This was the first place I saw a movie. That was a double feature of “Torture Garden” and “A Time for a Killing.” When I went to the East Point Theater, it did not look this good. Of course, that was over 25 years after this picture. It is nice to see how nice the theater looked.
JFB
commented about
1973 on
Dec 17, 2023 at 1:28 pm
It is a shame a theater such as this is gone. I went to see a play there in the mid 1980s. The auditorium looked beautiful. It looked like a spanish court yard.
JFB
commented about
Rex Theatreon
Nov 19, 2023 at 7:05 pm
I know some people like the recliners in the auditoriums but it seems to me, the theater severely cut down on how many people can see a movie. I heard the IMAX auditorium still has theater seats. The other auditoriums' seating capacity has been reduced to a third of their original seating capacity.
This theater opened with Grease. When it opened, it was the only major theater on the south side that did not have dolby in either auditorium. Long before AMC 24 opened, this theater was closed and demolished to make way for a Sports Authority and Office Max.
Back in the early 1960’s I came with my parents to some revival meetings at this theater. It probably had stopped being a movie theater. My mother always told me that this theater had two balconies. When I went in the 1970’s they had dropped the ceiling and sealed off the upper balcony.
This is how I remember this auditorium. Before it was the Columbia, it had wall to wall carpet and for a while, you could not bring drinks into the auditorium
To the best of my knowledge, this drive-in closed quite some time before the Thunderbird up the road. It was demolished for a grocery store, probably an A&P. There was also a 24-hour Eckerd Drug Store here. Other smaller businesses were in this strip center.
During the late 1970s someone tried to open a second run theater in this center. It was also called the Forest Park Theater, not to be confused with the other Forest Park listed CT. This theater was a converted storefront. It had about 100 seats. I went there to see The Other Side of the Mountain. Later it showed Airport 1977. It was only opened for anout two months.
There is still a street that runs along the edge of the strip center called Theater Way.
I remember an old book I used to have that showed a picture of Whitehall St. Below Hunter St. In the picture was the J. M. High department store and the Central Theater. It goes on to say that the Central was the sight of the old Vaudette.
I never went to this drive-in. My brother went here with my cousin and saw that the manager who was a member of our church. What is funny is my church at that time did not approve of movies or movie theaters. Now my church has movie nights. Of course you will not see some of the stuff this place would play. I seem to remember this drive-in would play adult movies once a month.
There is a building on the block that the Empire was located. It is a yellow building with a funky mural painted on the side. I thought at one time that this was the Empire. I do believe the Empire was a yellow building but it appeared to be on the opposite end of the block across from what is now Georgia State Stadium.
StanMalone From what I could tell, the Floor and Decor started at about the area of the Atlantic and stretched almost across the length of the parking lot. I doubt if Floor and Decor used the right wall of the Atlantic for its wall.
I believe this theater actually lasted into 1979. It had become a dollar house. The last movie that played here was Animal House. My brother and cousin saw it there the Saturday before it burned. This was the first weekend of 1979. The next day, a fire started in a restaurant in the section it was in and burned everything in that part all the way to Everybodies pizza.
A friend an I rode by the site of this theater and it has been demolished.
Riding by this theater, it appears the community is trying to renovate it as the Grove Park Center. I wish them luck.
This was the first place I saw a movie. That was a double feature of “Torture Garden” and “A Time for a Killing.” When I went to the East Point Theater, it did not look this good. Of course, that was over 25 years after this picture. It is nice to see how nice the theater looked.
It is a shame a theater such as this is gone. I went to see a play there in the mid 1980s. The auditorium looked beautiful. It looked like a spanish court yard.
The Rex theater is now a church.
I rode by this theater this afternoon and it has been demolished.
This theater has been demolished.
I was riding on Forest Parkway and did not see the theater building. It may have been demolished.
This theater can now be changed to showing movies. Though not every day, but thr Southern Circuit now plays somevof their films here.
Drove by the old sight and someone is putting up what appears to be a warehouse.
Probably the biggest nail in the coffin was the opening of Regal’s new theater at the sight of the North 85 drive in.
I know some people like the recliners in the auditoriums but it seems to me, the theater severely cut down on how many people can see a movie. I heard the IMAX auditorium still has theater seats. The other auditoriums' seating capacity has been reduced to a third of their original seating capacity.
This theater opened with Grease. When it opened, it was the only major theater on the south side that did not have dolby in either auditorium. Long before AMC 24 opened, this theater was closed and demolished to make way for a Sports Authority and Office Max.
I do not believe anyone misses this theater.
It was actually the mid 1970s when the auditorium was split. I remember seeing Carrie here after it was divided in half.
Back in the early 1960’s I came with my parents to some revival meetings at this theater. It probably had stopped being a movie theater. My mother always told me that this theater had two balconies. When I went in the 1970’s they had dropped the ceiling and sealed off the upper balcony.
This is how I remember this auditorium. Before it was the Columbia, it had wall to wall carpet and for a while, you could not bring drinks into the auditorium
When this theater was part of the Weis chain, it was a sister theater of the Arrowhead theater.
To the best of my knowledge, this drive-in closed quite some time before the Thunderbird up the road. It was demolished for a grocery store, probably an A&P. There was also a 24-hour Eckerd Drug Store here. Other smaller businesses were in this strip center.
During the late 1970s someone tried to open a second run theater in this center. It was also called the Forest Park Theater, not to be confused with the other Forest Park listed CT. This theater was a converted storefront. It had about 100 seats. I went there to see The Other Side of the Mountain. Later it showed Airport 1977. It was only opened for anout two months.
There is still a street that runs along the edge of the strip center called Theater Way.
You should have seen the sequined letters at night. Computerized marquees do not have the same effect.
I remember an old book I used to have that showed a picture of Whitehall St. Below Hunter St. In the picture was the J. M. High department store and the Central Theater. It goes on to say that the Central was the sight of the old Vaudette.
I never went to this drive-in. My brother went here with my cousin and saw that the manager who was a member of our church. What is funny is my church at that time did not approve of movies or movie theaters. Now my church has movie nights. Of course you will not see some of the stuff this place would play. I seem to remember this drive-in would play adult movies once a month.
There is a building on the block that the Empire was located. It is a yellow building with a funky mural painted on the side. I thought at one time that this was the Empire. I do believe the Empire was a yellow building but it appeared to be on the opposite end of the block across from what is now Georgia State Stadium.
StanMalone From what I could tell, the Floor and Decor started at about the area of the Atlantic and stretched almost across the length of the parking lot. I doubt if Floor and Decor used the right wall of the Atlantic for its wall.
I do believe this drive-in was gone before the Fanning sisters were born. Perhaps Holly Hunter, another Conyers native may have seen movies here.
I believe this theater actually lasted into 1979. It had become a dollar house. The last movie that played here was Animal House. My brother and cousin saw it there the Saturday before it burned. This was the first weekend of 1979. The next day, a fire started in a restaurant in the section it was in and burned everything in that part all the way to Everybodies pizza.