Royall Theatre - Royal Oak MI

Address: Main St.
City: Royal Oak
State: MI
Zip: 48067
County: Oakland
Open: 1914
Capacity: 2500
Owner History: Wisper-Wetsman
Theater Type: Neighborhood House
Number of visits to this page: 3470
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 Royal opened in late 1940, one of Detroit's larger neighborhood houses, located on Seven Mile Road. It was designed by Charles N. Agree, and could seat close to 2500. Built in Streamline Moderne style, the Royal was duplicated (by half its size) a half year later, in Agree's Dearborn Theatre in Dearborn. The Royal contained a small stage, but no dressing rooms or orchestra pit. Its oval-shaped lobby housed four groups of sculpture by Thomas di Lorenzo, who previously collaborated with Agree on the Harper (1939), now Harpo's.

Operated jointly by Wisper and Wetsman and United Detroit Theatres, the Royal cost nearly $300,000 to erect, and its early ads hailed it as having one of the biggest parking lots in the country, with room for over 800 cars. The Royal had a relatively short career, however, closing in the late 60s. In 1969, the property was sold to Grace Hospital, and the theater demolished.

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Info Updates:
4/30/2013 - Jim Thompson
Just saw this one listed in an old Michigan Film Review archive apparently listed as both the Royal and the Royale. Presumably same place? There was a Royal Oak area telephone directory circa 1990s that had a photo on the cover that pictured the theater pretty clearly. At the time, I called up the man who provided the photo and as I recall, he said it was on Main, south end. From what I recall, it was west side of the street and south of 4th somewhere. He knew exactly where it had been.
10/10/2003 - WaterWinterWonderland
The Royall Theatre was located in this building in 1914 and was on the west side of Main Street between 3rd and 4th streets.
 Photos:2
Royall Theatre - Old Pic
Old Pic
Royall Theatre - Post Card
Post Card
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