By Ron OrtizWhen Jerry Farber agreed to let the Detroit Area Art Deco Society members tour his facility, some of us didn't know what to expect. Most of us had never been there let alone ever heard of the Cadieux Stage and didn't even know where it was. DAADS arranges many fun activities for its members and this one was no exception. A dedicated group of us got an opportunity to travel back in time to when the Cadieux Stage was a sought after venue for filming commercials and photographing new car models for the Big Three.
Cadieux Stage owner, Jerry Farber and DAADS president Rebecca Vinno Savage pose beside his 1928 Oldsmobile sedan on display in the building.The Stage is an Art Moderne style building located at 4925 Cadieux in Detroit. Farber has owned the building for the last 14 years but indicated that it is up for sale. The large imposing structure commands the south side of the 4000 block of Cadieux and is largely without any exterior identification. A large parking lot is located in back of the building.
Built in 1937, the 21,000 square foot building houses the oldest sound stage in the Detroit area. It contains two main stages with many support areas such as VIP lounges, crew lounges, conference rooms and an automobile prep area. The stages were used primarily as film studios and today they still shoot an occasional commercial on the sets.
During its 1940s and 50s heydays, about 60 persons were employed by Cadieux Stage. Jerry said that the company shot more film in Detroit than was shot in Hollywood. Most of the filming was industrial and commercial film and photographs of automobiles for advertising agencies. In the late 1960s, the advertising agencies fled the city and relocated in the suburbs bringing about a severe decline in business for the Stage.
Since Jerry has owned the building, the Cadieux Stage has been used primarily as a rehearsal hall and as a backdrop for commercial photo shoots. Music videos have supplied some recent activity with recording artists such as Bob Segar, Aretha Franklin, Kid Rock and Eminem.
Our evening began with a tour of the building conducted by host Jerry Farber. The facility houses a treasure trove of artifacts, many that were remnants of The Cadieux Stage's glory days. The group oohed and aahed our way through the building as Jerry described with loving detail the architecture of this wonderful structure.
An Art Deco inspired, original etched door that once graced a Cadieux Stage doorway.After bidding thanks to Jerry for his generous hospitality, the group reconvened at the Cadieux Cafe located just down the street for a pleasant and tasteful repast.
