Family Theatre

Info Updates:

9/15/2021 - James Ellul

I am the son of the owner (Joseph Ellul Sr) of the Family/Follies Theater. I was the Manager during the change in the name as well the Builder of the Stage for the New direction of the movie theater to Burlesque. My Father Joseph Ellul Was an Immigrant from the Island of Malta. He came to the USA very young, Alone. Found his way to Detroit and worked at Auto Plants as many hard working new Americans did. He also owned and operated the Colony Theater and Empress Theater in Detroit, Later Buying out the partners of the Mount Clements Drive-In Theater as well in the early 60's. I do have some other photos that I will retrieve for you. Regards, James (Jimi) Ellul

11/24/2009 - K

The R.L. Polk Detroit City Directory, 1922 lists the address of the Family Theater as 2 Monroe Avenue.

1/15/2004 - Cinema Treasures

Built within the former Kirkwood Hotel on Cadillac Square, the Family opened in 1909. It began to screen films five years later, starting with the comedy "Tillie's Punctured Romance". The Family, designed by Fuller Claflin, could seat 935. After decades as a popular first-run house, like so many other theaters, the Family switched over to pornographic features in the 60s, and created quite a stir, not so much for its films, but because it didn't change it's wholesome-sounding name. However, it did soon change its name, to the Follies. In 1973, during a screening of "Deep Throat", the Follies caught on fire. However, as they fled the burning theater, some customers actually stopped at the box office to ask for their money back! The shell of the theater was demolished a couple months later.

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