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39-592: The Redford is part of a series of three grand cinemas in the Detroit suburbs operated by the Kunsky circuit, all of which stand today. The Redford features its original 3- manual /10-rank Barton organ , which is played regularly. The Redford's ownership passed to the Goldberg family and their Community Theatre chain in the 1930s. The Motor City Theatre Organ Society purchased the theatre in 1977, and continues to operate and renovate

78-567: A pipe organ and had facilities for its own orchestra . This was only the second large movie house in the United States . The Strand with nearly 1400 seats and the Alhambra, with about 1475 seats were designed by C. Howard Crane, and both opened in 1915. The Adams Theater was built in 1917. John Kunsky dreamed of building larger and grander movie palaces. Kunsky once again hired C. Howard Crane to design his first such theater. The 1806 seat Madison

117-485: A 3- manual /10-rank theatre organ , built by the Bartola Musical Instrument Company . The "Golden-Voiced Barton" has been altered only slightly from its original state, with the addition of a piano and modifications to the tuba. The organ is played regularly at public events, including overtures before classic films, accompaniment for silent films , and full-length organ concerts. The Redford's organ

156-449: A log beam hotel, a golf course, swimming beaches, stables, an airport, ice skating and a ski chalet with a 93-foot ski jump. On June 24, 1947, King, then a widower, married Sarah (Sug) DeMers, a local girl he had met while visiting his resort. John King died January 2, 1952, and his widow continued to operate the resort complex until Feb. 17, 1961. The property was then sold to Walter Williamson. The Rose Tattoo The Rose Tattoo

195-524: A mansion that would incorporate many of the symbols of theater. He hired noted theater architect C. Howard Crane to design his Tudor mansion. About 1936-37, John Kunsky (now John King) decided to build a resort in Land o' Lakes, Wisconsin in the region on the border between the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Wisconsin . The King's Gateway Hotel complex included a restaurant, bowling and gambling facilities,

234-580: A series of organ performances at the theatre. The MTCOS had begun to restore the organ the year prior, and initially performed their organ shows after the last film showing of the evening. The organ shows were successful, showing a continued desire for programming at the Redford. The MCTOS arranged to buy the theatre in 1977, and owned it outright by 1985, the same year as it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Work began that year to restore

273-470: Is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams in 1949 and 1950; after its Chicago premiere on December 29, 1950, he made further revisions to the play for its Broadway premiere on February 2, 1951, and its publication by New Directions the following month. A film adaptation was released in 1955. The Rose Tattoo tells the story of an Italian-American widow in Mississippi who has withdrawn from

312-804: Is one of two theatre organs in Detroit that remain in their original venue, and one of fewer than forty Bartons in their original installations. A contemporaneous original-installation Barton organ is located nearby at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor . The Redford's sibling theatres, the Kunsky-Birmingham (now an Emagine multiplex ) and the Kunsky-Royal Oak (now the Royal Oak Music Theatre ), featured similar Barton organs, but neither remain in their original venues. Because of its location on

351-628: The Circle in the Square Theatre with casting by Stuart Howard and Amy Schecter under the direction of Robert Falls. Scenic design was by Santo Loquasto, costume design by Catherine Zuber, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by John Kilgore, hair and make-up design by Claus Lulla, wig design by John Aitchison, general manager Don Roe, management consultant Gordon G. Forbes, stage manager Peggy Peterson, assistant stage manager Wm. Hare, and dialect coach K. C. Ligon. New Directions Publishing reissued

390-474: The 1950s, the Redford often showed double features, along with "Kiddie Matinees" on Saturday afternoons that included cartoons and special movies. Occasionally, the Redford hosted Detroit area premieres, such as the December 25, 1956 opening of Friendly Persuasion , which was crowded out of the larger theaters by blockbusters like The Ten Commandments . When movies started opening outside of downtown Detroit in

429-419: The 1960s, the Redford was a first run theater for many prominent movies, including One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), Hud (1963), Von Ryan's Express (1965), You Only Live Twice (1967), Cool Hand Luke (1967), and The Graduate (1967). In the 1970s, when socioeconomic forces closed many Detroit theaters and opened many others in the Detroit suburbs, the Redford went into decline and later

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468-677: The 2000s. Spring and Fall festivals featuring films of the Three Stooges have grown in popularity. In addition to the classic film series and organ concerts produced by MCTOS, the theatre is available for rental by community groups wishing to produce their own shows. John H. Kunsky John H. Kunsky (1875–1952) was a Detroit area businessman who made his fortune by investing in movie theaters . He later became partners with George W. Trendle and invested in radio. Kunsky had been an early investor in Nickelodeons beginning in 1905. During

507-594: The Billy Rose Theatre (now known as the Nederlander Theatre ) with 62 performances under the direction of Milton Katselas . Scenic design was by David R. "Tex" Ballou, costume design by Frank Thompson, lighting designed by Peggy Clark, stage manager Ray Laine, and press representatives Arthur Cantor and Artie Solomon. The second revival, starring Anthony LaPaglia and Mercedes Ruehl , took place in 1995 from March 23 to April 30, running for 73 performances at

546-643: The Detroit Opera House in 1996 and seating was reduced to 2,765). The 4050-seat Michigan Theater was built by the architectural firm of Rapp & Rapp and opened in August 1926 The Birmingham Theatre and the Royal Oak Theatre opened in 1927. The 2,051-seat Redford Theatre, which still features its original Barton organ , opened in January 1928. The Fisher Theatre Designed by the firm of Graven & Mayger

585-642: The King-Trendle Broadcasting Company and its radio stations for $ 3.65 million. This sale was for the broadcast facilities (including WOOD, WXYZ and the Michigan Regional Network), but did not include ownership of Trendle's radio programs. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved ABC's purchase on July 18, 1946. In 1952, Paramount Theaters, owner of Kunsky's former theaters, purchased ABC, including WXYZ. John Kunsky earned his wealth by building movie theaters and wished for

624-751: The Martin Beck Theatre (now known as the Al Hirschfeld Theatre ) and concluded October 27, 1951, with a total of 306 performances. It was produced by Cheryl Crawford , written by Tennessee Williams; incidental music by David Diamond, staged by Daniel Mann , scenic design by Boris Aronson , costumes designed by Rose Bogadnoff, lighting designed by Charles Elson, general manager John Yorke, stage manager Ralph De Launey, conductor and harpist Nettie Druzinsky, musicians: Michael Danzi, Jack Linx and Frank Kutak, production associate Bea Lawrence, and press representative Wolfe Kauffman. The play

663-726: The Redford often showed three movies in one week (usually starting on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays). During one week in 1931, patrons enjoyed Joan Crawford and Clark Gable in Laughing Sinners (July 12–14), Lew Ayres in Iron Man (July 15–16) and Spencer Tracy in Six Cylinder Love (July 17–18). Accompanying Redford films of the 1930s were comedy shorts ( Laurel and Hardy , Charley Chase and Our Gang ), cartoons ( Mickey Mouse , Bugs Bunny and Mighty Mouse ), golf instructional films with Bobby Jones and vaudeville acts. In

702-488: The Redford to its original 1928 appearance. The theatre currently seats 1610, lower than the original capacity of over 2000. The Redford continues to be operated by the all-volunteer staff of the MTCOS, and is committed to keeping prices for admission and concessions low. The theatre derives its revenue from admission, concession sales, and the rental of the venue for private events, including weddings. The Redford Theatre features

741-626: The city of Detroit, the Redford Theatre screened many films that were first shown at one of the large theaters in the Grand Circus Park area of downtown Detroit. Cimarron opened at the Redford on April 19, 1931, after its Detroit premiere at the Fox Theatre on February 5, 1931. In 1956, The Searchers opened at the Palms on May 18 and arrived at the Redford on August 15. In the early 1930s,

780-442: The closing of The Rose Tattoo came from not only Ireland but from the continent, led by playwrights Samuel Beckett , Seán O'Casey and Brendan Behan . Simpson was later released. The presiding judge, Justice O'Flynn, ruled: "I can only infer that by arresting the accused, the object would be achieved of closing down the play." One of the results of this case was that any charges brought against theatre would have to be proven before

819-431: The construction of the Redford Theatre became a key part of that development. The theatre's construction was financed by bonds sold by Backus, Fordson, and Company in the amount of $ 225,000, equivalent to $ 3,180,000 in 2023. The opening of the theatre was the culmination of a weeklong festival, sponsored by local businesses. At its opening, the Redford was advertised as "Detroit's most unique suburban theatre," likening

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858-420: The experience of seeing a show there to "sitting in a Japanese garden." The theatre's interior also featured standard components of an atmospheric theatre, including a blue plaster ceiling evoking clouds and twinkling stars. The interior theme of the theatre extended to its 3- manual /10-rank Barton theatre organ , which was installed with Japanese and Chinese-themed instruments. During World War II, many of

897-442: The first decade of the 20th century, small vaudeville style theaters were used for stage and film. The Bijou was one of several small nickelodeon theater owned by Kunsky. Kunsky made a lot of money operating these small theaters, but decided it was time for something bigger. John Kunsky hired architect C. Howard Crane to design the first true movie house in Detroit. The Columbia opened in 1911 and could seat over 1000. It contained

936-822: The first time found the undeniable inspiration for this play in Eduardo De Filippo 's 1946 play Filumena Marturano . In the play, that was staged in Rome while the playwright was living in the city in the 1940s, the main character speaks one-to-one with the Madonna of the Roses in the same way that Serafina Delle Rose does in The Rose Tattoo . On May 12, 1957, the Pike Theatre in Dublin , Ireland, staged The Rose Tattoo with Anna Manahan as

975-599: The focus of an antitrust suit initiated by the Society of Independent Motion Pictures (SIMPP). As part of the deal, Trendle and Kunsky were required never to re-enter the movie business in Detroit. Trendle and Kunsky formed the Kunsky-Trendle Broadcasting Company in 1929, after purchasing Detroit radio station WGHP. The radio station's call letters were changed to WXYZ . Trendle was the President and Kunsky

1014-583: The lead and the Irish scenic artist Reginald Gray as the set designer. After a short run, the theatre was invaded by the Irish police and director Alan Simpson was arrested for producing "a lewd entertainment" for miming dropping a condom onto the floor. Williams' script calls for a condom to fall out of a pocket during the show but the Pike staging mimed the act, knowing it would cause conflict. An intellectual revolt against

1053-553: The original Japanese-style decorations, including the lobby chandeliers, were covered up or removed as part of a broader trend of anti-Japanese sentiment . Organ performances ended around the same time, although the organ remained intact. The original marquee was scrapped for the war effort. In 1966, the Motor City Theatre Organ Society, a local chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society , began

1092-399: The outskirts of Detroit, the spacious Redford often has not been a first-run movie theatre. However, like many current second-run theatres, it has shown films that were market-tested at other movie houses. For example, on May 16, 1956, the Redford presented two prominent 1955 films - The Rose Tattoo and The Trouble with Harry . When most of the movie theaters in the Detroit area were in

1131-566: The play in 2010 with a new introduction by playwright John Patrick Shanley . A third Broadway revival starring Marisa Tomei and directed by Trip Cullman premiered at the American Airlines Theatre in previews on September 19, 2019, and officially on October 15. For many years critics have looked for possible sources in Italian literature, suggesting such authors as Giovanni Verga or Luigi Pirandello . In 2016 an Italian critic for

1170-542: The playwright had a friend named Marion Black Vaccaro and that the playwright "likely" was aware of how the Vaccaro brothers created their fruit business via said friend. The original Broadway play starred Maureen Stapleton , Phyllis Love , and Eli Wallach . Other original cast members of the 1951 Broadway play included Martin Balsam and Vivian Nathan . The original production of The Rose Tattoo premiered February 3, 1951, at

1209-475: The space, presenting organ shows and classic movies. The theatre was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The Redford was built during a short-lived period of rapid expansion of the City of Detroit, its namesake neighborhood having been annexed into the city in 1926 from Redford Township . The annexation was accompanied by promises of further development and increased access to city services, and

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1248-556: The world after her husband's death and expects her daughter to do the same. The setting is a place in proximity to Biloxi . Jacob Adler stated that the story is disconnected from the culture of the Southern United States as the plot "has almost no Southern connections". People originating in Sicily in real life became involved in the fruit industry in the area around New Orleans in the late 1800s, and according to Robert Rea,

1287-581: Was completed in 1917, costing $ 500,000 to build. It was not certain if movies would be a passing fad of if such large theaters could be profitable. To insure the project would make money, a five-story office building was built around the theater. This was the start of a Detroit tradition of building movie theaters as part of an office block development. The Madison was a success and Kunsky and Crane built ever larger and more lavish theaters. The Capitol Theater opened in 1922. Although Kunsky boasted it had 4,250 seats, it actually had more like 3,384 seats (it became

1326-475: Was driven out of the theater business when Adolph Zukor acquired the Detroit area film exchange known as the Cooperative Booking Office and began pressuring local theater owners to sell out to Paramount . Trendle negotiated to sell Kunsky's theatres for six million dollars. Zukor transferred the theaters to a Paramount subsidiary named United Detroit Theatres . In 1948, Paramount's monopoly became

1365-509: Was on the air from 8am to Noon, and WOOD from Noon to Midnight. WOOD-WASH became an NBC Red affiliate in 1935. King and Trendle decided to drop the WASH license in 1942, keeping the WOOD identification. Kunsky legally changed his name to King in 1936 and the 'Kunsky-Trendle Broadcasting Company' became the 'King-Trendle Broadcasting Company'. In 1946, the newly formed American Broadcasting Company purchased

1404-405: Was reborn with a still-running series of classic Hollywood movies. The Redford is one of the few remaining theaters mentioned in a September 11, 1981 Detroit News article about film repertory houses in the Detroit area. Current film programming at the Redford Theatre consists of a bi-weekly movie series that ranges from silent films through the musicals of the 40s, 50s and 60s to some films from

1443-511: Was recreated for a July 5, 1953, hour-long radio adaptation on the program Best Plays . Recordings of the radio drama exist in archives and private collections. The play was revived in 1966, again starring Maureen Stapleton, with Maria Tucci replacing Phyllis Love in the role of Rose Delle Rose. Tucci was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance. The revival ran from November 9 to December 31 at

1482-447: Was the last of Kunsky's theaters, opening in 1928. It could seat 2,975 in its plush auditorium seats. The interior featured two balconies, an orchestra pit, a 4-manual/36-rank Wurlitzer organ . In the lobby, there was a goldfish pond, real banana trees , and macaws which patrons could feed by hand. By 1928, Kunsky owned twenty movie theaters, including four of the largest first-run theaters in Detroit. Kunsky Theatres included: Kunsky

1521-570: Was the vice president of the company. Trendle was active as the station manager. Kunsky is rarely mentioned, except as co-owner. WXYZ was initially affiliated with the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) but became an independent station within a year. In 1931, Kunsky-Trendle acquired WASH and WOOD in Grand Rapids, Michigan . The two stations merged facilities, including studios and transmitters but retained both station licenses. WASH

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