Note: Not extant. Not playable. (in this location)
2013-11-12 - This entry describes an original installation of a new pipe organ. Identified by William Dunklin, using information from this web site: http://barton.theatreorgans.com/. -- The Capitol theatre, Detroit's first truly grand movie palace, seated 3500. It was later known as the Paramount, the Capitol-Broadway and still stands in 2013 with name Grand Circus. Hillgreen, Lane & Co., not particularly known for their theatre organs, seems an unlikely choice of organ builders for such an opulent building. According to the website http://barton.theatreorgans.com/ the original cost of the organ was only $8000. -Database Manager
2013-12-09 - Updated through online information from William M. Worden. -- The theater is now the Detroit Opera House. One source says the Hillgreen-Lane was replaced by a Publix I Wurlitzer in the late 1920s. (Might this indicate that the Hillgreen-Lane was found too "churchy" for movie use?) -Database Manager
2022-10-10 - From cinematreasures.org: The Capitol Theatre was considered Detroit’s first official movie palace, and when it opened January 12, 1922, it sat about 3,500, the fifth largest ever built in the US at the time. Its architect, C. Howard Crane, designed the Capitol Theatre in the style of the Italian Renaissance, and its facade, with its soaring Corinthian columns, loomed over Broadway like a royal palace. Its interior was even more ornate, with several kinds of marble, Tiffany mosaics, sculpture and gilt decorating its lobby and other areas. The Capitol Theatre is said to have cost over $2 million to build. The theatre’s name was changed to the Paramount Theatre on August 30, 1929, when it was taken over by the Paramount-Publix chain, and featured live stage shows and vaudeville acts. Stars who appeared on the Paramount Theatre’s stage in those days included W.C. Fields, Fatty Arbuckle, and Guy Lombardo and his Orchestra. As a result of the Depression, the theatre closed in 1932, but only until August31, 1934, when it reopened under United Detroit Theaters with another new name, this time the Broadway-Capitol Theatre. It was in 1960 that United Detroit Theaters poured over $100,000 into remodeling the theatre, completely changing its facade and slightly reducing its seating capacity. It was also given yet another new name on December 23, 1960 when it became the Grand Circus Theatre, continuing to screen second-run films. The theatre often struggled during the 1960’s and 1970’s, but remained open until 1978, with the last film on its screen being “Jailbait Babysitter” starring Therese Pare. During the early-to-mid-1980’s, the Grand Circus Theatre was used for concerts, but was forced to close in 1985 after a fire broke out. In 1989, the Michigan Opera Theatre purchased the Grand Circus Theatre and nearby Madison Theatre for $3.5 million and began a $20 million campaign to restore the interior of the old Capitol Theatre to its 1920’s appearance, enlarge its stage, improve the sound and lighting systems, and reduce seating to a more comfortable 2,700. -Jeff Scofield
2024-04-24 - The theater was sold to Paramount ca. 1929 and the Hillgreen, Lane was removed and replaced by a Wurlitzer. -Jeff Scofield
Source: From THE DIAPASON February 1922
Detroit, Michigan
Capitol Theater
Hillgreen, Lane Op. 630 1922 3/48
________________________________________________
GREAT SWELL
16' Open Diapason 61 16' Bourdon 61
16' Contra Gamba 73 8' Diapason 73
8' Large Diapason 73 8' Viol d'Orchestre 73
8' Second Diapason 12 8' Salicional 73
8' Cello 73 8' Viol Celeste 61
8' Tibia Clausa 73 8' Gedeckt 73
8' Doppelflöte 73 8' Flute Celeste 61
8' Gamba 73 8' Clarabella 73
8' Gamba Celeste 49 8' String Mixture III --
8' Viola 61 4' Octave 73
III String Celeste -- 4' Rohrflöte 73
4' Principal 12 2' Flageolet 73
4' Flute Harmonique 73 16' Fagotto 73
4' Flute Magique 73 16' Vox Humana 73
4' Violina -- 8' Cor Anglais 73
2 2/3' Quint 73 8' Oboe 12
2' Fifteenth 61 8' French Horn 73
16' Tuba Profunda 61 8' Vox Humana 12
8' Tuba Mirabilis 12 4' Oboe Clarion 12
4' Clarion 12 Tremolo
Tremolo
Cathedral Chimes 20 ORCHESTRAL
Xylophone 37 16' Contra Gamba 73
Diapason to GT * 8' Hohlflöte 73
Tuba to GT * 8' Spitzflöte 73
Swell to GT * 8' Quintadena 73
Orchestral to GT * 8' Dolce 73
4' Gemshorn 73
PEDAL 4' Waldflöte 73
32' Resultant -- 2' Piccolo 61
16' Open Diapason 32 III Solo Cornet 183
16' Sub Bass 32 16' Clarinet 73
16' Lieblich Gedeckt SW 8' Clarinet 12
16' Violin OR 8' English Horn 73
8' Flute Major GT 8' Orchestral Oboe 73
8' Flute Dolce SW 8' Saxophone 73
8' Cello OR 8' Vox Humana 73
16' Trombone GT 8' Kinura 73
16' Fagotto SW Tremolo
16' Clarinet OR 16' Celesta Sub
8' Tromba GT 8' Celesta
Tremolo Xylophone
Bass Drum * Carillon
Tympanum *
Cymbal * * second touch
[Received from Jeff Scofield October 10, 2022]
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