Summit Theater

Detroit, MI

300 W. Lafayette Boulevard

, Detroit, MI 48226 United States

(map)

Status:	Closed/Demolished
Screens:	Single Screen
Style:	Unknown

Function:	Unknown
Seats:	1050
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	Drew Eberson, Herbert J. Krapp
Firm:	Unknown

In 1927, the Cass opened as a legitimate theater designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp who designed a great number of New York City's Broadway theaters.

In 1965, it was renamed the Summit as Detroit's second Cinerama house after the Music Hall. It also received a complete facelift by Drew Eberson, son of John Eberson, who designed Detroit's (now demolished) Grand Riviera Theatre.

However, unlike the Music Hall's policy of a Cinerama-only program, the Summit also featured 35mm features as well, such as a long run of "Darling" in 1965 (the same year it screened such Cinerama hits as "Circus World" and "Battle of the Bulge").

After just a couple of years, the Summit dropped Cinerama, and became one of the first major downtown houses to switch to pornographic features. It closed in 1971.

Not long after that, it reopened once again, this time called the Pandora, screening Greek-language films, as well as the occaisional 70mm re-release.

By the mid-70s, it was shuttered again, and was demolished in 1977.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

YOUR COMMENTS

Saw 2001: a space odyssey there. It was a great place to see films on their giant curved screen.

posted by GREGORY on Nov 4, 2003 at 10:40pm

Wish someone had pics...I took one of my first girlfriends there to see the premier showing of 2001 A Space Odyssey. The interior was red velvet, although seating was tight. We sat high in the upper balcony...place was beautiful in April 1968. Detroit was short-visioned on retaining it's architectural history then-unfortunately

posted by JohnB on Dec 10, 2004 at 7:38am

There are B&W photos of the Cass/Summit theater here:
http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/location.asp?ID=769&type=5

posted by Lost Memory on Dec 10, 2004 at 7:46am

As a child I was in the production of "The King and I' starring Betty White. I have been unable to find any information as I would love to share this with my family. Does anyone remember this?

posted by Debball on Dec 17, 2004 at 9:43am

Photo and article for the Summit Theater are here:
http://cinerama.topcities.com/ctsummit.htm

posted by Lost Memory on Mar 9, 2005 at 4:08pm

The pair of Norelco DP-70 projectors from this theatre are now located at the Redford Theatre.

posted by William on Oct 9, 2007 at 5:02pm

........And I was one of those who took them there and installed them. I worked at the Summit in the summer of 1977 showing a retro showing of "2001" for a young-ish guy who sublet the theatre for these 2001 screenings. We were able to get the projectors and other booth equipment for the Redford theatre, and spent the six months between removing the machines at the Summit and when we started the classic movie series that is still running in March of 1978 with "The sound of music" in 70mm.

We always refer to the machines as "AAIIs", the older marketing name for these terrific projectors.

posted by JohnMLauter on Jan 10, 2008 at 7:53pm

Here is an undated photo of the Cass Theater.

posted by Lost Memory on Jul 27, 2009 at 8:09pm

The Cass Theatre opened on Sept. 12, 1926.

posted by Chuck1231 on Sep 14, 2009 at 8:58pm

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