| Archives Baldwin Theater flyer 1930   The Baldwin Theater probably build in the late 1800's or early 1900's as a live stage theater was located on the west side of Washington Street south of Fourth. By the1930's it had been converted to a movie theater. This theater flyer dates to 1930 when the film All Quiet On The Western Front was released (see below). At some time in the late 30's or early 40's the theater’s name was changed to the Washington as seen on the marquees in these 1940's photos. In the early 1980's the theater was abandoned after a fire and left to deteriorate until 1985 when it was purchased from the Downtown Development Authority by the Stagecrafters theater group. After extensive renovations by Stagecrafters volunteers the Washington theater was renamed the Baldwin. It reopened September 20,1985 with the Stagecrafters production of The Music Man.   
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The Movie All Quiet on the Western Front released by Universal Pictures in 1930 was based on the anti-war novel written by Erich Maria Remarque, a German veteran of World War I. The book first published in German in January of 929 portrays the horrors of war and the detachment of German soldiers returning to civilian life from the front. In its first eighteen months the book sold 2.5 million copies in twenty-five languages. The film was directed by Lewis Milestone and in 1930 won two Academy Awards, it was the first non-musical talking film to win Best Oscar.  Theater poster 1930 The Historical Museum has very little information on the Baldwin / Washington theater. If you have any information about the theater's early history or historic photos that you would like to share please contact us at 248.439.1501 Back to Collections. |