D Tour 313 (2025)

Illustrating through images and stories to ultimately provide an extra sense of pride to all who call Detroit their home.

19/04/2025

Hollywood in Detroit. It was during this month, April 1986, "The Rosary Murders," began filming in Detroit. The screenplay would be written by hometown icon, Elmore Leonard and the movie produced by Redford Township native, Robert Laurel. The plot follows a series of gruesome murders among the clergy at Most Holy Redeemer Church (built 1921) in Southwest Detroit. As the protagonist, the late legendary actor, Donald Sutherland plays a priest who with the help of a Detroit Free Press journalist, played by Belinda Bauer, gathers clues to ultimately solve who committed the murders. Trivia fact, a young extra named John Anthony Gillis, aka today as Detroit rocker, Jack White played an alter boy who can be spotted in the final mass scene of the movie.

Shot entirely in Detroit over 10 weeks, notable locations outside the church grounds and neighborhood included nearby Duly's Place and Pegasus Taverna - Greektown. Although having a reserved premium hotel room downtown, Donald Sutherland more often opted to stay in the convent next to the church. He felt it was more practical. Often times shoots would run late and it made more sense to him stay on site. He, among others in the cast were glad to offer insightful talks to the school's drama club with the nuns later returning the favor in making batches of homemade cookies for the cast. On one occasion Sutherland mentioned he made pancakes for the sisters as well. Sutherland would become a big fan of Detroit's nightlife, frequenting local historic establishments like The London Chop House downtown or listening to jazz at Baker's Keyboard Lounge.

When asked, having done films all over the world, how Detroit stacked up as a movie making venue, Donald Sutherland replied - "Yes. What's nicest about it is the people, particularly in this area, are so enthusiastic and are so supportive of the idea of the film, we feel we've become apart of the community."

Resource credits: The Samuel Goldwyn Company, Helmut Ziewers (www.ziewersphotography.com) of HistoricDetroit.org, Detroit Free Press & Most Holy Redeemer Church

03/04/2025

Belle Isle Coach Station & Underpass. Summer, 1942. The station was built by the City of Detroit in 1921 for streetcar service near the Belle Isle Bridge and was demolished in 1980. The Underpass (running under Jefferson Ave. where E. Grand Blvd. begins) was constructed in 1923 & removed in 1985.

Photo credit: LIFE magazine

09/04/2024

Stu Evans, Lincoln Mercury dealer on Grand River, Detroit - 1956.

Stewart Evans (better known as "Stu"), car dealer and former Detroit Red Wings player, was born in 1908 in Ottawa, Ontario. He would grow up aspiring to be a pro hockey player, playing for years in amateur leagues in Canada. In 1929 his life would be forever changed, moving to the Motor City and signing on as a defenseman with the Detroit Olympics (amateur as well) then signing later in 1930 with the Detroit Falcons (formerly the Cougars), later renamed the Red Wings in 1932. He would be traded halfway through the 1933-34 season to the Montreal Maroons, going on to win a Stanley Cup with them in 1935. He would serve as the Maroons final captain for the 1937–38 season, joining the Montreal Canadiens the following year (1938-39) as his final season in pro hockey.

After retiring, Evans would move back to Detroit and return to the company he worked for part-time while playing for the Wings, the Ford Motor Co., but now as a labour relations manager. Although he went on to pursue his auto sales ambitions, he would never cut ties with the Red Wings, proudly serving as general chairman of the annual "Face Off" fundraising dinner benefiting Detroit youth hockey and founding the Red Wings Alumni Association in 1960, serving as their first president.

In 1945 Evans built his first Lincoln-Mercury dealership, acquiring his second in 1955, and his third in 1957. At the height of his career his auto dealerships were among the nation's top 100 in sales and customer satisfaction. In 1993 Evans would sell his remaining dealerships to his eldest grandson John, but continued on as chairman of the board until his death in 1996. Stu lived a life of cars and hockey. That has Detroit written all over it.

Resources: Detroit Free Press
Photo credits: vintagearte.com, Detroit Free Press and National Hockey League

02/04/2024

Belle Isle bound, 1928. A rare view of a leisure boat cruise heading north up the Detroit River, first passing a Boblo Boat (the Ste. Clair is our guess), then an unfinished Ambassador Bridge (later opening in 1929), the downtown skyline while a freighter passes by, the Belle Isle bridge (1923), the Detroit Boat Club (1902), with the final destination being a festive boat racing event at the Detroit Yacht Club (1923).

Video editing: D Tour 313

18/12/2023

Happy early 85th Birthday to Detroit’s own Frank Isaac Robinson! Better known as Frankie “Sugar Chile” Robinson (December 28, 1938), he was born and raised in the city’s North End neighborhood, just north of the Russel Industrial Center. Thanks to a boogie woogie piano audition held at the Michigan Theatre in Oct. 1945, the six year old would become an instant sensation. Having never taken piano lessons, he would begin teaching himself at the age of two, showing exceptional gifts of singing the blues while playing the piano. To make the most of his small hands, he would use his fists and elbows as signature moves.

The years that followed, you could often find “Sugar Chile” playing the ivories at many of the city’s top entertainment venues - Masonic Temple Auditorium, Music Hall, Orchestra Hall (then Paradise Theater), the DIA’s Detroit Film Theater, State Fairgrounds Coliseum, Olympia Stadium, Briggs Stadium and the Book Cadillac Hotel. And share the stage with the legendary performers like - Danny Kaye, Paul Robeson, Mickey Rooney, Harpo Marx and Detroit’s own, World Heavyweight Champ, Joe Louis.

He would play with big band orchestras like Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey & Lionel Hampton. Accompany the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall and play for President Harry S. Truman at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. He’d even perform in a MGM movie called “No Leave, No Love” with actor Van Johnson.

By 1956, Robinson would only make occasional appearances as a jazz musician, billed as just Frank Robinson. By then boogie woogie piano had fallen from popularity with Rock and Roll music on the rise. He would step away from his musical career that year. Continuing his academic studies, he would earn a degree in history from Olivet College and a degree in psychology from the Detroit Institute of Technology. In the 1960s, he worked for WGPR-TV, helped set up small record labels in Detroit and opened a recording studio.

On April 30, 2016, Robinson attended the White House Correspondents' Dinner on the 70th anniversary of his appearance at the 1946 dinner. Robinson met President Barack Obama and was saluted during the dinner, receiving a roaring standing ovation as the picture of him as a child appeared on the video screens. That same year, Robinson would be inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Resources: Detroit Free Press & Jazz Improvisers

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