FOR-THE-MET-STAGE WHITTLED DOWN TO TWENTY-EIGHT FEET. ONE ASSUMES THE SHEET WAS FLOWN NOT FULLY UPSTAGE, BUT A FEW FEET SHY, SO THAT THE FURTHEST UPSTAGE SYSTEM PIPES COULD BE UTILIZED.

APRIL, 1950 CONSTITUTION PHOTO SPREAD SHOWS LOCAL HANDS STRIPPING A HOUSE DRAPE; AN USHER BRIEFING FROM THE PIT; IA HOUSE MAN J.T MCMILLAN MAKING A DRESSING ROOM MIRROR "ADJUSTMENT;" WHILE ANOTHER HOUSE MAN J.M. CATES OPERATES THE FOUR-HUNDRED DIMMER INTERLOCKING RESISTANCE HUB SWITCHBOARD. "BOTH MCMILLAN AND CATES HAVE 'WORKED' THE OPERA FOR MORE THAN FORTY YEARS.'" THE MET PLAYED THE DOWNTOWN MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM FROM 1910 UNTIL 1942, WHEN THE WAR PUT THE KIBOSH ON THE SPRING TOUR.

LEE FREEMAN'S DAD O.L. "SNOOKY" FREEMAN IS MENTIONED IN THIS MAY, 1959 JOURNAL OFFERING. ALLEGEDLY NICKNAMED "SNOOKY" AFTER A STRIPPER IN AN ATLANTA BURLESQUE HOUSE, SNOOK WAS A FOX HOUSE MAN IN THE 50'S, AND THE TOP-NOTCH LEAD SCENIC SHOP CARPENTER OUT AT CHASTAIN WHERE I MET HIM IN 1967. CHRIS MANOS' SCENE SHOP ONCE HAD TWO FULLTIME IA CARPS, AND THE CHASTAIN STAGE WAS FULLY UNION.

SNOOKY ALMOST LOST HIS LIFE WHILE STRIPPING THE HOUSE FOR THE MET IN THE EARLY 60'S. HE WAS ON THE RAIL, AND OVER-ZEALOUS CARPENTERS STRIPPED A PARAMOUNT DRAPE FROM A SYSTEM PIPE BEFORE THE COUNTERWEIGHT CARRIAGE COULD BE STRIPPED OF WEIGHT. THE BATTEN "RAN WILD," RUNNING THROUGH THE BRAKE, AND POOR SNOOK ATTEMPTED TO HOLD THE OPERATING LINE! HE WAS HAULED UP UNDER THE INDEX LIGHT BEFORE HE LET GO. HIS HANDS WERE BADLY BURNED AND FILLED WITH HEMP SPLINTERS. HE WAS A TROUPER, HOWEVER, AND WORKED THE REMAINDER OF THE RUN WITH BOTH HANDS IN BANDAGES.

TO ADD TO THE EXCITEMENT, A LARGE SHARE OF THE FIVE HUNDRED METROPOLITAN COMPANY MEMBERS DID NOT SPEAK ENGLISH. THIS PIECE (MAY, 1959, CONSTITUTION) EXPLAINS HOW BEARINGS WERE GIVEN BY CHALKING ON SUBSTAGE AND OTHER WALLS EITHER "WEST 39TH STREET" OR "WEST FORTIETH STREET," AS OPPOSED TO THE UNFATHOMABLE "STAGE LEFT" OR "RIGHT." THESE MARKINGS SURVIVED UNTIL THE 80'S WHEN SOME EINSTEIN IN FOX MANAGEMENT HAD THEM PAINTED OUT. DRAWING OF OLD MET (STREET LEVEL PLAN) FOLLOWS.

MENTION IS MADE ALSO OF THE BUZZER OR DRESSING ROOM ANNUNCIATOR SYSTEM, NOW REMOVED. BEFORE THE AGE OF DRESSING ROOM LOUDSPEAKER FEEDS, AN ELECTRICALLY OPERATED BOARD ABOVE THE STAGE MANAGERS' DESK (WHERE THE STAGE LIFT PUSHBUTTONS ARE LOCATED) SHOWED EACH DRESSING ROOM AND MANY BASEMENT ROOMS BY NUMBER OR NAME ON ELECTRO-MAGNETICALLY OPERATED "FLAGS". THE STAGE MANAGER WOULD CALL AN ACTOR TO STAGE BY DEPRESSING THE BUTTON BELOW THE FLAG, SAY, "ROOM 53" (FIFTH FLOOR). THE ACTOR WOULD CONFIRM THE BUZZ RECEIVED IN HIS ROOM BY PRESSING THE LOCAL PB, WHICH WOULD NOISELESSLY FLIP THE STAGE FLAG TO INFORM THE STAGE MANAGER THAT THE ACTOR WAS ALIVE OR SOBER OR BOTH. ALL FLAGS WOULD BE RESET BY PRESSING ANOTHER BUTTON.

YET ANOTHER PUFF PIECE, JOURNAL, MAY, 1954, GIVES MENTION TO LOCAL IA HAND JESS SHAFFER, WHOM LEE FREEMAN CLAIMS LIVED IN A CIRCUS TRAILER ON MORELAND AVENUE. SHAFFER "IS AN ELECTRICIAN," IT SAYS, "AND WORKED SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM ON A NEGRO SPIRITUAL SHOW. MONDAY, HE WAS WORKING ON THE MET."

MAY, 1958 JOURNAL PHOTO SHOWS OPERA BALLET CORPS DANCER WARMING UP ON STAGE; LEADING EDGE OF YELLOW AND RED STENCILED HOUSE TRAVELER CAN BE SEEN.

UNNAMED LOCAL AND MET HOUSE HEADS "DOING SOMETHING" IN CONSTITUTION PHOTO, MAY, 1954

FOX STAGEHANDS LOOK DIFFERENTLY TODAY, BUT ARE AMONG THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. 2008 SHOT SHOWS "THE BEST" SEEN THROUGH STAGE LEFT LOADING DOOR, STANDING ON ALLEY ELEVATOR LIFTS, AWAITING THE NEXT TRUCK.

"STAGEHANDS DOING DOUBLE TAKE TODAY," HEADLINES THIS MAY, 1965 JOURNAL BLURB, BUT ACCORDING TO LEE FREEMAN THERE WERE THREE SHIFTS: DAY, RUNNING (OR SHOW), AND NIGHT ("BULLDOG"). A FOURTH SHIFT WORKED AT THE TRAIN SIDING. ONCE AN OPERA PLAYED, IT WAS STRUCK AND TAKEN BACK TO ITS TRAIN; THE NEXT SET WOULD COME IN TO BE SET OVERNIGHT AND DURING THE FOLLOWING DAY.

WHETHER THE MET PLAYED HERE FOUR OPERAS IN FIVE DAYS, OR, AFTER 1959, SEVEN OPERAS IN SIX DAYS, THERE WAS ALWAYS A MATINEE TO ADD TO THE SPICE. UPWARDS OF SIXTY HANDS WORKED ON THE STAGE, DEPENDING ON THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PRODUCTION, AND SOME ATTEMPTED TO WORK MUTLIPLE SHIFTS (AS DID LEE, IN ADDITION TO HIS DAY JOB) BUT IT WAS A LOSING BATTLE. WORKING WHILST ASLEEP GOES AGAINST KNOWN SAFETY GUIDELINES!

THE FOLLOWING SEVERAL ARTICLES HIGHLIGHT CLIFF CLOWER, FOX HOUSE MAN FROM DAY ONE IN 1929 AND ONE OF THOSE WHO WORKED THE MET'S VISITS SINCE 1910. HE LIVED AT 853 PONCE DE LEON PLACE AND RETIRED AT ABOUT THE AGE OF EIGHTY. HE KEPT A NOTEBOOK ON VITAL FOX STAGE STATISTICS WHICH HE KINDLY BEQUEATHED TO JOE PATTEN.

APRIL, 1950, CONSTITUTION

APRIL, 1953, JOURNAL

MAY, 1957, CONSTITUTION

DECEMBER, 1964, JOURNAL

IN CLOSING, MAY I SUBMIT THAT IF EVER THERE WAS A GOOD REASON FOR A STAGE UNION, THIS CONSTITUTUION ARTICLE OF MAY, 1960 REVEALS IT. A GEORGIA TECH LAD WAS HIRED BY THE MET TO AUGMENT THE DRESSING ROOM ANNUNCIATOR SYSTEM AS AN ANACHRONISTIC "CALL BOY."

"HE'LL BE PAID $3 OR $4 A NIGHT. 'IT DEPENDS ON HOW GOOD HE IS,'" SAYS MET ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER LEVINE.

FROM BING'S BOOK, HERE IS BING (NOT CROSBY) (RIGHT) WITH SIDEKICK FRANCIS ROBINSON EN TOUR, SITTING ON TYPICALLY UNCASTERED ROAD BOXES.

CHAPTER 19 GRAND OPERA AND DESEGREGATION OF THE FOX

2010-05-28T07:44:00.001-07:00

----THE DESEGREGATION OF THE FOX----

A RARE COLOR PHOTOGRAPH OF ATLANTA'S WHITE ELITE IN ITS ANNUAL FLING WITH THE MET, AND OF COURSE, THE FOX! THIS FINAL PERFORMANCE "NABUCCO" ENDED THE 1961 MET SEASON, AND AS IT TURNED OUT, WAS TO BECOME THE LAST SEGREGATED OPERA PERFORMANCE AT THE FOX.
TWO DAYS BEFORE FROM THE ATLANTA JOURNAL (as are all other articles in this chapter, unless otherwise specified)-- "NEGROES" HAD ATTEMPTED BOTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS TO ATTEND PERFORMANCES OF, RESPECTIVELY, "MANON LESCAUT" AND "RIGOLETTO." THE TWIST WAS THEY HELD TICKETS IN THE WHITE SECTION OF THE THEATRE.BY SATURDAY, THE DAY OF "NABUCCO," THE SITUATION WAS ESCALATED INTO A PUBLIC DISPUTE BETWEEN MET GM BING AND SCLC'S KING. WITHIN TWO AND ONE/HALF WEEKS, THE SMALL TOWN DRAMA WAS BEING PLAYED OUT ON THE NATIONAL STAGE, IN THE NEW YORK TIMES--FRONT PAGE-- WHERE BING STATED, "WE HAVE ADVISED OUR FRIENDS IN ATLANTA...THAT THE TIME HAS COME WHERE THE METROPOLITAN CAN NO LONGER PLAY TO SEGREGATED AUDIENCES," IN SHORT AN ULTIMATUM DIRECTED TOWARD THE LOCAL PRESENTING ORGANIZATION (ATLANTA MUSIC FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION) AND INDIRECTLY TOWARDS THE FOX THEATRE.IT SEEMS A GOOD GUESS THAT THE MET WAS TARGETED BECAUSE IT WAS OPERATED OUT OF NEW YORK. BY NOVEMBER OF 1961, SIMILAR THREATS AGAINST ALL DOWNTOWN THEATRES WERE MADE.
IN MARCH OF 1962, A PLAN PRESIDED OVER BY MAYOR EMERITUS WILLIAM HARTSFIELD WAS ANNOUNCED, WHEREBY THE FIRST RUN DOWNTOWN THEATRES (LOEW'S GRAND, ROXY AND RIALTO) WOULD DESEGREGATE ON A LIMITED BASIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 1962 SEASON OF THE MET AND ITS ATTENDANT INTEGRATION. THE OTHER DOWNTOWN HOUSE, THE PARAMOUNT, HAD SHUTTERED IN 1960.
THE DESEGREGATION OF THE OPERA WENT OFF WITHOUT INCIDENT, AT LEAST ACCORDING TO THE FINAL PARAGRAPH OF THE JOURNAL REVIEW OF "ELEKTRA" THE 1962 OPENER. "TWO NEGROES EACH WEEK WOULD BE ADMITTED TO EACH OF THE FOUR DOWNTOWN THEATRES" FOR TWO WEEKS, AFTER WHICH ALL RESTRICTION WOULD LIFT, ACCORDING TO THIS PIECE OF MID-MAY, 1962. AN ARTICLE FROM THE PREVIOUS JUNE REFLECTS A DESIRE ON THE PART OF SOME TO BUILD A NEW THEATRE TO REPLACE THE FOX, PRIMARILY BASED ON THE IDEA THAT THE FOX AT 4600 SEATS WAS TOO SMALL. THE FOX EXACERBATED THIS PROBLEM IN DECEMBER, 1964 WHEN IT REDUCED ITS SEATING CAPACITY BY 500. THE FOX DID SO TO INSTALL NEW ROCKER HIGH BACK SEATS IN THE ORCHESTRA SECTION, FOR WHILE OPERA ATTENDANCE REMAINED AT A SOLD-OUT LEVEL, MOVIE ATTENDANCE WAS IN DECLINE.BY 1965, PLANS WERE ON THE DRAWING BOARD FOR THE CIVIC CENTER, OR AS ATLANTA MAGAZINE TERMED IT, "CIVIC CAMELOT." IT WAS TO BE BUILT ON THE SITE OF SLUMS DEMOLISHED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PROGRAM OF "URBAN RENEWAL.""LAST YEAR AT FOX" SOUNDED A FALSE ALARM IN MAY, 1967 (THE MET PLAYED THE FOX THE NEXT SEASON) BUT REFLECTS THE AMBIVALENCE WHICH THE MET HAD TOWARD THE NEW CIVIC CENTER. THE FOLLOWING MARCH OF 1968, THE NEW BUILDING WAS COMPLETE, BUT THE OPERA REUSED TO BUDGE. CIVIC CENTER MANAGER ROY ELROD IS FOUND TO BE "HOLDING [THE MAY, 1968 OPERA] DATES IN THE FERVENT WISH THAT THE MET WILL SOMEHOW CHANGE ITS MIND, [BUT] THE OPERA'S GENERAL MANAGER SAYS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE." LOCAL FESTIVAL PRESIDENT KENNEDY CONCURRED: "WE COULDN'T RESEAT IN THE NEW HOUSE. THE AUDITORIUM [SIC] IS A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, AND WE'RE THRILLED TO HEAR IT'S ACOUSTICALLY FINE, BUT YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY RESEAT FROM THE FOX TO THE AUDITORIUM [SIC]-- IN COMPARABLE SEATS."DURING THE 1968 OPERA WEEK, BING WAS TAKEN OVER TO THE NEW BUILDING FOR A SECOND TOUR. STILL ON THE FENCE. (ON THE TOUR WITH BING FROM THE MET IS STAGE CARPENTER JOE VOLPE--INCORRECTLY SPELLED "BOLPE"-- WHO WOULD WORK FOR THE COMPANY FOR 42 YEARS AND BECOME GENERAL MANAGER OF THE MET HIMSELF FROM 1990-2006.)THE MORE CONSERVATIVE OF THE ATLANTA PAPERS THE JOURNAL NEVERTHELESS TWO DAYS LATER MADE A PUSH TO LEAVE THE FOX FOR INCREASED SEATING CAPACITY TO SATISFY "PEOPLE...WHITE AND NEGRO WHO ARE HUNGRY FOR OPERA TICKETS." CLEARLY THE LIBERAL MAYOR IVAN ALLEN HAD A HAND IN THE MOVE, AS HE IS SEEN HERE "PRYING LOOSE...TICKETS [AT THE FOX] TO BE SOLD PRIMARILY TO NEGROES."

------------BACKGROUND-------------

A LISTING OF CURRENT AMUSEMENTS FROM THE ATLANTA JOURNAL OF 1960 SHOWS A TOTAL OF FORTY-FIVE "WHITE" MOVIE THEATRES AS OPPOSED TO SIX FOR "COLORED." THERE ARE SEVEN FIRST RUN MOVIE THEATRES (INCLUDING TWO PEACHTREE ART HOUSES, ONE AT 13TH, THE OTHER IN GARDEN HILLS), EIGHTEEN NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSES, FIFTEEN DRIVE-IN THEATRES, AND FIVE "OUT-OF-TOWN," THEN MEANING ALPHARETTA, SMYRNA, MARIETTA AND STONE MOUNTAIN. PRIOR TO INTERSTATE INSANITY, THEY WERE INDEED "OUT OF TOWN." ALL THEATRES WERE SINGLE SCREEN.THE OPERA COMMENCING IN 1910 AND ALLOWING FOR INTERRUPTIONS FOR PORTIONS OF TWO WARS AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION PLAYED TWENTY-FOUR ONE-WEEK SEASONS UP THROUGH SPRING, 1942 AT THE DOWNTOWN BUILDING VARIOUSLY KNOWN AS THE AUDITORIUM-ARMORY, THE ATLANTA MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM, AND THE OLD DOWNTOWN AUDITORIUM. IT WAS GIVEN A PROPER STAGE FOR THE MET'S DEBUT, THE STAGE LATER TOTALLY REBUILT IN THE 1930'S AS A WPA (WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION) PROJECT. THE AUDITORIUM PORTION WAS NOTHING TO SPEAK OF, AND THIS 1945 PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGIA STATE IS A REALLY GOOD LIKENESS OF WHAT WAS IN THEATRICAL TERMS "A BARN." YET FOR ALMOST EIGHTY YEARS EVERY LARGE ATTRACTION PLAYED THERE, INCLUDING THE ATLANTA SYMPHONY. I SAW THERE THE BALLET'S "NUTCRACKER;" THE ROAD SHOW OF "OLIVER;" AND "HOLIDAY ON ICE, 1958." WRESTLING MATCHES AND BOXING BOUTS WERE HELD THERE AS WELL, ADDING PRECIOUS LITTLE TO THE FACILITY'S PRESTIGE.MY GRANDFATHER TROT'S BROTHER CLARK FOREMAN (1902-1977) PICTURED BELOW WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST DESEGREGATED PERFORMANCE AT THE AUDITORIUM FOR AN APPEARANCE BY GEORGIA-BORN "FAMOUS NEGRO TENOR" ROLAND HAYES IN DECEMBER, 1925. AFTER MUCH CONTENTION WITH THE CITY'S RULING CLASS (FOREMAN'S UNCLE WAS THE PUBLISHER OF THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION) IT WAS AGREED THAT THE AUDITORIUM BE DIVIDED INTO HALVES (HOUSE RIGHT AND LEFT), AND WHITE TICKETS WERE SOLD ON ONE SIDE, "COLORED" ON THE OTHER, RIGHT UP THROUGH THE BALCONIES-- HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION IF YOU WILL. HOWEVER THIS RADICAL INNOVATION PROVED A ONE-SHOT, AND CLARK SOON THEREAFTER DEPARTED TOWN AND BECAME FDR'S FIRST "GOVERNMENT LIAISON TO THE NEGRO" IN THE NEW DEAL. HAYES WAS ARRESTED AND BEATEN IN ROME, GEORGIA A FEW YEARS LATER WHEN HIS WIFE SAT IN THE WRONG SECTION OF A SHOE STORE, AND LIKE CLARK, NEVER AGAIN RESIDED IN HIS HOME STATE.

ACCORDING TO CLIFFORD KUHN'S INFORMATIVE 1990 BOOK, "LIVING ATLANTA: AN ORAL HISTORY," "BLACK ATLANTIANS WERE NOT WELCOME TO HEAR THE MET AT THE AUDITORIUM...'WE COULDN'T GO TO OPERAS AND THE LIKE. THEY WEREN'T SEGREGATED [SIC] IN TERMS OF SEATING, I MEAN NEGROES COULDN'T GO IN. MR. HAROLD [MOREHOUSE MUSIC PROFESSOR KEMPER HAROLD] SHREWDLY WORKED OUT A WAY TO GET HIS STUDENTS IN THERE BY HAVING THEM SERVE AS USHERS. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU COULD GET IN, AS USHERS.'" IN 1926, THE ROXY THEATRE (ORIGINALLY THE GEORGIA) OPENED DOWNTOWN AND WAS THE FIRST ATLANTA HOUSE TO FEATURE SEATING FOR BOTH RACES, AS THE UPPER BALCONY PLAN BELOW SHOWS A "CROSS-AISLE FOR COLORED."THE ROXY SPORTED A NEON "COLORED ENTRANCE SIGN" ON THE SIDE STREET OFF PEACHTREE.AN EXPERIMENT OF SORTS IS DESCRIBED IN THIS 1949 ARTICLE WHERE THE ROXY "FOR THE FIRST TIME TURNED ITS ENTIRE BALCONY TO NEGROES THURSDAY FOR THE SHOWING OF 'PINKY.'" THE PICTURE'S THEME WAS RACIAL CONFLICT WHEREIN "JEANNE CRAIN [A WHITE ACTRESS WHO PORTRAYED PINKY] USED NO MAKEUP TO GIVE HER A NEGROID APPEARANCE." THE JOURNAL WRITER CONTINUES, "LIKE OTHER NEGRO PROBLEM MOVIES THAT HAVE REACHED ATLANTA, 'PINKY' OFFERS NO SOLUTION."A 1954 SHOT OF THE ROXY, COURTESY GEORGIA STATE, SHOWS AN ALL-WHITE CROWD ON LINE FOR TICKETS TO SEE THE "ALL-NEGRO CAST" IN THE CINEMASCOPE PICTURE, "CARMEN JONES," MUSIC BY BIZET. "CARMEN" WAS A POPULAR OPERA HERE, AND THE MET PLAYED IT AT THE FOX IN '48, '52, '55, '59, AND '68.THE OPENING OF THE FOX IN 1929 PROVIDED A SECOND ATLANTA THEATRE WHICH ALLOWED SEATING FOR BOTH RACES.
THE "COLORED ENTRANCE" AND BOX OFFICE WERE LOCATED TO THE EAST OF THE STAGE ENTRANCE ON PONCE DE LEON AVENUE. AN INTERVIEWEE IN KUHN'S ORAL HISTORY OF ATLANTA RELATES, "MY WIFE AND I WENT TO THE FOX THEATRE ONCE TO SEE A PICTURE THAT WE WANTED TO SEE. YOU HAD TO CLIMB AN ENORMOUS FLIGHT OF STAIRS ON THE OUTSIDE TO GET TO THE BLACK BALCONY UPSTAIRS. WE SAT DOWN, BUT WE WERE SO UNCOMFORTABLE WE LEFT. WE JUST FELT ASHAMED." A MOREHOUSE COLLEGE PROFESSOR REMEMBERS HEARING THE MOREHOUSE PRESIDENT SAY, "I WOULDN'T GO TO A SEGREGATED THEATRE TO SEE JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF." ATLANTA MAYOR JACKSON LIKEWISE HAD A STRONG ANTIPATHY FOR THE FOX THEATRE, AS HE VOCALIZES IN THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING DOCUMENTARY ON THE FOX OF 2004. IT SHOULD BE POINTED OUT HOWEVER THAT, REGARDLESS OF COLOR, ONE COULD FROM 1947, ATTEND THE MET WITHOUT HAVING TO USHER. YOU WON'T READ THE TRUTH ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT FOX PERSONNEL REFFERED TO THE 188-SEAT GALLERY AS "NIGGER HEAVEN."THE PIEDMONT DRIVING CLUB (BELOW), EXCLUSIVE AND RESTRICTED, WAS PART AND PARCEL OF THE SPRING MET TOUR. IN HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY, "5000 NIGHTS AT THE OPERA," RUDOLF BING OPINES, "I MUST ADMIT I ENJOYED THE VISITS TO ATLANTA. NEVER HAVE I KNOWN A PLACE TO BECOME SO EXCITED ABOUT OPERA: WORK STOPPED, SLEEP STOPPED ALL OVER TOWN WHILE THE METROPOLITAN WAS THERE. WORK STOPPED FOR THE COMPANY, TOO; TULLIO SERAFIN ONCE CALLED A REHEARSAL IN ATLANTA, AND HIS SOLOISTS TURNED UP WITH VOICES LIKE FROGS. 'REMEMBER,' SERAFIN SAID, 'WE ARE HERE ALSO TO SING!'" KUHN'S "LIVING ATLANTA" CONTINUES: "'IT WAS A GREAT EVENT,' EXCLAIMS ATLANTA JOURNAL CITY EDITOR HUNTER BELL OF THE MET'S ANNUAL VISIT... 'THE ARTISTS WERE ENTERTAINED IN THE HOMES OF ATLANTA LEADERS. THEY WOULD GO TO THE CAPITAL CITY CLUB ON MONDAY NIGHT AND THE PIEDMONT DRIVING CLUB ON SATURDAY NIGHT, AND SING AT DINNER DANCES DURING OPERA WEEK. THEY LOVED TO COME HERE.' THE MANY JEWISH FAMILIES WHO SUPPORTED OPERA WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE ELABORATE RECEPTIONS HELD AT THE PIEDMONT DRIVING CLUB AND OTHER PLACES IN ATLANTA, 'WHERE,' IN THE WORDS OF CLARICE FEIBELMAN,' OUR FOLKS WERE VERBOTEN.’"RUDOLF BING RELATES, "FOR YEARS, ATLANTA PAID US A FRACTION OF WHAT OUR PERFORMANCES COST US TO GIVE, BECAUSE THE BOARD, OTHERWISE SO WORRIED ABOUT MONEY, WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE ME TO DEMAND A HIGHER FEE FROM SUCH NICE PEOPLE." THIS SOCIAL CONTRACT WAS TORN ASUNDER FOREVER IN MAY OF 1966 WHEN BING'S COMPANY REFUSED TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL SATURDAY AFTER-PARTY AT THE DRIVING CLUB "BECAUSE THE COMPANY'S NEGRO MEMBERS WERE NOT INVITED." NOVEMBER OF 1968 BROUGHT THE NEWS THAT THE MET WOULD HENCEFORTH PLAY THE CIVIC CENTER.THE "CIVIC CAMELOT" WAS UTILIZED BY THE MET FOR THE NEXT SEVENTEEN SEASONS UNTIL THE MET CEASED TO TOUR ENTIRELY. "ONE ALWAYS FELT ONE WAS 'SLUMMING' WHEN ATTENDING THE CIVIC CENTER," AN OLDER ATLANTIAN QUIPPED, "AND I DON'T MEAN IN A GOOD WAY."AS WITH MANY RULES, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. THIS EXCEPTION'S NAME WAS GRAHAM JACKSON, SHOWN BELOW AT THE FOX ORGAN CONSOLE, UNDATED.HIS CLAIM TO FAME AS AN ATLANTIAN CAME NOT FROM A GOLF SWING NOR FROM WRITING A BOOK, AS WITH MISS MITCHELL OR MR. BOBBY JONES. NEY, HE WAS FIRST MENTIONED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES IN 1937 AS BEING "A NEGRO PIANIST WHO IS ONE OF THE PRESIDENT'S FAVORITE ENTERTAINERS." MISTER JACKSON PLAYED THE PIANO, ORGAN OR FOR ITS PORTABILITY THE ACCORDIAN, AS HE DID MANY TIMES FOR FDR AT THE "LITTLE WHITE HOUSE" IN WARM SPRINGS, GEORGIA.GRAHAM WAS DOWN THERE, REHEARSING FOR A MINSTREL SHOW ON APRIL 12, 1945, WHEN THE FOURTH TERM PRESIDENT'S HEART WAS ATTACKED. "GRAHAM'S INEXHAUSTIBLE REPERTOIRE HAD FOUND FAVOR WITH THE PRESIDENT FOR MANY YEARS."LIFE MAGAZINE'S PHOTOGRAPHER SNAPPED HIS PLAYING DVORJAK'S "COMING HOME" ON HIS ACCORDIAN AT WARM SPRINGS AS HIS PATRON SAINT WAS PUT ONTO THE DEATH TRAIN.MISTER JACKSON WAS A BUSY MAN, NOT TO BE PUT OFF, SAY, BY CANCELLATION OF A GIG IN DONALSONVILLE, GA. "I'VE BEEN WONDERING HOW FAR DONALSONVILLE IS FROM UNADILLA." LATTER TOWN HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP AS A "HOTBED" OF KLAN ACTIVITY.MISTER JACKSON, WHO HAD BEEN THE HOUSE CONDUCTOR AT THE COLORED THEATRE "81" [DECATUR STREET] TRANSCENDED RACE RELATIONS. HERE BELOW IN THE "WEEKLY NEWS ROUNDUP OF THE NEGRO COMMUNITY" IN JANUARY, 1952, HE IS FOUND PLAYING AT THE ANSLEY PARK GOVERNER'S MANSION.WAS HE THE STEREOTYPICAL "UNCLE TOM?" RATHER HE WAS ONE OF THE MORE CALM PERSONAGES, WHO PLAYED DAILY ON WERD-AM, THE GOSPEL RADIO STATION; THE FOX, THE PIEDMONT DRIVING CLUB; THE WESTMINSTER SCHOOL WHERE I SAW HIM; AND HERE AT A LONG-STANDING ENGAGEMENT, THE JOHNNY REB RESTAURANT OUT IN MARIETTA WHERE NOW CROWDS THE COBB GALLERIA ENERGY CENTER AND THE SMYRNA OPERA. "INFORMALITY REIGNS...WITH COLLARD GREENS AND CANDLELIGHT," MARCH, 1959. YOLANDE GWIN CAPTURES MISTER JACKSON TEN YEARS LATER WHERE HE TELLS THAT HIS NEW ACCORDIAN HAD BEEN GIFTED HIM BY WINTHROP ROCKEFELLERTHE NEW YORK TIMES DID NOT HONOR MISTER JACKSON WITH AN OBIT UPON HIS DEATH IN 1983, BUT MENTION WAS MADE OF HIS RECOGNITION BY LESTER MADDOX, THE FIRST POLITICIAN TO HONOR HIM AS A GENTLEMAN OF INTELLECT-- AND NEED I SAY--SOUL.TAKE A ROAD TRIP WITH ME IF YOU WILL TO HUNTER STREET, CORNER ASHBY. THERE REMAINS IN DERELICT THE LAST ATLANTA COLORED THEATRE, THE ASHBYPROCEED WEST ON HUNTER AND YOU WILL FIND THE CHANGE OF STREET APPELATION MISTER JACKSON UNDERTOOK SUCCESSFULLY AND WITHOUT MALICE: "C" STREET HE HAD CHANGED IN THE LATE 1940'S TO "WHITE HOUSE." HE WAS AN ACTIVE MAN WHO "ROSE ABOVE"(IN THE WORDS OF NOEL COWARD) HIS LOT IN LIFE. DID HE MAKE A MILLION? SEEMS NOT, FOR NOT A BLOCK FROM HIS HOUSE ON NEARBY BOOKER STREET IS THE FORMER RESIDENCE OF MY GRANDMOTHER RARY FOREMAN'S EMPLOYEE AND MY BELOVED NURSEMAID, HATTIE JACKSON, WHO COULD NOT HAVE EARNED MORE THAN $30 PER WEEK.WALK SOUTHWARD, BE ASTONISHED BY THE BEAUTY OF THE BOOKER T. WASHINGTON HIGH SCHOOL.
THEN PIVOT ABOUT--THERE IS GRAHAM JACKSON'S PAEAN TO FDR-- HIS HOME AS MODIFIED TO REPLICATE "THE LITTLE WHITE HOUSE."
I SAVE FOR LAST HUGH PARK'S AROUND TOWN JOURNAL PROFILE OF MISTER JACKSON FROM OCTOBER, 1950. LET ME BORROW TWO QUOTES: IN REGARDS TO THE MANY RADIOS IN MISTER JACKSON'S HOME, "'THERE IS SO MUCH GRAND MUSIC IN THE AIR THAT I CAN'T MISS IT,' HE SAID WITH A BREATHLESS EXCITEMENT THAT HAS NEVER DIMINISHED." MISTER JACKSON CANNOT SLEEP, FOR "'SCORES KEEP RUNNING THROUGH MY HEAD,' HE WENT ON, 'WHEN I GO TO BED AND WHEN I WAKE UP I CAN'T SLEEP WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH MUSIC IN THE AIR.'"
PARDON ME IF I CONTRAST AND COMPARE HIS WORDS WITH THOSE OF LEONARD BERNSTEIN AS QUOTED IN FRANCIS ROBINSON'S BOOK: "YOU SEE, MUSIC IS SOMETHING TERRIBLY SPECIAL. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO PASS THROUGH THE BRAIN.... IT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE HEART. THIS IS REALLY THE CROWNING DELIGHT OF OPERA..."

CHAPTER 20 HOW THE FOX WAS SAVED 1971-1975

2010-05-28T07:43:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE FOX! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? WHO WERE HER FRIENDS? WHO WERE HER ENEMIES? WHO WERE HER PURPORTED SAVIORS?

I GUESS PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF THE FOX, AS SOMETHING SPECIAL, BEGAN AT THE BEHEST OF BEN HALL, IN THIS LIFE MAGAZINE SPREAD, February 2, 1971, which featured the first color photograph of the theatre's interior!

February, 1975, Constitution
MORE NOISE FROM "FOXSAFE, INC."
February, 1975, Journal
February 1975, Jounal-Constitution
BROTHERS IN THE LIFE, LANDMARKS CREATOR GEORGIA TECH ARCHITECTURE PROFESSOR PAT CONNELL AND JOE PATTEN, LOOKING RATHER BREEZY
February, 1975, Journal
MY DEAR UNCLE BRUCE WOODRUFF, WHO TRIED TO SAVE EVERYTHING AND EVERYBODY. HE LIVED OUT THE LAST TWENTY YEARS OF HIS LONG LIFE IN THE NORTH AVENUE HIGH RISE, OVERLOOKING THE FOX. MENTIONED IN THE PARTY IS BILL CRAWLEY, WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THE STEAMEX MACHINE, CLEANING SEATS AND CARPET.
February, 1975, Journal
ANOTHER NICE LETTER. THE MAUSOLEUM SURVIVES, AS WELL.March, 1975, Constitution
THE LAST GASP FROM FOXSAFE, INC.
March, 1975, Journal
MORE INVALUABLE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE
March, 1975, Constitution
THE HISTORIC LAND SWAP DEAL HITS THE STREETS!

April, 1975, ConstitutionApril, 1975, Constitution

April, 1975, Journal
WHILST LANDMARKS WORKED OVERTIME, BOB HOPE, THE FINAL FALSE "HOPE" BRIEFLY BORROWED THE LIMELIGHT
April, 1975, Constitution
A TEMPORARY SETBACKApril, 1975, Constitution
THE CITY'S SMALL CONTRIBUTIONApril, 1975, Journal
GOD BLESS WHOEVER CAME UP WITH THE 14 GRANDMay, 1975, Constitution
MERCIFULLY, SOUTHERN BELL GAVE A MONTH EXTENSION TO ATLANTA LANDMARKS
May, 1975, JournalMay, 1975, Constitution
RARE AND SCARY SHOT OF TOTALLY BLANK ATTRACTION BOARDJune, 1975, Journal
THE FOX IS SAVED, AFTER A YEAR OF ANGUISH!June, 1975, Constitution
IN ADDITION OF THE LAND SWAP, LANDMARKS ARRANGED A HUGE LOAN AGAINST THE MORTGAGE WITH THE FIVE ATLANTA BANKS. A SOUTHERN BELL MAN CHANGES THE ATTRACTION BOARD TO REFLECT THE "WIN/WIN" DEAL WITH SOUTHERN BELL!

June, 1975, JournalJuly, 1975, Constitution
BELL'S ALAN THOMAS IS BOARD CHAIRMAN, AS OF THIS WRITING (2010).September, 1975, Constitution
ANNOUNCEMENT OF FIRST PERFORMANCE.
GM TED STEVEN'S HUMOR IS APPARENT HERE AS HE DESCRIBES THE OLD CARPET AS MADE OF STEEL. HE INVENTORIES THE MAJOR "RENOVATIONS" OF THAT SUMMER: INSTALLATION OF BOX BOOM LIGHTING PIPES AND CIRCUITS; ADDED BALCONY RAIL LIGHTING CIRCUITS; RE-FINISHING OF STAGE FLOOR; AND CLEANING OF CARPET AND SEATS. THE OLD CARPET WAS NASTY, IN PARTICULAR, THE RUNNER WHICH RAN ALONG THE ORCHESTRA PIT. IT WAS SOAKED WITH COCA-COLA, AND ITS REMOVAL WAS AN UNPLEASANT TASK. WE HAD NO MONEY TO RENOVATE: CHARLES WALKER WORKED STEADILY DOING PATCH-PAINTING, AND HE REPRODUCED THE ORIGINAL DETAIL ON THE LOWER WALLS OF THE BALLROOM, WHICH HAD BEEN PAINTED OUT WHITE. AS MR. HODGES, A FORMER FOX ENGINEER (BOILER ROOM VARIETY) PUT FORTH, "ALL THE FOX NEEDS IS A GOOD GENERAL CLEANING." HE WAS PROVEN CORRECT. THE OUTSIDE GROUP (FROM NYC) TO HELP BOOK THE FOX WAS "THEATRE NOW," BILLY COHEN AND NORMAN ROTHSTEIN. THEY OVER-PROMOTED THE FOX IN THE FIRST YEAR, LOST THEIR ASS, AND DISAPPEARED. TRUTH BE TOLD IT WAS ALEX COOLEY'S ROCK SHOWS WHICH KEPT THE FOX AFLOAT THE FIRST SEVERAL YEARS OR SO.July, 1975, Constituion
WITH A FULL-TIME STAFF OF THREE WHEN WE TOOK OCCUPANCY IN JULY, INCREASING TO SIX OVER COURSE OF THAT LONG, HOT SUMMER, THE FOX FINALLY OPENED AS "LEGIT" ON NOVEMBER, 7, 1975, AMIDST MORE PICKETING, BUT AGAINST THE ATTRACTION, NOT THE BUILDING. WE SLEPT WELL THAT NIGHT. THE FULL-TIME STAFF WAS ME, ROOSEVELT, ROBBIE IRVIN, TED STEVENS (GM), LANE BECK (BOX OFFICE), AND JOHN PERRY (HOUSE MANAGER). JOE WAS PART-TIME, AND CONSEQUENTLY SPENT ONLY 60 HOURS A WEEK IN THE BUILDING. FOOTNOTE FOR HISTORIANS: I CAN LOCATE NO PRINT SOURCE TO CONFIRM THAT LINDA RONSTADT WAS THE FIRST "NON-LEGIT" ATTRACTION. VOLUNTEER MITCH DEUTSCH BELIEVES SHE PLAYED ON OCTOBER 23, 1975. HE CONCURS WITH ME THAT MANY VOLUNTEERS STAYED UP ALL NIGHT TO READY A STAGE LEVEL DRESSING ROOM FOR HER, AND THAT SHE VOMITED ON THE BORROWED CARPET. HERE IS MITCH (LEFT), PERHAPS THE NEXT YEAR, IN THAT VERY DRESSING ROOM, WITH ASSISTANT BOX OFFICE TREASURER RICHARD WILSON, ENJOYING A WELL-DESERVED DRINK.

CHAPTER 21 FOX PEOPLE: NOBLE ARNOLD

2010-05-28T07:42:00.000-07:00

FOR MORE ON NOBLE ARNOLD, LIKE THE LOOSE PIG IN THE HOUSE, SEE APPENDIX #11 ATLANTA MAGAZINE NOVEMBER, 1963

CHAPTER 22 FABULOUS HUB STAGE SWITCHBOARD!

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!!!

CHAPTER 23 PRE-CONSTRUCTION

2010-05-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

OLIVIER VINOUR'S DAUGHTER 1991 LETTER TO THE FOX

ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, JUNE 14, 1928 -- BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION. RENDERING SHOWS THEATRE ENTRY ON PONCE DE LEON, SHRINE "OFFICE BUILDING" ON PEACHTREE. FOX FILMS INSISTED THE THEATRE FRONT ON PEACHTREE, AND OFFICES WERE NEVER BUILT. CHANGES COULD BE MADE, FOR THE FIRST CONSTRUCTION WAS OF THE RETAIL STORES, FRAMED IN WOOD, NOT STEEL, WHICH MIGHT HELP EXPLAIN THE 1996 FIRE.ATLANTA CONSTITUTION JANUARY 26, 1931 -- "SENIOR [FIRM] MEMBER," P. THORNTON MAYRE CREDITS ONLY "THE ARCHITECTS," AND VINOUR'S NAME (MENTIONED ONLY IN THE FIRM'S NAME) IS SPELLED, "VERNOUR." ANOTHER TYPO IS IN 5TH PARAGRAPH FROM END, "BARBER ROOMS" SHOULD PROBABLY BE "BOILER ROOMS."

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUION MAGAZINE, JUNE 16, 1974 -- ON 4TH PAGE, UNCREDITED SOURCE (PROBABLY JOE PATTEN) GIVES CREDIT TO VINOUR. PATTEN SPOKE OF THESE BOOKS WHICH HE FOUND, AS I RECALL, IN THE GEORGIA TECH LIBRARY, PERHAPS THE GIFT OF VINOUR.

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION MAGAZINE, 1974, PROBABLY JULY-- OLIVIER'S DAUGHTER CLAIMS HER FATHER AS DESIGNER. JAMES C. BRYANT'S ARTICLE IN ATLANTA HISTORY (SUMMER, 1995) DOES NOT CITE THIS LETTER.

CHAPTER 24 FOX PEOPLE: JOE PATTEN

2010-05-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

FOX THEATRE, ATLANTA: THE MEMORY MAKER, 2009, NO AUTHOR

JOE WITH THE "PHANTOM" PIANO (PLAYED FROM THE ORGAN CONSOLE) CIRCA 1965 PHOTO SHOWS BRIGHT YELLOW AND RED-STENCILED MOHAIR TRAVELER CURTAIN

CHARLES WALKER INTRODUCED ME TO JOE IN LATE SUMMER, 1967, ON THE OCCASION OF MY FIRST BACKSTAGE TOUR OF THE FOX (WITH CHARLES HOLDING MY HAND AND THE KLEENEX) BACK WHEN JOE AS KEEPER OF THE ORGAN HAD A KEY TO THE STAGE DOOR AND A LIMITED RUN-OF-THE-THEATRE.

ME AS AN APPRENTICE FOR CHRIS MANOS' LAST "THEATRE UNDER THE STARS" SUMMER SEASON IN CHASTAIN WHERE I MET CHARLES WALKER. FRONT ROW, CENTER, OF COURSE.

SUBSEQUENTLY, I THINK TWO YEARS LATER, I CAJOLED MY DAD TO COME SEE THE PLACE. DADDY, A HARD-WORKING REAL-ESTATE ATTORNEY, WITH NO HOBBIES TO SPEAK OF, HAD LITTLE INTEREST IN THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORKINGS OF A MOVIE THEATRE WHICH HE HAD ATTENDED AS A CHILD, AND WHO WITH MY MOM HAD TAKEN WE THREE KIDS TO COUNTLESS PICTURE SHOWS THERE.

THAT WAS THE EPIPHANAL DAY I INTRODUCED DADDY TO HOUSE ORGANIST (AND MUSIC DIRECTOR/ MORNING DRIVE ANNOUNCER ON WSB-AM) BOB VAN CAMP AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO MISTER JOE PATTEN.

DADDY STOOD TRANSFIXED BY BOB VAN CAMP'S "REHEARSING" THE MOLLER ORGAN, WHICH MY FATHER HAD NOT HEARD SOUND SINCE THE EARLY 40'S WHEN HE WAS SEMI-PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN HIMSELF, AS VOCALIST AND REED PLAYER FOR "THE JUNIOR GEORGIANS" A NORTH FULTON HIGH SCHOOL "SOCIETY" BAND MEMBERED BY HIS BEST FRIENDS, INCLUDING BRUCE WOODRUFF WHO RECENTLY CROSSED OVER AND THE STILL AMONG US, TOM SCHNEIDER.

WHILE I RETURNED TO PREP SCHOOL UP NORTH, DADDY CONTINUED TO VISIT EACH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BEFORE THE HOUSE OPENED FOR MOVIES, TOTING ALONG HIS OFFICE DICTAPHONE (THE EARLIEST CASSETTE MACHINE) TO RECORD VAN CAMP. SUCH WAS THE LOVE THAT SOME SIX YEARS LATER MY PARENTS COMMISSIONED ROSIE CLARK, A LOCAL ARTIST(AND "MISS BOO" ON WLW-A TV HERE IN THE 50'S) TO PAINT A PICTURE OF THE CONSOLE (DADDY'S CHOICE) INHABITED WITH OUR CAT "KITTY" (MOTHER'S CHOICE)-- "THE NINE LIVES OF KITTY FOREMAN"

JOE AT THE CONSOLE (WHICH HE CANNOT PLAY) CIRCA 1975

JOE AND LEE ERWIN, THEATRE ORGANIST AND COMPOSER IN NYC, 1996. (LEE DIED IN THE EARLY 2000'S) ATLANTA BOY BEN HALL, AUTHOR OF "THE BEST REMAINING SEATS" I HAD MET AT THE FOX IN 1969 WHEN HE HAD "LIFE" MAGAZINE THERE TO TAKE PHOTOS FOR A BIG SPREAD ON MOVIE PALACES.

HERE IS A LETTER BEN WROTE ME UP AT PREP SCHOOL WHERE HE SPEAKS OF LEE ERWIN AND BEN'S IMPLICIT NON-STOP DRIVE TO SAVE THEATRES AND THEATRE ORGANS AND AS CULMINATION OF THESE EFFORTS, HE FOUNDED THE THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN 1969. BEN HAD ALLOWED ME AND A TAFT BUD DAVE ADDOMS TO SEE A SHOW BACKSTAGE AT RADIO CITY IN 1969-- A LIFE-ALTERING EXPERIENCE; BUT BEN NEVER GOT TO SEE THE "LIFE" SPREAD FOR IT WASN'T PUBLISHED UNTIL 1971.
BEN HALL WAS FOUND MURDERED IN HIS CHRISTOPHER STREET APARTMENT IN 1970. IN AN ODD LOOP, ORGANIST LEE ERWIN, LIKE BEN AN NYC RESIDENT, PHONED JOE PATTEN IN ATLANTA ONE MORNING TO SEE IF HE HAD HEARD FROM BEN. "WHY, LEE?" "I'M WORRIED."

JOE PHONED DADDY AT WORK, BECAUSE BEN'S SISTER NANCY HALL ESKEW LIVED ON OUR STREET IN BROOKWOOD HILLS. DADDY PHONED MOTHER.

MOTHER, WHO WAS NOT A CASUAL CALLER, BUT WHO LOVED A NANCY DREW, WALKED THE SIX HOUSES UP AND TO MRS. ESKEW'S SURPRISE RANG HER BELL. "BETTY! ER, WOULD YOU LIKE SOME COFFEE?" "NO-- UH, HAVE YOU HEARD FROM YOUR BROTHER RECENTLY?"

"I SPOKE TO HIM JUST LAST NIGHT." "CALL HIM, NANCY."

THE NYPD ANSWERED.

"OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD OF AN HOMOSEXUAL," MY AUNT CAROLINE LATER REMARKED ABOUT THE MURDER, SHE HERSELF BRIEFLY MARRIED TO AN ALLEGED HOMOSEXUAL, MY UNCLE (AND W&L CLASSMATE OF BEN'S) ALEX HITZ, WHOM SHE DIVORCED TO MARRY ATLANTA SYMPHONY CONDUCTOR ROBERT SHAW.

HERE IS BEN, A SOUTHERN SHY AND FIERCELY INTELLIGENT G E N T L E M A N, RARELY PHOTOGRAPHED, FROM THE TRIBUTE FROM THE THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY'S QUARTERLY "MARQUEE."

JOE'S BIRTHDAY PARTY, FEBRUARY, 1976 IN GRAND SALON, LEFT TO RIGHT JOE, ME, MY MOTHERLEFT TO RIGHT, SITTING ON TERRAZZO FLOOR, LOYAL VOLUNTEER MITCH DEUTSCH; ON COUCH, ME, HOUSE MANAGER JON PERRY, AND PART OF VOLUNTEER RAY SPURLIN; STANDING, UNKNOWN AND INTERIOR DESIGNER BRUCE SUTKA, WHO WOULD BECOME THE FIRST FOX PRESERVATION HIRE.

JOE RECEIVING RECOGNITION FROM PHILIPS-NORELCO, ACCEPTING THEIR GIFT (WHICH HE FINAGLED) OF NEW VERTICAL SIGN LAMPS, 1976, PHOTO BY VOLUNTEER RAY SPURLIN

1982, ATLANTA WEEKLY

1989, AJC

JOE AND MY DAD HAD TEAMED TO SAVE THE BUILDING AND HAD BECOME FAST AND BEST FRIENDS. JOE WAS FREQUENTLY INVITED UP TO DADDY'S HOUSE IN HIGHLANDS, NC: HERE IN THE EARLY 90'S, DANIEL GRAHAM (MY STEP-BROTHER), ANNE FOREMAN (MY STEP-MOTHER) AND JOE1993, SOUTHERN LIVING

JOE AND I PHOTOGRAPHED BY MY DAD ON THE ROOF OF THE NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, ASTOR PLACE, NYC, ON THE OCCASION IN 1996 OF AN ATLANTA LANDMARKS' TRIP TO THE CITY. I WAS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS/CAPITAL PROJECTS.

1998, AJC

CIRCA 1999, AT THE FOX, JOE, ME AND SOME GIRL VIEW AND DISCUSS VARIOUS WAYS TO PRESERVE THE SHRINE DROP.

HERE IS THE SHRINE DROP, PHOTO (C) MICHAEL PORTMAN 1999

2008, AJC

ATLANTA LANDMARKS' RESOLUTION ON THE OCCASION OF JOE'S RETIREMENT AS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, AUGUST 21, 2001.

FOR GREAT PHOTOS OF JOE'S FOX THEATRE APARTMENT, GO TO http://projects.accessatlanta.com/gallery/view/arts/0919fox/.

Uncredited photos taken by my Dad.

CHAPTER 28 FOX FIRE!

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FIRE OCCURRED ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 15, 1996
Articles from AJC, April and June, 1996 JOE PATTEN GIVEN FULL CREDIT!GOOD OLE ED NEISS TAKES FULL CREDIT!
DOUBLE-CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE!

CHAPTER 30: FOX CURRENT EVENTS

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2010 AJC
MONDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2010, AJC

CHAPTER 31: FANCHON & MARCO "IDEAS"

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This chapter shows the weekly advertisements which ran in the Atlanta newspapers for the FOX attractions during the first four years of operation.

From opening on Christmas Day, 1929 until June 11, 1933, the FOX played pictures with stage shows, the shows furnished by a "wheel" or "circuit" from Fanchon & Marco out of LA. Each week the picture and stage show were new. The FOX (and other host houses) provided the Orchestra, the leader, the MC, the organist, a resident all-female dancing chorus named the "Sunkist Beauties," the stage and the lighting. Fanchon & Marco provided the weekly acts, the scenery, the costumes, and the orchestrations.

Fanchon & Marco performed a total of 136 stage shows on the FOX stage, over a period of 184 weeks, the difference owing to change of policy and the theatre going dark for almost two months in mid-1932.

The FOX Orchestra Leader was Enrico Leide, with a 31-piece orchestra in the pit, and sections of it would comprise the onstage Jazz Band. The original MC and organist were husband and wife, Don and Iris Wilkins. There were 16 "Sunkist Beauties."

The Fanchon & Marco stage shows were called "Ideas," like the "Beach Idea" or the "Contrasts Idea." For more information on Fanchon & Marco, see Steve Simon's official site, http://www.fanchonandmarco.com/index.html.

These stage shows and pictures played four-a-day, seven days a week.

Enrico Leide, FOX Orchestra leaderLeide in RehearsalThe FOX "Sunkist Beauties," 24 in this 1929 shot, taken in front of the garish House Traveller CurtainA typical (?) "Idea" at the FOX, this one staged out onto the Orchestra Elevator.

FANCHON & MARCO ATLANTA FOX THREE-SHEET, CIRCA 1929

ENJOY! (Double-click to enlarge!)

DECEMBER 25, 1929 (OPENING-- PLAYED SPLIT WEEK)DECEMBER 29, 1929
JANUARY 5, 1930JANUARY 12, 1930JANUARY 19, 1930JANUARY 26, 1930FEBRUARY 2, 1930FEBRUARY 9, 1930FEBRUARY 16, 1930FEBRUARY 23, 1930MARCH 2, 1930
MARCH 9, 1930MARCH 16, 1930MARCH 23, 1930MARCH 30, 1930APRIL 6, 1930
APRIL 13, 1930APRIL 20, 1930APRIL 27TH, 1930MAY 4, 1930MAY 11, 1930MAY 18, 1930MAY 25, 1930JUNE 1, 1930JUNE 8, 1930 Last mention of Don & Iris WilkinsJUNE 15, 1930
New MC: Mel Ruick "Four shows Daily" Ruick was father to musical film actress, BarbaraJUNE 22, 1930 New Organist: Dwight Brown "Things you miss at the FOX: Stage shows in front of plain scenery with inadequate stage settings" JUNE 29, 1930JULY 6, 1930JULY 13, 1930

"$75,000 Pipe Organ; 31-piece Orchestra" JULY 20, 1930JULY 27, 1930AUGUST 3, 1930AUGUST 10, 1930AUGUST 17, 1930FOX Changes Management: MGM pictures to be shown along with Fox Studio picturesAUGUST 24, 1930 First Metro PictureVendors congratulate FOX on change of policyAUGUST 31, 1930SEPTEMBER 7, 1930SEPTEMBER 14, 1930SEPTEMBER 21, 1930SEPTEMBER 28, 1930 FOX announces "All Sound Policy," NO Stage show, NO Orchestra, NO Organ!Article explains that "Stage shows and Musical Presentations were cancelled by the New York Office"OCTOBER 5, 1930 Second week of NO STAGE SHOW!OCTOBER 12, 1930 Article explains that "All Sound Policy" was actually the result of a dispute with the American Federation of Musicians OCTOBER 12, 1930 Stage Shows Resume! But Conductor Enrico Leide and Organist Dwight Brown do not. OCTOBER 19, 1930 New Organist: Smilin' Al EvansOCTOBER 26, 1930NOVEMBER 2, 1930 NOVEMBER 9, 1930 First Mention of Shriner's Use of FOXNOVEMBER 16, 1930NOVEMBER 23, 1930VEMBER 30, 1930DECEMBER 7, 1930 "$50,000 Stage show" DECEMBER 14, 1930DECEMBER 21, 1930DECEMBER 28, 1930 Conductor Enrido Leide Returns! JANUARY 4, 1931JANUARY 11, 1931JANUARY 18, 1931JANUARY 25, 1931FEBRUARY 1, 1931FEBRUARY 8, 1931FEBRUARY 15, 1931FEBRUARY 22, 1931MARCH 1, 1931MARCH 8, 1931"SOUTHERN IDEA" got a nice picture.
MARCH 15, 1931MARCH 22, 1931MARCH 29, 1931APRIL 5, 1931APRIL 12, 1931APRIL 19, 1931APRIL 26, 1931MAY 3, 1931MAY 10, 1931MAY 17, 1931MAY 24, 1931MAY 31, 1931JUNE 7, 1931JUNE 14, 1931JUNE 21, 1931The Program included the KIDDIE REVUE starring kids from the SCOTTISH RITE Hospital, sponsored by the SHRINERSJUNE 28, 1931JULY 5, 1931JULY 12, 1931JULY 19, 1931JULY 26, 1931 AUGUST 2, 1931AUGUST 9, 1931AUGUST 16, 1931AUGUST 23, 1931AUGUST 30, 1931SEPTEMBER 6, 1931SEPTEMBER 13, 1931SEPTEMBER 20, 1921SEPTEMBER 27, 1931OCTOBER 4, 1931OCTOBER 11, 1931OCTOBER 18, 1931OCTOBER 25, 1931NOVEMBER 1, 1931NOVEMBER 8, 1931NOVEMBER 15, 1931 Second mention of SHRINER'S Use of TheatreNOVEMEBER 22, 1931NOVEMBER 29, 1931 First decent picture to play the FOX!DECEMBER 6, 1931DECEMBER 13, 1931DECEMBER 20, 1931DECEMBER 27, 1931 "Roxy Theatre" Idea Direct from the NEW YORK ROXY!JANUARY 3, 1932 "Second Anniversary Facts" JANUARY 10, 1932 "16 Sunkist Beauties!"JNAUARY 17, 1932JANUARY 24, 1932JANUARY 31, 1932FEBRUARY 7, 1932FEBRUARY 14, 1932FEBRUARY 20, 1932 The Unspeakable Picture "FREAKS" plays the FOX with the "HACIENDA" Idea...FEBRUARY 21, 1932 ...but "FREAKS" is pulled after its opening day and replaced by a very different Circus Picture!FEBRUARY 28, 1932MARCH 6, 1932MARCH 13, 1932SUNKIST BEAUTIES and man not worth naming outside Ponce de Leon exit doors located between the FOX Stage Entrance and the FOX colored entrance!MARCH 20, 1932MARCH 27, 1932APRIL 3, 1932APRIL 10, 1932APRIL 17, 1932APRIL 24, 1932
MAY 1, 1932 MAY 8, 1932MAY 15, 1932 This ad features a complete "rundown" of a typical Stage Show.May 22, 1932May 29, 1932JUNE 5, 1932JUNE 12, 1932 Mention made of SHRINE USE of FOX"KIDDIE REVUE" RETURNSJUNE 19, 1932 ARTHUR LAKE went on to to play Dagwood in B-pictures.JUNE 26, 1932 FOX CEASES OPERATION for Two Months
Constitution Film Editor Jones bemoans the sad event, which probably resulted in about 150 people losing their jobs, 100 connected with the stage shows locally, including the orchestra, the Beauties, and the Stagehands.JULY 30, 1932AUGUST 7, 1932

FOX will reopen, but without Stage Shows and with a new organist, Jimmy BeersAUGUST 12, 1932 NO STAGE SHOW!

FOR THE NEXT 37 WEEKS, THERE WERE NO STAGE SHOWS

ON DECEMBER 27, 1932, RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL OPENED ITS DOORS, BESTING THE FOX BOTH IN STAGE SIZE AND SIZE OF PIPE ORGAN.

APRIL 23, 1933 FANCHON & MARCO STAGE SHOWS TO RETURN AFTER TEN-MONTH HIATUS!APRIL 23, 1933
MEL RUICK TO RETURN; ENRICO LEIDE "PROMOTED" TO THEATRE MANAGERAPRIL 30, 1933
THE ORCHESTRA AND THE SUNKIST BEAUTIES (IN DIMINISHED NUMBER) RETURN MAY 7, 1933MAY 14, 1933

THE LAST "IDEA" WITH A NAME, HEREAFTER THEY WOULD BE TERMED STAGE SHOWS.MAY 21, 1933MAY 28, 1933JUNE 4, 1933JUNE 11, 1933FIFTH ANNUAL KIDDIE REVUE (3RD AT FOX)JUNE 18, 1933
NO DISPLAY AD APPEARED FOR THIS WEEK. ONLY THIS LISTINGFROM JUNE 25 UNTIL JULY 23, THERE WERE NEITHER DISPLAY ADS OR LISTINGS. THIS COULD BE THE RESULT OF THE FOX OWING MONEY TO THE NEWSPAPER. THUS WE MAY NEVER KNOW IN WHICH WEEK THE FINAL F&M STAGE SHOW PLAYED.

JULY 23, 1933 NO STAGE SHOWJULY 30, 1933
THE FOX CONTINUES ITS RAPID DECLINE WITH A SORT OF DOUBLE FEATURE
AUGUST 6, 1933
THIS AD LOOKS LIKE A "TRADE" WITH THE PAPER, FREE IN OTHER WORDS.
AUGUST 13, 1933
THE FOX AD THIS WEEK IS SMALLER THAN THE BUCKHEAD, A NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSEAUGUST 19, 1933
THE FOX HITS ROCK BOTTOM; MANAGER ENRICO LEIDE SUES HIS OWN THEATRE, PRESUMABLY FOR BACK WAGES
AUGUST 20, 1933
SMALLEST AD EVER, SHOWN AGAINST AD FOR GEORGIA (LATER ROXY) THEATREAUGUST 27, 1933
FOX AGAIN GOES DARK, TO REOPEN A WEEK LATERSEPTEMBER 3, 1933
FOX NOW UNDER THE CONTROL OF WILBY-KINCEY, LUCAS AND JENKINS, OR MOSQUE, INC., THE NAMES WERE INTERCHANGEABLE."ALL SOUND POLICY" THIS TIME SUSTAINS FOR THE NEXT 42 YEARS.

THE FOX STAGE WENT DARK.

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LISTING OF "IDEAS" WHICH PLAYED THE FOX, BY TITLE AND DATE.

3 BIG FIGURES 01/10/32
ABOUT TOWN 03/06/32
ACCORDION 04/27/30
AFRICAN 07/19/31
ALL AT SEA 03/13/32
AROUND THE WORLD 11/15/31
ART GALLERY 12/20/31
ART IN TAPS 05/11/30
ARTHUR LAKE 06/19/32
BABY SONGS 04/06/30
BEACH NIGHTS 12/25/29
BLACK AND GOLD 06/01/30
BLACK AND WHITE 04/10/32
BOB HALL 04/30/33
BOX O' CANDY 11/09/30
BROADWAY VENUSES 11/30/30
BROKEN DOLLS 10/25/31
BRUNETTES 10/19/30
BUSY BEE 11/23/30
CADETS 01/11/31
CARMEN-ESQUE 11/08/31
CARNIVAL 10/04/31
CARNIVAL RUSSE 06/15/30
CIRCUS DAYS 02/07/32
CITY SERVICE 11/16/30
COLUMNS 03/30/30
CONTRASTS 12/29/29
CORAL 08/17/30
COUNTRY CLUB 12/28/30
COZY CORNER 03/27/32
DANCE 05/31/31
DESERT 07/20/30
DOLL FOLLIES 04/12/31
DRAPES 03/09/30
DREAM HOUSE 02/14/32
ENCHANTMENT 04/19/31
ESPANOLA 05/10/31
EXOTIQUE 11/22/31
EYES 08/24/30
F&M STAGE SHOW 05/07/33
F&M STAGE SHOW 05/21/33
F&M STAGE SHOW 05/28/33
F&M STAGE SHOW 06/04/33
F&M STAGE SHOW 06/11/33
FAR EAST 05/04/30
FEMME FOLLIES 02/09/30
FIVE RACES 12/13/31
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 03/22/31
GARDENS 03/02/30
GAY VIENNA 04/17/32
GEMS & JAMS 02/08/31
GOBS OF JOY 03/01/31
GOLDEN WEST 08/02/31
GONDOLIERS 05/03/31
GOOD FELLOWS 11/02/30
GREEN DEVIL 01/25/31
GREETINGS 05/01/32
GYP-GYP-GYPSY 10/12/30
HACIENDA 02/20/32
HEADLINERS 07/12/31
HOLLYWOOD COLLEGIANS 01/04/31
HOLLYWOOD STUDIO GIRLS 03/23/30
HOT DOMINOES 06/29/30
HOT JAVA 02/28/32
ICY HOT 06/14/31
IDEA IN BLUE 01/18/31
IDEA IN GREEN 05/18/30
INDIAN 03/29/31
INTERNATIONAL 07/13/30
IVORY 07/06/30
JAZZ BUCCANEERS 01/19/30
JAZZ CINDERELLA 02/23/30
JAZZ TEMPLE 05/25/30
KING COTTON 05/14/33
KISSES 04/13/30
LA PLAZA 05/08/32
LET'S PRETEND 06/08/30
LIMEHOUSE NIGHTS 11/29/31
LOVE LETTERS 07/26/31
MANILA BOUND 08/03/30
MARBLE 09/14/30
MARCHES MILITAIRES 12/06/31
MICKEY MOUSE 09/05/31
MILKY WAY 10/26/30
MODERN MINSTRELS 03/20/32
MODES OF HOLLYWOOD 02/22/31
MONTMARTRE 04/03/32
MOONLIGHT REVELS 05/17/31
MOROCCAN 08/09/31
NEW YORKER 03/15/31
NORTH-SOUTH-EAST-WEST 11/01/31
NURSERY RHYMES 04/24/32
OLYMPIC GAMES 09/13/31
ON PARADE 01/24/32
ONCE UPON A TIME 10/18/31
OVERTURES 07/27/30
PARASOL 05/22/32
PEASANT 08/10/30
PEP 08/30/31
PROSPERITY 06/28/31
ROMANCE 12/14/30
ROSE GARDEN 12/07/30
ROXY THEATRE 12/27/31
RUSSIAN ART 09/20/31
SCREENLAND MELODIES 03/16/30
SEASONS 04/26/31
SEEING DOUBLE 12/21/30
SINGER MIDGETS 02/16/30
SKETCHES 01/03/32
SKIRTS 09/21/30
SLAVIQUE 06/12/32
SOCIETY CIRCUS 05/24/31
SOUTHERN 03/08/31
SPEED 01/12/30
STAGE DOOR 05/15/32
STITCH IN TIME 06/05/32
SUBMARINE 08/23/31
SUNSHINE 09/07/30
SWEET COOKIES 01/26/30
TALENT 08/16/31
THE GREAT RAYMOND 10/11/31
THRU THE GATES 01/05/30
TINYTPES 05/29/32
TOMORROW'S STARS 01/17/32
TOP O' THE WORLD 07/05/31
TOPICAL TUNES 06/07/31
TREES 08/31/30
TYPES 04/20/30
UNIFORMS 06/22/30
VACATION DAYS 01/31/32
VARIETIES 09/27/31
VAUDEVILLE ECHOES 06/21/31
VICTOR HERBERT 02/01/31
WATERMELON BLUES 02/02/30
WAY BACK WHEN 04/05/31
WILD AND WOOLLY 02/15/31