Weighing approximately 3,000 pounds, this carpet reached to the foot of the lobby's grand stairway that led to the mezzanine and balcony levels. Fox Theatre Photograph by Robert Eovaldi. Fox Theatre Detroit’s Fox Theatre was originally billed as “the most magnificent Temple of Amusement in the World.” Built to replace the outdated Fox Washington Theatre, since opening in 1928 countless audiences have taken in films and performances of all kinds. Theatre. figures such as monkeys, serpents, lions, butterflies, and Hindu-inspired There was also an escalator and large passenger elevators --- the only theater in Michigan so equipped. The theater was equipped with loudspeakers that would provide a uniform tonal quality throughout the entire theater. The decorative scheme used subdued tones of gold to contrast a riot of color. The Fox Theatre Building was designated a National Historic Detroit's historic Fox Theatre By Laurie J. Marzejka The ornate auditorium has been painstakingly restored to its original glory. The marquee - while not original to the building - has become one of Detroit's most recognizable landmarks. The Theater, an awe-inspiring combination of Far Eastern, Indian and Egyptian styles, was the second largest Theater in the world. The others were the Fox Theatres in Brooklyn, Atlanta, St. Louis, and San Francisco. * A children's dancing school was started in 1931. One of the biggest deals ever transacted in show business was his acquisition of the 255 theaters of the West Coast Theaters Circuit, appraised at $100 million. elaborate movie palaces, such as the Fox Theatre, were being constructed The Woodward Avenue theater opened its doors Sept. 21, 1928. The building is open to the public. The marquee - while not original to the building - has become one of Detroit's most recognizable landmarks. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. The Fox Theatre Building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. The Fox Theatre was the first to include escalators and elevators for patrons and the first in the world to have custom, built-in equipment for presenting talking movies. The original “house staff” of doormen, ushers, designers and matrons numbered more than 400. In the 1950s, the Fox held many premieres and concerts. The Fox was the largest movie palace built in Detroit. Scroll to see more photos of the Fox from then and now. Crane was also responsible for Orchestra Hall (1919), the Capitol on Broadway (1922) and the State on Woodward (1925). A year later, the venue was declared a National Historical Landmark. The did not go home disappointed. the Fox Theatre Building seats over 5,000 people and is Detroit's largest Between featured films, the Fox’s troupe of chorus girls would entertain the audience. One of the theater's sides, featuring the impressive columns and over the top grandeur. The Fox Theatre overlooks Woodward Avenue. Guests were greeted by notes from a small Moller organ situated over the entrance. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Press wrote in the March 3, 1928 edition, "Few specimens of They also undertook a full renovation of the theater’s neglected splendor. on the main floor of the theater are decorated with whimsical plaster Opened in 1928 as a flagship movie palace in the Fox Theatres chain, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. The view from the stage is as impressive as many of the shows that were performed on it. * For the showing of the screen musical, "The Boys From Syracuse," which depicted the hilarious mistaken identity problems of twins, the Fox sponsored a twins contest. * It took 18 months to build this theater, costing an estimated $12 million. Today, Detroit’s Fox Theatre ranks as one of the most magnificent and profitable entertainment destinations in the country. It was the largest theater in Detroit and one of the largest in the world when it opened. The auditorium was 175 feet wide and 110 feet high. He controlled corporations estimated to be worth $165 million and at the pinnacle of his career he was said to have carried $6.4 million in life insurance -- more than any other man in the world at the time. He continued on as chairman of the companies' advisory board but a welter of stockholders lawsuits and government tax judgments drove him to voluntary bankruptcy in Atlantic City, N.J., in 1936. © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC. Detroit’s Fox Theatre was originally billed as “the most magnificent Temple of Amusement in the World.” Built to replace the outdated Fox Washington Theatre, since opening in 1928 countless audiences have taken in films and performances of all kinds. The movie palace is surrounded by a U-shaped ten-story, View Fox Theatre Detroit's concert history along with concert photos, videos, setlists, and more. The Fox Theatre, Detroit's most ornate and iconic entertainment venue, turns 90 years old Friday. Mike and Marian Ilitch purchased the Fox in 1987 and headquartered their various business enterprises in the building’s extensive office space. View all items related to the Fox Theatre, © 2020 Detroit Historical Society. The exterior of the attached 10-story office building features a façade with Asian moti… The original staff numbered over four hundred, including ushers, set designers, matrons and doormen. decor helped people from all social classes in Detroit escape from the The Fox grossed $75,000 a week during World War II, offering a steady stream of newsreels and movies to audiences hungry for war information and diversion. | Detroit Itinerary Home | Next movie palace. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. After entering through a bank of elegant brass doors and an outer foyer, guests pass into an ornate 3,600 square feet and six-story high lobby, decorated with butterflies, lions and peacocks. He later added to his string the famous Roxy Theater in New York. Detroit was enjoying the fruits of the automobile boom and All twins attending the weekday performances were given free admission along with a souvenir photograph of themselves. More than 14,000 youngsters attended classes. Fox, son of Hungarian immigrant parents, had a rags-to-riches-to-rags career. Workers were encouraged to "come as you are" and enjoy some much needed entertainment. After the restoration was complete, Mike Ilitch, who died in February 2017, also announced relocating the Little Caesars headquarters from Farmington Hills to Downtown Detroit, inside the theater building. Patrick Krupa (www.patrickrupa.com) for HistoricDetroit.org. The Fox has a capacity of 5,048 seats and plays host to many top shows and events. The theatre was officially designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. of art in daily life became manifest and pervaded the buildings of intimate Large colonnades flanked the auditorium and behind these was a promenade where the patrons could stroll and view the entire theater. Photo by Trevor Dodd for HistoricDetroit.org, One of the many figures that decorate the auditorium. Credit for the magnificent interior of the Fox Theater belongs to Eve Leo, wife of pioneer film producer William Fox. * On Feb. 19, 1943, the first "war-worker dawn show" had more than 9,000 war plant workers from the night shift attending its 2 a.m. show. Fox Theatre The lobby of the Fox Patrick Krupa (www.patrickrupa.com) for HistoricDetroit.org The back stage of the Fox is signed by hundreds and hundreds of performers who have taken the stage over its … There are three levels of seating, the Main Floor above the orchestra pit, the Mezzanine, and the Gallery (balcony). The Fox opened Sept. 21, 1928, with the silent film "Street Angel." The Fox Theater was designed by architect Charles Howard Crane, a Detroiter who had once worked for Albert Kahn. The main ceiling of the auditorium was designed as a huge canopy, with sky lights above it, and decorated in the style of the durbars of India. The stunning interior of the Fox Theatre, a National Historic Landmark. Detroit's historic Fox Theatre turns 90. The Fox was packed for ten days from Christmas to New Year's with four or five shows daily featuring home-grown talent like the Temptations, the Supremes and Smokey Robinson. His account of their backstage life implied that they sat around reading confession magazines, passing their time with idle gossip. The inaugural performance at the Fox opened with the playing of "The Star Spangled Banner" by the 60-musician-strong Fox Theater Grand Orchestra as they rose dramatically into view on the elevator platform. Throughout the interior, ornamentation and decorations designed by Eve Leo – Fox’s wife – feature Egyptian, Indian, and Oriental motifs. All Rights Reserved. A few months after the stock market crash of 1929, he lost controlling interest in the Fox Films Corp. and the Fox Theaters Corp. and resigned his leadership positions at both firms. The feature film was "Street Angel," starring Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor. All Detroiters having obtained their final American citizenship papers since May 1 of that year, were guests of the theater during the showing of "Only Angels Have Wings." The Fox Theatre, world-renowned as a concert and event venue like no other, began its story in a most unusual way. Frank Sinatra started a tradition in 1988 by signing a wall backstage, and many others followed suit, including Liza Minnelli, Jay Leno, former President Bill Clinton and more. The movie palace is surrounded by a U-shaped ten-story, steel-frame office building that is sheathed in terra cotta. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). The view of the auditorium from the architectural splendor that lines the roof. This allowed for the passage of patrons without making it necessary for those seated to stand. The Detroit Fox is one of five spectacular Fox Theatres built in the late 1920s by film pioneer William Fox. The Fox remained open through the 1940s, and showed a variety of newsreels and movies from World War II. architectural splendor, either ancient or modern, surpass the new Fox The project cost $12 million. Opened in 1928 as the flagship movie palace for the Fox Theatre Chain, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. pipe organ, one of only five such instruments constructed especially Live shows ranged from the Benny Goodman Big Band to Berry Gordy’s annual Motown Revue. Detroit's Fox theater changed hands several times before Mike and Marion Ilitch of Little Caesar's Pizza closed a deal in 1987 for the purchase of the theater and connecting office building.

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