Art houses & film societies / Gratiot Avenue / East Side
Guild Theatre
Closed – archive entry · 1926
A tiny 346-seat house on Gratiot Avenue that opened as the Franklin in 1926 and became the Guild, the east side's foreign-film house, in 1962. Closed since the early 2000s, its marquee is slowly losing its letters.
Quick facts
- Opened
- 1926
- Seats
- 346
02 / The story of this place
Make time for these
This tiny 346-seat house opened as the Franklin Theatre on Gratiot Avenue in 1926. On March 8, 1962, it was reborn as the Guild, an east-side foreign-film house, opening with Claudia Cardinale in Girl with a Suitcase. It later became the Guild Art and switched to adult films, dropping Art from the name in 1992. It has been closed since the early 2000s, its marquee slowly losing its letters.
- Opened as the Franklin Theatre in 1926
- The east side's foreign-film house from 1962
- A marquee slowly losing its letters
Plan your visit
The Guild has been closed since the early 2000s, its fading marquee still on Gratiot Avenue. For foreign and independent films, try the art houses in our guide that are still open.

