Folkston's three movie theaters, The Paxton, Ritz, and Topper, kept Charlton County entertained.

Most small towns boasted of only one movie house in the golden days of the movies. Folkston had only one "modern" movie house for most of those years.  The Ritz Theater, located today where Chesser Sales and Service is located on the south side of Main Street, was opened around 1936. It was in a building owned by Folkston Chevrolet Dealer, Charlie Passieu. Joe Hackel of Jacksonville, who also owned the Ritz on Davis Street in Jacksonville, owned the business.

In the 1920s, Folkston had a silent movie house, The Paxton Theater, located where today Hopkins Gowen Oil Company has its offices, on West Main Street. A locally played piano accompanied the flickering images on the screen, but Charlton County folks were proud of that Paxton Theater, it brought a little entertainment into the small town. The Paxton eventually closed when talking movies came along. The owners could not afford to bring in the modern equipment necessary for sound movies.

The Paxton's successor, The Ritz opened around 1936 amid cheers from Main Street business owners. It would provide a catalyst to bring people into town to do their shopping and sit through whatever movie was showing.

The Ritz had only been open for around a year when a tragic fire erupted in the movie house. No one was hurt, but the evacuation was less than smooth. A front-page editorial in the following week's Charlton County Herald castigated the owners for not having better fire escapes. Only the front doors afforded a way out for those trapped inside. Hackle soon had the building owner build back doors with lighted Exit signs glowing brightly.

That old Ritz Theater became the focus for trade on Folkston's Main Street. The Saturday night ritual was for families to come into town, visit with their neighbors, also in town, and send the young to the "picture show" while they bought the week's supply of groceries.

The Saturday show, usually a western, ran continually from 4 o'clock in the afternoon to near midnight. Many youngsters sat through all the showings until the house lights were turned on around midnight.

The Ritz sat atop the entertainment throne in Folkston from its opening in the mid 1930's until around 1946. Joe Hackle hired a Jacksonville man to manage the theater, Cecil Cohen, and brought in another Jacksonville man and his wife to be projectionist and ticket seller, Bob and Cynthia Mullis. It was not long before Mullis had taught several local youngsters how to operate the two Simplex projectors. Fred Askew, Jr. became Mullis' backup.

Things went well for the Ritz for years. The movie house showed high-tone feature films on Monday through Wednesday, but on weekends it always showed a western. That was what the people wanted.

During the years of World War Two, the Ritz continued to operate, showing one war picture after another, always showing the Americans winning at every battle. Getting the film on to the next customer caused hardships. Benton Brothers Express hauled most of the movie canisters, and often Mullis would have to drive the film into Jacksonville to the Benton center to get it to the next movie house on time. Wartime blackouts in Jacksonville often caused Mullis to park for hours along U. S. 1 north of Jacksonville.

Gone With the Wind was such a film. It was in such demand that it was marked with a red label. It absolutely, positively had to be to the next movie house on the day after the Folkston showing.

Sadly, the old Ritz began to deteriorate. Rats began running across the bottom of the screen while patrons screamed. Finally it became known as the "rat house." The owners began to re-book movies that had previously been shown in Folkston. Many became disenchanted with the once-prized Ritz.

Enter Theodore Dinkins, progressive Folkston business leader who always had his ears tuned to the wishes of the people of the county.

Just as soon as World War Two ended and equipment became available, Dinkins built the second Folkston movie house. He would name it "The Topper Theater", apparently referring to topping the old Ritz. Both theaters ran for year, competing head to head. .

But, Dinkins Topper Theater booked the more modern movies while the Ritz continued to book older movie. They were cheaper. Soon ticket sales at the Ritz nose-dived, while the Topper took on all the trappings of a downtown Jacksonville movie house. The Ritz finally closed its doors in the face of the competition from the new Topper.

Dinkins gave the people of the area what they wanted. He brought in live stage entertainers directly from the Palace Theater in Jacksonville. On the Topper's stage dancers kicked their heels high to the strains of "There's no business like show business." The crowd loved it, and the ticket sales skyrocketed.

Dinkins took personal pride in his Topper Theater. His wife, Lois sold tickets while his sister, Iva Dinkins Mizell, sold popcorn and Coca-Cola in the concession room, just off the main lobby.

The Topper premiered a locally produced movie, Swamp Girl, with country singer, Ferlin Husky. A lowboy trailer was pulled up in front of the theater for Husky to sing "On the Wings of a Dove", while several beautiful young actresses danced across the trailer bed. The hundreds nearby screamed with delight. The movie, however, was a complete flop.

Theo Dinkins continued to promote his Topper Theater until other business interests began to consume more of his time, The Okefenokee Motel, Dinkins and McKendree Logging. He leased the theater to State Senator Nolan Wells from Camden County. Wells also owned the Kingsland Theater. Wells eventually turned over his lease to another party, and business at the once-mighty Topper began to slide.

The Topper had fallen victim to more modern movie houses in Jacksonville and Waycross. Soon Folkston had no movie houses at all. The Paxton, The Ritz, and The Topper had been swept up in the winds of change.

But, each had its own history. It's own followers. The Ritz gave the people of Charlton County a place to relax during the trying war years of World War Two. The Topper moved in and brought locals the finest movies available.

Now, no movie houses are on Folkston's Main Street, but memories of those past "picture shows" linger with the older residents. There's no business like show business.