Whereas older theaters were built primarily of wood, the Alabama’s designers incorporated concrete and other fireproof materials into their design, including flame-retardant carpeting and upholstery. All of the approximately 2,500 seats were originally upholstered in red velvet. The large proscenium arch is decorated with an elaborate floral design of leaves and vines. In total, the auditorium contains more than 15,000 light bulbs. The auditorium, where patrons watched the films, featured a 70-foot-high gold-domed ceiling containing more than 960 light bulbs in amber, red, and blue. One southern movie theater owner estimated that the Alabama Theatre contained a combined quarter million dollars in objects of art and chandeliers. ![]() The Peacock Hall, on the second floor, featured original works of art and furnishings purchased from a Spanish castle, and hallways, lounges, and alcoves displayed large paintings in ornate gold frames and classical marble busts. The Egyptian Public Room, a lounge area adjacent to the restrooms, featured hints of Middle Eastern and Italian influences and led to the Eve Room (the French-themed women’s room) and the College Room (the American-style men’s restroom). The room was illuminated by a multicolored chandelier hung from the gilded coffered ceiling and multicolored glass sconces with sunburst reflectors. This room led to an equally elaborate Ancient Egypt-style lobby, which was framed by Moorish arches and accented by columns. The spectacle began outside the theater, with the 60-foot neon and fluorescent sign vertically spelling out “ Alabama.” Patrons entered a two-story anteroom with mirrored walls, two eight-foot candelabras, and a star-shaped chandelier bearing more than 8,000 crystals. Because movies were still considered a working-class pastime during the 1920s, the elaborate interior helped foster an atmosphere of high culture. Like other opulent movie palaces around the country, the architecture and interior design of the Alabama Theatre were meant to inspire awe. Dubbed the “Showplace of the South” by Paramount mogul Adolph Zukor, the theater features an eclectic mix of Mission and Spanish Revival interior decorative motifs with elements of Egyptian and Moorish design. The venue is now a 2,200-seat performing arts venue, featuring more than 300 film and live events per year. ![]() cities, as a showcase for Paramount films. The theater was originally owned and operated by Paramount-Publix Theatres, as was what is now the Davis Theater in Montgomery and many other theaters in major U.S. Designed by Chicago architects Anker Sveere Graven and Arthur Guy Mayger, construction for the theater was begun in April 1927. The Alabama Theatre, located on Third Avenue North in Birmingham, opened on December 26, 1927, as the largest movie “palace” in the state.
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