Riviera Theatre
9222 Grand River Avenue,
Detroit,
MI
48208
9222 Grand River Avenue,
Detroit,
MI
48208
9 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 30 comments
Wow miss this theater.. My mom and aunt and her daughter my first cousin would go to the movies then walk across to Woolworths retail store and eat pizza across the street at Famous pizza
August 23rd, 1925 grand opening ad in photo section.
zoom in at http://freep.newspapers.com/clip/3551526/grand_riviera_opening/
As a baby until I was about 9, I lived on Yosemite, then moved to a house on Nardin Park.From the age of 6 or 7 until I turned 15 I went to the Riviera Theater every weekend (circa 1951-1960). So I probably bought candy at the Concession Stand from the Bowen ladies. Such a shame that a beautiful theater closed and has deteriorated.
I still remember the beautiful upper balconies and the majestic stairway that led to the upper level. Have many great memories of seeing all the Roy Rogers/Dale Evans movies along with “Tammy” with Debbie Reynolds, Greensleeves (paid an extra 10 cents). Back then a double feature movie with cartoons cost a quarter. Also “Summer Place” with Troy Donahue, Sandra Dee and Dorothy McGuire which popularized the beautiful Percy Faith song ‘Theme from A Summer Place.’ I had a cousin who worked as an usher and filled in at the concession stand around 1953-1954.
The Riviera Theater is forever etched in my mind and I have thought about this place often. First time on this site. Googled my old homes, and they are gone — demolished. So Sad!!!!!
I was born and raised on Ravenswood st. one block from the Riviera Theatre. My mother Laurine (Bowen) White started work at the Riviera during WWII as secretary and bookkeeper. She was promoted to Manager in 1949 and remained in that position until until 1960 when the beautiful Riviera began to decay. I, and my three sisters practically lived in the theatre. It gave my wonderful mother the means to raise four children and keep them out of trouble. I had the opportunity to meet the great Judy Garland. To watch backstage as the cast of Damn Yankees and Lil Abner ran about changing costumes and getting ready for their next scene. As a bonus, my Aunt Kathryn was supervisor of the concession stand. No children ever had it better. Free shows and popcorn. I will always fondly remember the Riviera Theatre.
My Grandmother Laurine(Bowen)White was the Manager of the Riviera Theatre. And my mother Patricia White and aunts Sue and Faye also worked for the theatre along with my uncle Richard. Before it became a motion picture theatre they hosted Broadway musicals like “My Fair Lady” with Judi Garland. I know that the first time my mother ever met Jerry Lewis, she accidently walked into his dressing room to find him in his boxer shorts.lol My mother Patricia said she the theatre was her second home, she spent so much time there. She worked the concession and whatever else my Grandmother needed her to do. When my grandmother was alive, I remember her telling stories about Miss Judy Garland, and other actors like Jerry Lewis. I have told my mother of this site in hopes she can tell a few stories and share some old memories. Now that she see’s my comment she probably will. I can picture my grandmother running that place. She was a tiny petite lady, but what a pistol. I’m proud to of taken after her:)
From the 1920s a postcard view of the Grand Rivera in Detroit.
Looks like it had seen its better days in the Motor City.
No doubt about it, no one does ruins better than Detroit.
I would love to get a spapshot of the spiral staircase in the lobby of this beautifu;l theater, my mother and father worked here in ‘53 as usher/usherette and this is where they met 50+ yrs ago!! I hope that someone can halp.
The Tulsa Ritz (also an Eberson design) had an identical mezzanine drinking fountain, along with the same cast statuary and urns from Michael Angelo Studios.
I remember the elegance of the Riviera. I attended Saturday matinees there in the late 1950’s cartoon, serial or comedy and full lengeth feature for 25 cents, fresh popcorn 25 cents. The theatre lobby and auditorium were cavernous and noisy thus the manager and ushers yelled at the kids to be quiet. The Riviera hosted broadway musicals, Damn Yankees, Flower Drum Song, Fiorello, The King & I, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte and Miss Judy Garland “live on stage”. The stage shows ran late Sept – May then movies for the summer. The orchestra seats and balcony entrances were blocked to keep us “angels” in check I guess. The Fisher Theatre became the broadway house in 1961. My older relatives told me the Grand Riviera had a mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ in the pit circa 1928 through WW2.
Actually, the Annex Theater in Detroit had to have been demolished in the mid 50’s. I was born in l945 and went to the Riveria Theater almost every Saturday, standing in the long line with my cousins and paying the quarter to get in. The Riveria had two concession stands (one in the balcony).
We moved from Detroit to Dearborn Heights in l958. But I can remember being a kid about 10 or 11 and standing near the about half of the Annex as the wrecking ball hung by. I was amased at the balcony boxes all around the remaining Grand River side. It reminded me later of Ford Theater where Lincoln was shot. My only regret was that I never went inside the Annex when it was in operation.
One more tidbit before I shut up. South on Grand River on the other west side was a little second rate theater called “the Victory”. They showed movies for NINE CENTS (That’s right). I remember seeing the original War of the Worlds there. It was near the old Stark Hickory Ford Dealership.
Russ Rheaume ()
Lost Memory: The stats that you have provided on so many theatres are great to read especially reading when many of these theatres were added to the all important NRHP.
Life’s too short: Thanks for the information after my 4/12 post, but sad to read the building sat unattended for at least 20 years.
Regarding Patsy’s comments above: the Grand Riviera was in a near total state of ruin by the time it was demolished. I have seen photographs showing the collapsed ceiling structure hanging over the remainder of the organ lofts. I think the building sat unattended for twenty years or so.
The Grand Rivieva / Rivieva Theatre opened on August 25th. 1925.
lostmemory: Another great photo find!
I skulked into the Riviera in July of 91 through a rear door that had been forced, and photographed the lobby, auditorium and projection booth with both color and B&W film. The color photos I have, and the B&W I developed but never printed, so I only have the negatives…someday I will print them. It was a grand sight, but the decay of the entire area foreshadowed it’s eventual demolition, I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did!
SNWEB: Thanks for the above photos especially the interior ones. It’s a shame that this “most unique” theatre was demolished in the late 90’s for a social security office! Does anyone know why it met the wrecking ball? Being that it was the only Detroit area theatre built by Eberson really makes it even harder to realize that it is now gone forever!
patsy,
go to View link)) and click on page 3, look for Grand Riviera
SNWEB: The Library of Congress link on your Jan 8, 2005 post doesn’t seem to work and I’d love to see it along with some interior photos since I am an Eberson fan!
Another demolished Eberson/atmospheric….shame shame!
Chuck: I just tried viewing the above photobucket photo again and this time it didn’t come up…been having difficulty with that site for some time now.
Charles: Thanks again for another great b/w vintage photo.
Neo: Thanks for the Riviera photo!