The Huron Theatre was a small was a small single-screen neighborhood theatre here in the easternmost part of Waterford was a mainstay for local residents to enjoy many films of the time. Neighborhood movie theaters typically refer to smaller, local cinemas that serve a community, often showcasing a mix of mainstream and independent films.
They may provide a more intimate viewing experience compared to larger multiplexes and often focus on creating a community atmosphere. This builds on the thought that for many residents, buildings and attractions are more than just buildings but are instead reminders of their childhood memories.
The upper portion of the front of the building was decorated in a light colored tile paneling down to street level, and changed to a darker color toward the bottom.
1942 exterior
The small lobby was adorned in an Art Deco motif with painting of stripes and circles on the walls.
The Huron was located near the busy intersection of West Huron Street and North Telegraph Road and opened on June 5, 1942 with Jimmy Lydon in “Henry Aldrich for President” & Bing Crosby in “Birth of the Blues”.
The first two films shown at the Huron
The seating capacity was 426-seats and was a single floor theatre with a nondescript front with a triangular shaped marquee adorned with a lot of neon.
1942 invite to the Grand Opening
The Huron was built at a cost of $75,000 and was originally owned by Francis C. Bouford and Forest Kistler. They also owned the Oakland Theatre in Downtown Pontiac, which opened in 1917, and also owned Maple Leaf Dairy Co, on Howard street in Pontiac.
MapleLeaf Dariy BottleCap
There were minor updates to the decor over the years, with some of the decor remaining as it originally appeared. This was the look of typical art moderne style, with three pairs of blue doors with matching half-moon glass ("Johnson doors").
Floorplan design / blueprints 1942
Theatre-goers recall getting a pack of life savers for a nickel out of the vending machine and a Dr. Pepper for a quarter. Popcorn was 25 and 50 cents. Some say the "best smells in the world were in that theater".
Many of the residents saw the first-run films of the time. Some of those films included Jaws, Mary Poppins, Dirty Harry, the Sound of Music, Imitation of Life, Old Yeller and Gone with the Wind. Later on it would be one of the homes of the Rocky Horror Picture Show on weekends.
1956 Front View
For some residents, the Huron Theatre brings back memories of her father:
“My dad would pick up us kids every weekend and take us there to go see Disney movies. We definitely built many fond family memories at that theater.”
Interior from Back
Many people said they remember the “Crying Room” at the Huron Theatre, which was a secluded space where you could take your kids to not bother other patrons. Sometimes you needed that time-away from the group to be able to teach them how to behave in a Theatre show. Folks that remember this sometimes wish that more theaters today had this space for families who need it.
Interior from Screen
Many times, the theater would show double features, and the place would be filled with children on any given Saturday afternoon.
After World War II, television became a more dominant cultural influence than movies. Television reached a much larger audience than movies, and the images were projected into people's homes where they could enjoy it without leaving home. This began some of the decline of visiting Theatres, but the popularity still remained for first-run features.
In the 1970s it was the place all of the kids in the Pontiac area saw the new Disney releases which made the Huron one of the biggest attractions of the area for the younger folks.
When the Disney films started to wane in the early 80s, the theater starting began showing more classic films and also ran the Rocky Horror Picture Show on Friday and Saturday nights. It was said that watching a film in a place like the Huron was so much more enjoyable than the big box mega cinemas.
Oliver Moore, Projectionist
The Huron lasted until December 24, 1983, when it was destroyed by fire while showing "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi." The neighbors who lived close by could really see the smoke, flames and hear all the sirens from the event.
Fortunately there were no major injuries from the fire, but the investigation of the fire took a bit longer than usual.
The charred remains of the building sat there for a while before the property was renovated and a strip mall was built.
Dec 24, 1983 - Huron Theatre Fire
The story of the Huron Theater isn’t unique or unusual. Dozens of neighborhood movie houses have suffered the same fate over the years, and the situation isn’t any different in other major metropolitan areas. The small independent theaters that have survived this long are now facing a new challenge with the shift from film to digital projection as well as other factors. At a cost of $100,000 for a digital conversion, one in every five screens currently open today in the United States could go dark because they can’t afford to convert.
The neighborhood theater was once the anchor of the community and although the Huron was in business for a few decades, it provided entertainment, information and fond memories for a generation of residents who lived in here in the area.
The Huron Theatre will long live-on in the memories of those that remember it, or saw a Saturday Afternoon Matinee there.
This theater, like so many, was an anchor of the community it was part of. It provided entertainment, information and fond memories for a generation of Detroiters who lived or worked in the area that usually was a mix of culture and diversity.
The venue that once was here is a wonderful part of SouthEast Michigan and Metro Detroit's entertainment and social history. The popularity of such places will likely never be seen or experienced again. Whether it was a theatre, dance hall, or concert venue, these things all make it a treasure that is part of the Michigan Cinema (and Entertainment) History.
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