Lasky Theatre
13320 Joseph Campau Avenue,
Hamtramck,
MI
48212
13320 Joseph Campau Avenue,
Hamtramck,
MI
48212
1 person
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Showing 1 - 25 of 38 comments
CareyVigor: For at least part of the 1930s and 1940s the Martha Washington was owned by the Manteufel family. A Florian Manteufel was the manager in 1942. It might have been him that you met. Manteufel is a German surname, but many German surnames- mine, for one example- are used by both Germans and Jews.
But the waitress must have gotten her stories garbled. Paramount Pictures was founded in 1914 by Utah theatre owner, W. W. Hodkinson, so someone arriving in the 1930s couldn’t have been a founder.
Also, IMDb says that Kim Novak was married twice, first to the English actor Richard Johnson, from March, 1965, to May, 1966, and then to a Dr. Robert Malloy, from March, 1976, to present. Of course it’s possible that she had an earlier marriage that was kept secret by the studio, and remains secret, but it would have to have been over before she signed with Columbia Pictures in 1954, at the age of 21. Not a very big window of opportunity for a secret marriage.
Jessey Lasky was associated with Paramount from very early in its history, but I don’t know if he is related to the Jacob Lasky who built the Lasky Theatre, but it seems doubtful, as Jesse Lasky was a native of San Francisco.
I met an elderly Polish Jew in the deli in Beverly Hills in 1989 who struck up a conversation with me because I was practicing my Polish with the waitress. He told me he came from Warsaw in the 30’s and owned the Martha Washington Theater in Hamtramck and was related somehow to both Lasky and Krim. He moved to Hollywood using the money he made on the Martha Washington. The waitress tood me he was once married to Kim Novack and had something to do with bringing her to Detroit for a premier at the Trans Lux Krim theater on Woodward. I never got his name but the waitress said he was a founder of Paramount Studios. He told me he made his first dollar from Lasky and Krim who sold him the Martha Washington Theater. That is where I saw Viva Las Vegas where even the black girls were screaming.
Also, this theater was demolished in 2009. Photos here.
mortalman: Most likely the building and the business were under separate ownership. Such arrangements are not rare. The Laskys owned the building, and the Krim brothers must have owned and operated the theater business for at lest part of its history, leasing the theater portion of the building from the Laskys.
I am really confused about the Lasky Theatre history and ownership. I added a comment some years ago stating that my father worked for the owners of the Lasky Theatre. I have clear memories from my mother that also worked at the Lasky Theatre that the owners of the Lasky Theatre were the Sol brothers. There was a 3rd brother and his name was Harry Krim that I found on the internet. He was an elderly man in his late 80s I believe. He lived in a place called Farmington Hills, Michigan. I found him and talked to him by phone on April 6, 2006! He verified that he was the younger brother of Mac and Sol Krom and that they were the owners of the Lasky Theatre on the SE corner of Davison and Jos. Campau. As a child we lived around the corner from the Lasky Theatre on Dearing between Jos. Campau and Mitchell Sts. So, two people claim to have owned the Lasky Theatre this man named Berman that has made contributions on this comment section of this website and I have what seems to be irrefutable evidence that the Krim brothers owned this theatre. I’m sure there must be a logical explaination to the inconsistencies surrounding the history and ownership of the Lasky Theatre. I sure hope someone comes up with some answers before we’re all dead and buried. I am going to call Harry Krim tomorrow because I still have his phone number and with the Lord willing he may still be alive for me to. talk to, again.. sta
Here is an obituary for Jacob Lasky, published in Billboard, November 17, 1951:[quote]“LASKY— Jacob C.,
85, owner of the Lasky Theatre, Detroit, November 6. He built the house in 1926, leasing it to the Koppin Circuit originally, and later operating it himself for a time. Survived by his widow, Bessie, and five children. Interment in Clover Hill Park Cemetery, Detroit.”[/quote]
I was in the building a number of times since February. I live close by. I took some shots of the theater ceiling weeks ago (I was surprised and happy to see the entire theater ceiling was still in there!). I was quite disappointed to see how much more damage had occurred to the interior (Done by scrappers and vandals) since my first visit. Was saddened to discover what had happened yesterday. Some of the shots I’ve taken can be seen here: http://photobucket.com/LaskyTheater
Someone torched the place last night, roof is gone, and it might be a total loss!!! Good bye Lasky furniture, we have been neighbors for a long time (granddaughter of Theresa -now deceased- your neighbor for 40 years-her house was torched too recently.)
My Great grandfather, Jacob Lasky, his son, Lou Lasky, and his son in law, Isadore Berman owned this building from 1911 on, until it closed around 1950.
Does anyone know the name of the owners for the Lasky Theatre around 1930???
I figured it was kind of a shot in the dark—thanks anyway; I appreciate your input! :)
I am to young to know that that piece was given away or not, and anyone in the family is now long gone. However, everyone knows that the theater was closed in the very early 1950’s, and those kinds of promotions that were given away were done much earlier than the 1950’s. There is also no paperwork left at all from the theater. I do have invoices from the furniture side from the 1940’s though.
I meant to say that physical evidence would be ideal, but if that is not available if I could just get a statement from the family saying, yes we had that promotion in 1933, or something like that, that would work too. Providing anyone knows for sure at this point—I’m not asking anyone to lie for me or anything! :)
Ideally I need an ad or some kind of promo piece advertising the fact that if you come see a show, you get a free piece of dinnerware—a photo of an ad would be fine. I don’t know if paperwork would still be around from the theatre business, but something like an invoice for the purchase of the dinnerware would work as well. The specific piece I have is a serving platter; make is Harker, the mark on the back is BakeRite, and the pattern is called Red Apple II, it has a yellow pear and a red apple in the center and a single red line around the edge. My goal is to first place this promotion in the mid-30’s as my grandmother says, and then if possible to show the specific pattern was one that was given away. I figure the second piece will be difficult to do! My professor contends the piece looks more 50’s to her, so I need to convince her otherwise.
I am a student researching a piece of dinnerware that I am told was a giveaway at the Lasky and Park Theatres in Detroit during the Great Depression. I have the utmost confidence that my grandmothers recollection is accurate, however, I need to back it up for my class project. Does anyone have any info on this? Any memories, old advertising…anything??? :) Thanks in advance…
I may have some information about the Lasky Theatre that might be of interest. I knew the Lasky building was owned by the Lasky Family. Their name is on the Marquee stone at the top of the building above the Marquee Sign. What I didn’t know is that the Lasky Family owned the Lasky Theatre. I was under the impression that two brothers by the name of Mac and Sol Krim owned the Lasky Theatre. The reason I thought that is because my father worked at the Lasky Theatre first as an Usher then as a Chaffeur for the Krim Brothers. My mother also worked at the Lasky Theatre selling tickets. This is where my mother and father met and eventually married. I use to go to the Lasky Theatre all the time in the late 1940s and early 1950s with my mother.
I have a correction to make. The Lasky Theater did not close in 1950. It closed no earlier than 1951 or 1952. I know this for a fact because I remember going there as a child with my parents and I remember seeing a movie called “The Whip Hand” starring Raymond Burr. This was a 1951 movie, and since the Lasky Theater was not a first run theater, it was still open in 1951, and more probably 1952.
Hey no problem
to Neo, I have not found any with any background to them, just employees that really show nothing much. I am sorry
I am going to ask my employee tomorrow, i am sure he will remember her! my E mail is if you find anything thats really good! i have one of those horse shoe peeneies too! i cant believe you still carry it!
My relative was Josephine Turko, she was the bookkeeper in the furniture store. I have several old photo albulms in storage I’ll look to see if there are any pictures you might be interested in. I have a small silver colored metal horseshoe (I think it was a keyring) with a 1947 penny in it that has the name, address and phone number of the store and a saying about keep it and never go broke. I carry it in my wallet for luck. I have heard some stories about the old days. they sounded like quite a time! nancy
Hey since we are talking again, did you get any pics?
I would love to have anything you could find, and I hope that I might have heard the name when you tell me who your relative is. Although I am only 50 years old, I have heard most of the names from that time. I still have 1 employee that has been with the family since 1953! So he may remember her as well!
I have a promotional item from Lasky furniture. I will check old family photos to see if we have any you might be interested in. My relative was the bookkeeper for Lasky Furniture during the 40’s
thanks, you rock