Willis Theater
4190 Hastings Street,
Detroit,
MI
48201
4190 Hastings Street,
Detroit,
MI
48201
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Located on Hastings Street (today known as Chrysler Drive) at E. Willis Street, the Willis Theater was operating prior to 1941. Fred Lokar was the last owner of the Willis Theater, when he closed it in 1958. It was demolished in 1961.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
Here is a Boxoffice item from December 1951:
When Irving Katcher, owner-manager of the Willis Theater in Detroit, played “The Fat Man”, he invited anyone who could qualify for the film title to be his guest. During the run the marquee announced “Free admission for all fat people”.
That’s great.
This was an African American Theatre when it closed.
you can not brand this theatre as an African American Theatre. It was a movie theatre of the people. I lived on Willis and Rivard for ten years renting from a Polish couple. My family of Native Americans frequented every business on Hastings. Starting with Willis Theatre, Rev. Franklin Church, Joes Barber shop all on the corner of Willis and Hastings. Sidney Turner