The Fox Theater
I am retired and live near Atlanta in Marietta, Ga. My wife and I have been married 37 years. She is still working. We have two grown sons that are married to their jobs and for children have adopted dogs. I am into genealogy and am always attracted to the creators of the orginal MAD comic books of the early 50s and other vintage type of comics, as Li'l Abner, Smiling Jack, etc.
So, here goes nothing.
Last night my wife and I went to The Fox Theater in Atlanta to see The Phantom of the Opera. Which I sat through amazed at the quick and efficient changing of the costumes and props. The wizardry and music was good too.
Next to us was a lone elderly woman looked to be about age 75. At intermission I asked her how she was enjoying it and she said she was enjoying it very much so. She went on to say it was her 8th time she has seen it. Several times in New York, Atlanta, and one time in Jacksonville, Fl.
Wow, she must really enjoy it.
She went on to say she used to live in Atlanta but now lives on Jekyll Island on Georgia's coast. I asked her if she knew Jack Davis, who also lives there. She said they knew each other and run into each other at a certain restaurant that the people on the Island eat at, away from the tourists.
She told me in a low voice as if she was sharing a secret, that Jack Davis was the first artist of MAD magazine. I wanted to add more to that statement but just acted mildly amused.
When you are in the presence of a stranger you never know just what you are next to.... somebody who may be your distance cousin or somebody who is an aquaintence of somebody you admire. Or maybe even an ax murderer.
Several weeks before - we went on a tour of The Fox. Our guide was a member of the Atlanta Historical Society - or was it the Atlanta Landmarks Presevation? I forgot. The Fox building was started in 1928 and completed in 1929. It was built for the Atlanta area Shriners. The Shriners, more or less, got the movie maker Fox to put up the money, and in turn he had a theater to show his movies that was produced by his company. The back rooms of the Fox has many Eygptian-like symbols and Far-East tradional furniture and decorations. It was really something to see.
In one room, the Egyptian Ball Room, until it was opened for public functions about twenty years ago, was used strickly as a meeting hall for Shriners. Our tour guide told us on an earlier tour given by another tour guide it was pointed out that until about twenty years ago women were not allowed in this room. A little old lady in the tour crowd said she was in this room in the 1940s. The guide said he had in his notes that women were not allowed in the Shrine meeting hall, and how could she? "I came out of a cake." she said sweetly.
In the early 1970s The Fox was getting the run-down look and playing cheap movies. It was more or less a dump or an eye-sore. The Bell South Tower was near by, and they decided to buy it and turn it into a parking lot. Then the Atlanta Landmarks and historical minded community rose to arms and had a drive to "Save The Fox" - which they did. Now, The Fox is in full swing again.
So, here goes nothing.
Last night my wife and I went to The Fox Theater in Atlanta to see The Phantom of the Opera. Which I sat through amazed at the quick and efficient changing of the costumes and props. The wizardry and music was good too.
Next to us was a lone elderly woman looked to be about age 75. At intermission I asked her how she was enjoying it and she said she was enjoying it very much so. She went on to say it was her 8th time she has seen it. Several times in New York, Atlanta, and one time in Jacksonville, Fl.
Wow, she must really enjoy it.
She went on to say she used to live in Atlanta but now lives on Jekyll Island on Georgia's coast. I asked her if she knew Jack Davis, who also lives there. She said they knew each other and run into each other at a certain restaurant that the people on the Island eat at, away from the tourists.
She told me in a low voice as if she was sharing a secret, that Jack Davis was the first artist of MAD magazine. I wanted to add more to that statement but just acted mildly amused.
When you are in the presence of a stranger you never know just what you are next to.... somebody who may be your distance cousin or somebody who is an aquaintence of somebody you admire. Or maybe even an ax murderer.
Several weeks before - we went on a tour of The Fox. Our guide was a member of the Atlanta Historical Society - or was it the Atlanta Landmarks Presevation? I forgot. The Fox building was started in 1928 and completed in 1929. It was built for the Atlanta area Shriners. The Shriners, more or less, got the movie maker Fox to put up the money, and in turn he had a theater to show his movies that was produced by his company. The back rooms of the Fox has many Eygptian-like symbols and Far-East tradional furniture and decorations. It was really something to see.
In one room, the Egyptian Ball Room, until it was opened for public functions about twenty years ago, was used strickly as a meeting hall for Shriners. Our tour guide told us on an earlier tour given by another tour guide it was pointed out that until about twenty years ago women were not allowed in this room. A little old lady in the tour crowd said she was in this room in the 1940s. The guide said he had in his notes that women were not allowed in the Shrine meeting hall, and how could she? "I came out of a cake." she said sweetly.
In the early 1970s The Fox was getting the run-down look and playing cheap movies. It was more or less a dump or an eye-sore. The Bell South Tower was near by, and they decided to buy it and turn it into a parking lot. Then the Atlanta Landmarks and historical minded community rose to arms and had a drive to "Save The Fox" - which they did. Now, The Fox is in full swing again.
posted by Eddie at 5:50 AM
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