The Great Speckled Bird Oct 31, 1974

Vol. 7 #48 pg. 1

George and Mike Ellis, the kind and talented managers of the Film Forum in Ansley Mall for the past several years, have been evicted from the theatre that everyone thought was their own. The theatre, which is known for its fine films that can be seen few other places, its one dollar ticket prices, its real popcorn, and its friendly greeting at the door, is now being run by businessman Louis Osteen. Osteen is trying to run the theatre as if nothing had changed. Already, George Ellis's thousands of friends are beginning to tell him he will not be able to get away with it.

The history of George Ellis is synonymous with the history of the showing of good films in Atlanta. In June 1966 Ellis opened the Festival Cinema downtown. The Festival, specially designed for Ellis and winner of design awards, was one of the most comfortable and inviting places in the city. Despite its tiny ninety seat capacity, the theatre turned a living profit with its fare of fine art, and not so art, films that could be seen nowhere else.

By the beginning of 1969, however, things began going badly for the Festival. Even free coffee and whipped cream in the lobby did not seem to help. It began to look as if the theatre would go under and many friends of the Festival and George Ellis, invested money at the rate of a dollar a share in order to try to save it. Although this effort worked for a while, eventually the Festival with its menu of good films simply was no longer fiscally feasible.

By the middle of 1969, Ellis had, in an effort to make a continued living and to pay back his small investors, gone over to a straight diet of medium-hard porn. His intention was to spend a couple of years building up a financial cushion with the porn, and then to go back-to his original type of bookings.

Fulton County authorities intervened. At the end of 1970, Ellis and his theatre were busted for obscenity. Judge Dan Duke told Ellis that he would give him probation if Ellis would agree never to show porn again. Ellis agreed and soon after sold the Festival.

Ellis'' accomplishments at the Festival were not limited to showing good films. During the early years of the anti-war movement and the middle years of the civil rights movement, Ellis opened his theatre to literature tables, fund raising, and benefit films. He established a reputation as a businessman with a difference he was at least as concerned with serving the needs of his customers as he was with making a profit.

Ellis was not out of the theatre business for long. By the middle of 1971 he had made an agreement with Modular Cinemas, owners of the then Ansley Mall Mini Cinema, to take over the theatre. The deal called for Ellis and his son Mike to be totally responsible for the management of the theatre in return for a straight 50% cut of the net profits. The Film Forum, with the same type of films as the Festival and—wonder of wonders one dollar tickets, was born.

Shortly after Ellis took over the theatre, Modular Cinemas became Conners Capital Corp. The contract however, remained in effect.

Since that time, the Film Forum, with its small capacity of about 174, has been a financial and entertainment success. The theatre and the Ellis's have built up a dedicated following, and the Film Forum has been a small but consistent profit maker.

In January 1974 Louis Osteen, a former principal of Modular Cinemas, contracted to buy the Film Forum from Conners Capital. Although there is currently some question of what exactly transpired at this point, Osteen apparently told the Ellis's that their arrangement would continue, even though the written contract had expired. At any rate, the Ellis's did not demand a new written contract.

The end, for the time being, came for the Ellis's on the night of November 18. George Ellis was in New York City and his son Mike was running the theatre. At about 8:30 Osteen, with no previous warning, walked into the theatre and told Ellis that he was relieved. George Ellis flew back from New York immediately and. the next day, went to see his old friend Osteen to see if something could be worked out. It couldn't.

This reporter has talked to Louis Osteen and asked him his reasons for taking over the Film Forum. Osteen told the Bird, "There's just been a management change here that was effective this Monday night past. The decision was made by the owners (a corporation headed by Osteen) of the business who relieved Mike and George Ellis of their connection here. The reason is. ... at this time I don't think I would like to get into it since there are some things I would have to resolve."

The issues to be resolved include whether an oral contract exists between Osteen and the Ellises. If one can be shown to exist, it is as binding as if it were down on paper.

Another issue that needs to be resolved is whether the theatre can survive under its new management. 0steen intends to keep the current format at the theatre. He told the Bird, "It's been very successful and we don't feel there's a need to change it." Why then were the Ellis's relieved? One can only assume that 100 per cent of the profits is a lot better than 50%. But, as many of George and Mike's friends are saying, 100% of nothing is nothing.

Osteen knows he is in for rough sailing. He told the Bird, "It's gonna be a hard thing to carry on the Film Forum like George and Michael did." Osteen doesn't know how right he is.

We have already received many calls asking what happened to George and what can be done about it. Although current employees of the Film Forum simply say "George is off tonight" when asked what happened to George and Mike, the word of what really happened is finally beginning to get out.

People feel strongly about this question. It is a rare businessperson indeed who cares as much about their customers as they do about profits. Mike and George Ellis are in this category. This paper will carry no Film Forum ads and run no Film Forum reviews until George and Mike are back at the theatre, or safely installed somewhere else. Creative Loafing, one of our competitors, has also pulled their ad this week. Other papers, despite hard times and low ads, may join. There is talk of phone campaigns, pickets, and legal action. By this time next week, some or all of these should be underway. If you are interested in helping George and Mike, call us here at 875-8301; we'll plug you into whatever is happening.

There is nothing wrong with Louis Osteen. By all accounts, he is not a bad man. He simply has more of an eye for profits, and less for people, than have George and Mike. The Ellis's have given to the Atlanta community for years. Now let's help them back. —jon Jacobs for the Bird