<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE  CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL  INFORMATION  EXTRACTED FROM FROM 10-Q
AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                    0000925178                         
<NAME>                          Movie Gallery, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                  1,000
       
                                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                 3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                       JAN-03-1999
<PERIOD-START>                          JAN-05-1998
<PERIOD-END>                            APR-05-1998
<CASH>                                        3,971       
<SECURITIES>                                      0  
<RECEIVABLES>                                   401 
<ALLOWANCES>                                      0      
<INVENTORY>                                  12,798
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                             21,389
<PP&E>                                      261,036 <F1>     
<DEPRECIATION>                              122,085 <F2>     
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              252,859      
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                        34,562      
<BONDS>                                           0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                             0
<PREFERRED>                                       0
<COMMON>                                         13    
<OTHER-SE>                                  149,505   
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                252,859      
<SALES>                                      11,558      
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             70,491      
<CGS>                                         7,519     
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                65,878      
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                  0      
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                  0     
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            1,577  
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               3,036  
<INCOME-TAX>                                  1,154  
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           1,882  
<DISCONTINUED>                                    0      
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                   0     
<CHANGES>                                         0    
<NET-INCOME>                                  1,882   
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0.14      
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0.14  
<FN>
<F1> Includes $183,321 of videocassette rental inventory.
<F2> Includes  $93,043  of  accumulated  amortization  on  videocassette  rental
     inventory.
</FN>