Fox Theatre Marquee

[Gistok]

The tall blade signs of the Atlanta and St. Louis Fox were no match for the Detroit Fox. Of course Detroit was blessed with a 10 story building to attach a tall sign to.... while Atlanta and St. Louis just had 3 story signs that were small by comparison....

[Gistok]

But the real "Grande Dame" of Detroit theatre marquee signage was the Michigan Theatre. Of course having a 13 story office tower to attach it to didn't hurt. The 10 story Michigan blade signs is [[according to Theatre Historical Society) the tallest blade sign ever erected in the USA. Unfortunately it was dismantled [[on orders by the city) in 1952, to be replaced by a very small and cheesy rectangular plain sign.

The 3rd largest vertical blade theatre sign [[after the Michigan and Fox) was the United Artists, which at 8 stories, was dismantled around the same time as that of the Michigan. Sadly this last image must have been quite a sight... since Bagley Ave. gave Woodward a run for its' money with glorious theatre's and office towers.

[Wesley Mouch]

Gisty.... great history of the Fox's signs. Can you add anything about when the roof sign appeared? Seems to me shortly after they lost the blade sign.... up goes the tower as a replacement? Insurance? Why? Any insight or history of the tower you can add. Curious minds.

[detroitbob]

The postcard view was printed and colorized from a picture taken at the opening before the detail was added to the top and bottom of the sign. The completed vertical or blade survived until c1947. I always thought the original marquee was a great compliment to the façade, allowing the vertical to predominant unlike the Michigan marquee which was a chase light delight with the massive vertical hovering above it. Ditto for the United Artists.

[Mackinaw]

Just wanted to say that everything Dbest has said is correct, and Gistok thanks for the photos. Also, Gistok, this is not a preservation issue but a pure aesthetics issue.

I don't trust Olympia with aesthetics.

[Dbest]

Just wanted to say that everything Dbest has said is correct, and Gistok thanks for the photos. Also, Gistok, this is not a preservation issue but a pure aesthetics issue.

I don't trust Olympia with aesthetics.

Right on Mack. I was starting to wonder if I was doing a poor job of conveying my points.

I hate the idea of the LED screens. I like the harmonious look of white background with bold letters, not the reverse. Those Apollo readers should be no justification for LED either, with the picture I posted being proof. The old style readers go back to theaters in small towns/big cities across America, a kinship of sorts. It's obvious to some, not so much others.

When Chicago Theater ownership renovated their marquee they could have easily gone to LED readers. They didn't. It would have looked pretty tacky had they done it.

Here's the Chicago Theater marquee:

[Gistok]

Here is how the Fox marquee looked around circa 1962, and it too looked somewhat garish.

Hollywood's El Kapitain Theatre [[1800 seat old movie palace, owned by Disney Corp., and the location where the 1963 demolished San Francisco Fox's organ ended up), that theatre has an LED marquee.... and the neon is attractive, and the LED offers a wide range of different advertisements. I can certainly understand it as being a bit overstated....

https://www.google.com/search?q=El+c...hU70jSgmlfI%3D

[old guy]

Wow, what a lineup.

[Dbest]

That Fox image from 1962 is hilarious, the thing looks like a prop off of the "price is right" set...

[Honky Tonk]

That Fox image from 1962 is hilarious, the thing looks like a prop off of the "price is right" set...

Exactly the point, you hit the nail on the head.

[Wesley Mouch]

...When Chicago Theater ownership renovated their marquee they could have easily gone to LED readers. They didn't. It would have looked pretty tacky had they done it.
...

Probably not a voluntary 'preservation' -- probably required by some agency or preservation authority. Chicago, now they have rules!

Speaking of rules, I recall that in the 80s, theatres in Chicago were not allowed to change their own marquee letters. Had to be done by White Way signs. Sort of like you have to hire certain trash hauling firms.

Downside -- cost a fortune to change your marquee. Upside -- every Chicago marquee was set by union sign men who did an excellent job. Have you ever seen a Chicago marquee that didn't look perfect?

[Gistok]

When THS [[Theatre Historical Society) of Elmhurst IL put together a list of theatre marquee and blade signs a few years ago, one of their all time favorites was the Downtown RKO, 1930-53 [[formerly the Oriental 1927-29).

The signage was called "Zigzag Psychodelics"... and was very attractive. Sadly the theatre was removed from West Adams, but the surviving lobby space insided the [[then) Briggs Hotel will be restored in some fashion, as will the facade [[seen in another thread).

Here are some images of the Downtown RKO....

[Dbest]

Have you ever seen a Chicago marquee that didn't look perfect?

I agree about the quality of work in Chicago, it's second to none. But they also have some corperate logos attached to a few of their theaters, you can see the Chase Bank logo in the bottom right hand corner of the reader image I posted.

Or the Ford Theater in Chicago, it was mentioned earlier in this thread. The marquee is really hideous. That being said, I'd take a crappy marquee in exchange for a say, restored National Theater in Detroit. It would be nice if Ford stepped up to plate and helped facilitate a renovation of the theater.

Here's the Ford ad in Chicago:

[Dbest]

When THS [[Theatre Historical Society) of Elmhurst IL put together a list of theatre marquee and blade signs a few years ago, one of their all time favorites was the Downtown RKO, 1930-53 [[formerly the Oriental 1927-29).

The signage was called "Zigzag Psychodelics"... and was very attractive. Sadly the theatre was removed from West Adams, but the surviving lobby space insided the [[then) Briggs Hotel will be restored in some fashion, as will the facade [[seen in another thread).

Here are some images of the Downtown RKO....

ZigZag Psychedelics huh? That is a thing of beauty, the rolling curves are pretty unique. The pictures probably doesn't even do it justice either, I can only imagine what it looked like when illuminated in person.

Gistok, was it you that was talking about the switch of bulbs on theater signs in a past thread?

I remember you talking about how LED's are instantly on and off, as where the old filament bulbs are not and are a smoother transition. It was enlightening.

[56packman]

In 1988 the Historical commission wanted the Ilitch/Olympia organization to basically replicate the 1928 marquee, which they felt wasn't dramatic enough for the new image of the restored theatre. What they installed was based on several motifs present in the theatre's interior, which is very 1920s over-the-top.
DetroitBob and I go back a long way with the Fox, and started the preservation of the building and its contents so that someone someday could do the right thing with the building. That someone was Mike Ilitch and his sports/entertainment empire, and for that we are grateful. I know, he hasn't restored every abandoned building you would all like him to, and seems to prefer parking lots over standing buildings. He could have followed through with his planned headquarters at 12 mile and Drake road in Farmington Hills in 1988 and we wouldn't be having this discussion today.

[Hardhat]

I liked the old school marquee. The new one looks pretty good, too.

[Mackinaw]

That's about what I expected...

Any other facade changes, or is this the only thing they messed with?

[mikeg19]

Looks good. Anyone with the newer marquee lit up at night pictures?

[drjeff]

They need to reduce the brightness of the sign. It's way too bright even in the middle of the day.

[Gistok]

They need to reduce the brightness of the sign. It's way too bright even in the middle of the day.

No they don't.... they only just upgraded and either replaced the Griffons/sign parts, or cleaned them up. The garish colors on the outside match the over-the-top inside. Give it a few years of weathering...

[drjeff]

I mean the new LCD [[or whatever) portion of the sign that's similar to an electronic billboard. It's blindingly bright. I have no problem with the decorative aspects being bright.

[Dbest]

I mean the new LCD [[or whatever) portion of the sign that's similar to an electronic billboard. It's blindingly bright. I have no problem with the decorative aspects being bright.

Those LED signs are called "readers", I didn't know their title either until this thread was created.

The LED readers look stupid, sorry but it's unnecessary light pollution. Who didn't see this coming a mile away?

I cant wait for them to upgrade to holographic sets in the future!

Really though, I'm sure at some point in the next 30 years there will be a project to restore the readers back to their older, more authentic look. Once the LED panel craze slows.

What does the lettering at the bottom of the new LED readers say? It's too small to make out in the picture. I was kind of assuming it said Olympia Entertainment? If so, nice, real nice...

[DetroitBoy]

Those LED signs are called "readers", I didn't know their title either until this thread was created.

The LED readers look stupid, sorry but it's unnecessary light pollution. Who didn't see this coming a mile away?

I cant wait for them to upgrade to holographic sets in the future!

Really though, I'm sure at some point between now and the next 30 years there will be a project to restore the readers back to their older, more authentic look.

What does the lettering at the bottom of the new LED readers say? It's too small to make out in the picture. I was kind of assuming it said Olympia Entertainment? If so, nice, real nice...

The lights are suppose to be that bright. The sign outside a theater is suppose to dazzle you as you approach it. Those entering on the red carpet are transported to a different world as they ascend into the movie palace. That is why the design of the exterior and even more so the interior are so over the top. The bright lights, sounds and sights are all part of the escape into the magical world of the theatre which is experienced by the heightening of the senses. It's suppose to be like experiencing the 'bright lights of Broadway' in NYC.

[Dbest]

The lights are suppose to be that bright. The sign outside a theater is suppose to dazzle you as you approach it. Those entering on the red carpet are transported to a different world as they ascend into the movie palace. That is why the design of the exterior and even more so the interior are so over the top. The bright lights, sounds and sights are all part of the escape into the magical world of the theatre which is experienced by the heightening of the senses. It's suppose to be like experiencing the 'bright lights of Broadway' in NYC.

What does any of your post have to do with the READERS? That's what drjeff and I were talking about.

The rest of the marquee looks great.

I will concede that they at least tried to digitally replicate the old school reader look, that softens the blow a little.

[EastsideAl]

Yes, the LED readers are way too bright, rendering them, well... unreadable, unless you're right in front of them. All people can see from a block or two up Woodward, or from over by Comerica Park, is a ridiculously bright blob that hurts their eyes.