In 1928, the Fox was originally conceived as a home for Atlanta’s Shriners organization. To create a headquarters befitting the group’s prominent social status, the Shriners looked to the ancient temples of the Far East to inspire a mosque-style structure befitting their stature. Storied architectural gems like the Alhambra in Spain and Egypt’s Temple of Kharnak heavily influenced the building’s elaborate and intensely ornate design. Bursting with soaring domes, minarets and sweeping archways, the exterior of the building gave way to stunning gold leaf details, sumptuous textiles and exquisite trompe l’oeil art (an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create optical illusions) inside.
Ultimately, the design was so fantastical, it became more of a financial burden than the Shriners could bear. Shortly before its completion, the Shriners leased their beautiful auditorium to William Fox, a movie mogul who had launched his empire by building theatres across the country to meet America’s insatiable affection for the new moving pictures that were sweeping the nation. By the end of the 1920s, these aptly-named “movie palaces” were an integral part of nearly every community in the country, each one more gilded and exquisite than the next. Developers like Fox spared no expense, understanding all too well that these movie palaces were the gateway to a brave new world, transporting eager audiences to exotic, elegant settings they could only imagine.
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This is the background. I've only been there once for a performance. And I sat in the "Nose Bleed" section, which meant I could see all the details of the ceiling better than if I'd been on the floor.
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So here is the "Small World" aspect of it.
I moved up here to help my niece and her husband move from Fayetteville Ga to Mableton in 2009. It was then that I learned that the both of them, my niece and hubby volunteered as ushers for years at the Fox Theater, that way they got to enjoy the performances as well, for free.
In Dec 2020 I bought this house, and as I always do, I began going around and introducing myself to my neighbors.
I've become friends with several, cordial acquaintances with the rest. So far no enemies ha ha 😈
My next door neighbor Mary Wilson (no, not THAT one 😂) Has an older lady who comes and stays with her on the weekends. In chatting with her, I found out that she too, ushered for the Fox for over 25 yrs.
So I sent my niece this image (a crop from a 3 way selfie we took when Mary, Rita and I went out to eat... That is Ms Rita)
Asking if they knew her, She replied:
So I sent this pic of my niece and hubby to Mary (Rita can't figure out how to open photos sent to her phone, plus at the time, all I had was her home number, which I found out yesterday)
Ms Rita was excited to know they were alive and well. It took quite a while, but yesterday, I Picked up Rita from next door, and we went to My nieces house, her hubby is a quadriplegic so their house is handicap friendly.
We spent a lovely two hours with them chatting, mostly Tom and Rita, because many times during those years before his accident and paralysis, my Niece would be working at Southern Oaks (her special events venue you see behind them in the photo) so Tom would go alone, and he and Rita spent time together working.
After his accident, Rita would send little gifts, and Michele had saved this one
She said yesterday that it was taken in 1967 just after she started teaching Kindergarten
There was a notation on the back, So I put that next to her in a composite image
During all this time, chatting with Rex and Tina (two houses over, and now good friends; they owned this house just before I bought it) I came to find out that TINA also ushered for the Fox. But she doesn't know Rita, nor my niece and her hubby.
So I MUST say that yesterday, was a very fulfilling day spent helping to bring long lost friends back together.
It's ...
by
Jerry E Smith
©06/14/2021
All images are mine or linked to the source.
