Talk:Fox Theatre (Atlanta)

Fablous Fox?
Is "Fabulous Fox" its official name? Does "one of the more unique of the grand movie palaces" mean that some or even several are more or less uniquer? --Wetman 06:46, 7 Jan 2005 (UTC)
 * Not completely sure; it's certainly a well-known name for it. The theatre refers to itself as the "Fabulous Fox" in press releases and on its website.  The general public knows it that way as well.  Using it in the title here serves to distinquish it from the remaining Fox Theatres in other cities. Removed the 'more unique' gaff.  Autiger 15:59, 7 Jan 2005 (UTC)
 * The official name is the Fox Theatre, "The Fabulous Fox" is a nickname. Cynrin 18:47, 7 July 2006 (UTC)
 * The appellation "Fabulous Fox" has probably been used for all the big Fox palaces of that era. I recall the phrase often being used in reference to the San Francisco Fox, and it is certainly used today in marketing the St. Louis Fox, as can be seen at their website: Whyaduck 14:24, 5 January 2007 (UTC)

Fox Theatre in Detroit
There is another legendary Fox Theatre in Detroit (in fact, it may be even better known than this one), so this article should be called Fox Theatre (Atlanta). Here's a link to Detroit's Fox:

http://www.buildingphotos.com/venues/fox.shtml


 * Rather than get into any battles over which Fox Theatre (including the many besides Atlanta and Detroit)is most notable to have the Fox Theatre article, this one probably should move to Fox Theatre (Atlanta) with a new main article about Fox's building spree in general and as disamb to all ones for which articles are written. In fact, I'll get that started. Autiger 23:40, 4 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Mighty Mo: second or third largest?
This article lists Mighty Mo as the second largest theatre organ in its original location, which I seem to recall was stated in PBS documentary. But the entry for theatre organs lists it (unsourced) as #3. Anyobody know for sure from a citeable source?

Virgil Fox
I was under the distinct impression that Virgil Fox had never worked at a Fox Theater, especially because I heard the man say it in a recording from one of his concerts. Listen to and you'll hear Virgil Fox deny ever working in a Fox Theater. —Preceding unsigned comment added by FozzyMaple (talk • contribs)
 * It isn't completely clear to me that he never played there after that, but seems unlikely. Regardless, the information shouldn't be in the article without a verifiable source, so I've removed it for now. - SCEhard T 04:18, 8 January 2009 (UTC)

Restored section. Added refs. Markhh (talk) 07:08, 8 January 2009 (UTC)

I don't know if you would call it "work", but Virgil Fox played two concerts at the Atlanta Fox to benefit the effort to save the building: 03/17/1976 and 12/14/1977. I attended both, and the dates should be verifiable through Atlanta newspapers. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.194.65.56 (talk) 21:14, 20 March 2019 (UTC)

Stop removing Future Events Section
Would the idiot who keeps removing the section about the Future Events please stop?! It's the only category I could think of to put the 2011 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony under. if you can find a better category, fine, but please stop just removing it without even leaving a mention that it'll possibly be the host of the event?! It is getting really annoying always seeing it removed a day or 2 later.--Nascarking (talk) 18:28, 12 July 2010 (UTC)


 * The reason that the info is removed is because it does not rise to the level of encyclopedic. If this article had a section for every future show and every past show, it would be overlong and pointless.  I removed the section in agreement with another editor.  This page is for discussion as to what should be included in the article and to resort to name calling is counter productive. A Softer Answer (talk) 16:25, 13 July 2010 (UTC)


 * What does encyclopedic have to do with anything relating to Fox Theater possibly hosting the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony in 2011? I'm trying to tell people that Fox Theater is one of 2 site in the city of Atlanta, GA that will likely host the ceremony next year. But you idiots have gone and turned my information about Fox Theater into something that has nothing to do with anything.--Nascarking (talk) 20:28, 13 July 2010 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, not an announcement board. For help on this see What Wikipedia is not and What Wikipedia is. A future event might be encyclopedic in some cases, but at the present this event is not even definite. And in any case an encyclopedia article on the Fox Theatre need not, and can't, list all of its thousands of events, past and scheduled for the future. Thanks, Markhh (talk) 21:17, 13 July 2010 (UTC)


 * I agree with Softer and Mark; the venue possibly hosting an event next year cannot be included in this article; it is outside its scope. carl bunderson (talk) (contributions) 22:30, 13 July 2010 (UTC)


 * None of you have answered any of the questions above you have just fired back with another question. Now if you guys could take anything about Fox Theater hosting the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony and put it under the right category in the article, this would be a lot easier and we have fight by blogging. I mean what is this now, YouTube?! If you guys had just told me to remove this or an even better idea: had you just left a message on my User Page to reword that, we might be having this fight.--Nascarking (talk) 20:11, 14 July 2010 (UTC)

WWE Hall of Fame
WWE has confirmed that Fox Theater will host the WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony in 2011. Will somebody tell me where I can put this in the article so we can stop having this pointless edit war?!--Nascarking (talk) 03:08, 31 July 2010 (UTC)


 * It doesn't belong in this article; we're not going to start mentioning every event held there. carl bunderson (talk) (contributions) 04:04, 31 July 2010 (UTC)
 * That's not even what I'm talking about you stubborn idiot. How does it not belong in this article, Does Daytona International Speedway being the site of the Daytona 500 every year not belong on its article, does WrestleMania XXVII being held at the Georgia Dome not belong on its article, does Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee is the Home to the Tennessee Volunteers not belong there, or does Madison Square Garden is the home of the New York Knicks & the New York Rangers or even the WWE not belong There?!!! Answer me you stubborn idiots.--Nascarking (talk) 04:26, 31 July 2010 (UTC)


 * speaking as a member of Professional wrestling its not really notable for it to be listed here yes its WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony but is it a notable event for the venue I think not.-- Steam   Iron  04:38, 31 July 2010 (UTC)
 * Well at least you aren't one of these stubborn idiots who don't make any sense here.--Nascarking (talk) 05:01, 31 July 2010 (UTC)
 * Calling them "stubborn idiots" doesn't help your cause. Tone it down make your point and wait.-- Steam   Iron  05:22, 31 July 2010 (UTC)
 * I just read through the discussion, and I believe there's a middle road here. I understand Carl and Soft's point that it's somewhat trivial information. But then again it is an accomplishment for the venue to be the host. As it stands, it doesn't seem appropriate to shoehorn this into the intro of the article. If there was a section pertaining to the accomplishments of the theatre, like a paragraph on some of the notable events and productions that have been shown there, I think it would be acceptable to include this wrestling thing. I say find some distinguished and noteworthy productions/events that have occurred at the Fox (Not every event, just particular ones), write a little snippet on them for the history section and at the end include the wrestling ceremony if you really want to. I feel that's an appropriate way to share this information in an encyclopedic way. But seriously Nascar, chill. JeffyCreel (talk) 05:30, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Thank you, Jeffy for your balanced input. Now if Nascar wants to do the work and come up with a list of noteworthy events that have happened at the Fox in the past 35 or so years then it will be a welcome improvement to the article. A Softer Answer (talk) 13:28, 31 July 2010 (UTC)


 * Okay, but that's where the conversation goes south. I know nothing about the Fox Theater, and if they had tried to help me with this instead of just removing it every time, we wouldn't be having this conversation in the 1st place.--Nascarking (talk) 15:32, 31 July 2010 (UTC)


 * You can do research. As a former volunteer tour guide for the Fox, I know a great deal about the architecture but I don't off hand know notable performances there.  So I would have to do the research to find out, but I won't have time until after school restarts.  You can start with the official website of the Fox and see if they list anything there.  A Softer Answer (talk) 17:02, 31 July 2010 (UTC)

Think I got something
I think I found something that could help with trying to list notable performances at the theater.http://www.foxtheatre.org/foxtimeline.aspx --Nascarking (talk) 16:28, 2 August 2010 (UTC)

Will This work
I think I got something for a Timeline of greatest performances at the Fox Theater.

FOX TIMELINE

1889	 	The Yaarab Temple, a local branch of the Shriners, is founded in Atlanta by Henry Stockdell and 32 others. Stockdell also founded the Capital City Club.

1919	 	With over 4,000 members, the Yaarab Temple begins plans to build a mosque.

1922	 	The Yaarab Temple purchases the Fox Theatre site for $225,000.

1927	 	Six architectural firms compete for the contract to design the Shriners' new mosque. Atlanta firm Marye, Alger & Vinour win.

1928	 	The Shriners realize they are under-financed before construction begins. They sign an agreement with movie palace mogul William Fox, leasing the auditorium to him for 21 years to cover operating expenses.

The cornerstone laying ceremony takes place on June 14.

1929	 	The Fox Theatre opens to great fanfare on December 25, less than two months after the Stock Market crash.

1932	 	The Fox Theatre Corporation goes bankrupt in June, forcing the Fox Theatre to close after just 125 weeks.

By August 7th, the doors re-open.

In December, the mortgage is foreclosed and the theatre is auctioned for $75,000 to Theatre Holding Company, a group of Yaarab Temple officers, who then lose it to the city for non-payment of taxes. The city operates the facility, using it for occasional music performances until 1935.

1935	 	Arthur Lucas and William Jenkins, regional theatre operators, form a partnership with Paramount Publix called Mosque, Inc. They purchase the Fox for $725,000, reposition it as a movie house, and the theatre gains firm footing for the first time since it opened.

1939	 	Georgia Theatre Company steps in to manage the facility. The banquet hall is renamed the Egyptian Ballroom and becomes the site of public functions, dances, and social affairs.

1947	 	The original air conditioner is replaced with the unit that still cools the Fox Theatre today.

1948	 	The Metropolitan Opera engages in a 20-year run for one week each spring.

1951	 	Wilby-Kincey leases the building from Mosque, Inc. Noble Arnold manages the facility through 1970 with white glove efficiency.

1954	 	The Möller organ sighs its last note after 25 years of neglect.

1963	 	Unofficial technical director Joe Patten spends 10 months restoring the organ to its early magnificence.

1974	 	Southern Bell approaches Mosque, Inc. about selling the Fox which would then be razed to erect a regional headquarters.

The Fox is placed on the National Register of Historic Places in May.

Atlanta Landmarks, Inc. is officially formed in August. Atlanta Landmarks, Inc.’s sole purpose is to save the Fox Theatre from destruction. An eight-month moratorium is put on the sale of the building to allow for a financial feasibility study.

On December 31st, Alex Cooley presents The Gregg Allman Tour for 4,000 in attendance.

1975	 	The Fox Theatre closes January 2 after the showing of The Klansman.

In April, Atlanta Landmarks, Inc. secures $1.8 million in loans and buys the building, but must repay the loans with interest in three years.

On October 29, the theatre re-opens with a concert by Linda Ronstadt.

1976	 	Lynyrd Skynyrd performs three consecutive nights at the Fox, recording One More from the Road.

1978	 	Atlanta Landmarks, Inc. pays off the mortgage six months early.

Boston Pops conductor Arthur Fiedler and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra perform at a fundraiser for the theatre.

1979	 	The Broadway hit A Chorus Line breaks national records by grossing almost $1 million during its three-week run at the Fox.

The Fox celebrates its 50th anniversary with a month of special programs, including a benefit concert by Metropolitan Opera soprano Beverly Sills and concerts by clarinetist Benny Goodman and country star Waylon Jennings.

The Atlanta Ballet, also celebrating its 50th anniversary, gives its annual performance of The Nutcracker at the Fox.

1981	 	The Rolling Stones play to a standing-room only crowd on October 26, the same day Edgar Neiss assumes his new job as general manager. That day, the Stones take a field trip to Savannah and when they return to Atlanta, the city is socked in by fog. After being re-routed to Macon, they go on stage 90 minutes late.

1982	 	Yul Brynner appears in a four-week run of The King and I. Performance magazine recognizes it as the highest-grossing road show in the United States that year. The Fox is officially established as Atlanta's premiere Broadway venue.

1984	 	The Fox hosts the League of Women Voters' Democratic Party Presidential Primary Debate.

1985	 	The Fox installs state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems.

1986	 	The Fox works with Georgia Public Television to co-present cultural attractions.

The Fox competes with New York's Radio City Music Hall and the Fox Theatre in St. Louis for the title of best large venue in the United States for touring shows.

1987	 	A second fund-raising campaign to "Fix the Fox" raises $4.2 million.

Christopher Manos' popular Theater of the Stars, a 35-year Atlanta institution, begins a long-term association with the Fox including its summer series of plays and musicals.

1988	 	Performance magazine names the Fox Theatre the number one grossing theatre in the 3,000 - 5,000 seat category with the most events, the greatest box office receipts, and the highest attendance in the U.S.

The newly remodeled Spanish Room is opened.

1989	 	The Fox is designated a Landmark Building of Atlanta.

The February engagement of Les Misérables breaks all U.S. box office records in its three-week run at the Fox, according to the League of American Theatres and Producers.

The Fox presents the 50th anniversary re-premiere of Gone With the Wind. The theatre’s façade is transformed into a reproduction of Tara, Scarlett O'Hara's beloved plantation. Original stars from the film attended, including Butterfly McQueen.

1990	 	The Fox launches an International Series, offering a variety of international artistic performances that represent Atlanta’s diverse population.

The original 1929 electrical board is replaced to accommodate the power required for the Phantom of the Opera production.

1991	 	The Fox is designated a National Landmark Museum Building.

1996	 	The Fox is the headquarters for the Australian Organizing Committee during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.

In April, a four-alarm fire that started in an attic causes $2 million worth of damage.

2008	 	The 3-week run of The Color Purple at the Fox is the show’s highest grossing tour to date.

The October tour of Wicked broke the Fox Box Office record for highest gross of ticket sales to date.

2009	 	Billboard magazine names the Fox the #1 non-residency theatre for the decade with 5,000 seats or less.

In April, the Fox celebrated the 70th anniversary of Gone With the Wind with two sold out showings. The crowds were welcomed by Robert Osborne of Turner Classic Movies.

In July, the Fox, in conjunction with the Atlanta Film Festival, held the 20th anniversary showing of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. In attendance were Spike Lee and Bill Nunn.

On December 25th, the Fox celebrated its 80th anniversary. Nascar  king  15:27, 8 August 2010 (UTC)


 * You can't just copy a timeline off of the website, that is a copyvio. carl bunderson (talk) (contributions) 20:12, 8 August 2010 (UTC)
 * Well I gave a link no one responded to and I don't have the time to go through this list and pick things out cause I start school soon. Nascar   king  00:44, 9 August 2010 (UTC)
 * Not only is a copyright violation, it's sloppy/lazy research. And it makes my point: The probability that the Fox will add hosting the WWE Hall of Fame to that timeline is zero and makes my point that, while it is important to the WWE fans, the Fox's hosting the event does not rise to the level of encyclopedic for the purposes of this article. A Softer Answer (talk) 13:01, 9 August 2010 (UTC)
 * All I wanted you guys to do was to pick some things out of there. My specialties are NASCAR and WWE. Not everyone watches American Idol. Remember I don't know a thing about the Fox Theater. I'm just part of the wikiproject that makes sure every bit of info that has anything to do with wrestling is in that article. You guys are the ones who know about this theater. Nascar   king  18:52, 9 August 2010 (UTC)
 * You do not have prior knowledge to write about a subject. You do research to learn.A Softer Answer (talk) 12:34, 10 August 2010 (UTC)
 * Alright, but I'll need help. Just list like 10 or 20 things that stand out to you and I'll do the same thing. Nascar   king  14:53, 10 August 2010 (UTC)

Song of the South premiere
I am removing the undocumented statement that Song of the South premiered at the Fox Theatre. The only credible evidence I have found (Neal Gabler's well-documented book about Walt Disney) says the premiere was at the Loew's Theatre, not the Fox. Please see my comment at Talk:Song of the South for details. If you can provide reliable evidence that the premiere was at the Fox, please cite that evidence and reverse this change. Please also correct the statement about the premiere in the SotS article. But please be aware that the source you cite will have to be more credible than Neal Gabler's book.--Jim10701 (talk) 21:51, 11 August 2010 (UTC)
 * Thanks for the correction.A Softer Answer (talk) 00:17, 12 August 2010 (UTC)

Request: A Gallery of Photographs
A gallery of photographs of this historic theater would be a welcome addition to the article. J. D. Crutchfield &#124; Talk 23:48, 29 January 2015 (UTC)

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