Bradley Theatre (Closed)
Columbus, GA Photo courtesy Larry Glass
This one taken in the summer of 2008 of the Bradley Theater in Columbus GA. It's in the old downtown area and closed. The theatre originally opened in 1940. Many thanks to Larry Glass for info. 04-09
The old Bradley Theatre marquee still hangs over Broadway in downtown Columbus, looking like the movies might start up again at any minute. The Streamline Moderne theater opened in 1940 with 1,640 seats and plenty of movie palace style.
For nearly four decades the Bradley showed first-run movies. On December 7, 1941, a Sunday matinee was reportedly interrupted with news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The theater finally closed as a movie house in 1977, with Rocky among the last films on the screen. The Bradley escaped demolition in the early 1980s and later found occasional use for concerts, parties and other events. The screen may be dark these days, but that old marquee is still hanging around.
UPDATE: The Bradley Theatre remains closed and vacant, while the building and its Broadway marquee continue to survive. 08-26
Carver Theatre
Birmingham, AL Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
Check out the Carver Theatre along Fourth Avenue in Birmingham. The old marquee has been hanging over this historic Black business district since the theater opened in 1935, when it was one of the few places in town where African-American moviegoers could watch first-run films from the main floor. 04-09
The Carver became a popular neighborhood movie house and nightlife stop before eventually closing in the early 1980s. Birmingham purchased the building in 1990 and brought it back as a performing arts theater.
The Carver also became home to the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, celebrating Alabama musicians including Nat "King" Cole, Lionel Hampton and Erskine Hawkins. So there's quite a bit of music history hiding behind that old movie marquee.
UPDATE: Following a major restoration completed in 2024, the Carver Theatre is once again open for concerts and community events, with the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame inside and the restored marquee still out front. 08-26
Alabama Theatre
Birmingham, AL Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
You can't miss those big red neon letters running up the side of the Alabama Theatre in downtown Birmingham. The old movie palace opened the day after Christmas in 1927, and the towering ALABAMA sign has been part of the downtown nighttime scene for generations. 04-09
Built by Paramount, the Alabama was nicknamed the "Showplace of the South" and originally seated around 2,500 moviegoers. Inside was plenty of movie palace decoration along with "Big Bertha," the theater's original Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ. During the 1930s, the Alabama even hosted what was billed as the world's largest Mickey Mouse Club, with thousands of young members.
After more than 50 years as a movie house, the Alabama ran into hard times. Birmingham Landmarks stepped in and purchased the theater in 1987, beginning the long job of restoring the old showplace. Fortunately, the neon survived too. There's something about seeing ALABAMA glowing high above Third Avenue that lets you know you've found the right theater.
UPDATE: The Alabama Theatre remains open for movies, concerts and special events. Its familiar blade sign was completely refurbished in 2019 and is once again glowing over downtown Birmingham. 08-26
Calhoun Theatre (Gone)
Anniston, AL Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
The faded front of the Calhoun Theatre still hangs on along Noble Street in downtown Anniston, looking every bit like an old movie house whose last show ended a long time ago. The theater opened on February 20, 1942, with Look Who's Laughing on the screen and room for more than 1,000 moviegoers. 04-09
Designed in the Streamline Moderne style, the Calhoun was operated in its early days by Alabama Theatres and later passed through several theater chains. Like many downtown movie houses, business eventually faded as audiences headed elsewhere. The final curtain came down in January 1983, with Richard Pryor in The Toy reportedly being the last movie shown.
Calhoun Theatre
Anniston, AL Photo courtesy Paul Bauke
The theater sat empty afterward, leaving its old marquee and worn facade as reminders of busier nights on Noble Street. By the time of this photo, the place was already looking pretty rough around the edges, but you could still easily picture the lights and crowds out front.
UPDATE: The marquee was removed in 2010 after becoming a safety concern. The City of Anniston later sold the deteriorated theater property to a Birmingham developer in 2021 for possible redevelopment. The old Calhoun has survived, but only as a badly deteriorated shell of the movie house it once was. 08-26
Bradley Theatre (Closed)
Carver Theatre
Alabama Theatre
Calhoun Theatre (Gone)
Calhoun Theatre
