Michigan Theatre
238 Bagley Street,
Detroit,
MI
48226
238 Bagley Street,
Detroit,
MI
48226
29 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 100 of 106 comments
Hey John,
You said that you were part of the crew to remove the projectors?
They are still up there, as is the huge horse chariot, smashed into thousands of bits.
Hi John, no my father was not Glantz — he was the unfortunte man that took Glantz on as a partner and was ripped off by him in the process — the Glantz name is not a favorite around here — my Father was however a Dr — I was unaware that Glantz (Gabe) was?
John, I enjoyed your insights into the reason for the demise of the MICHIGAN, so please do post a link here when your column finally appears. Yes, the ‘rock’ shows were always a disaster for a palace, and the claim that they would ‘save’ a theatre were more self-serving than any service to the venue. It might interest you to know that the New York City PARAMOUNT also suffered the rock intrusion, and the evidence of their fear is shown in the photo on pages 148-9 in “The Best Remaining Seats” by the late Ben Hall where the statuary is removed to storage for its own protection. It is rumored that Mr. Hall quipped that this photo represents the “ladies of the corridor.”
A note to DavidDavid, was/is your father Dr. Steve Glantz? if so, the operation of rock concerts was a HUGE box of nails in the coffin for the Michigan. The 70’s spoiled brat rock and roll turds that attended those concerts trashed the place beyond the point where anyone would consider saving it. Their damage was mostly cosmetic, but the damage to the regional perception of the theater was lethal. It just attained a “dirty” image that was unshakable. The people in SE Michigan knew of the demolition of the interior before it happened, and they just didn’t care. “those kids ruined it”— I heard that many times over. Shame, because it all could have been restored, and would have been cheap to restore compared to what was spent on the Grand Circus/Opera house (another place cheapened, and almost lost by a nickle and dime, 0% reinvestment promoter). I was there before those concerts and I was there after, and brother, the wanton destruction was gut-wrenching. I was part of the crew hired to remove the movie projectors in 1977, right before the bulldozers took to the interoir to create the carnage we see today. It hurt to see the theatre in one piece, despite the rock-wrecking, knowing I was one of the few to see it whole for the last time. There is some poetic justice in Emenem’s use of the building for his empty-vee video and movie. He represents the spawn of the baby boom “rock and roll is the only music” generation, and his “artistry” probably elicits the same reaction amongst the aging 70’s rockers that their music did to their (big band-raised)parents. I’ll be writing a column of my Michigan story for www.waterwinterwonderland.com for my column, “John’s notes on a youth mis-spent in old movie houses” look for it sometime in 2005. John
It is such a trajedy that this movie palace has suffered demise but in its current state it has beautiful artistic qualities. The music video at: http://216.219.202.231/bigbirdie.html was so energetic and hip embracing the faded glory of this former grand theatre.
Thank you for sharing Kevin. You did a wonderful job capturing the esscence.
Here are some bands that played at the Michigan Palace during the 70s.
View link
yes,
I feel it should remain standing, to show how historic buildings need to remain in this work, and preservation is needed, and that you can compare just how grand the theater once was, like some kind of monument. The fisher was a disaster. Funny thing is, it was remodeled by Rapp & Rapp. My guess is there died before then, they would be turning in their graves!
Thanks Neo,
I love those photos.Magnificent, haunting and horrific all at once.
Detroit was so careless with its theatre stock. I still cant beieve they destroyed the spectacularly unique Fisher and turned it into a 60’s disaster.The Michigan did not deserve to to die such a sad and lingering death, but still its there for us to at least get some idea of the scale of the original theatre.
Sorry, I mvoed the pictures here:
http://snweb.org/mi.php
Before you click expand on the pictures, make sure it all loads.
Neo, you seem to need a password to view those photos, what is it?
Thanks.
I went to the Michigan today, I may have found a way up to the projection booth. Oddly enough right next to the possible entrance we a film reel, which now sits in my room. I may post a picture of the hidden stairway I found later.
i got to go to the Michigan on the 12th I got 55 photos, Click HERE to see the pictures.
I have loads pics I have found.
here are some great older pictures of when it was in use:
1
2 – Great Pic
And here is of the construction crews gutting it into the garage it is today:
1
2
3
4
5
6
great maybe I’ll come too :D
Thanks Neo, I e'mailed them and they expect to have a tour this summer.
here’s some sites with some pictures
(huge but work it) : 1, 2
and ehre are multiple pics: View link
This thing had a nice marquee too, check it out, the original B & W photo and my colorization ;) http://snweb.org/images/micolor.gif
DonF check with Preservation Wayne about the tours at http://www.preservationwayne.org/
The MICHIGAN was a glorious movie palace and can still be seen in all its original splendor in the ANNUAL if 1995 about it from the Theatre Historical Soc. The 34 pages of vintage b/w photos reveal all the splendor that was lost, to become, (what else?) a parking structure, which is also shown in the photos in that ANNUAL.
PHOTOS AVAILABLE:
To obtain any available Back Issue of either “Marquee” or of its ANNUALS, simply go to the web site of the THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA at:
www.HistoricTheatres.org
and notice on their first page the link “PUBLICATIONS: Back Issues List” and click on that and you will be taken to their listing where they also give ordering details. The “Marquee” magazine is 8-1/2x11 inches tall (‘portrait’) format, and the ANNUALS are also soft cover in the same size, but in the long (‘landscape’) format, and are anywhere from 26 to 40 pages. Should they indicate that a publication is Out Of Print, then it may still be possible to view it via Inter-Library Loan where you go to the librarian at any public or school library and ask them to locate which library has the item by using the Union List of Serials, and your library can then ask the other library to loan it to them for you to read or photocopy. [Photocopies of most THSA publications are available from University Microforms International (UMI), but their prices are exorbitant.]
Note: Most any photo in any of their publications may be had in large size by purchase; see their ARCHIVE link. You should realize that there was no color still photography in the 1920s, so few theatres were seen in color at that time except by means of hand tinted renderings or post cards, thus all the antique photos from the Society will be in black and white, but it is quite possible that the Society has later color images available; it is best to inquire of them.
Should you not be able to contact them via their web site, you may also contact their Executive Director via E-mail at:
Or you may reach them via phone or snail mail at:
Theatre Historical Soc. of America
152 N. York, 2nd Floor York Theatre Bldg.
Elmhurst, ILL. 60126-2806 (they are about 15 miles west of Chicago)
Phone: 630-782-1800 or via FAX at: 630-782-1802 (Monday through Friday, 9AM—4PM, CT)
Are there any downtown theatre tours scheduled for this Summer? I believe that there have been in the past, but I don’t know who to contact regarding these. I’d esp. like to take some friends in to see the Michigan Theatre, and to see what’s the status of the United Artists and Adams interiors.
There is some interesting Kisstory with the theatre. In 1974 Kiss played there quite a lot. April 7,12,13. Sept 28. Then they finished the year with Dec 20-21 when Rush opened both nights. In Spring of 1975, The week they were to play Cobo Hall the 1rst time, Kiss rented the theatre to set up & shoot photo’s which turned out to be the cover for the Kiss Alive album. They also Lip sync 2 videos at the same time, “Rock n Roll all Night”, and “Come on and love me”. I’ll post a link to the videos when I find it again.
The Palace was an amazing place to run around in as a kid. My Father was the man that tried to save the theatre in the early to mid 70’s by putting on music concerts. I saw KISS, David Bowie, The New York Dolls, Ernest Tubb, Aerosmith, Tammy Wynette and many others there. To walk in there with your Dad to an empy Palace and watch it fill up was a great memory. It kills me now to go downtown as an adult and see how things have gone.
Are you saying you did like a greenscreen and a separate video of the theatre and combined them? if so can you provide a link to the video footage of the theatre?
I have ust recently shot a video in the “garage” for a Detroit Rock outfit called the nice device.
the video can be veiwed at http://216.219.202.231/bigbirdie.html
kevin leeser
Yes the parking garage scene was filmed in the very spot. ALso in the loose yourself video the MT is also used as a backdrop for a stage.