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ATLANTA FOX THEATRE FANCHON & MARCO "IDEAS" -- 1929 TO 1933

This provocative opening week three-sheet from the Atlanta Fox heralded Fanchon and Marco's stage shows which were called "Ideas."  For a detailed history of Fanchon & Marco, click here to view Steve Simon's official site. 
Printed by Conger of Atlanta, preserved by R.L. "Trot" Foreman and donated to Atlanta Landmarks

From the opening of the house on Christmas Day 1929 until mid-1933, the Atlanta Fox presented a combination of motion pictures and stage shows, which changed weekly.  The touring musical revues were produced out of Los Angeles by the Fanchon & Marco circuit.

Fanchon & Marco provided the acts, scenery, costumes, and orchestrations; the Fox (and other circuit houses) provided the master of ceremonies, orchestra, organ, and stage lighting.  The Atlanta Fox also provided a  choral ensemble and a resident dancing chorus of  twelve "Sunkist Beauties," many of them high school age, who augmented another dozen traveling beauties, all shown here valiantly battling the house traveler.

Foreman collection
.
The Fox played four shows a day, seven days a week, except for Sundays when movies were prohibited (until that blue law was repealed in 1933).  Well-known Atlanta orchestra leader Enrico Leide presided over the thirty-one piece house band.
Foreman collection

Sometimes the orchestra would perform from the stage as a jazz band, as in the "Speed Idea," which played in January, 1930.


From the San Marino, California Huntington library collection, a slightly different version of the  "Speed Idea," complete with Cal Norris' Greyhounds.  Hundreds of Fanchon and Marco photos can be viewed at the Huntington site.    

The shows ran forty minutes with four changes of sets and costumes and featured "35 to 50 people," including elephants, midgets, or dogs.   These two unidentified shots were photographed during rehearsal.
Courtesy Theatre Historical Society of America     http://historictheatres.org/

With the orchestra in on-stage position, the pit elevators were utilized as a thrust stage for the Grand Finale.
Foreman collection

A rundown for a typical Fox show from May, 1932.

Fanchon & Marco had an encounter with another Shrine Temple when they won a song competition for the San Francisco Islam chapter in 1922:
Getty Images

From Ben Hall's The Best Remaining Seats, brother and sister Marco and Fanchon Wolff:


The team had begun producing their Ideas in Los Angeles, but by 1928 they commenced an eastward expansion.
Motion Picture News March 24, 1928

By April 1929 William Fox had engaged (purchased) Fanchon and Marco to provide corporate vaudeville for his ever-expanding film house chain.
Exhibitor's Herald World, April 13, 1929

By July 1929, the circuit boasted thirty-three weeks of "time."
Variety, July 3, 1929

For a while, the stock crash of October 1929 seemed not to affect the picture and vaudeville business.


In September 1931, Fanchon and Marco peaked with sixty-two playing weeks:

Variety, September 8, 1931

By June 1933, the bottom had fallen out and the Atlanta Fox adopted a picture only policy, spelling the end of regular stage attractions for the next forty years.   A total of one hundred and thirty-six Fanchon and Marco shows had played the Fox over one hundred and eighty-five weeks.  

WEEK
OPENS
IDEA
PICTURE




1
December 25, 1929
BEACH NIGHTS
SALUTE
2
December 29, 1929
CONTRASTS
THEY HAD TO SEE PARIS
3
January 5, 1930
THRU THE GATES
COCKEYED WORLD
4
January 12, 1930
SPEED
ROMANCE OF RIO GRANDE
5
January 19, 1930
JAZZ BUCCANEERS
FLIGHT
6
January 26, 1930
SWEET COOKIES
SUNNY SIDE UP
7
February 2, 1930
WATERMELON BLUES
HOT FOR PARIS
8
February 9, 1930
FEMME FOLLIES
RIO RITA
9
February 16, 1930
SINGER MIDGETS
THE SKY HAWK
10
February 23, 1930
JAZZ CINDERELLA
HIT THE DECK
11
March 2, 1930
GARDENS
THE VAGABOND LOVER
12
March 9, 1930
DRAPES
LONE STAR RANGER
13
March 16, 1930
SCREENLAND MELODIES
HAPPY DAYS
14
March 23, 1930
HOLLYWOOD STUDIO GIRLS
SUCH MEN ARE DANGEROUS
15
March 30, 1930
COLUMNS
BIG PARTY
16
April 6, 1930
BABY SONGS
HIGH SOCIETY BLUES
17
April 13, 1930
KISSES
BLAZE O' GLORY
18
April 20, 1930
TYPES
LADIES OF LEISURE
19
April 27, 1930
ACCORDION
HER GOLDEN CALF
20
May 4, 1930
FAR EAST
MAMBA
21
May 11, 1930
ART IN TAPS
THE ARIZONA KID
22
May 18, 1930
IDEA IN GREEN
THE CASE OF SGT. GRISHCA
23
May 25, 1930
JAZZ TEMPLE
THE CUCKOOS
24
June 1, 1930
BLACK AND GOLD
INGAGI
25
June 8, 1930
LET'S PRETEND
MOVIETONE FOLLIES OF 1930
26
June 15, 1930
CARNIVAL RUSSE
SO THIS IS LONDON
27
June 22, 1930
UNIFORMS
BORN RECKLESS
28
June 29, 1930
HOT DOMINOES
ROUGH ROMANCE
28
July 6, 1930
IVORY
NOT DAMAGED
30
July 13, 1930
INTERNATIONAL
ON THE LEVEL
31
July 20, 1930
DESERT
WILD COMPANY
32
July 27, 1930
OVERTURES
GOOD INTENTIONS
33
August 3, 1930
MANILA BOUND
HELL'S ISLAND
34
August 10, 1930
PEASANT
MAN TROUBLE
35
August 17, 1930
CORAL
COMMON CLAY
36
August 24, 1930
EYES
ROMANCE
37
August 31, 1930
TREES
SONG O' MY HEART
38
September 7, 1930
SUNSHINE
THE CALL OF THE FLESH
39
September 14, 1930
MARBLE
THE SEA WOLF
40
September 21, 1930
SKIRTS
MADAME SATAN
41
September 28, 1930
[NO STAGE SHOW]
GOOD NEWS
42
October 5, 1930
[NO STAGE SHOW]
LILLIOM
43
October 12, 1930
GYP-GYP-GYPSY
THOSE THREE FRENCH GIRLS
44
October 19, 1930
BRUNETTES
UP THE RIVER
45
October 26, 1930
MILKY WAY
SCOTLAND YARD
46
November 2, 1930
GOOD FELLOWS
BILLY THE KID
47
November 9, 1930
BOX O' CANDY
RENEGADES
48
November 16, 1930
CITY SERVICE
REMOTE CONTROL
49
November 23, 1930
BUSY BEE
MIN & BILL
50
November 30, 1930
BROADWAY VENUSES
BIG TRAIL
51
December 7, 1930
ROSE GARDEN
JUST IMAGINE
52
December 14, 1930
ROMANCE
WAY FOR A SAILOR
53
December 21, 1930
SEEING DOUBLE
PRINCESS & THE PLUMBER
54
December 28, 1930
COUNTRY CLUB
LIGHTNING
55
January 4, 1931
HOLLYWOOD COLLEGIANS
WAR NURSE
56
January 11, 1931
CADETS
PAID
57
January 18, 1931
IDEA IN BLUE
THE MAN WHO CAME BACK
58
January 25, 1931
GREEN DEVIL
REDUCING
59
February 1, 1931
VICTOR HERBERT
PART TIME WIFE
60
February 8, 1931
GEMS & JAMS
INSPIRATION
61
February 15, 1931
WILD AND WOOLLY
NEW MOON
62
February 22, 1931
MODES OF HOLLYWOOD
BODY & SOUL
63
March 1, 1931
GOBS OF JOY
THE EASIEST WAY
64
March 8, 1931
SOUTHERN
EAST LYNNE
65
March 15, 1931
NEW YORKER
DANCE FOOLS DANCE
66
March 22, 1931
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
DON’T BET ON WOMEN
67
March 29, 1931
INDIAN
PARLOR, BEDROOM & BATH
68
April 5, 1931
WAY BACK WHEN
A CONNECTICUT YANKEE
69
April 12, 1931
DOLL FOLLIES
STRANGERS MAY KISS
70
April 19, 1931
ENCHANTMENT
DOCTORS' WIVES
71
April 26, 1931
SEASONS
TRADER HORN
72
May 3, 1931
GONDOLIERS
THE SECRET 6
73
May 10, 1931
ESPANOLA
SHIPMATES
74
May 17, 1931
MOONLIGHT REVELS
DAYBREAK
75
May 24, 1931
SOCIETY CIRCUS
YOUNG SINNERS
76
May 31, 1931
DANCE
WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS
77
June 7, 1931
TOPICAL TUNES
DADDY LONG LEGS
78
June 14, 1931
ICY HOT
ALWAYS GOODBYE
79
June 21, 1931
VAUDEVILLE ECHOES
FIVE & TEN
80
June 28, 1931
PROSPERITY
ANNABELLE'S AFFAIR
81
July 5, 1931
TOP O' THE WORLD
A FREE SOUL
82
July 12, 1931
HEADLINERS
BLACK CAMEL
83
July 19, 1931
AFRICAN
THE MAN IN POSSESSION
84
July 26, 1931
LOVE LETTERS
HUSH MONEY
85
August 2, 1931
GOLDEN WEST
POLITICS
86
August 9, 1931
MOROCCAN
SON OF INDIA
87
August 16, 1931
TALENT
YOUNG AS YOU FEEL
88
August 23, 1931
SUBMARINE
LAUGHING SINNERS
89
August 30, 1931
PEP
TRANSATLANTIC
90
September 5, 1931
MICKEY MOUSE
PARDON US
91
September 13, 1931
OLYMPIC GAMES
MERELY MARY ANN
92
September 20, 1931
RUSSIAN ART
SPORTING BLOOD
93
September 27, 1931
VARIETIES
BAD GIRL
93
October 4, 1931
CARNIVAL
THE SPIDER
95
October 11, 1931
THE GREAT RAYMOND
SUSAN LENOX
96
October 18, 1931
ONCE UPON A TIME
SKYLINE
97
October 25, 1931
BROKEN DOLLS
THIS MODERN AGE
98
November 1, 1931
NORTH-SOUTH-EAST-WEST
THE SIN OF MADELON CLAUDET
99
November 8, 1931
CARMEN-ESQUE
THE CISCO KID
100
November 15, 1931
AROUND THE WORLD
HEARTBREAK
101
November 22, 1931
EXOTIQUE
AMBASSADOR BILL
102
November 29, 1931
LIMEHOUSE NIGHTS
THE CHAMP
103
December 6, 1931
MARCHES MILITAIRES
POSSESSED
104
December 13, 1931
FIVE RACES
THE CUBAN LOVE SONG
105
December 20, 1931
ART GALLERY
THE YELLOW TICKET
106
December 27, 1931
ROXY THEATRE
PRIVATE LIVES
107
January 3, 1932
SKETCHES
DELICIOUS
108
January 10, 1932
3 BIG FIGURES
MATA HARI
109
January 17, 1932
TOMORROW'S STARS
OVER THE HILL
110
January 24, 1932
ON PARADE
EMMA
111
January 31, 1932
VACATION DAYS
HELL DIVERS
112
February 7, 1932
CIRCUS DAYS
CHARLIE CHAN'S CHANCE
113
February 14, 1932
DREAM HOUSE
LOVERS COURAGEOUS
114
February 20, 1932
HACIENDA
FREAKS (PULLED AFT ONE DAY)
114
February 21, 1932
HACIENDA
POLLY GOES TO THE CIRCUS
115
February 28, 1932
HOT JAVA
DANCE TEAM
116
March 6, 1932
ABOUT TOWN
BUSINESS & PLEASURE
117
March 13, 1932
ALL AT SEA
ARSENE LUPIN
118
March 20, 1932
MODERN MINSTRELS
SHE WANTED A MILLION
119
March 27, 1932
COZY CORNER
TARZAN
120
April 3, 1932
MONTMARTRE
DEVIL'S LOTTERY
121
April 10, 1932
BLACK AND WHITE
ARE YOU LISTENING?
122
April 17, 1932
GAY VIENNA
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
123
April 24, 1932
NURSERY RHYMES
WET PARADE
124
May 1, 1932
GREETINGS
LETTY LYNTON
125
May 8, 1932
LA PLAZA
NIGHT COURT
126
May 15, 1932
STAGE DOOR
WOMAN IN ROOM 13
127
May 22, 1932
PARASOL
HUDDLE
128
May 29, 1932
TINYTPES
TRIAL OF VIVIENNE WARE
129
June 5, 1932
STITCH IN TIME
MAN ABOUT TOWN
130
June 12, 1932
SLAVIQUE
WHEN A FELLER NEEDS A FRIEND
131
June 19, 1932
ARTHUR LAKE
SOCIETY GIRL
132
June 26, 1932

[THEATRE CLOSES]




140
August 12, 1932
[NO STAGE SHOW]
BRING EM BACK ALIVE




177
April 30, 1933
BOB HALL
SWEEPINGS
178
May 7, 1933
F&M STAGE SHOW
THE BIG CAGE
179
May 14, 1933
KING COTTON
CHRISTOPHER STRONG
180
May 21, 1933
F&M STAGE SHOW
THE KISS BEFORE THE MIRROR
181
May 28, 1933
F&M STAGE SHOW
THE SILVER CORD
182
June 4, 1933
F&M STAGE SHOW
HELL'S HOUSE
184
June 11, 1933
F&M STAGE SHOW
DIPLOMANIACS
185
June 18, 1933
F&M STAGE SHOW
PROFESSIONAL SWEETHEARTS






Here are the Ideas, from start to finish, culled from ads in the Constitution, Journal, and Georgian.

December 25, 1929 Opening (split week)

December 29, 1929


January 5, 1930

January 12, 1930

January 19, 1930


January 26, 1930


January 27,1930

February 2, 1930


February 9, 1930

February 16, 1930

February 23, 1930

March 2, 1930

March 9, 1930

March 16, 1930

March 23, 1930


March 30, 1930

April 6, 1930


April 13, 1930

April 20, 1930

April 27, 1930

May 4, 1930

May 11, 1930

May 18, 1930   First mention of Shriner's use of Fox.

May 25, 1930

June 1, 1930

June 8, 1930 Last mention of Don & Iris Wilkins

June 15, 1930   New MC: Mel Ruick.  Ruick was father to musical film actress, Barbara.


June 22, 1930 New Organist: Dwight Brown "Things you miss at the Fox: Stage shows in front of plain scenery with inadequate stage settings."

June 29, 1930

July 6, 1930

July 13, 1930  "$75,000 Pipe Organ; 31-piece Orchestra"


July 20, 1930

July 27, 1930

August 3, 1930

August 10, 1930

August 17, 1930

"Fox Changes Management: MGM pictures to be shown along with Fox Studio pictures."

August 24, 1930 First MGM Picture


Vendors congratulate Fox on change of policy.

August 31, 1930

September 7, 1930

September 14, 1930

September 21, 1930

September 28, 1930   Fox announces "All Sound Policy," No stage show, no orchestra, no organ.

Article explains that "Stage shows and Musical Presentations were cancelled by the New York Office."

October 5, 1930   Second week of no stage show.

October 12, 1930   Article explains that "All Sound Policy" was actually the result of a dispute with the American Federation of Musicians.


October 12, 1930 Stage shows resume, but conductor Enrico Leide and organist Dwight Brown do not.


October 19, 1930   New organist: Smilin' Al Evans.

October 26, 1930

November 2, 1930

November 9, 1930    Second mention of Shriner's use of Fox.

November 16, 1930

November 23, 1930

November 30, 1930
December 7, 1930 "$50,000 Stage show"

December 14, 1930

December 21, 1930

December 28, 1930   Conductor Enrido Leide Returns.

January 4, 1931

January 11, 1931

January 18, 1931

January 25, 1931

February 1, 1931

February 8, 1931

February 15, 1931

February 22, 1931

March 1, 1931

March 8, 1931

The Southern Idea got a nice picture.

March 15, 1931

March 22, 1931

March 29, 1931

April 5, 1931

April 12, 1931

April 19, 1931

April 26, 1931

May 3, 1931

May 10, 1931

May 17, 1931

May 24, 1931

May 31, 1931

June 7, 1931

June 14, 1931


June 21, 1931

The program included the Kiddie Revue starring kids from the Scottish Rite Hospital, sponsored by the Shriners.

June 28, 1931

July 5, 1931

July 12, 1931

July 19, 1931

July 26, 1931

August 2, 1931

August 9, 1931

August 16, 1931

August 23, 1931

August 30, 1931

September 6, 1931

September 13, 1931

September 20, 1921

September 27, 1931

October 4, 1931

October 11, 1931

October 18, 1931

October 25, 1931

November 1, 1931

November 8, 1931

November 15, 1931 Third mention of Shriner's use of Fox Theatre.

November 22, 1931

November 29, 1931   First notable picture to play the Fox.

December 6, 1931

December 13, 1931

December 20, 1931

December 27, 1931  "Roxy Theatre" Idea Direct from the New York Roxy.

January 3, 1932   "Second Anniversary Facts."

January 10, 1932   Reduction from twenty-four to sixteen Sunkist Beauties.



January 17, 1932

January 24, 1932

January 31, 1932

February 7, 1932

February 14, 1932

February 20, 1932    The unspeakable Picture "Freaks" plays the Fox with the Hacienda Idea...

February 21, 1932   "Freaks" is pulled after its opening day and replaced by a very different circus picture.

February 28, 1932

March 6, 1932

March 13, 1932

The Sunkist Beauties and unnamed man outside Ponce de Leon exit doors located adjacent to the stage entrance.

March 20, 1932
March 27, 1932

April 3, 1932

April 10, 1932

April 17, 1932

April 24, 1932


May 1, 1932

May 8, 1932
May 15, 1932 


May 22, 1932
May 29, 1932
June 5, 1932
June 12, 1932  Mention made of Shrine use of Fox.
The "Kiddie Revue" returns.

June 19, 1932   Arthur Lake went on to to play Dagwood in B-pictures.
June 26, 1932   The Fox ceases operation and shutters for two months.

Motion Picture Herald, July 2, 1932

Constitution film editor Jones bemoans the sad event, which probably resulted in about 150 people losing their jobs, 100 connected with the stage shows locally, including the orchestra, the Beauties, and the stagehands.

July 30, 1932

August 7, 1932   Fox will reopen, but without stage shows and with a new organist, Jimmy Beers.


August 12, 1932   No stage show.


For the next thirty-seven weeks, there were no stage shows.  In November, the Shriners lost the Fox, and in December the $2.5 million building was auctioned on the court house steps for $75,000.  

On December 27, 1932 Radio City Music Hall opened, besting the Fox not only in stage size, but size of pipe organ.

April 23, 1933   Fanchon & Marco to return after ten month hiatus.

April 23, 1933  Mel Ruick returns as MC, Leide appointed General Manager of Fox.


April 30, 1933  The orchestra and Sunkist Beauties (in diminished numbers) return.


May 7, 1933

May 14, 1933  The last "Idea" with a name, henceforth they were termed "stage shows."

May 21, 1933

May 28, 1933

June 4, 1933

June 11, 1933

Fifth annual "Kiddie Revue" (the third at the Fox).

June 18,1933   The last publicized Fanchon and Marco show.  No display ad appeared this week, only this press notice.


From June 25th until July 23rd, 1933, neither display ads nor listings appeared in the papers.  This could be the result of the Fox' owing money to the newspaper.  Thus no information is known as to  which week the final Fanchon & Marco show played the Atlanta Fox.

July 23, 1933   No stage show.

July 30, 1933  The Fox continues its rapid decline with a sort of double feature.



August 6, 1933  This ad appears to be a "trade," no charge in other words. 


August 13, 1933  The Fox ad this week is smaller than the Buckhead, a neighborhood house.

August 19, 1933  The Fox hits rock bottom, and Manager Enrico Leide sues his own theatre, presumably for back wages.


August 20, 1933  Smallest ad ever, shown next to ad for the Georgia (later Roxy) Theatre.



August 27, 1933  Fox again goes dark, this time for a week.


September 3, 1933   Fox is now under the control of Wilby-Kincey, Lucas & Jenkins or Mosque, Inc., a holding company which was owned jointly by Paramount Pictures and Lucas & Jenkins.


The Fox again adopts an "All Sound Policy" which continued for forty-two years until 1975.


The Fox stage went dark.

###



Originally posted in September, 2011, revised March, 2017.