University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation 1992 The Theater Designs of C. Howard Crane Lisa Maria DiChiera University of Pennsylvania Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses Part of the Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons DiChiera, Lisa Maria, "The Theater Designs of C. Howard Crane" (1992). Theses (Historic Preservation). 265. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/265 Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: DiChiera, Lisa Maria (1992). The Theater Designs of C. Howard Crane. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/265 For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Theater Designs of C. Howard Crane Disciplines Historic Preservation and Conservation Comments Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University of Pennsylvania Libraries. Suggested Citation: DiChiera, Lisa Maria (1992). The Theater Designs of C. Howard Crane. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/265 UNIVERSITY^ PENNSYLVANIA. UBRARIES THE THEATER DESIGNS OF C. HOWARD CRANE Lisa Maria DiChiera A THESIS in The Graduate Program in Historic Preservation Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE 1992 *Vid G. Dte-Lemg, Professor of ^rcnjie^tur Graduate Group Chairman and Advisor Andrew Craig Morrisorf; Architect, Reader FINE ARTS foil OF PENNSYLVANIA LIBRARII Contents List of Illustrations in Introduction 1 Chapter One: Setting the Stage: 3 A History of the Early Movie Industry Chapter Two: The Practice of C. Howard Crane: (1885-1952) Early Years of Traditional Design Chapter Three: Later Years of Fantasy: 44 The Big Studio Commissions Conclusion 68 Illustrations 70 Appendix One: A Working List of Crane's Theater 123 Commissions Appendix Two: Illustrated Advertisements of firms under the 130 patronage of C. Howard Crane & Associates Appendix Three: Architectural Source Books in the Collection 144 of C. Howard Crane Appendix Four: Negotiations and Planning with the Fox Film 147 Corporation: Letters and Minutes Appendix Five: A Photographic Listing of Crane's Existing 162 Theaters in Detroit Bibliography 177 n ILLUSTRATIONS 1. C. Howard Crane (From Reproductions of Work Designed and Executed thru the Offices of C. Howard Crane, Architect, Elmer George Kiehler, Ben A. Dore, Associates. Cleveland, Ohio: Denny A. Clark Press, 1929). 2. The National Theatre, Detroit (From W. Hawkins Ferry. The Legacy of Albert Kahn. 1970. Reprint. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1987, p. 55). 3. The Orpheum Theatre, Detroit (From Thomas J. Holleman and James P. Gallagher. Smith, Hinchman and Grylls: 125 Years of Architecture and Engineering. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1978, p. 79). 4. The Empress Theatre, Detroit, interior (Courtesy of Andrew Craig Morrison, Architect, Philadelphia, PA). 5. The Empress Theatre, Detroit, interior (Courtesy of Andrew Craig Morrison, Architect, Philadelphia, PA). 6. The Empress Theatre, Detroit, interior (Courtesy of Andrew Craig Morrison, Architect, Philadelphia, PA). 7. The Garden Theatre, Detroit (Courtesy of Andrew Craig Morrison, Architect, Philadelphia, PA). 8. The Central Presbyterian Church, Detroit (Silas Farmer. History of Detroit and Wayne County and Early Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopedia of the Past and Present. 1890. Reprint. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1969, p. 596). 9. The Liberty Theatre, Detroit (From The American Architect, September 23, 1914, no page number given). 10. The Liberty Theatre, Detroit floor plan (From The American Architect, September 23, 1914, no page number given). 11. The Liberty Theatre, Detroit, interior (From The American Architect, September 23, 1914, no page number given). 12. The Palace Theatre, Detroit, longitudinal section (From The American Architect, September 23, 1914, no page number given). iii 13. The Regent Theatre, Buffalo, longitudinal section (From TheAmerican Architect, September 23, 1914, no page number given). 14. The Regent Theatre, Buffalo (From The American Architect, September 23, 1914, no page number given). 15. The Palace Theatre, Detroit (From The American Architect, September 23, 1914, no page number given). 16. The Majestic Theatre, Detroit, floor plans (From Architectural Forum, June 1917, p.174). 17. The Majestic Theatre, Detroit, logitudinal section (From Architectural Forum, June 1917, p. 176). 18. The Majestic Theatre, Detroit, interior (From Architectural Forum, June 1917, p. 175). 19. The Majestic Theatre, Detroit, interior (From Architectural Forum, June 1917, p. 175). 20. The Majestic Theatre, Detroit (From Architectural Forum, June 1917, p. 174). 21. The Regent Theatre, New York City, Thomas Lamb, architect (From David Naylor. American Picture Palaces: The Architecture of Fantasy. New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1981, p. 41). 22. The Palazzo del Consiglio, Verona (From Sir Banister Fletcher. A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method. 1896. Reprint of 16th edition. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1956, p. 665). 23. The Doge's Palace, Venice (From Sir Banister Fletcher. A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method. 1896. Reprint of 16th edition. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1956, p. 555). 24. Orchestra Hall, Detroit, interior (From Marquee: The Journal of the Theatre Historical Society, Vol. 21: No. 4, 1989, p. 5). 25. Orchestra Hall, Detroit (From Marquee: The Journal of the Theatre Historical Society, Vol. 21: No. 4, 1989, p. 3). 26. Orchestra Hall, Detroit, ornamental iron details (From the HABS/HAER Collections, Library of Congress, Washington DC). iv 27. The Music Box Theatre, New York City (From Reproductions of Work Designed and Executed thru the Offices of C. Howard Crane, Architect, Elmer George Kiehler, Ben A. Dore, Associates. Cleveland, Ohio: Denny A. Clark Press, 1929). 28. The Music Box Theatre, New York City (photo taken by writer). 29. The Music Box Theatre, New York City (photo taken by writer). 30. The Music Box Theatre, New York City, interior (From The American Architect - The Architectural Review, February 1, 1922, no page number given). 31. The Music Box Theatre, New York City, section of floor plan (Courtesy of Louis Wiltse, Architect, Clarkston, MI). 32. The Selwyn/Harris Theatres, Chicago (From Reproductions of Work Designed and Executed thru the Offices of C. Howard Crane, Architect, Elmer George Kiehler, Ben A. Dore, Associates. Cleveland, Ohio: Denny A. Clark Press, 1929). 33. The Selwyn Theatre, Chicago, interior (From Marquee: The Journal of the Theatre Historical Society, Vol. 18: No. 2, 1986, p. 6). 34. The Harris Theatre, Chicago, interior (From Marquee: The Journal of the Theatre Historical Society, Vol. 18: No. 2, 1986, p. 7). 35. Grand Circus Park, Detroit, map (Courtesy of the Theatre Historical Society, Elmhurst, IL). 36. The Allen Theatre, Cleveland, floor plan (From Architectural Record, November 1921, p. 361). 37. The Allen Theatre, Cleveland, interior (From Architectural Record, November 1921, p. 358). 38. The Capitol Theatre, Detroit (photo taken by writer). 39. The Capitol Theatre, Detroit, interior (From Pencil Points, October 1922, p. 33). 40. The Capitol Theatre, Detroit, interior (From Pencil Points, November 1922, p. 28). 41. The Capitol Theatre, Detroit, interior (photo taken by writer). 42. The Capitol Theatre, Detroit, interior (From The Architectural Forum, June 1925, p. 382). 43. The Capitol Theatre, Detroit, interior (From The Architectural Forum, June 1925, p. 383). 44. The State Theatre, Detroit, interior (From Reproductions of Work Designed and Executed thru the Offices of C. Howard Crane, Architect, Elmer George Kiehler, Ben A. Dore, Associates. Cleveland, Ohio: Denny A. Clark Press, 1929). 45. The State Theatre, the Allen Theatre, the Capitol Theatre, sectional diagram (From The Architectural Forum, June 1925, p. 384). 46. The Palms Building and State Theatre, Detroit (From Reproductions of Work Designed and Executed thru the Offices of C. Howard Crane, Architect, Elmer George Kiehler, Ben A. Dore, Associates. Cleveland, Ohio: Denny A. Clark Press, 1929). 47. The American Insurance Union Citadel, Columbus, Ohio (From Reproductions of Work Designed and Executed thru the Offices of C. Howard Crane, Architect, Elmer George Kiehler, Ben A. Dore, Associates. Cleveland, Ohio: Denny A. Clark Press, 1929). 48. The United Artists Theatre, Los Angeles, interior mural (photo taken by writer). 49. The United Artists Theatre, Los Angeles, interior (From David Naylor. American Picture Palaces: The Architecture of Fantasy. New York: Prentice Hall Press, 1981, p. 115). 50. The United Artists Theatre, Los Angeles, interior (From Marquee: The Journal of the Theatre Historical Society, Vol. 14: No. 2, 1982, p. 9). 51. The United Artists Theatre, Los Angeles, interior (photo taken by writer). 52. The United Artists Theatre, Los Angeles, interior (photo taken by writer). VI 53. The United Artists Theatre, Los Angeles, interior (From Reproductions of Work Designed and Executed thru the Offices of C. Howard Crane, Architect, Elmer George Kiehler, Ben A. Dore, Associates.