 John Gilbert
John Gilbert is a treat to theater buffs around the world!
John Gilbert is a terrific story teller and "Save The Bradley" is historic, funny and entertaining! Read more of John's work, like his "Reflections After Sunset, Memories of the Drive-in" serial. It just so happens that Johns Dad was in the movie business and worked most of the theaters in Columbus. John of course caught the fever and has the movie theater bug to this day.
John Gilbert's special talent is to awaken the child in us all, this is why the adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckle Berry Finn were so popular. John's easy style, descriptive details, humor and just plain nice guy attitude makes John, without question, our modern day Mark Twain. Read one of John's storys and see if you agree?
 I just posted a new video about the projection booth in Nauvoo, Il. Thought you might like to see.
Films of John Gilbert "Return of Dracula"
Earliest film of John Gilbert at 14 years old ... 8mm Film Dracula ...
Here's a compilation of A Christmas Carol that we shot in '03 It's only 8 minutes of a 1 hour show. Hope you enjoy.
 Contact John Gilbert View reader comments under the pictures in the right column and at the bottom of this column. Write to John.
SAVING THE RIALTO THEATER
 John Gilbert Reports
35 long years have passed since John ran the last reel of film at the Rialto Theater located just two doors down from the Bradley Theater on Broadway in Columbus, GA. On Feb. 17th 2009, 35 years later, John fired up his Super Simplex and ran another reel. For the length of one reel the Rialto was alive again. Alive but wounded from years of neglect.
Now the transformation begins. Follow John Gilbert and new owner Reynolds Bickerstaff as the Rialto comes to life to play an important role once again in Columbus, GA.
Strangely the Bradley played a part in how John became involved in the Rialto Project. Report 1 | Report 2 | Report 3 |
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See pictures of the Rialto's ongoing restoration. They were taken Thursday March 12, 2009. We've got exclusive inside pictures.
New owner Reynolds Bickerstaff has plans to make more than just a theater out of the old Rialto and he'll be letting us all in on his plans real soon.
We wish this project all the best and plan to follow right along until opening night. Long live the Rialto. Follow this CGO special project.
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Save The Bradley |
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7 Part Series:
John Gilbert is best known for organizing the effort to Save the Bradley Theater in uptown Columbus, Ga.
My father worked for Martin Theaters and managed the Rexview Drive-In Theater in Columbus, Georgia when I was a small boy. There were many nights that I watched this scenario played out at dusk on that huge rectangular screen. A dream world larger than life. Those were magic moments. read more
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A JOHN GILBERT SERIES!
As a young man John Gilbert worked in the Liberty Theater.
I climbed the stairs to the balcony and then made my way up to the projection booth. Sarge was sitting in a recliner as I entered the booth. He shook my hand.
"So, you're going to be the new operator," he said. "Let me show you the switches." read more
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Reflections After Sunset, Drive-in Memories
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This SEVEN PART SERIES allows you to relieve the hay days of our Edgewood Drive-In. John's Drive-In Series was featured on DriveIns.com
The first home that I remember was a modest two bedroom affair with a small yard. My parents had the front bedroom and my three sisters and I shared the back bedroom. I can remember on cold winter days we would all play in the living room where the heater was kept burning. If I went into my bedroom to fetch another toy, I can remember that it would be so cold that I could see my breath. read more
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| John is searching for old pictures of Theaters in this area. Contact him if you can help. |
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Read this entire book by John Gilbert
TEN CHAPTERS:
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High Adventure Fiction. John Gilbert is the kid in all of us. Fascinating tale set in the Greater Chattahoochee Valley area, enjoy!
Sam Thomas is in love and his love weighs 100 tons.
For 40 years engine # 468 has sat idle at Northside Park but all that is about to change. When Sam finds out that Mayor Pugmyre wants to sell the park to developers and sell the engine for scrap, he decides it's time for action. read more
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A Trip To Grandma's House
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Visiting John's Grandma in Florida is a detailed description that will allow you to relive a part of your youth you thought you'd forgotten.
I never could understand what money had to do with going to my grandparents. They didn't charge us to stay with them. All we had to do was get in the car and go. read more
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A trip To Grandma's House is about a trip to Compass Lake, Florida. You pass through this wide spot in the road, on the way to Panama City Beach, FL |
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A Recent
COLLECTION of thoughts through the eyes of a young John Gilbert.
The Christmas tree stood in front of the living room window, glowing in all its majesty. Each ornament reflecting a hundred tiny lights. Under its lower branches sat the greatest temptation that can come into the life of any young boy; presents. Dozens of them. read more
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2-21-09
Thank you Mr. Gilbert for the great story on the Rialto. I followed the link and spent a very enjoyable two and a half hours reading your stories on the the Bradley and the Edgewood Drive-In. I know you have heard it before, but in my opinion you are a very good writer. I spent 20 years in the theater business, starting in high school at a drive-in, being a car hop, ramp boy, working in the snack bar, changing the marquee, watching the exit and doing all the other fun things that went on. Those days (early sixties) were the most fun I ever had at a job. When you describe dusk at the drive-in, with the sound of car tires on the gravel and the smell of popcorn popping and the pre-show
music from the speakers, I know exactly what you are remembering. I became a union projectionist and stayed with it for sixteen years. I saw the handwriting on the wall and learned another trade and got out while the getting was good. It is a real shame what happened to the business. I tell people today that the theater business I knew, no longer exists. Lots of good memories though and your stories really bring them back in full color and Cinema Scope.
Tom Horsfal
California (bay area)
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John, 3-22-09
I don’t know if you remember me. I think you were a year ahead of me at Hardaway H. S. I was friends with Tom Chadwick, Bobby Walton, and Billy Kravtin. I think your CB Handle was Halftrack. I just ran across your story of the restoration of the Bradley. I was deeply moved by your story. My father was one of the leaders in the restoration of the Springer Theatre. I think at one time there were hotel rooms at the Springer. I remember cleaning in one the upstairs rooms. I remember you telling me about being a projectionist in Columbus. You might have been talking about your father. I was very interested in that stuff. I worked at WTVM from 73-76 and later worked at WXIA in Atlanta till 2001. Do you still live in Stockbridge? I’d like to catch up sometime. Anyway, just wanted to say hello. I hope you are doing well.
Take care,
Ian, Marietta, GA |
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Save The Bradley Theater |
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Volunteers Clean Concession |
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John Shur cleans the balcony |
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Grand Opening Ceremonies |
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Bradley Projection Booth |
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Edgewood Drive-In Theater |
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Entrance to the Edgewood Drive-In
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Read some notes John has received,
I read your drive-in story (Reflections After Sunset) and was totally impressed. What a heart-felt account of you, your dad, and the people involved with it all as well as the trials and tribulations of the biz as well as life in general.
Kudos to you! I LUV' d it!
Phill Hill
Southern California
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Hi John,
I ran across your piece on the Edgewood online (Reflections After Sunset). Great work. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've been away from Columbus since '78, but I remember the Edgewood. In fact, I watched it burn down. I was attending Columbus College and living at some apartments just up Macon Road. One of my roommates who worked the night shift came in and woke us up. "The drive-in is on fire!" It was a spectacular sight, but very sad. Although I didn't have the same connection to it that you did, I do remember it as a landmark that had been around for my entire memory up to that point.
Thanks for a great read.
Dave,.
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John,
What a great story , I really enjoyed reading it. I lived in Columbus Ga. in 1948-49-50 and 51 we were stationed at Fort Benning Ga. We retired in Ca, and have been here 47 years but I still love Columbus Ga.
L. Beard,.
Hi John,
The Bradley Theater crossed my mind today. So I goggled The Bradley Theater and came across your articles telling of your experiences trying to save The Bradley. The site was Columbus Georgia Online. I really enjoyed the articles, but sorry to hear of all the downfalls and your wife's illness.
I grew up in Phenix City and as a very young child was allowed to go Saturday mornings with my 6 RC bottle-caps. I had an aunt who loved movies and would take my brother and me often. I can remember seeing John Wayne movies at The Bradley and others at The Georgia (Georgian?). I don't remember the statues beside the screen, but I remember it seemed like a classy place and I remember the shell water fountain upstairs. Right about the time you were trying to save The Bradley, I was leaving that area for good. I toured the place and gave a small donation. It was really rough looking that day. The photo labeled "ladies room" in the article reminded me of how things looked then. I always wondered what happened with the efforts to save the theater. I still have family in PC and knew it was a teen center and used for some social events at times, but no one could tell me if it had ever been restored. The general perception was that it was just the shell and had been remodeled inside again.It was interesting to read of all your memories and each step in your efforts and the results. There are probably many reasons why it didn't work, but I wish it had. When I left the area there were few good jobs available. Most everyone I went to high school with had gone to college, graduated and were not returning to the area. The fact that so many people in the area did not grow up there, probably had a lot to do with the lack of success and the 80s didn't seem to be a big era for things of nostalgia anyway. I kept some of the photos from the article and I'll search the internet for more. I just like to be able to show people pictures when I tell them the stories. All in all you came to the correct conclusion at the end of the article. You did save The Bradley. I, like you, would have thought it would be a slam-dunk, piece of cake, people would line up to give money and help out, but hey....you did. At least it's still there, no matter what it's used for and what it is like inside...it still has potential which would have been demolished with the building if you had not done what you did.
Be Well.
David D.
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Hello John,
Let me introduce myself, I am Hans van der Vlist and live in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
I've read your story "Save The Bradley" and was very moved by it. You and your family have put a lot of effort in reopening the Bradley and end up with nothing but debts to show. I can imagine the disappointment you must have felt that some people take advantage of others without remorse and all the other set-backs you had to endure. Especially people that give you hope that's founded on lies. Also it's no good that in the States you can be fired without any notice, they
should make better laws that prevent that.
I myself am a hobby-projectionist and know all about the "movie bug" and that it's impossible to get rid of it.
Do you still have and operate your "stable cinema"?
Hoping all is going well for you now!
Hans.
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I just spent an hour reading John Gilbert's entire story of the Bradley theater. It is a very moving piece. Congratulations, John for achieving what you set out to do - even if it wasn't in the manner you had originally envisioned. A very touching story indeed.
Sean Weitzel
Santa Clara, CA
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John: I just came across the “Save the Bradley”articles, and, thanks to you, was able to walk back through my childhood that I had “forgotten.” I am 57 now, grew up in Columbus, going to the Bradley, the Georgia, and the Rialto that was next to the Bradley (I’m sure you know). The Bradley was such a regal place, showing the “big”movies of the time, as well as the others. I saw a few Elvis movies there. I remember the long walk from the ticket booth outside down a little hill, to the concession stand. I remember well the RC Cola Saturday morning shows, and making sure I collected a stash of caps for me and my brother. RC Cola also passed out free colas, an extra bonus. “RC for me!!!” is what I remember the RC guy yelling as he handed out free colas. I remember the talent shows before the movie, and the giveaways (check your ticket stub number). Anyway,I look forward to reading your other pieces on the drive-ins. We live in MD now, and drive 1 ½ hours to one of the few drive-ins left (Bengies) near Baltimore just to experience that feeling of watching a movie outside. My wife of 34years (also a Columbus native) used to go to the Edgewood on dates. We go to Bengies I’am sure as a way of reliving those days. Thank you for remembering, and for holding a good memory so tightly that it refused to completely fade away, and in doing so, you have Xeroxed it for countless other people, who would have “forgotten” if not for you.
Best regards and thanks,
Mike Lewis
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