Detroit Theatre
16407 Detroit Avenue,
Lakewood,
OH
44107
16407 Detroit Avenue,
Lakewood,
OH
44107
4 people
favorited this theater
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1959 photo added via Mark MacDougal.
The Detroit was architected by Nicola Petti. The French windows, Rafaello decorations on the wall panels, and Bourdeaux curtains were among the few flourishes of the fairly subdued auditorium design. It was built for $275,000 and constructed for the Homestead Theatre Co. Circuit adding to their Cleveland area neighborhood theatres by owners Julius Schwartz and Dr. I. Body. Everything was mechanically controlled at open in 1924 to lower the cost of operations. That business model worked for more than 85 years until closure.
I was the projectionist at the Detroit theatre. best job I ever had. between 2000 to 2011 I was the projectionist. I was the projectionist that closed the theatre on jan 30 2011. I shut the projectors off and kissed the 4 walls and cried. sonny kern 216-990-5209
How sad. That theater outlasted so many other theaters. Torn down for a McDonald’s. Progress.
After being used for firefighter training, the venerable Detroit Theater will soon be demolished to make away for a McDonald’s restaurant. View link
Chuck1231, I’m pretty sure the evening photo of the Detroit that you have linked here was taken sometime between December 1969 and March 1970 because the attraction is “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” which played the Detroit at that time. P.S. Thanks for the photo.
I just read that McDonald’s wants to buy the Detroit and tear it down.
Status should be closed.
The 1975 marquee was beautiful but it looks like it was let go to hell by 1982
It has indeed closed after the last show tonight. The other theatre this owner has, the Parma, has been up for sale but is still operating. We’ll see how much longer that one lasts.
It is sad to report, but the Detroit shall be closing as of January 30, 2011: View link
It was a small theatre, but I think 425 was too small. We occasionally came west as a novelty to see first run shows here in the 60s. I remember seeing “Thunderball” there.
The Detroit was a first run house in the 60s and 70s,. showing films in tandem with the Cedar-Lee on the east side and sometimes with other theaters, once the downtown theaters started to close and first run movies started to be booked elsewhere in the city. It that seating capacity right? It seems far too small. Would think it was double that (at least back then).
To further comment on Patsy’s comment re: Dreamgirls, there never was a “Detroit theatre” in Detroit, Dreamgirls is about the Supremes, without naming names, every person, place and event has an alternate name to avoid litigation. The Supremes, and other Motown acts appeared in big stage shows at Detroit’s Fox theatre, a 5,000 seat house, and those shows were the only stage entertainment featured at the Fox during the 1960s. They were huge, sold the place out, and lasted all day! All of the fantastic stable of Mowtown acts would appear, The temtations, Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Little Stevie Wonder and the Supremes, to name a few.
As someone remarked on the flick link…“love that tile”!
Comment on Patsy’s comment of Dec. 27, 2006 (above): the theater used in “Dreamgirls” turns out to be in fact the Palace on Broadway in Los Angeles. The marquee was given a temporary makeover just for the movie shoot. There’s a picture here:
View link
that shows the marquee “dressed” for the shooting.
This theater shows second-run movies. It was featured in the 2003 movie “American Splendor,” when Harvey Pekar and friends see “Revenge of the Nerds” there. To bring it full circle, this theater ran “American Splendor” after it had been out a few months. How often do you get to go to the movies and see the theater you’re sitting in, in the movie?
“split down the middle”..it happens, but not what I personally want to read.
I just saw Dreamgirls with Beyonce and American Idol contestant, Jennifer Hudson who did a wonderful acting and singing job as she is up for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. In the movie there is mention of the “Detroit Theatre” when the girls performed in what looked to be an old theatre with box seats, etc. so I wondered if it might be this one as there didn’t seem to be any theatre by that exact name listed elsewhere on CT.
Here is a 1989 article from the Lakewood Sun Post:
http://tinyurl.com/yxwlug
This is truely an old time main street theatre
http://community.webshots.com/photo/88320796xWcEax