Charles Howard Crane: Interview

Interview

Charles Howard Crane’s Interview.

Tell us a little bit about you and your family.

Hello, if you didn’t already know, my name is Charles Howard Crane. I am a theatre architect from Detroit, Michigan. Though most of my work is in Michigan and throughout the Midwest, I was originally born in Hartford, Connecticut. I grew up there but moved my studies to Detroit in the early 1900s. First, I would like to tell you about my early life.

My mother and father and I were a regular old family. I would always love to go downtown on a clear night and look at the growing city. We loved to go see the plays. It was a great way to get to know my father. We always had a great time.

What events in your early life made you become interested in your art?

I started loving the performances and theatres at an early age. I love the feeling of getting dressed up and going to see a show. It made me feel older, like I was a grown-up. Every time I went, my parents kept congratulating me on my manners. There were a few performances, however, that were quite boring and I fell asleep. My father was never too happy about that.

I loved to build. I would make forts and they would be better that any of the forts that the other kids made. I could see the forts, in my head, before I even started on them. My ideas always impressed people. I used these skills later in my life when I designed theatres like the Orchestra Hall in Detriot.

What role did mentors play in helping you develop the interests and talents you have as an architect?

My parents always inspired me to keep trying in everything that I did. That is including school work. My peers always supported me. I think that they might have been the reason why I decided to specialize in the design of movie palaces. They always told me to never quit on a goal, just keep trying.

Without my early life experiences and the gift to see things before they happen, my life would be a whole lot different than it is now. I might have become another slum on the streets of Detroit. My parents inspired me to become a better person and to make something of myself. I have kept that in my mind every minute of my life.

What was the world of architecture like in your particular art field when you entered it?

When I first started my work, the architecture of major cities was being completely changed. Architects were all of a sudden building, up. That is the best way I can describe it. Buildings started having ten or more floors. It was unbelievable.

These buildings were huge, but they were built for one purpose, to house business. I wanted to make theatres that were meant to be observed. They had to be extremely stylized. I wanted people, when they look inside, to gasp. I wanted them to admire the craftsmanship of the woodwork, the stone carving and the painting.

How did the major cultural, economic and political situations of the time impact your work?

I felt that because of World War 1 and the economic power of the United States during the 20s, U.S. citizens deserved to see some richness and glamour. I used a lot of gold paint in the theatres. The American people, I felt, deserved the best when they went to the theatre. I wanted them to feel superior to their peers when they visited the theatre.

I wanted the audience to not just come to the theatre for the performance but to admire the theatre itself. This was a very happy time in American history. America came out on top of the world’s economy and became a superpower. I tried to show this in my work.

What were your major accomplishments and the methods you used in your art?

Some of my major accomplishments were the Orchestral Hall, Capital Theater, the United Artist Theater, The Fox Theatre and The State Theatre, all in Detroit. Another is The Fox Theatre in St. Louis and The Liberty/Paramount Theatre in Youngstown, Ohio. I created the Guild theatre in New York. I even designed some buildings on the western coast such as the United Artist Theatre in Los Angeles.

I used my stylized architectural in all of these buildings. I brought these methods over with me when I moved to England in 1930. I designed the Earls Court Exhibition Center in London. I also designed the Vickers-Armstrongs LDT Headquarters in Brooklands, Weybridge and Surrey, England. So I expanded my architecture out of the Midwest quite a bit later in my career.

What were the key opportunities you had that led to turning points in your life and art?

A key opportunity in my life that led me to be successful in my art was me moving to Detroit. Before then, I lived in a city, but it was smaller and more relaxed. Living there gave me time to think. It let my imagination grow and gave me the opportunity to become a great person. I was then able to design and think through projects.

I brought this knowledge to Detroit and began impressing people. Soon, I found my career in architecture and started getting asked to design theatres. I then specialized in the design of movie palaces. I started to become well known in the architectural community and became almost a super star. My masterpiece is the Detroit Fox Theatre.

What hardships or roadblocks did you have to overcome in order to be an artist?

In 1929 the Great Depression started. Because of this, my architectural career almost completely stopped. No one wanted to spend their money to go to a play. I had no work and I was ready to leave the country. So I packed my bags and set for England.

In 1930, I moved to London to save my occupation. I still designed plenty of different theatres, but they were not quite as stylized as the ones I created in America. These building were much more plain. I would not go as far as saying they were boring, but they were definitely not as fun. I missed America dearly.

Who are people that you admire both in the arts and beyond and why do they inspire you?

My parents inspired me from day one. They have always pushed me to do better and to follow my dreams. They taught me that I could do anything in the world if I set my mind to it. I could talk to them about my ideas. They would always listen and support me.

My friends inspired me to become an architect. They knew that I had a gift and they told me repeatedly that I needed to make it my career. So, I am in London doing what I love. I have my friend and family to thank for that. I would say I have had a pretty good life.

What personal stories best illustrate how you became successful in the architecture?

I have designed about 250 different buildings. Each of them are unique in their own way. Each of the designs have their own story behind them. I am proud of all of them. I hope that I inspire different architects in the future.

The architects of the future will have more advanced technology to help the buildings become bigger and stronger. They might become so tall that they will reach the heavens. They might become so strong that Mother Nature will not be able to cause them any destruction. I hope that they all will still be stylized and will still be beautiful.