Alamo Theatre

3327 Bagley Street,
Detroit, MI 48216

Unfavorite No one has favorited this theater yet

Additional Info

Firms: Johnson Construction Co.

Previous Names: Theatorium, Bagley Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Alamo Theatre (formerly Bagley Theatre) - source unknown

Located in southwest Detroit. The Theatorium was opened in 1912. In 1937 it was renamed Bagley Theatre. Family records show that my grandfather Albert S. “Al” Johnson remodeled the Bagley Theatre in 1947. I have a March 1949 Kodachrome image taken by my grandfather. From 1958 it was renamed Alamo Theatre and began screening Spanish language movies. It was closed in 1964.

Contributed by Andy Gray

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

graymatters
graymatters on April 20, 2021 at 5:22 pm

In Al Johnson’s March 1949 Kodachrome image the theater appears to be in an older brick-faced building with some newer accents on the front. Snow-covered street car tracks run in front of the theater.

graymatters
graymatters on May 10, 2021 at 4:24 pm

Susan Carol posted an image from the former Bagley Theatre on the “Historic Detroit Area Architecture” Facebook page with this explanation: “By the late 50’s, the name [of the Bagley Theatre] was changed to the Alamo Theater and was the only theater in town featuring Spanish language movies.” Please click on the “Photos” tab to view the image.

graymatters
graymatters on May 12, 2021 at 8:42 am

John Lauter, a member of the “Historic Detroit Area Architecture” Facebook page, provided an excerpt from a Detroit theater publication that shows a more complete history of the theater: the “Opera house, nickel show, and palace: An illustrated inventory of theater buildings in the Detroit area” by Andrew Craig Morrison shows that the theater operated as the Theatorium between 1912 and 1936; renamed and operated as the Bagley Theatre from 1937 to 1957; and finally operated as the Alamo Theatre from 1958 to 1964. I’ll post a copy of that excerpt in the Photos section of this site.

Members also pointed out that Bagley Street was originally called Baker Street.

You must login before making a comment.

New Comment

Subscribe Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.