Venue Address: 1280 Peachtree St. - Atlanta, GA
Event: 2nd Atlanta International Film Festival

Also Performing:
N/A

Setlist:
Poetry (Unknown)
(Incomplete)

Recordings / Film:
Unavailable

Photographers:
Unavailable

Reviews / Info:
-The 2nd Atlanta International Film Festival takes place from June 16th to June 21st, 1969.
-Feast Of Friends is shown at the Atlanta International Film Festival on June 20th and Jim Morrison attends with friend and Feast Of Friends film editor Frank Lisciandro.
-Prior to the screening Jim Morrison calls a local radio station to help promote the event (See Details Below).
-Feast Of Friends receives the Golden Phoenix Award the next day.
-Jim Morrison gives a poetry reading in the High Museum Of Art following the awards acceptance.
-Approx. 100 in attendance during Jim Morrison's poetry reading.
-Jim Morrison performs on stage with White Clover in New Orleans a few days later.
-Jim Morrison later mentions the festival and describes the elevators at the Hyatt Regency Hotel as "Victorian rocket ships" in an interview with Howard Smith.

"Fifty years ago, a glimmer of hope flickered briefly that, had they known about it, would have considerably quickened the hearts of Atlanta rock fans. It was the hope that The Doors would play at the Atlanta International Pop Festival. As it turned out, however, only two hearts would ever be so quickened. One belonged to Tom Kurrus, one of seventeen partners who were producing the festival, which was to open its gates just two weeks later. By sheer coincidence, the other heart belonged to an eighteen year-old festival staffer who had just graduated from volunteer to $50/week employee – me.

I was working for a group of guys who were producing a huge rock festival in Atlanta in the summer of 1969. Late one afternoon one of these guys (Tom) and I were the last ones in the office and he said he was leaving to go over to the Atlanta International Film Festival to catch Morrison (who was there presenting a film he had done) to see if he could convince Morrison to bring The Doors to the rock festival. He asked me if I'd like to join him. I said 'yes'. So we went over and caught Morrison coming out of the film screening. Morrison proposed that we meet back at his hotel room for a chat. So we did. It was Tom, Morrison, a guy who was travelling with Morrison (Frank Lisciandro) and me. Morrison was in his heftier, very long-haired and bearded phase. He was pretty laid back and not overly talkative, and sipped slowly on a glass of whiskey. As I recall, we were there for only about 20-30 minutes. He declined the invitation to bring The Doors to the rock festival, with the reason that they didn't like outdoor gigs. He also said that he had been amazed flying into Atlanta to see all the trees (him being from dry southern California), and said he and Frank were considering driving back to California so they could drive through all the trees. (Apparently they did rent a car and drive out of Atlanta). So that was my encounter with one of the most iconic rock stars in history - and I never saw The Doors perform live, forever to my great chagrin (except for several decades later in a latter-day incarnation - and they were quite good). It's too bad I had not yet developed any of my 'legendary' lobbying skills, or I would have employed them to change Morrison's mind. Oh, well..."

Bill Mankin
Atlanta, GA
Copyright © 2021 Bill Mankin

A Special Thanks to Bill Mankin for providing his first-hand account to MildEquator.com!

ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL CALL-IN

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Broadcast Date: June 19th - 1969
Station ID: Unknown
Programming: Unknown
Host: Unknown
Recording Date: June 19th - 1969
Recording Location: Mobile Phone - Atlanta Film Fest Headquarters

Info:
On June 19th, 1969 Jim Morrison and Frank Lisciandro arrived in Atlanta for the second International Film Festival. After arriving at headquarters, Jim decides to try out the promoter's all new briefcase-sized mobile telephone - the first Jim had seen. After placing a few calls to LA, the promoter requested that Jim call up the local radio station responsible for promoting the event, and make an announcement for the Feast of Friends showing on the following day. The DJ puts Jim on the air, and he makes his announcement. A recording of the broadcast has never been found.

JIM MORRISON IN ATLANTA

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BY: REED BARRICKMAN

ARCHIVE/MEMORABILIA:

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REVIEW #1:

Newspaper: Great Speckled Bird
Author: Unknown
Publish Date: June 30th - 1969
Copyright © Great Speckled Bird

Contributed By: RBarrickman

REVIEW #2:

Newspaper: The Atlanta Journal
Author: Terry Kay
Publish Date: June 29th - 1969
Copyright © The Atlanta Journal

Contributed By: RBarrickman

REVIEW #3:

Newspaper: The Atlanta Journal
Author: Terry Kay
Publish Date: June 22nd - 1969
Copyright © The Atlanta Journal

Contributed By: RBarrickman

NEWSPAPER MENTION:

Newspaper: Unknown
Author: Unknown
Publish Date: Unknown - 1969
Copyright © Unknown

Contributed By: RFritts

ARTICLE #1:

Newspaper: The Atlanta Journal
Author: Terry Kay
Publish Date: May 25th - 1969
Copyright © The Atlanta Journal

Contributed By: RBarrickman

ARTICLE #2:

Newspaper: The Atlanta Constitution
Author: Molly Sinclair
Publish Date: June 16th - 1969
Copyright © The Atlanta Journal

Contributed By: RBarrickman

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Contributed By: MildEquator.com

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