Americana Theatre - Southfield MI

Address: 23275 Greenfield Rd
City: Southfield
State: MI
Zip: 48075
County: Oakland
Open: 1967
Capacity: 1743
Owner History: Nicholas George
Theater Type: Shopping Center - Early Multiplex
Number of visits to this page: 27926
Disclaimer:

Please note that location entries may feature older photos or post card views that may not represent the current appearance, features, addresses, phone numbers, or contact names of the attraction. This site is intended to be a historical as well as current record of various attractions but it is not always possible to have up-to-date information due to the vast number of locations featured here. We ask you consult the propietor for current information.

General Information:

Source: Cinema Treasures

The Americana opened in 1967, for Nicholas George, designed by Samson Associates, and seating around 1750 in its ultra-modern auditorium. Its vast screen, 30' by 60' was one of the largest ever in Michigan before the era of Imax theaters. The Americana's opening-night film was Otto Preminger's "Hurry Sundown".

The America quickly became known as a roadshow house, with 70mm projection equipment, along with the nearby Northland, though the Northland originally ended up screening superior films than the Americana in the first few years. Early roadshows included 'Finian's Rainbow' (1968), 'Song of Norway' (1970) and 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' (1970). Two additional smaller auditoriums were added on in 1972, both seating 750, and designed by noted theater architect Louis Wiltse. Later the same year, a fourth, similarly-sized auditorium was added by Wiltse, and the theater became known as the Americana I, II, III, IV.

During the mid-70s to early 80s, the Americana was best known for its highly successful runs of blockbuster films like the original 'Star Wars' and 'Indiana Jones' trilogies, especially in its large main auditorium, which became one of the only ones in the area after the Northland was twinned in the mid-70s. In 1986, Nicholas George sold the Americana to AMC Theatres, just months after three more screens were added. Within a couple years of AMC taking over the Americana, the number of screens had been increased to eight, but the original large auditorium had not been divided--yet.

When crime began to rise during the late 80s at the theater, including a set of shootings, the chain took the unusual step of adding metal detectors. AMC spent $2.5 million remodeling the Americana in 1990, which finally included the gutting of the original auditorium, and loss of its huge screen, carving the space into five more smallish screens. The theater also lost its original name as well, becoming the AMC Southfield City 12.

In 2001, AMC closed the aging multiplex down, unable to compete with the nearby even larger, flashier and cutting-edge Star Theatres Southfield 20. The former Americana was demolished not long after it was closed to make way for new devolopment.

Info Updates:
No Updates Found
 Photos:14
Americana Theatre - 1990 News Photo
1990 News Photo
Americana Theatre - Old Postcard
Old Postcard
Americana Theatre - Old Postcard
Old Postcard
Americana Theatre - Main Entrance
Main Entrance
Americana Theatre - Marquee
Marquee
Americana Theatre - Lobby
Lobby
Americana Theatre - Auditorium
Auditorium
Americana Theatre - Old Photo From Cinema Tour
Old Photo From Cinema Tour
Americana Theatre - Demolished
Demolished
Americana Theatre - From Robert Morrow
From Robert Morrow
Americana Theatre - From Robert Morrow
From Robert Morrow
Americana Theatre - 1967-06-18 Ad
1967-06-18 Ad
Americana Theatre - 1990-08-03 Ad
1990-08-03 Ad
Americana Theatre - Hand-Painted Signage From Dennis
Hand-Painted Signage From Dennis
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