Fox Theatre
2211 Woodward Avenue,
Detroit,
MI
48201
2211 Woodward Avenue,
Detroit,
MI
48201
38 people
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Fox Theatre, Detroit (Official)
Additional Info
Operated by: Olympia Entertainment
Previously operated by: Fox Circuit
Architects: Charles Howard Crane
Functions: Concerts, Movies (Classic), Stage Shows
Styles: Oriental
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
313.567.6000
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Feb 7, 2011 — Lessons from Detroit
- Aug 5, 2008 — Detroit historic theatres tour
- Jun 25, 2007 — Largest active theater
- Dec 3, 2004 — Fire Damages Fox Theatre Marquee
- Oct 29, 2003 — Today's Newsreel
- Oct 27, 2003 — Democratic Candidates Debate at Detroit Fox
The Fox Theatre was opened September 23, 1928 with Janet Gaynor in “Street Angel”. It seats over 5,000 people and is Detroit’s largest movie palace. In 1988, the Fox Theatre underwent an $8.1-million restoration. Since the restoration, the Fox Theatre has become one of the most successful theaters in the country combining broadway shows, concerts, special events and the occassional classic film.
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Recent comments (view all 96 comments)
As a child I became interested in the new-fangled cinema photography as it was being presented: Cinerama, CinemaScope, etc. As my birthday gift in 1953 I visited the Fox to see the first film released in CinemaScope, “The Robe.” I know that the Fox just prior to showing this film was advertising its films as being on “the giant screen,” as other theaters downtown were doing. My questions: What were the dimensions of the old screen at the Fox? The dimensions of the ‘scope screen?
In neighborhood theaters, larger screens were installed, but masking was used to cover the upper part of the screens and to open on the sides in order to provide the aspect ratio for CinemaScope. In other words, ‘scope films actually used less square footage of the screen than did non-'scope films. I wonder whether the Fox also did this, although for years after every film shown at the Fox was in CinemaScope or its successor, Panavision.
September 23rd, 1928 grand opening ad in photo section.
Last night the Republican candidates for president debated at the Fox Theatre. Shown on Fox TV & elsewhere, the lit marquee & exterior, the grand lobby and the auditorium all looked glorious!
Indeed, the Fox looked magnificent last evening on tv. I wonder whether hi-def tv gives us more beauty than is actually seen by the eye. When last I visited a couple years ago the auditorium was in need of some fresh paint and new upholstery on the seats. None of this was visible last evening.
Undated photo added of Tom Poston & Tim Conway in front of the Fox. Courtesy of Gary Day.
R.I.P. Mike Ilitch, who saved the Fox & restored it.
The new movie “Detroit” had its world premiere here July 25.
Democrats competing for president debating here https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/07/30/cnn-debate-stage-setup-timelapse.cnn
The Fox began preparing for widescreen films early in 1953 and photos show a portion of the 68 foot wide slightly curved screen in late May of that year, at a time when Twentieth-Century-Fox executives and others came to demonstrate the new CinemaScope format to theater owners. The proscenium of the Fox is 70 feet wide. On 02 October of that year “The Robe” began its run at the Fox as the first ‘scope film released, one year after the introduction of Cinerama to the public at the Broadway Theater in New York City. In the early 'scope years the Fox screened only films from its namesake Hollywood studios.
At this time the Fox does not have a screen, the theater being used for staged events, including concerts. Any organization renting the theater and requiring a screen must see to the temporary installation of one.