1968 News Article: Detoit's Wayne Circuit Planning Expansion - Four-way expansion plans by the Wayne Amusement Circuit, operated by the family of the late Walter Shafer, have been disclosed, making the second program for new theatre construction to be announced by a local circuit in the past few days. Plans are: 1. A major twin drive-in to be built in suburban Wayne. (Wasn't built apparently- ed.) 2. A 206-room 5-story hotel with 24-store mall to be built adjacent to their present Quo Vadis Theatre complex. 3. Incorporation of technical developments for daylight operation, to be especially adaptable for childrens' matinees. 4. Fully automated theatres, when this concept is more developed. The Shafer brothers, Martin and Charles, disclosed their plans in an interview with John Finlayson, entertainment editor of the Detroit News, which resulted in a front page illustrated feature article in the Sunday Amusement section. Titled "Togetherness Pays Off," the article had a double significance-in the togetherness of the family, including Martin's wife, Dorothy, who is active in the design aspects of the operations; and in the togetherness of the Quo Vadis, where they have a large standard theatre, two smaller upstairs theatres, and a drive-in all on one site. (Boxoffice Magazine 9/16/68)

Status: Algiers -- Warren Ave and Wayne, Westland -- Built in late 50's, destroyed in 1985. Last movie there was Purple Rain. Had 2 screens in the end, but still had in-car heaters and speakers. Beautiful marquee, with palm trees, and neon. They got 1 million an acre for it, built a toys R us, and other stores. It never really got run down, and looked beautiful in the end....It really was a neat place, we went there all the time. (Evil Sams Drive-In Theatre Guide/Lynette A Starr 1996)

Update: Gone, site is now a shopping center, Toys R Us, & McDonalds, the screens are now in use at The Ford-Wyoming Drive-In. (Whit Whitworth 12/98)

Update: This unusual 60s-era movie palace, designed by the firm of Yamasaki and Associates, was built for the Wayne Amusement Company in 1966. Its steel-and-glass boxy shape was typical Modernist architecture, but inside, as its name might imply, it carried a Roman Empire theme. The original 1200-seat auditorium opened with the Doris Day comedy "The Glass Bottom Boat". In early 1968, two tiny auditoriums opened on the second floor, which had been originally designed as a sprawling restaurant. These were called the Playhouse 1 & 2. A small restaurant and bar, called the Over 21, was also opened upstairs. An unusual feature was that while customers ate, they could we ar headphones and view the movie on the screen of the nearby Algiers Drive-In through a large plate-glass window. The Quo Vadis owners announced in 1969 plans for a third story, which would house a "rooftop-garden" theater seating over 1000 and featuring a beer garden. However, this was never actually built. In 1970, the original main auditorium was twinned, seating about 540 each. Later in the 70s, one of these 540-seat auditoriums was itself twinned. The Over 21 restaurant was closed in the early 80s and converted into yet another auditorium. In 1986, the Quo Vadis Entertainment Center, as it was by then renamed, was purchased by National Amusements, who continued to operate it as a multiplex. It closed in January of 2002, with "Harry Potter", "Ali" and "Vanilla Sky" the last movies on its marquee. (Waterwinterwonderland.com/Bryan Krefft - 1/6/2003)

Update: Nancy Bagnasco remembers the ushers handling the crowds waiting to get into the Quo Vadis movie theater. "In the winter, the ushers used to wear capes," the Westland resident recalled. Eleanor Geisler of Canton Township remembers the restaurant on the second level. "You could go in and have a very nice dinner or lunch before your movie," she said. For Sue Shannon of Livonia, variety was an attraction. "It was one of the first theaters that offered you three or four movies to choose from," Shannon said. But that was before megaplexes with stadium seating and stereo sound. National Amusements of Massachusetts, which bought the Quo Vadis in 1986, closed the theater Jan. 21. Not even the magic of Harry Potter could save it. "Declining economics," was the reason cited by Jennifer Maguire Hanson, director of corporate communications for National Amusements. But when the theater debuted in June 1966, the times were different. With a Roman motif, glass walls, electric drapes and a restaurant/cocktail lounge called the Over 21 Club, the Quo Vadis offered moviegoers an evening of entertainment on two floors. At one point, the theater featured 17 ushers, nine candy counter girls, five cashiers, three projectionists, three ticket takers, three policemen and two doormen. "In its day, it was a palace," said Michael Mihalich, president of MJR Theatres. He booked movies into the Quo Vadis until it was sold to National Amusements. The theater featured a large glass window that afforded patrons a view of the Algiers drive-in on the site. "You could sit at the bar, put the headphones on and watch the show at the drive-in," Mihalich said. Back to the future, National Amusements is marketing the Quo Vadis property. "I anticipate it would be torn down and redeveloped," said Scott Veldhuis, director of economc development for Westland. "Its proximity to Wayne Road across from the (Westland) mall is a huge plus. Its a very desirable location." The Quo Vadis is likely not the last casualty. Older theaters across the country continue to go dim. "Its whats going on," Mihalich said. "If you dont have stadium seating, digital sound and lots of screens for multiple showtimes, you wont stay open." (Waterwinterwonderland.com/Detroit News - 6/3/2003)

Update: The adjacent Quo Vadis indoor theatre was purchased by National Amusements in 1986, it is now closed. (Michigandriveins.com 8/8/03)

Update: The Algiers DI was NOT the first drive in built by Wayne Amusement. That honor goes to the Wayne DI which opened in 1949. At that time the Wayne Amusement Co. consisted of the Wayne Theater, State Wayne, Shafer Garden City (later the La Parisien)and the new Wayne DI. Also, it is possible that the second screen from the Algiers may be at the Ford Wyoming, it is not possible for the original screen to be in use. The original screen had its supports cut and was pulled down by a bulldozer. One of the local newspapers ran photos of the screen coming down.(Fredrick R. 9/4/03)

Update: The Ecorse DI screen was destroyed by either a tornado, or straight line winds back in the summer of 1980. Some of you might recall the storm that rolled through the Detroit area early one morning while the Republicans were in Detroit to nominate Ronald Reagan. Not only was the screen destroyed, but the roof was torn off the office and left in a muffler shop parking lot farther down on Ecorse. The Ecorse wasn't the only DI that suffered damage from that storm, the Dearborn DI screen split in the middle near the top and the west side of the screen over-lapped the east side by about 18". And the high fence along the exit, near the screen at the Algiers DI was bent over at a 10 degree angle. (Fredrick R. 9/15/03)

Update:"....Another costly F2 tornado occurred in the Allen Park and Ecorse areas on July 16, 1980. A number of buildings, as well as a train, were either damaged or destroyed by this tornado before it moved into Ontario. Total damage was estimated at over $5 million." (National Weather Service 9/15/03)

Update: The Algier's was in WESTLAND, not WAYNE. When it was originaly built it was in Nankin Township, but had a Wayne mailing address. When what was left of Nankin Township became the City of Westland in 1967, and they got their own Post Office, they received a new mailing adddress. Also, the owners last name was SHAFER (it's always mis-spelled. The original owner was Walter Shafer, father of the two final owners, Charles L. Shafer and his brother, the late Martin D. Shafer. Charles turned 83 this year, and still runs the Ford-Wyoming Drive-In in Dearborn, as well as the assisting the City of Wayne in running the State Theater in Wayne, which he formerly owned. The City of Wayne purchased the State Theater from the Massachusetts firm that bought it, as well as many of the other Shafer properties. ("Whit" 2/08/04)

Update: The Algiers DI gained some double ramps in the rear of the theater in 1966 when the Quo Vadis was built. (Fredrick R. 8/15/04)

Update: Glad you liked the pictures. Unfortunately I don't know who took the photo of the marquee and screen. But, I do know who took the others; it was my father, William Ryan. At the time the pics were taken he was the field manager (kind of like the assistant manager) of the drive in. After Mr. Shafer died in November of '61 he became the manager and held that position until 1983. Now as far as the size of the screen, I seem to remember that the screen was 80' high and 120'wide. If you look closely at the picture of the screen you can see the field lights at the top. The only way to change the the bulbs was to climb up the inside of one of the towers! My Dad did once, and when he go to the top it started to rain! (Fredrick Ryan 10/08/04)

Update: The Algiers Drive In was not the first drive in built by the Wayne Amusement Company. That honor goes to the Wayne Drive In, which opened in 1949. Also, the screen wasn't 216'; it was 120' wide and from the ground to the top of the screen tower it was 80' high with the actual screen height of 60'. Lastly, the Quo Vadis was developed mostly on the land that the exit driveway for the drive occupied. A few spaces were lost on the western ends of the ramps for the theater also, but the drive in added 7 ramps in the back of the field to make up for the loss. Fredrick Ryan/Cinematreasures.org 4/1/05)

Update: This theater was a single screen theater until 1982 when a second screen was added. There were plans to add a third screen that were never followed up on. The drive in was successful until the it closed in 1985. However as was the case with most drive ins the Algiers was originally built out in the country and the suburbs gradually expanded around it. As the area built up, property taxes also increased until the taxes on the 20+ acres that the drive in occupied were more than the net income the theater generated. Fredrick Ryan/Cinematreasures.org 4/1/05)

Update: The former site of the Algiers Drive-In is currently occupied by a a Toys R Us store and a mall. A McDonalds sits on the southwest corner of the lot, where the main screen and the marquee used to be. The adjacent Quo Vadis indoor theatre, owned by National Amusements, has been gutted and is for sale, it appears to be slowly deteriorating. Both marquees remain in very good condition. (Michigandriveins.com 11/30/05)

Update: LARGEST DRIVE-IN THEATRE SCREEN EVER - The Algiers Drive-In, Detroit, Michigan, USA, had a screen that measured 216 ft (65.8 m) wide and covered 4,800 ft (445.9 m). It first opened on August 15 1956 to show the western The Searchers (USA, 1956). The drive-in originally had a capacity of 1,200, which increased to 1,500 in 1977, but in 1985 the site was sold and is now a shopping center. (2005 Guinness Book Of World Records 1-12-06)

Update: My father, William Ryan who was the manager of the Algiers Drive In from 1961 until it closed in 1985 passed away on June 10th at the age of 75.(Fredrick Ryan 6-13-06)

Update: The Algiers owned a fire engine and would fire that puppy up and give kids rides while they were waiting for the movie to begin. (Louis Sequin 9/13/06)

Update: First of all Fred, I would like to tell you how sorry I am to hear about your father. Bill was a wonderful man, and was my mentor so to speak. I remember your dad back when I was a Usher at the La Parisien. He used to come over and give Mr. Sweeney his lunch on Sundays. The Algiers was probably, no it was the most beautiful Drive-in. This was because your dad spent day and night maintaining it. Back in 1979, the Shafers aquired the Ecorse Drive in and I was hired to run it. The Algiers used to stay open all year long and when the Ecorse closed for the winter, I became the vacation relief. Fred, I gave your dad 2 to 3 weeks off at Christmas time of that year. Your Dad told me, that the employees wanted to have a new years eve party, and I told them no!!! New Years Eve of 1979, Michigan had a heat wave. The weather was beautiful. The Algiers was playing Bo Derek in "10" also "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure." A truck driver pulled up and wanted to know if he could come into the Drive-In, and I said sure, just park near the back. He came back with about 8 more drivers and they had there little new year party in the back. One thing that always stood out at a shafer owned theater, was a Matron. This is a woman that works in the Ladies restrooms, assisting with our customers needs. Well the rest of us did not have a New Years Party, but our Matron sure did. I remember the projectionist and myself taking away her car keys, and her trying to pull the film off the projector. Back then, they did not have platters and ran on 1 hour reels. Fred, to this day I don't think your dad ever found out...I never did tell him, but he was a man with class, and William Ryan was the Algiers Drive-In. (Michael Ward 1/14/07)