Hiland Theatre
13843 Woodward Avenue,
Highland Park,
MI
48203
13843 Woodward Avenue,
Highland Park,
MI
48203
1 person
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Additional Info
Architects: B. C. Wetzell
Previous Names: Highland Park Theatre, Paris Theatre, Hiland Art Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Highland Park opened in 1915, designed by B.C. Wetzell, who also designed several other Detroit-area theaters, like the DeLuxe and Arcade. It could seat 1,600 and may have originally been a vaudeville house before switching to movies sometime later.
In 1967, it was renamed the Paris Theatre, and began screening adult fare. Three years later, it received another new name, the Hiland Art Theatre. Wayne County prosecutors fought to have the Hiland shut down during the 1980’s, claiming it was being used as a front for prostitution.
The old theater is now in an advanced state of disrepair.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
Response to Neo:
Vincent Chinn was not killed at a theatre. The Fancy Pants was a Bar, located one block south of the Davison Expressway.
Why everyone thinks that he was killed at the Hiland Theatre is beyond me. Perhaps someone with mystic powers of mind control is working on the general populace making them beleive it was the Hiland Theatre.
A picture is here:
www.internationalmetropolis.com/detroit/detroitpics/highlandpark/index.htm
Sorry, don’t try to go there. I tried it and it doesn’t work.
Trouble in 1971:
http://tinyurl.com/2qnnr3
This is from Boxoffice magazine in September 1963:
The Hiland Theater in Highland Park, operated for years by William London and the Brooks Brothers, Leonard and Bernard, has closed.
Detroit Funk has visited the neighborhood, which has visibly deteriorated since the Google car last went through. Eighth picture from the top shows some of the theater.
The building seems to have undergone a serious fire. The roof is gone and the upper story is largely gutted, from what you can see from street level.
If you look at the structure to the right of the theater in the above photo, you’ll see that it was Highland Applicances.
I believe that was the forerunner to the old Highland Superstores appliance chain.
September 4th, 1963 grand opening ad as Paris in photo section.
The roof is falling in.