A Look at the Fox Theatre's Rich 90-Year History

from Atlanta ShowGuide Spring 2020

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The Fox Theatre was originally conceived as home for the Atlanta Shriners Organization in 1928. Created to befit the group’s prominent social status, it was designed to resemble an ancient temple with intricate patterns. In 1929, the Fox Theatre was leased to William Fox and soon became one of the southeast’s most popular and striking movie palaces — opening on Christmas Day to a sold-out crowd, premiering “Steamboat Willie.”

When suburban migration began in the late 1960s and left the future of the beloved landmark uncertain, the Fox Theatre closed its doors in 1974 – seemingly forever. In fear of losing the beautiful theater for good, the Atlanta community united to launch the now memorable “Save The Fox” campaign — collecting donations from public and private groups, organizing benefit concerts featuring acts from Lynyrd Skynyrd to Liberace, and even collecting pennies at local businesses — raising more than $3 million.

**Don Mathis seated at the “Mighty Mo” Moller organ, Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia, April 4, 1944.**
Lane Brother Collection, Special Collections Department, Pullen Library, Georgia State University.

After months of painstaking restoration efforts, the Fox Theatre again opened its doors in 1975 to the joy of those who pulled it from thebrink of disaster. Since then, the Fox has continued to evolve, firmly sewn into the fabric of Atlanta and remaining one of the city’s most cherished landmarks. The Fox Theatre Institute (FTI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of historic theaters, recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary by raising over $100,000 at the “Revival” benefit concert on September 13, 2019. To date, FTI has given more than $1 million to historic venues throughout the region. The Fox Theatre invites the community to reflect on and celebrate its heritage by visiting bit.ly/IAmTheFox to share their own favorite Fox memories. The site also features videos with poetic scripts that tell the story of the theatre’s personality and history, highlighting the story of the individual along with elements of the Fox’s identity — including magic, tradition, glamour and grit.

“The Fox is a vessel of many, many stories — stories behind its history and how it was built, stories with every individual and every couple that walks through its doors,” said President and CEO Allan Vella. “We are celebrating by bringing the community a way to embrace its impact over the years. It’s our way to show Atlanta that this cherished theater is not only irreplaceable… it’s theirs.”