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 movie theater in the Old Redford area of Detroit. It's called an atmospheric theatre because its inside looks like an outdoor scene, with a ceiling that looks like a starry sky. The theater first opened in January 1928. It was known for its beautiful design, which had Japanese and Chinese art.
The Redford Theatre was one of three big movie theaters built by the Kunsky company in the Detroit suburbs. All three are still standing today! The Redford still has its original Barton organ. This amazing organ has three keyboards and ten sets of pipes, and it's played often for shows.
In the 1930s, the Goldberg family owned the Redford. Later, in 1977, a group called the Motor City Theatre Organ Society bought the theater. This group of volunteers still runs the Redford today. They work hard to keep it looking great and put on organ concerts and show classic movies. The theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. This means it's recognized as an important historical building.
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History of the Redford Theatre
The Redford Theatre was built when Detroit was growing very fast. The area where the theater is located, Old Redford, became part of Detroit in 1926. Building the Redford Theatre was a big part of making the area better. The theater cost about $225,000 to build in 1927, which would be like millions of dollars today!
When it opened, the Redford was advertised as "Detroit's most unique suburban theatre." People said watching a movie there felt like "sitting in a Japanese garden." The inside of the theater had a blue ceiling that looked like clouds and twinkling stars. This made it feel like you were outdoors.
The special theme of the theater also included its large organ. This organ, built by Barton, had instruments that sounded like they belonged in Japanese and Chinese music.
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 then, but luckily, the organ itself stayed safe. Even the original sign outside the theater was taken down to help with the war effort.
In 1966, the Motor City Theatre Organ Society, a group that loves theater organs, started playing the Redford's organ again. They had begun fixing the organ the year before. At first, they played organ shows after the last movie of the night. These shows were very popular, showing that people still loved the Redford.
The Motor City Theatre Organ Society bought the theater in 1977. By 1985, they fully owned it. That same year, the Redford was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The group then started working to make the theater look just like it did in 1928. Today, the theater can seat 1610 people.
The Redford Theatre is still run by volunteers from the Motor City Theatre Organ Society. They try to keep ticket and snack prices low. The theater earns money from ticket sales, snacks, and by renting out the space for events like weddings.
The Redford Theatre Organ
The Redford Theatre has a special theatre organ built by the Bartola Musical Instrument Company. It has three keyboards and ten sets of pipes, which create many different sounds. 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 sound. The organ is played regularly at public events. You can hear it before classic films, as music for silent movies, and in full concerts.
The Redford's organ is one of only two theater organs in Detroit that are still in their original homes. It's also one of fewer than forty Barton organs still in their original locations anywhere! 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 theaters.
Movies and Shows at the Redford
Because of its location outside the main part of Detroit, the Redford Theatre often showed movies that had already been popular in other theaters. For example, on May 16, 1956, the Redford showed two popular films from 1955: The Rose Tattoo and The Trouble with Harry.
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, Lew Ayres in Iron Man, and Spencer Tracy in Six Cylinder Love. Along with the main movies, the Redford also showed funny short films, cartoons, golf lessons with Bobby Jones, and vaudeville acts (live stage performances).
In the 1950s, the Redford often showed two movies for the price of one. They also had "Kiddie Matinees" on Saturday afternoons, which included cartoons and special movies for children. Sometimes, the Redford even hosted special movie openings for the Detroit area. For example, Friendly Persuasion opened there on December 25, 1956.
In the 1960s, as more movies started opening outside downtown Detroit, the Redford became a first-run theater for many popular films. These included One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), Hud (1963), Von Ryan's Express (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Cool Hand Luke (1967), and The Graduate (1967).
In the 1970s, many Detroit theaters closed down. The Redford also faced tough times. However, 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. These films range from silent movies to musicals from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, and even some from the 2000s. They also have popular Spring and Fall festivals featuring films of the Three Stooges. Besides the classic film series and organ concerts, community groups can also rent the theater for their own shows.
See also
- Senate Theater
