Est. 1927 · National Register of Historic Places · 1927 Paramount-Publix movie palace · Original Mighty Wurlitzer organ in place
The Alabama Theatre opened on December 26, 1927, as the flagship of Paramount-Publix's Southeast circuit. Designed by Chicago architects Graven & Mayger in an opulent Spanish-Moorish vocabulary, it seated approximately 2,500 patrons (now closer to 2,200 after renovations) and served as the region's premier first-run movie house through the mid-20th century.
At its construction the theatre was outfitted with a four-manual Wurlitzer pipe organ, marketed at the time as the 'Mighty Wurlitzer,' to accompany silent films and stage shows. Stanleigh Malotte served as the theatre's house organist from 1937 to 1955 — his first documented performance was May 27, 1937 — and his programs were broadcast on local radio.
As movie attendance declined, the Alabama survived through the late 20th century by hosting concerts, special screenings, and Mighty Wurlitzer organ programs. In 1987 Birmingham Landmarks acquired the building and undertook a multi-decade restoration that returned the lobby chandeliers, plasterwork, and seating to their 1927 condition. Cecil Whitmire served as the theatre's organist and operations manager during much of this restoration period.
Today the Alabama Theatre is the centerpiece of Birmingham's downtown theater district and operates as a live-performance and special-event venue. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Mighty Wurlitzer continues to be played at silent-film accompaniments and dedicated organ concerts.
Sources
- https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Alabama_Theatre
- https://alabamatheatre.com/about-the-alabama-theatre/
- https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=27337
- http://www.alabamatheatreorgan.com/history.html
- https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Stanleigh_Malotte
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/251604250/charles_stanleigh_malotte
- https://downtownbhm.com/news/ghosts-of-the-magic-city-downtowns-haunted-history/
- http://www.southernspiritguide.org/but-a-walking-shadow-birmingham-alabama/
ApparitionsPhantom footstepsDoors locking/unlockingWindows closing on their own
The Alabama Theatre's resident haunting is attributed to Stanleigh Malotte, the theatre's house organist from 1937 to 1955. According to US Ghost Adventures and the Bhamwiki entry on Malotte, the central incident occurred in 1986, when Cecil Whitmire (the theatre's organist and operations manager during its 1980s restoration) was rehearsing with a singer for an upcoming performance. As they practiced, both reportedly observed a full-body male apparition cross the empty stage from one wing to the other before vanishing. Whitmire identified the figure as Malotte.
Subsequent reports recorded by staff and visitors include windows that close and lock by themselves, doors that unlock without anyone present, and phantom footsteps in the empty auditorium during late-night cleaning and maintenance hours. The Patch.com article on Birmingham hauntings and the Great American Ghost Tour site both treat the theatre as one of the city's principal music-anchored hauntings — a residual or intelligent presence linked to a specific performer rather than a tragic event.
No death is documented as having occurred inside the building; Malotte left the theatre in 1955 and died years later. The haunting framework is therefore one of attachment rather than violent anchor — a former organist whose music was his life returning to the stage where he played.
Notable Entities
Stanleigh Malotte (former house organist, 1937-1955)
