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The “Fabulous” Fox Theater
By J.B. Bridges
Photo Credit: Gail Des Jardin
THE FOX THEATER or “The Fabulous Fox”, as
it is known by Atlanta locals, began its life in
1928, not as a theatre--but as a proposed
headquarters for the Atlanta Shriner’s
Organization. And as their headquarters, they
spared no expense in design, turning to the
Far East and Egypt for inspiration in this
Mosque-style structure. The Alahambra in
Spain and the Temple of Karnack in Egypt
gave heavy influence to the beautiful
archways, minarets, and tall, towering
domes--accented by the expensive textiles,
gold leaf details, and trompe l'oeil art (a style
that uses realistic imagery to create optical
illusions) inside.
The style was so great in fact, that right
before completion, it became a financial
burden to The Shriner’s Organization. They
leased the building to a movie mogul,
WILLIAM FOX. Fox had made his fortune
building elaborate movie houses, giving
audience members a way to transport
themselves, if only for a short time, to places
their minds could only imagine.
The Fox was complete with the addition of
“Mighty Mo”, the 3,622 pipe Moller organ, the
largest Moller in the world--even today, and
second only in the nation behind Radio City
Music Hall’s Wurlitzer. Its pipes range from
32 feet tall to the size of a small ink pen and