The front of the theatre as the Desmond in 1940.The World Premiere of "Young Tom Edison" starring Mickey Rooney.
The actor visited the theatre for the opening of the film.
The Desmond opened Thursday, July 27, 1922 to the public with the capacity to seat a total of 1,350 people. The theatre had a Hillgreen, Lane & Co. Theatre Organ that was built specifically for the Desmond. At that time, the only "soundtrack" to the films being shown was the Theatre Organ as movie soundtracks were still a few years away from being part of the entertainment here.
The "Console" (playable part) of the Hillgreen, Lane & Co. Organ
This is a similar one to what was installed at the Desmond and later removed.
In 1939, MGM Studios had decided to make biographical film about a young boy who would later grow-up to have a world-wide impact on our society. This boy was Thomas Alva Edison, who had grown-up in the Port Huron area. At the time, Mickey Rooney was one of the biggest box-office draws and he was chosen for the lead role in the film over a few other names.
The film would be given the title of "Young Tom Edison" and was to be released in April, 1940. When it was completed, it gave a unique view of some of the major events in the inventors life that many people did not know about. Mickey Rooney played this role well and was given high acclaim for the performance.
MGM wanted to do something special for the premier, and chose a special venue to do just that.
Great news! Here comes Mickey Rooney as young Tom Edison, the boy who grew up to be the world’s greatest inventor! Watch him doing experiments at his cellar workbench—and playing tricks on his schoolmates. See him save a train from being wrecked! It’s thrilling! A picture that you and your whole family will want to see!
The synopsis of the film:
The movie follows the imaginative boy Tom as he continually gets into mischief and causes accidents locally with his chemical experiments. The townspeople regard him as a troublemaker. As the Civil War breaks out, Tom starts a business enterprise peddling food and snacks on board trains, and later composing and handing out news sheets to passengers. In a stroke of inspiration, Tom at night cleverly focuses light from multiple lamps onto a large mirror, enabling a surgeon to successfully operate on his mother. The story ends with Tom desperately signaling in Morse Code with a train whistle, alerting the engineer of another train filled with passengers to stop before it plunges into a river. These two acts finally vindicate Tom who is now a hero.
Movie Poster
The film was the first of a complementary pair of Edison biopics that MGM released a short time apart. "Edison, the Man" starring Spencer Tracy soon followed to give a second part to the story of Edison's life, who had passed in October, 1931.
MGM planned and held a special preview on Saturday, February 10, 1940 in Port Huron, Michigan. This was the place where Thomas Edison spent his childhood which is why many things in the area are "Edison themed" or have the "Edison" name attached to them. This movie premier included a parade that followed down Huron Avenue and ended at the Desmond.
The Parade for the movie premier. Feb-10-1940
MGM held this premier here, as the Port Huron area was where Edison had spent much of his childhood years.
The premier also included a visit by Mickey Rooney, who played Thomas Edison in the film. This was all done as part of the promotional tour and Rooney came to Port Huron by train, just as Edison himself had done years before.
Rooney, in-character as Young Tom Edison, on the train handing-out popcorn.
This trip included a stop in Mount Clemens after departing from Detroit and Henry Ford had supplied the wood-burning, steam-powered train to be used to commemorate this occasion.
The invitation for the showing of the film "Young Tom Edison" on
the "Old Sam Hill Wood Burning Engine" train. This was loaned-out by Henry Ford
himself, to honor his fellow businessman and friend, Thomas Edison.
This small souvenir contains an image of Thomas Edison
as a boy on one side and Rooney in the role of Edison on the other.
This would celebrate "Edison Days" in Port Huron that year.
After 1940, it ran first-run shows and the ownership would change hands at least once. In 1961, it was remodeled, given a new name, and also split-up to add a venue to allow for more than one film to be shown at a time.
1950's
It was renamed "The Huron" and the remodel was done in an "Art Deco" style of architecture.
The Huron did well until around 1990, when a theatre at the nearby Birchwood Mall was constructed and the Huron was sold to the company that owned that theatre. Part of the agreement of this sale was that the Huron would no longer show movies, thereby eliminating competition for the mall theatre at Birchwood.
Later-on, the Huron Theatre Building would repurposed to a gymnastics facility and physical arts center. It would see much success as this type of facility and the architecture is a reminder of days-gone-by. Those that remember this as a theatre, do so with fond memories of the times that they had there and not just for the films that were shown.