The Fox Theatre is a former movie palace build in 1929. The Fox Theatre has hosted a variety of cultural and artistic events including the Atlanta Ballet, a summer film series, and performances of Broadway shows. The venue is also hosting concerts by popular musicians.
Did you know?
The theater was originally planned as part of a large Yaarab Shrine Temple. It was planned that the building would become headquarters for a 5,000-member Shriners organization, but before the $2.75 million project was completed funding was needed. Movie mogul William Fox signed a 21-year lease for the Shrine Temple making it a movie theatre. The Fox Movie Theatre was soon bankrupt (125 weeks after opening) and movie mogul Fox, lost his interest in the building.
The original architecture and décor of the Fox Theatre combines two architectural styles: Islamic architecture (building exterior, auditorium, Grand Salon, mezzanine Gentlemen’s Lounge and lower Ladies Lounge) and the Egyptian architecture (Egyptian Ballroom, mezzanine Ladies Lounge and lower Gentlemen’s Lounge).
Mighty Mo was custom-made for the Fox Theatre in 1929. It is the second largest theatre organ in the world with 42 ranks, four manuals, and 376 stop tabs. As a true theatre organ, as opposed to a church organ, Mighty Mo’s pipes range in size from 32 feet (nearly 10 meters) tall to the size of a small ballpoint pen, and is designed to imitate the sounds of a full orchestra. The Mighty Mo was surpassed in size, but not melodic beauty, around 1933 by the 58-rank Wurlitzer at Radio City Music Hall.