Metro Mercury I & II
16860 Schaefer Highway,
Detroit,
MI
48235
16860 Schaefer Highway,
Detroit,
MI
48235
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When the Mercury opened in 1941, it could seat over 2000 movie-goers. This Streamline-style theater was designed by Ted Rogvoy, who later designed the suburban State-Wayne and Terrace Theaters.
The Mercury’s lobby had brass plaques on its walls with autographs of Hollywood stars etched in them. Both the lobby and the auditorium contained modernist murals with astronomical and astrological themes.
The Mercury was the first theater outside downtown Detroit to show 70mm, with "Porgy and Bess" in 1959. It was also one of the first non-downtown houses to screen first-run films.
In 1985, the large auditorium was twinned into a set of 600-seat auditoriums. The theater’s original Streamline Moderne decor was left relatively intact, however. (The old 70mm equipment was removed around this time).
It was renamed the Metro Mercury I & II, and began screening second-run features.
Sadly, the Mercury was demolished in 1997.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
Slugger,
I’m glad someone else laments the demolition of the glorious Mercury murals.They were indeed magical. I didn’t get to go there very often, and I don’t remember which movies I saw there, but I’ll never forget those grand and ethereal figures flying silently among the planets and stars. They always made me feel as if I were there with them in outer space. It’s hard for me to believe that no one considered the murals worth recording, not to mention saving. Surely there must be some record of them from the time the theater was built?
I am going to try to contact Rogvoy Architects to see if they have any pictures. Perhaps someone who frequents this site can help.
Here are some photos of the Mercury Theater in Detroit.
Thanks, must’ve been toward the end. Sigh… A place that brought so many happy memories. I would love to have some shots of the astromonical murals in the auditorium.
Slugger,
go to waterwinterwonderland.com and find the Mercury Theater. I sent them some great shots of the murals that were sent to me. This site is
not accepting photos right now, so I couldn’t post them here.
missmerc
missmerc
thanks so much for the great photos. It really brings back memories. Where on earth did you get them? Could you email me higher resolution copies?
Please oh please repost those pics of the Mercury! I would so love to see them! Please slugger! I’ve already seen the ones at waterwinterwonderland, would love to see others.
Thank you!
The mural photos were posted by Lost Memory on 8/8/05. They don’t need to be reposted.
This is a photo of the Mercury Theater circa 1960.
1979 Photo