20th Century Theatre
Cincinnati, OH Photo courtesy Jason Kambitsis
The 20th Century Theatre is one of those buildings that immediately grabs your attention. The towering Art Deco facade and vertical sign make it look like a movie set, and it's hard to believe this place first opened its doors back in 1941. 07-06
Built as a neighborhood movie theater, the 20th Century entertained Cincinnati audiences for decades before eventually closing and sitting vacant for years. Thankfully, someone saw its potential, and today the beautifully restored building has become a popular venue for concerts, comedy shows, weddings, and other special events.
UPDATE: The 20th Century Theatre remains one of Cincinnati's premier entertainment venues, hosting a full schedule of live performances and private events. Thanks to its careful restoration, the theater continues to shine as one of the city's finest surviving neighborhood movie palaces. 07-26
Pix Theatre
Lapeer, MI Photo courtesy Rick McOmber
The Pix Theatre is one of those little downtown movie houses that immediately catches your eye. The bright marquee and Art Deco styling have been lighting up the streets of Lapeer since 1941, and it's great to see another classic theater still standing. 07-06
Like many neighborhood theaters, the Pix eventually closed after years of showing movies. Fortunately, the building was saved and given a new purpose instead of being torn down. Today it hosts concerts, live performances, comedy shows, and community events while still serving as one of downtown Lapeer's best-known landmarks.
UPDATE: The Pix Theatre continues to thrive as a community performing arts venue under the Center for the Arts of Greater Lapeer. The restored marquee still lights up downtown, proving that even a small-town theater can remain the star of the block. 07-26
Fox Theatre
Detroit, MI Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
The Fox Theatre is one of those places that leaves you staring upward before you even think about taking a picture. The towering vertical sign, enormous marquee, and incredibly ornate facade make it one of the most impressive movie palaces you'll ever come across. It's hard to believe a theater this grand has been welcoming visitors since 1928.
Built during the golden age of movie palaces, the Fox was designed to be an experience long before the movie even started. It was one of the first theaters built for the new era of talking pictures, and with seating for more than 5,000 people, it became the flagship of William Fox's theater empire and the largest theater in Detroit.
Like so many grand theaters, the Fox eventually fell on hard times as downtown movie attendance declined. Fortunately, it never met the wrecking ball. A massive restoration in the late 1980s returned the theater to its former glory, preserving not only the incredible interior but also the iconic marquee and towering sign that have become Detroit landmarks in their own right.
Fox Theatre
Detroit, MI Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
Today, the Fox remains every bit as spectacular as it was when it first opened. Whether you're heading inside for a Broadway show or concert, or simply admiring it from the sidewalk on Woodward Avenue, it's easy to see why this is considered one of the finest surviving movie palaces in the country. Places like this remind you just how extravagant neighborhood entertainment could be during Hollywood's golden age.
UPDATE: The Fox Theatre continues to anchor Detroit's theater district with a busy schedule of Broadway productions, concerts, comedy shows, and special events. Its beautifully restored marquee and towering vertical sign remain among the city's most recognizable sights, proving that nearly a century later, the Fox is still stealing the show. 07-26
Coral Theatre (Demolished)
Oak Lawn, IL Photo courtesy Bruce R. Cassi / 1978
The Coral Theater was the place to see first run movies when I was a kid in the 70's. The Coral closed in the early 80's when movie-goers began going to the mall cinema's which featured an unheard of 3 to 6 screens at that time. Many thanks to Bruce R. Cassi for information. 06-07
Opened in 1942 by the Lucas Theater Corporation, it offered neighborhood audiences an evening out when admission reportedly ran just 22 cents for adults and 11 cents for children. Try finding that deal today.
A 1963 remodeling gave the Coral an unusual tropical touch, with Polynesian artwork, a fireplace lounge, and an outdoor patio. It also survived the devastating April 1967 tornado. During the storm, an assistant manager allowed motorists to pull into the parking lot while he recorded the approaching weather.
UPDATE: Structural deterioration, including sagging ceilings and rotted support beams, forced the Coral to close in 1984. It was demolished that year for Coral Plaza. The shopping center kept the name, but the neighborhood lost a theater with considerably more personality than the usual multiplex. 07-26
Ford-Tel Theatre (Gone)
Dearborn Heights, MI Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
The Ford-Tel Theatre wasn't a downtown movie palace, but its marquee did a fine job of announcing what was playing along Ford Road. By the time of this view, the movies were gone and the building was available for lease. Unfortunately, there wouldn't be another coming attraction. 01-07
The theater opened as the Fairlane on July 9, 1969, with Disney's The Love Bug. Built in the Tel-Ford Shopping Center, it originally seated about 850 before being divided into two auditoriums. Several name changes followed, and its later years as a dollar theater made it a bargain stop for local moviegoers.
UPDATE: The Ford-Tel closed in late 2004. The auditorium was subsequently gutted and converted into a thrift store, which also closed in 2011. The movie marquee is gone, ending the theater's long run along Ford Road. 07-26
Strand Theatre
Alma, MI Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The Strand Theatre sign still gives downtown Alma a little movie-house character, even though the building below looks considerably different from its early days. There's a reason for that remodeled appearance: this theater has already survived one major disaster. 03-07
The original Strand opened in 1920 with about 900 seats. A devastating fire in 1960 destroyed the balcony and led to a smaller, rebuilt theater with roughly 500 seats. Movies continued until 1992, but fortunately the end of the screenings wasn't the end of the Strand.
UPDATE: The Gratiot County Players moved into the theater in 1996 and continue presenting plays and musicals at 217 East Superior Street. The familiar Strand name remains above a building where the entertainment now comes from local performers rather than a projection booth. It's a welcome second career for Alma's old movie house. 07-26
Tivoli Theatre (Rem.)
Spencer, IN Photo courtesy Bruce R. Cassi / 2005
The Tivoli Theatre has been a downtown Spencer landmark since opening on New Year's Eve in 1928. Its Mission Revival front and projecting marquee are worth a look, but the auditorium offers something even better: a night beneath the stars without worrying about the weather. 06-07
After closing in 1999, the Tivoli faced an uncertain future before preservationists secured its rescue. A Cook Group-funded restoration brought it back in 2013. One especially nice detail was the recreated star ceiling, arranged to resemble the sky over Spencer at 9 p.m. on opening night in 1928.
UPDATE: The restored Tivoli continues showing movies and hosting live entertainment and community programs. Fortunately, the rescue preserved more than a familiar facade—it brought back the atmospheric setting that made an evening here special in the first place. 07-26
20th Century Theatre
Pix Theatre
Fox Theatre
Fox Theatre
Coral Theatre (Demolished)
Ford-Tel Theatre (Gone)
Strand Theatre
Tivoli Theatre (Rem.)
