The Macon Telegraph from Macon, Georgia • 62

sz0 Ot Charles Douglass ia29 90 Douglass organizes the lorida Blossom Minstrels and Comedy Company Douglass sells his inter est in the Douglass Theatre to Valdosta businessman Ben Stein who introduces boxing matches and increases movie presentations Charles Henry Douglass bom in Macon D( co Douglass purchases buildings at 361 363 Broadway where he opens the Colonial Hotel first hotel for blacks He also uses the property for a soda fountain and rental office space The Douglass mainstream movies like T1 withErrolllyi movies will alH like "The Dunt Mr Saw 4 Douglass opens a second theater fur ther down Broadway which shows only movies It remains in operation until about 1925 Douglass buys two buildings at 355 359 Broadway for $30000 He begins building his third theater on this property a few years later using the Grand Opera House as a model Douglass converts 363 Broadway into first theater for blacks The original Douglass Theater seated 350 and presented 34 shows each day including silent movies vaudeville and minstrel shows Douglass buys back the theater and places it under the man agement of the Bijou Amusement Co which oper ates black theaters throughout the south He begins showing soon afterward Douglass presen tsvaudeviHe shows novelty acts and weekly shows at 12:01 Sunday mornings Some shows are designated whites only Musical stars such as Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith perform there as well as comedy acts like Butterbeans and Susie The New Douglass Theatre opens at 355 59 Broadway adjacent to Douglass hotel with a seating capacity of almost 800 i mB LiJrWn a Jl'LM "nflT I A lay 1 1 A g1 kC 'J i 'MK toUi 'ftlMMir 'W mnmmm if i a La MB 93 4 I 7" tr i jyay Jv aBk i'T I 4 I Sf 2399 '29119 2929 29J1 a a Wh? rSelWl 31 PB Mi1 2 jj tkaiLt a IB I IBI I 1 wRli vHIBbIIIb 1 jUfSEwfeww 3BT i 10 'SjBB ETSi IS 0 9 UsS The Macon Telegraph SPECIAL SECTION January 10 1997 90 20.