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Michigan Theater
2001 Photo from the Adam Martin collection
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238 Bagley St
Detroit MI
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| Record #12374 |
Opened: August 23, 1926
Closed: 1976
Current Use:
Demolished:
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Capacity: 4038 seats
Architect(s): Rapp & Rapp
Architectural Style(s): French Baroque
National Register:
Current Organ: none |
| Also Known As: |
The $3.5 million Michigan Theater was opened by Paramount-Publix/Kunsky and Balaban & Katz on August 23, 1926, with the film "You'll Never Know Women". In 1933, United Detroit Theaters acquired the 4,038-seat theater.
One of the most beautiful downtown movie palaces, the Michigan featured a 4-story lobby with huge chandeliers, immense marble columns and oil paintings. The auditorium featured a $50,000 Wurlitzer organ and an orchestra led by Eduard Werner. Paramount-Publix stage shows were featured into the mid-1930s.
The first sound feature at the theater was 1928's Sawdust Paradise. The organ was taken out of service in 1936 and sold in 1952. The Michigan joined the 3D fad in 1953 with "House of Wax", and converted to wide screen in 1954 with The Command. In 1954, the theater was the first in the area with VistaVision.
The theater's marquee was condemned and removed in the fall of 1953, and United Detroit closed the theater in the spring of 1967. After demolition plans were made, the theater was purchased by Nicholas George and remodeled and reopened that December. The theater struggled along until 1970, when the theater closed again. Sam Hadous purchased the theater and reopened it in 1972 as a nightclub, the Michigan Palace, but it closed down nine months later. The Michigan was then used for concerts until 1976.
The owners of the Michigan Building converted the movie palace into a three-level parking structure. Much of the lobby, upper balcony, stage and projection booth are still intact.
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Last updated 2002-12-27.
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