Adams Theater

The Adams never screened a film in MGM Camera 65, the first of which was “Raintree County.” MGM did not release this film in 70mm format. “Ben-Hur” was the other film from MGM in the Camera 65 process, and it was screened at the United Artists Theater. I suspect that the full Todd-AO screen at the UA was not used because the aspect ratio of the film, at 2.76:1, was wider than the Todd-AO aspect ratio. If the full width of the film was screened, then the upper part of the screen had to be masked, much as was done in neighborhood theaters when a CinemaScope film was screened. The film process subsequently was renamed Ultra Panavision 70. Later Cinerama productions used this process.

In 1963 the Adams Theatre was taken over by a syndicate of three exhibitor groups, consisting of Irving and Adolph Goldberg’s Commumity Theatres, Wisper & Wetsman, and the Sloan family’s Detroit Suburban Theatres. The house would be operated by the Goldbergs.

The Adams was extensively remodeled later that year. The $250,000 project was designed by architect Ted Rogvoy. An article about the project (not illustrated, unfortunately) appeared on this page of the January 12, 1964 issue of Boxoffice.

According to Mr. David Junchen’s “Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Pipe Organ”, pgs. 165 and 167, the Adams theatre had a 3 manual, 28 rank Hillgreen-Lane theatre pipe organ (opus 518) installed in 1918, at a cost of $5,400. This organ had a 5 horsepower blower, serial #9354. Does anyone know where this organ, or its parts, are located today, or what happened to it?

Image showing just how far gone the theatre was:

View link

well, I’m going to go ahead and disagree with that statement, the theatre was last used in 1988, and sat vacant and unused. Ilitch bought it in the mid 90s, and it was probably well on its way to being a wreck by then. I have said repeatedly that if you are going to save a theatre you have to use a theatre, and in our city, with all of the fine theatres that have been saved there was no obvious market for the Adams. The place was kind of plain when new, cobbled in the 1940s in an attempt to modernize, the exterior got the Community theatres “shiny stone wall” treatment like they gave the Redford, both in 1963 and I’m afraid that If an old theatre was going to go, this one was the best candidate. I fear the United Artists is next, and there isn’t enough money anywhere to save that one, and again, how is it going to be used, to earn its way. The UA was much more impressive than the Adams, but that poor place never stood a chance after AAA (auto insurance co.) stripped the theatre as they were building their surburban office center the would move to, vacating the UA building.

The Adams is coming down this month, followed by the Fine Arts Building.

Here is a 1940 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/3xbvnf

Scaffolding erected in front of the Adams Ave facade of the Fine Arts Building, thus I have reason to believe demolition of the Fine Arts should commence soon. Time will tell if the Adams will join the Fine Arts in the landfill.

Any news on the Adams SNWEB?

Don, the Oriental was also known as the RKO Downtown and is located on this site at this link.

Time may be running out for the old gal, as the adjoining Fine Arts is set to come down anytime soon, as demolition was approved.

This means that the Adams lobby will go, and presumed skywalk & tunnel will be sealed up, essentially leaving the auditorium, to meet her fate sometime in the feature.

So it’s been 9 months since the Press Release outlining Detroit’s renaissance. Has anything happened?

another view of the Adams Theater can be seen at http://detroityes.com/downtown/34adams.htm