Oriole Theatre
8450 Linwood Avenue,
Detroit,
MI
48206
8450 Linwood Avenue,
Detroit,
MI
48206
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Wisper-Wetsman Theaters
Architects: George DeWitt Mason
Functions: Church
Previous Names: Orient Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Just a few months after this 2,078-seat theatre opened in late-1927 as the Orient Theatre, it changed its name to the Oriole Theatre, most likely due to the opening downtown of the similarly-named Oriental Theatre (which later became the RKO Downtown Theatre) around the same time.
It was designed by George D. Mason, who also designed the Great Lakes Theatre and Gem Theatre elsewhere in Detroit. After it closed in 1951, the Oriole Theatre sat vacant for over a decade, before being used as a church.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
Detroit News article detailing use of the Oriole as a church. With photo of theater front.
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Here are the works of George Mason:
Mason, George DeWitt (1856-1948)
Central Market Building (with Zachariah Rice) – Cadillac Square [Detroit]
Central Woodward Christian Church (AKA Little Rock Baptist Church) – 9000 Woodward Ave. [Detroit]
Century Building and Little Theatre – [Detroit]
Detroit Yacht Club
Gem Theatre (AKA Little, Rivoli, Drury Lane, Europa, Cinema, World, Vanguard) – 333 Madison Ave. [Detroit]
Grand Hotel – [Mackinac Island]
Great Lakes Theatre – 14832 Grand River Ave. [Detroit]
Hotel Ponchartrain (Original) – [Detroit]
Masonic Temple – 500 Temple Ave. [Detroit]
Oriole Theatre
Ransom Gillis Home (With Henry T. Brush) – 63 Alfred Street [Detroit]
Thompson Home
Trinity United Methodist Church
Walker, Franklin H., House
February 25th, 1936 grand opening ad as Cinema in photo section.
According to the GoogleEarth image of August 2015 the Oriole is standing tall in its use as a church. Both street facades have been resurfaced and the entrance moved from the corner to the rear of the auditorium. Partial interior photos show it simplified in detail but attractive within its original form.
The theatre was not demolished it just resurfaced with the entrance moved to the rear of te building as craigmorris said in his comment.
I forgot to mention in my previous comment that this church, New Bethel Baptist was pastored by the Rev. C. L. Franklin, whose daughter Aretha became a music legend.