I remember seeing Blue Hawaii at The Decatur Theatre

-- ----- BE SURE TO VISIT THE CONCESSION STAND FOR YOUR FAVORITE REFRESHMENTS ----

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S

I was one of a million kids who got a Zotz Coin

I was one of many Decatur kids to receive a Zotz coin and I got mine at The Decatur Theatre
and still have it today. pictured above.

Zotz! (1962) was based on a 1947 novel by former naval captain Walter Karig, screenwriter of the Victory at Sea TV series and author of three Nancy Drew novels under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. The fanciful premise takes place in the imagery setting of Saracen Valley College in California where Jonathan Jones (Tom Poston), professor of Ancient Eastern Languages, is being considered by Dean Joshua Updike (Cecil Kellaway) as the new Dean of the Language Department along with his rival, professor Horatio Kellgore (Jim Backus). Although Jones appears to be Updike's choice for the position, his confirmation becomes questionable after he takes possession of an ancient coin uncovered in an archeological dig by a former student and starts behaving strangely. He discovers that when he is in possession of the coin he can cause intense pain in people simply by pointing at them. He can also retard movement in people, planes, cars, animals or insects simply by saying the ancient word Zotz! More importantly, by pointing his finger and saying Zotz! at the same time, he can kill or destroy his object of choice. When he reveals his findings to a Pentagon official, he is not taken seriously but soon finds himself, along with his niece Cynthia (Zeme North) and new love interest professor Virginia Fenster (Julia Meade), stalked and threatened by Soviet agents.

Millions of golden plastic "Zotz coins" were manufactured and sent to theatres all over the world. Huge billboards, put up weeks in advance of our openings, had just the word "Zotz!" printed on them. Car bumper stickers and "Zotz buttons" by the thousands went out, and the magic "Zotz coins" were distributed in cities weeks before opening. I wanted the kids to get used to saying, "Zotz, Zotz, Zotz!" My worries about doing a comedy completely disappeared when the picture opened. Thousands of kids flocked to the theatres to learn how their magic "Zotz coins" worked. The aftermath was a joy to behold. The kids of America were "Zotzing" each other and everybody else. Imagination is a marvelous thing. I've often wondered how Walt Disney would have made the picture."

The Disney aside is intriguing because the Buena Vista company had recently released The Absent-Minded Professor in 1961 and it had a plot premise - featuring a laboratory creation called flubber - that might have inspired Castle's interest in creating a similar type movie due to its huge box office success. Ironically, it was Disney that became interested in Zotz!. "After obtaining the rights to the novel," Castle revealed, "I received a call from Walt Disney inquiring whether I would be interested in selling Zotz! at a big profit. He felt it would make a wonderful Disney film and politely told me it was not my style. I declined his offer as graciously as possible, but wondered if I had made the right decision." Disney certainly would have given it a bigger budget for special effects and a bigger name cast, but it would have lacked the quirkiness and off-beat appeal of Castle's self-indulgent B-movie wonder.

Producer: William Castle
Director: William Castle
Screenplay: Ray Russell l; Walter Karig (novel)
Cinematography: Gordon Avil
Art Direction: Robert Peterson
Music: Bernard Green
Film Editing: Edwin Bryant
Cast: Tom Poston (Prof. John Jones), Julia Meade (Prof. Virginia Fenster), Jim Backus (Prof. Horatio Kellgore), Fred Clark (Gen. Bullivar), Cecil Kellaway (Dean Joshua Updike), Zeme North (Cynthia Jones), Margaret Dumont (Persephone Updike)
BW- 87m.

by Jeff Stafford

SOURCES:
Step Right Up! I'm Gonna Scare the Pants Off America by William Castle (Pharos Books)
www.afi.com
IMDB

1950 Theatre Ad for The Decatur Theatre

IT'S COOL INSIDE
DE 8114

The Decatur Theatre Ushers in 1940

Here are three of the five ushers who will escort you to your seats in the new Decatur Theatre. All Decatur boys,they are (from left to right) John Roberts,Charles Hinget and Ralph Sheppard, Armand Hendee and Harvell Ringold are also on the usher crew.
Photo and story circa 1940.

Show of Shows at The Decatur Theatre

One Day Only Monday, March 31, 1941

Decatur Theatre Movie Flyer

I had a job handing out these Now Playing and/or Coming Soon Flyers,
for my pay I would receive 2 Free Movie Passes




COMING SOON

Poster To Promote Next Stop...Decatur Blog.

© D.G.WHITEFIELD

The Decatur Theatre's Grand Opening

The Decatur Theatre's Grand Opening was Sept. 10, 1940

Now Playing at The Decatur Theatre "The Blob"

----------

BRIGHTY of The Grand Canyon Now Playing

The spunky donkey Brighty roams across the Grand Canyon in search of adventure. He finds friendship with a gold-digging old prospector who hits pay dirt. Starring Joseph Cotton.

The Decatur Theatre Box Office.

COMING SOON - A SUMMER PLACE

The Decatur Theatre in my kind of art.

The Decatur Theatre

The Decatur Theatre circa 1968

This photo is circa 1968
The movie on marquee is :
"The Games Men Play"
and it was released in 1968

The Decatur Theatre at Night.

The Decatur Theatre

THUNDER ROAD

PHOTO SHOP

The Decatur Theatre in the art World

Architect Depicts Decatur's Proposed Theatre

1940 Article

A preview of Decatur's proposed $30,000 (which ended up costing $75,000) theatre and store development on which work is expected to begin in two weeks, is seen in Architect Norman Stambaugh's drawing of a modern building to be erected on North McDonough Street by executors of the A.S. Turner estate. A 15-year lease on the theatre, calling for aggregate rental of $70,000.00 has been signed by Mion & Murray, operators of the Rialto and other Atlanta theatres. In addition to the moving picture house, the building will include a store unit on each side of the theatre entrance and offices on the second floor. The air-conditiond playhouse will have a seating capacity of 750. Wheat Williams of Williams & Bone, of Decatur, handled the transaction.

The Decatur Theatre

© COLOR by Whitefield
1940 article

Desire To Beautify Decatur Caused Turners to Build Theatre.
Owners of Theatre,Two of Community's Most Progress Citizens, Cite Three Reasons

The building which houses Decatur's new $75,000.00 theatre is owned by two of the community's most progressive and influential citizens, Mell and Carlton Turner, the owners of trinity Chapel, and sons of the last Mr. A.S. Turner, and Mrs. Turner.
The owners gave three reasons for their decision to erect a theatre on the property:
1. Desire to improve the property to such an extent that it would greatly improve the appearance of the Decatur business section and stimulate others to modernize outmoded structures here. (This evidently has been accomplished since a number of other buildings have been improved or are now being improved since the work started.)
2. Belief in the future growth of Decatur.

3. Confidence in the ability of Mion and Murray to operate a high class theatre which will please Decatur people and stimulate good, clean entertainment for the city.

The Decatur Theatre in 1941

© COLOR by Whitefield

"THE F.B.I. STORY" Now Playing at The Decatur Theatre

This picture is from the Decatur High School INDECATUR.
Showing at the theatre is :
"THE F.B.I. STORY"
with VERA MILES and
JAMES STEWART
in
TECHNI
COLOR

CIRCA 1959



Special thanks to PHIL WHITEFIELD
for letting me borrow his INDECATUR
Thank You Phil.
P.S Phil worked at the theatre at this time and he put up this
marquee.

Comment from Phil:
Yes, I remember it well. The ladder we used was aluminum and would blow over easily when it was wendy. I caught myself several times by grabbing the hot neon light. "That was really smart"

Coming Soon "A Summer Place"

Too Hot To Handle at The Decatur Theatre

NOW PLAYING
AT
THE DECATUR THEATRE

The Decatur Theatre on a Snowy Day in Jan. 1961

The Decatur Theatre
527 N. McDonough Street
Decatur, GA.

A Snowy Day in January 1961

The Decatur Theatre

This was made in PhotoShop.

The Decatur Theatre circa 1965

Marquee for Theatre Designed by Claude Neon

The beautiful marquee of The Decatur Theatre was designed and erected by the Claude Neon Atlanta Company. This very attractive and colorful front for the theatre adds not only to the appearance of the theatre itself but greatly to the looks of the entire McDonough Street area.

The Decatur Theatre in the art world.

The Program For Opening Night

The first movie to play at 'The Decatur' was "Rose Marie"

Decatur Theatre ad in the indecatur.

THE DECATUR THEATRE

This is a 1940's article.

Turners Construct Modern Building For 'The Decatur'
John Thompson Manages Theatre for Mion and Murray, Operators of the Rialto.

The Decatur Theatre, Decatur, Georgia's new $75,000. theatre, modern in every detail and one of the finest entertainment houses in the metropolitan area, will have its official opening Tuesday night, it was announced this week by the management.
Opening of the new theatre is a much looked forward to event since no expense has been spared in the construction in order that it may provide the latest in construction and technical developments for the entertainment of Decatur and Dekalb County theatre goers.
Tuesday's offical opening will be in the form of a dedication program, starting at 8 o'clock, to which heads of local civic organizations, clubs and city and county officials will be invited.
Prior to the official opening, however, an afternoon performance will be shown, for which the box office will open at 2 o'clock.

Building Fireproof
Every precaution has been inaugurated to make the building thoroughly safe. Its construction is of fireproof material throuhg-out, and the projection room is equipped with a single entrance, protected by a heavy fire door, and automatic devices which close over slots in front of the room in case of fire.

Air Conditioned
The building is equipped with Carrier's refrigerated air conditioning which assures healthful and comfortable temperature the year round.
The 756 seats in the theatre in the theatre are of the latest and most scientific design for comfort built by American Seating Company. Alexander-Smith's famous deep pile Crestwood carpets will be used throughout.
The projection booth will have the very best in motion picture equipment, including Simplex projection machines, Magna Are lamps and Simplex sound built from the specifications of Western Electric. The Walkers Perfeccted White Screen, designed for restful enjoyment and perfect vision, will be used, and the stage itself is equipped to handle every type of stage show and presentation.

Built by Turners
The Decatur Theatre was built by Mell and Carlton Turner,two of Dekalb County's leading citizens,and will be operated by Mion & Murray,operators of the Rialto Theatre in Atlanta. This in itself gives assurance to the people of Decatur and Dekalb County that they will have a clean and well managed theatre with the very finest motion pictures available. Lessees of the theatre told The New Era this week they feel fortunate in having secured the services of John Thompson as manager. He has been a resident of Decatur for a number of years and has many friends here.

The Decatur Theatre opened Sept. 10th 1940

Original Owners of Theatre Building

Mell Turner (left) and Carlton Turner, two of Decatur's leading citizens, who are the owners of the building to be occupied by the New Decatur Theatre.








Photo courtesy Norton Studio