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Family Theatre

Address: 2 Monroe Avenue

City: Detroit

State: MI

Zip:

County: Wayne

Open: 1909

Capacity: 934

Owner History:

Number of visits to this page: 5532

Notes: AKA: Follies

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Info Updates:

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.

Photos:6

FROM AMERICAN CLASSIC IMAGES

AS THE FOLLIES FROM WAYNE STATE LIBRARY

THE FAMILY AT THE AWESOME CADILLAC SQUARE

OLD PHOTO

A LATER INCARNATION

OLD AD