Redford Theatre facts for kids
Redford Theatre Marquee
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| Location | 17360 Lahser Road Detroit, MI |
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| Owner | Motor City Theatre Organ Society |
| Type | Atmospheric theatre |
| Capacity | 1610 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1927 |
| Opened | January 27, 1928 |
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Redford Theatre Building
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Area | 2 acres (0.8 ha) |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Wilhelm & Mobly Verner; R.F. Shreve |
| Architectural style | Asian interior |
| NRHP reference No. | 85000171 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | January 31, 1985 |
The Redford Theatre is a special kind of movie theater called an atmospheric theatre. It is located in the Old Redford neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan. The theater first opened its doors in January 1928. It was advertised as "Detroit's most unique suburban theatre" because of its amazing design.
The Redford Theatre has beautiful decorations inspired by Japanese and Chinese art. It is one of three large movie theaters built by the Kunsky company in the Detroit area. All three of these grand cinemas are still standing today. The Redford is special because it still has its original 3-manual, 10-rank Barton organ. This organ is played regularly for shows and movies.
In the 1930s, the Goldberg family owned the Redford Theatre. Later, in 1977, the Motor City Theatre Organ Society bought the theater. This group still owns and takes care of the Redford today. They put on organ shows and classic movies for everyone to enjoy. The theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, which means it's an important historical building.
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The Redford Theatre's Story
The Redford Theatre was built when the city of Detroit was growing very quickly. The neighborhood where the theater stands, Old Redford, became part of Detroit in 1926. Building the Redford Theatre was a big part of the new development in the area.
The money to build the theater came from selling special bonds worth $225,000 in 1927. This amount would be worth much more money today! The opening of the theater was a big celebration. Local businesses helped sponsor a week-long festival.
When it opened, the Redford was called "Detroit's most unique suburban theatre." People said watching a show there felt like "sitting in a Japanese garden." The inside of the theater looked like a beautiful outdoor scene. It had a blue plaster ceiling that looked like clouds and twinkling stars.
The Japanese and Chinese theme even extended to the theater's organ. The 3-manual/10-rank Barton theatre organ was installed with special instruments that fit the Asian theme.
During World War II, some of the original Japanese-style decorations were covered up or removed. This happened because of strong feelings against Japan at the time. Organ performances also stopped around this time, but the organ itself stayed in place. The original sign outside the theater was even taken down to be used for the war effort.
In 1966, the Motor City Theatre Organ Society (MCTOS) started playing organ concerts at the Redford. This group is a local part of the American Theatre Organ Society. They had started fixing up the organ the year before. At first, they played their organ shows after the last movie of the night. These shows were very popular, proving that people still loved coming to the Redford.
The MCTOS decided to buy the theater in 1977. By 1985, they fully owned it. That same year, the Redford was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Work began to make the Redford look just like it did in 1928. Today, the theater can seat 1610 people. This is a bit less than its original capacity of over 2000.
The Redford Theatre is still run by volunteers from the MCTOS. They work hard to keep ticket and snack prices low. The theater earns money from selling tickets, snacks, and renting out the space for events like weddings.
The Redford's Amazing Organ
The Redford Theatre has a special 3-manual/10-rank theatre organ. It was built by the Bartola Musical Instrument Company. This "Golden-Voiced Barton" organ is almost exactly as it was when it was first installed. Only a piano has been added, and some small changes were made to the tuba part.
The organ is played often at public events. You can hear it before classic films, as music for silent films, and during full-length organ concerts.
The Redford's organ is one of only two theater organs in Detroit that are still in their original location. It's also one of fewer than forty Barton organs that are still in their first homes. Another original Barton organ is nearby at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. The Redford's sister theaters, the Kunsky-Birmingham and the Kunsky-Royal Oak, also had similar Barton organs. However, those organs are no longer in their original venues.
What Movies and Shows Can You See?
Because of its location on the edge of Detroit, the Redford Theatre often didn't show brand-new movies right away. However, like many theaters that show older movies, it played films that had already been popular elsewhere. For example, in 1956, the Redford showed two big movies from 1955: The Rose Tattoo and The Trouble with Harry.
When most movie theaters in Detroit were downtown, the Redford Theatre would show many films after they had played at the big downtown theaters. Cimarron opened at the Redford in April 1931. This was after it first showed at the Fox Theatre in February 1931. In 1956, The Searchers came to the Redford in August, after opening downtown in May.
In the early 1930s, the Redford often showed three different movies in one week. These usually started on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. For example, in one week in 1931, moviegoers could see Joan Crawford and Clark Gable in Laughing Sinners. They could also watch Lew Ayres in Iron Man and Spencer Tracy in Six Cylinder Love. Along with the movies, the Redford also showed funny short films. These included cartoons with Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny, and even vaudeville acts.
In the 1950s, the Redford often had double features, where you could watch two movies for one price. They also had "Kiddie Matinees" on Saturday afternoons. These special shows included cartoons and movies just for kids. Sometimes, the Redford even hosted premieres for the Detroit area. For instance, Friendly Persuasion opened there on Christmas Day in 1956. This happened because bigger movies like The Ten Commandments were playing at the larger theaters.
In the 1960s, movies started opening outside of downtown Detroit. The Redford became a first-run theater for many famous films. These included One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), Hud (1963), and The Graduate (1967).
In the 1970s, many Detroit theaters closed down. The Redford also faced hard times. But it was later brought back to life with a series of classic Hollywood movies that are still shown today. The Redford is one of the few theaters mentioned in a 1981 Detroit News article about theaters that show older films.
Today, the Redford Theatre shows classic movies every two weeks. The films range from silent movies to musicals from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, and even some from the 2000s. Spring and Fall festivals featuring films of the Three Stooges are very popular. Besides the classic film series and organ concerts, community groups can also rent the theater for their own shows.
See also
- Senate Theater
