HomeMovie TheatersSomerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III)

Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - Troy MI

Address: 2501 W Big Beaver
City: Troy
State: MI
Zip: 48084
County: Oakland
Open: 1973
Capacity: 1200
Owner History: General Cinema
Theater Type: Shopping Center - Early Multiplex
Number of visits to this page: 11703
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General Information:

Source: Dave - Bronx NY

The Somerset Cinema 1 & 2 was located in the Somerset Inn across the street from the Somerset Mall. It was originally a General Cinema theatre. If someone else ran it it was after I left the area. There were 2 auditoriums , aprx 600 seats each. The box office was in the hotel lobby, and you decended a long wide stairway into the theatre lobby. The theatre did not use the standard (at that time) signage with red serif-style letters and the Roman I & II - they had lower-case sans-serif style letters with arabic 1 & 2 numbers. I believe the letters were white. I was told this was to maintain continuity with the hotels signage, and since the hotel was the landlord it was written into the lease.

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Info Updates:
6/4/2019 - Greg K
I worked at the Somerset Cinema during the summer of 1979. It was still part of the General Cinema Corporation at the time. I don't recall too much, except our manager's name was John Fowler (surprised I recalled that), and depending on the particular movie, we did some pretty good business. Due to the location and the space the two screens were squeezed into, it would get very crowded at times. I'll always remember the big crowds we had for Moonraker, the James Bond movie out at the time. I just remember the long and narrow auditoriums that were there. the screens seemed so far away because of the distance down the aisle to the front.
2/17/2014 - Caren
After the theater closed, the hotel did renovations, and the hotel then housed Vic Tanny (a fitness center). Later, Bally's bought Vic Tanny. It is now where the grand ballroom is at the Somerset Inn.
11/1/2009 - Guy Copland
I worked here in 1974 when I was a sophomore in high school at Kimball. Minimum wage $1.10 per hour. This palace was a palace compared to other theaters of the day.
4/24/2008 - Vicki
I was the assistant manager of this General Cinema theatre when it closed in March 1984. It had three screens. We did do standard midnite show fare for that time period. Exorcist, Heavy Metal, Stairway to Heaven. The crowds were pretty tame compared to todays movie going audience
2/8/2008 - GK
I lived at Wattles and Coolidge in the late 70's and 80's and remember this cinema well. They used to show midnight movies - strange stuff like "Wizards" and the Woodstock concert footage. I believe this may have been near the end of the theaters life and they may have been attempting to generate some kind of additional income. From my recollection, there was allot of partying going on in the audience!
1/20/2006 - Greg
I remember this theater very well and lived in Troy at the time it closed. I was saddened by the closing. It was not part of the Showcase chain. I dont remember who was running it.
9/11/2004 - Dave in MD
This was a very popular Showcase Cinema next to the upscale Somerset Mall in Troy. I saw several movies here in the 1970s and 1980s such as Grease. My best friend and I would also play Asteroids for hours in the lobby during summer vacation. The cinema became a Ballys health club in the early 1990s and was then torn down. I think it is a parking lot, but am not sure.
 Photos:11
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Inn May 9 2022
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - 1973 Ad Showing Proper Address
1973 Ad Showing Proper Address
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - 1980 Ad Indicating Theater Was In Hotel
1980 Ad Indicating Theater Was In Hotel
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - 1981 Ad Showing 3 Cinemas
1981 Ad Showing 3 Cinemas
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - Ad From June 29 1973
Ad From June 29 1973
Somerset Cinema I & II (Somerset Inn Cinema I-II-III) - Help Wanted By Mr Spangler July 14 1973
Help Wanted By Mr Spangler July 14 1973
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