Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favorite door photos from around the world. Feel free to join in on the fun by creating your own Thursday Doors post each week and then sharing it, between Thursday morning and Saturday noon (North American eastern time), by using the blue link-up button below.
The Fox Theater – Atlanta
The historic Fox Theater in midtown Atlanta is a sight to behold that harkens back to the golden age of cinema.
Originally intended as a 4600 seat meeting hall and headquarters for the Shriners, the Fox opened its doors in December of 1929.
Its many domes, minarets and arches display the Moorish, Islamic, and Egyptian influences commonly seen from the Shriners.
Due to the mounting costs this ostentatious project left the Shriners scrambling for funds to complete it. This led to arrangement for additional funding from movie mogul and theater developer William Fox. The final price tag for the completed 250,ooo square foot project came in at just under 3 million dollars.
Timing was not on their side however. If you remember December 1929 was only 2 months after the great stock market crash which is what led to the start of the Great Depression.
After a little more than two years of screening ‘talking pictures’ and live entertainment the Fox was taken into bankruptcy and both the Shriners and Mr. Fox lost their ecomonic interests in the building.
A private company then purchased the Fox at auction on the Atlanta courthouse steps for the ridiculously cheap price of only $75,000.
The Fox thrived for well ever three decades well into the 1960’s, and was renowned as one of the premiere locations for events ranging from opera, to big band and swing concerts, and live theater, not to mention the hundreds of movies that were shown there.
Unfortunately by the mid to late 1960’s the Fox fell out of favor, a victim to urban sprawl in the metro Atlanta area. As more and more people fled the city for the suburbs, large halls such as the Fox were no longer in demand.
In the mid 1970’s a non-profit foundation was formed to raise the funds needed to renovate and save the Fox. Benefit concerts were held and private donations came pouring in from all over, allowing this grand building to be brought back to its former glory.
How did all that hard work to save the Fox turn out?
I’d say it turned out wonderfully. Today the Fox is host to over 250 shows and almost a half million visitors per year. Since 2011 it has been ranked in the top 3 theaters in North America for gross ticket sales.
If you’re planning a visit to the area and are interested in taking a closer look, the Fox is located at 660 Peachtree Street, NE in midtown Atlanta.
If you’re not fortunate enough to hold a ticket to an event at the Fox, they do also offer guided tours of this historic gem. Check out their website for complete details.
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As always I thank you for looking 🙂
Pingback: #ThursdayDoors — The Murat | joeyfullystated
Great shots of one of my favorite places in Atlanta.
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Beautiful building! Glad they didn’t tear it down and build condos!
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Oops, Norm~ I meant, “razz a ma tazz” not how it came out! 😀
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There are very few other sources of gorgeous details than an old, well kept or restored “grand theatre!” A church is beautiful and often gorgeous but the glitz and razz a ma razz of a theatre really is unique, Norm. I loved this in photos as well as the written details. 🙂
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I’ve been there. Nice pictures…
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Thank you 🙂
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Always great images, Norm, and the history too!
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Thank you for the kind words 🙂
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What a beautiful building and how wonderful that it’s been rescued!
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I thought so too – thanks Angela 🙂
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I love that building. I doubt I will be getting to Atlanta any time, or any time soon, but if I do, I will check it out. Great photos!
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Thank you!
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I love the Fox Theatre photos. They sure don’t make ’em like that anymore.
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Thanks Sherry. It seems as though all we see these days is strip-mall multi-plexes.
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I used to go to Saturday matinees in old movie theaters.
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Fabulous photos and as always so interesting!!
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Thank you 🙂
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You did a magnificent job with the Fox and its story! Good news: A major restoration project is under way, they will be adding, or rather re-opening, some additional public space upstairs. It will be grander than ever. We’ll have to do it again on your next visit to Atlanta!
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Thanks Ludwig. I had read a bit about the current project and I was thinking the same thing: next time we do the tour 😀
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Such a magnificent building, Norm. I’m so glad it was brought back to life. I had never heard of The Shriners before. Thursday Doors isn’t just fun, it’s educational, too. 🙂
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Thanks Jean. Since starting this adventure I’ve learned so much about so many places 🙂
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Nice old theatre and terrific photos 😀
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Thanks Cee 🙂
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You found a gem of a building with great doors! The Fox Theater in Oakland, CA went through a renovation after falling in disrepair several years ago, and while I did not see that facility in person, the photos I saw look similar to the renovated Fox Theater of Atlanta.
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My guess is it was the same Mr. Fox so the similarities are probably not a coincidence.
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Wow – just wow! 🙂
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I know what you mean – it was pretty impressive to see 😉
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We have a Fox Theatre here in our town that was just a movie house until the late 70’s. It was pretty opulent inside for a town of our size. It sat vacant for nearly 25 years and a local person bought it, tore down the back half, saved the facade and built a new event center with offices above. Had my daughter’s grad party there. No special ‘doors’ there anylonger 😦
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That’s kinda sad but at the same time I guess it’s better than tearing it down completely to build a condo tower.
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Very true. People were put out about it for awhile but now it’s become accepted as the better alternative to not having it at all
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A grand style! Timing is everything:)
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In business as in life timing is everything – thank you!
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What a beauty! It’s always good to see historic buildings restored.
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Thanks. It certainly is an encouraging thing when people come together like that 🙂
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Beautiful building and doors.
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Thank you!
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Quite fancy – I suddenly have a craving for buttered popcorn!
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Mmm buttered popcorn 🙂
I think I might just indulge this weekend myself.
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Gorgeous old theater, and wonderful photos.
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Thank you, glad you liked them 🙂
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It’s a gorgeous building with really great doors! They sure don’t make them like this anymore.
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Thanks Deborah. they sure don’t make them like that anymore; I don’t think there’s many who can afford to 😉
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That’s so true about the expense. Labor alone would be the deal killer for all but the most wealthy.
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Wow, 3 million bucks was a sizeable chunk of change back then. (BACK THEN? What am I saying??) What a gorgeous building! I love every inch! My bucket list is getting longer as my tolerance for travel is getting shorter. In another life…. lol
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It is one of the cruel ironies of life isn’t it. My bucket list just keeps getting longer and longer. The good news is that it leaves no shortage of things to look forward to 🙂
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What a gorgeous theater! I’m so glad to read that it’s being used.
janet
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Thanks Janet. So is everyone there hung over from the World Series celebrations?
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Handsome, historic doors, and a happy ending to a story. Nice, Norm. 🙂 It also brought back memories of the Proctor Theatre where I frequented many Sundays growing up. News, cartoon, previews, and two features for $.25, popcorn for $.15, and a fudge bar for $.10. Sunday afternoon entertainment from 1-4 Yes, I’m that old and not to afraid to admit it. 🙂 Happy Thursday.
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I know how you feel. I have a lot of nice memories related to afternoon theatre outings in my younger days too 🙂
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An iconic building! I love the marble and glass ticket booth. Happy Thursday Norm.
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Thanks. Yes that ticket booth is lovely 🙂
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My first show there (the Nutcracker ballet at Christmas) was magical. I show was amazing but I stood in awe of the building, the stage the everything. I felt like I was in a fairytale when the show started: the ceiling looked like stars in a night sky and the stage itself was a middle eastern castle. Glad you got to see it!
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I can image the Nutcracker in a place like that was something special.
I didn’t get to see the inside but if I go back to Atlanta in 2 years I will definitely take the tour.
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Oh, if you can, see a show there too. It’s so WOW!
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Fantastic! I love the style, the gate, the dome. Who doesn’t love a dome? I don’t remember seeing this building in Atlanta, as if I had, I’d remember; It’s almost identical in style to our Murat Theatre. I showed the exterior to my kids and they were like, “Door Norm was here?” lol I will aim to get some snaps of it. Now I’m wondering if the striped brick is a Shriner thing or an era thing? I’m also wondering if the Murat gives tours. I haven’t been inside for a long time. I dare say, 15+ years. Thanks, as ever, for the inspiration 🙂
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Glad my post has piqued so much curiosity for you. I won’t be surprised if you find out that your Murat was a Mr. Fox theater as well. Not sure about the striped brick – I will look into that cause now you got me wondering too.
They called me “Door Norm”? That’s cute. Could be ‘Norman the doorman’ but that would just be wrong, right? And thankfully I’m not Mormon…. 😀
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When I listed people Moo could follow you on IG, a few days later, she came to me, “Mama, this guy does Thursday Doors too!” So I explained you were the guy who started it all. Now you’re Door Norm.
I am going to check out the Murat, but when, I do not know. Usually we’re only out that way to drink, and um, I can’t drink and photograph 😛
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What a hectic life this building has had. I’m so glad to see that it was rescued, repaired and is now doing well. You brought us a great collection of doors, Norm. I know it’s more window than door, but I like the ticket booth the best.
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Thanks Dan. I’m kinda partial to that ticket booth too. It sure has a lot going for it.
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A lovely building and unfortunately, a story typical of ambitious theatre projects from that era. Thankfully this one had a happy ending 🙂
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It reminds me of the no-so-happy-ending of the old Snowden theatre here on Decarie Blvd. Classic Art-Deco design from the mid-1930’s it has been abandoned and boarded up for a while now and no one seems to want to do anything with it 😦
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That is sad. It’s hard to know who to blame for these failures. Are the owners unreasonable in their expectations of a selling price? Is the city council preventing development? Is there just general apathy? Very sad.
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Some of the Dead’s best shows were at the Fox Theatre. Nice to see what it actually looks like (the acoustics are excellent).
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I hadn’t read or heard anything about the acoustics but considering how much thought and effort were put into the other aspects of the building it does not surprise me to hear that 🙂
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How interesting, great post and what a building….love the doors too!
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Thank you!
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Very interesting post. I didn’t know anything about the Shriners. It’s wonderful the Fox has been renovated.
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Thank you. When I was writing the post I began wondering if people outside of North America would know who the Shriners were, hence the addition of the link. They do a lot of great fundraising work especially for sick children.
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Oh yes, thank you very much for that link.
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Very interesting!
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Thank you!
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So glad they did the hard work! very impressive renovation
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Thanks, me too. Sometimes it just seems easier (and more profitable) to tear it all down and build condos.
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