Bad Axe Theatre

309 E. Huron Avenue,
Bad Axe, MI 48413

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Related Websites

Bad Axe Theatre (Official)

Additional Info

Firms: Johnson Construction Co.

Functions: Movies (First Run)

Styles: Art Deco

Previous Names: Knights of Columbus Theatre

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 989.269.7911

Nearby Theaters

Bad Axe Theatre

This classic small town movie theatre in Bad Axe, Michigan opened on February 21, 1916 with 500 seats. It was built for the Knights of Columbus and served as their meeting hall, a venue for social events and a silent movie theatre.

In recent years, the balcony was enclosed to create a second auditorium with seating as Cinema 1: 300 seats, Cinema 2: 70 seats.

Contributed by G Flinn

Recent comments (view all 19 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 31, 2007 at 6:31 pm

The Bad Axe was part of the Schulte Circuit in the early sixties. William Schulte was owner. The chain was headquartered in Chicago. Other Schulte theaters in Illinois at the time were the Bliss in Blissfield, the Drive-In and Main in Coldwater, the Oakdale in Hazel Park, the Howell in Howell, the Mariner in Marine City, the Romeo in Romeo, the Strand in Tecumseh and the Ryan in Warren.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 31, 2007 at 6:33 pm

Did I say Illinois? All of those theaters are in Michigan. Sorry about that.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on February 19, 2010 at 7:17 pm

Whats in a name,pretty cool looking place.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on May 17, 2010 at 11:30 am

I see Clint Eastwood is playing there in “FIREFOX”

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on May 17, 2010 at 11:31 am

Both 1982 pictures are from the same day different position on the street.

graymatters
graymatters on April 23, 2021 at 3:05 pm

My grandfather Albert S. “Al” Johnson’s theater job slides include one shot taken in September 1948. It shows four red art moderne style entrance doors with half-octagonal glass. Al was said to have held a patent on these “Johnson doors” and they were a feature of several of his Michigan theater jobs. These doors, or identical replacements, are seen in a 2020 view of the theater.

My uncle (Albert S. Johnson Jr.) compiled a list of Johnson Construction Co. theater projects and it shows two Bad Axe Theatre remodeling projects - in 1935 and 1947.

All but one of Michigan Schulte Circuit theaters listed in Ken C McIntyre’s 2007 post were built or remodeled by my grandfather’s company: the Main in Coldwater, the Oakdale in Hazel Park, the Howell in Howell, the Mariner in Marine City, the Romeo in Romeo, the Strand in Tecumseh and the Ryan in Warren. he built or remodeled a total of sixty-four Michigan theaters and drive-ins between the 1930s and 1950s.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on April 24, 2021 at 12:47 am

Odd name for the theatre and town!!

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on April 24, 2021 at 7:50 am

The city was supposedly named by an Army surveyor who found an old rusted axe at an abandoned campsite at the junction of 2 trails.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 11, 2022 at 7:01 am

Huron Daily Tribune article and link with a Go Fund Me page for restoration of the Bad Axe marquee. (Direct link below that.) Courtesy Save the Signs on Facebook.

https://www.michigansthumb.com/news/article/GoFundMe-raising-money-to-restore-Bad-Axe-16992137.php?fbclid=IwAR3W2w-Oaiimcde39P8XhEfWQczK4KqsE2BBx1s3tRPYWoWf5DXJMxa9xJ4

https://www.gofundme.com/f/bad-axe-theatre-marquee-restoration-fund

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