Famous people's places / Detroit – Downtown
Garrick Theatre
Closed – archive entry · 1928
Downtown theater where Budapest-born Harry Houdini gave his last performance on October 24, 1926; closed in 1928 and razed in 1929.
01 / The story of this place
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Theater manager C. J. Whitney opened Whitney's New Grand Opera House on Griswold Street on October 31, 1887, a 1,409-seat house by Chicago theater architect J. M. Wood. Reopened by E. D. Stair as the Garrick on September 6, 1909, it became one of downtown Detroit's leading playhouses. From 1910 to 1924 Jessie Bonstelle's stock company played here, staging recent Broadway hits and training young actors such as Katharine Cornell, who took weekly leading roles around 1918–1920. The Garrick's most famous night was October 24, 1926, when the Budapest-born Harry Houdini went on despite a fever of 104 degrees and acute appendicitis. It was his last performance; he died a week later at Grace Hospital. Outshone by the new movie palaces, the Garrick closed on August 11, 1928, and was torn down in early 1929. In its place Smith, Hinchman & Grylls designed a three-story building for the Cunningham drugstore chain; Historic Detroit describes that later building as abandoned.
- Opened October 31, 1887, as Whitney's New Grand Opera House, with 1,409 seats
- Renamed the Garrick on September 6, 1909
- Home of Jessie Bonstelle's stock company, 1910–1924
- Harry Houdini's final performance took place here on October 24, 1926
- Closed August 11, 1928; demolished in early 1929
Famous Detroiters
Famous people tied to this place 3
Lexicon entries for the people who lived, worked, performed or liked to spend time here.
- Harry Houdini 1874–1926 · illusionist, escape artist, stage and film performer
Performed here
Scene of Houdini's last performance on Oct. 24, 1926. The theater closed in 1928 and was razed in 1929; a later commercial building stands on the site.
- Katharine Cornell 1893–1974 · stage actress, producer
Performed here
Home of Bonstelle's summer company, where Cornell played weekly leading roles; demolished in 1928–1929.
- Jessie Bonstelle 1871–1932 · theater director, actress, company manager
Worked here
Opened in 1875 as Whitney's Grand Opera House and renamed the Garrick in 1909; Bonstelle's company played here every season. Demolished in 1928–1929. Houdini gave his last performance here in 1926.
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-09-25
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
03 / Events
Events at this place
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