Chicago Theatre

175 N. State Street,
Chicago, IL 60601

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Showing 51 - 75 of 304 comments

Broan
Broan on November 4, 2012 at 10:44 am

Here is a great picture showing the wonderful detail of the second marquee.

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on October 29, 2012 at 2:29 pm

This photo was not taken across the street on the State-Lake marquee. The State-Lake was directly across the street from the Chicago. This photo may have been taken from the L station platform.

Scott
Scott on October 29, 2012 at 2:24 pm

Interesting photo. Obviously taken from the marquee of the State-Lake Theatre across the street.

RickB
RickB on September 3, 2012 at 2:39 pm

So who are Chad and Francois? They have their names on the Chicago’s marquee at the 16-second mark of this AT&T spot.

Broan
Broan on June 26, 2012 at 7:27 pm

nope. closest is the patio.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on June 26, 2012 at 4:25 pm

Hello From NYC-

if i am not mistaken the big building period for grand old movie theaters or palaces to use the popular term was 1913-1941? this is where my question comes in.

none of the theaters built in Manhattan to be exclusive first run engagement theaters survive as such. for instance Radio City Music Hall is now a multi-purpose venue and hasn’t been a 1st run theater since 1979. so i was wondering if any of the grand old movie theaters/palaces built in Chicago in the period mentioned above have continued to operate in more or less their original condition as exclusive 1st rum theaters since the day they opened? Washington,D.C has the Uptown and L.A. has Grauman’s Chinese
among a few but Manhattan comes up zippo as does San Francisco.

Simon Overton
Simon Overton on June 20, 2012 at 12:52 am

Not that I like Conan O'Brien’s TV show, but I suffered through last week’s from the magnificent Chicago Theatre… I druled at the opulence of the cavernous auditorium and the camera angles of that panoramic sized stage. Shame for no opening curtain. Next year hopefully?… it’s what showbiz is all about!

Brad Smith
Brad Smith on May 5, 2012 at 7:39 pm

Click here for an exterior view of the Chicago Theatre in 1930.

Broan
Broan on April 19, 2012 at 9:38 am

Most, but not all, of this section of stud lighting works. The part around the marquee does not. The upper part does not. It’s rarely turned on.

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on April 19, 2012 at 9:18 am

CSWalczak, that must be an old photo. Thankfully the stud lighting has been restored. I’ve seen it on with a number of bulbs burned out (it must be a pain to replace them) so I’m not sure how often they turn it on.

To see a photo of them on, go above and Click on VIEW ALL 308 COMMENTS, go to the bottom and Click on “Box” 7, go to lostmemory March 1, 2007 that has the photo.

Bob Jensen
Manteno, Illinois

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on April 18, 2012 at 4:22 pm

I am sure that that is what they are. I wish they would restore that stud lighting that used to enhance those arches. You can see that many of the bulbs and sockets are broken.

BobbyS
BobbyS on March 12, 2012 at 10:23 pm

Thanks Tinseltoes for “The Dolly Sisters” premiere photo. That was some premiere on State st. Enjoyed the street car tracks too.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on February 17, 2012 at 8:10 am

I happened to be downtown Tuesday. It isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I still think it’s cheap to brand a traditional symbol of the city. But that is the way things have been going in the U.S. over the last ten years, and if it gets some cash flow for the theater you can’t complain too much.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on February 9, 2012 at 1:57 pm

Years ago when it was showing movies ti had Plitt in the same spot.

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on February 9, 2012 at 1:51 pm

This doesn’t bother me that much. Whatever it takes to keep the theatre open. And besides…at least they didn’t change the name of the theatre to the “Chase Theatre”. I think the real travesty was having the Shubert Theater’s name being changed altogether to the Bank of America Theater. Now THAT’S bad!!!

JRS40
JRS40 on February 9, 2012 at 1:08 pm

If you look at the picture at the top of the page, the Chase name is in the wavy horizontal part just above the first C. I noticed it walking by the theater just the other day.

Broan
Broan on February 9, 2012 at 12:19 pm

It’s still The Chicago Theatre. The masthead on the website reads “The Chicago Theatre presented by Chase” but I don’t see anywhere else using that verbiage. I figured out the date by going through Flickr.

Broan
Broan on February 9, 2012 at 10:57 am

The sign was always meant to have a name of some sort up there, though.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on February 9, 2012 at 9:36 am

That is so bad. It doesn’t bother me on the Oriental or Palace. But this is a symbol of the city.

Broan
Broan on February 9, 2012 at 1:05 am

http://timeoutchicago.com/things-to-do/this-week-in-chicago/15023003/chase-logo-on-chicago-theatre-what%E2%80%99s-up-with-that It was installed about October 3-4, 2011.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on January 16, 2012 at 4:07 pm

That ABC installation was pretty elaborate. Cool post Brian.

Broan
Broan on October 27, 2011 at 1:39 pm

http://chicagoist.com/2011/10/26/our_memories_of_the_chicago_theatre.php Here’s a rare photo from when the vertical sign read ABC Great States

Broan
Broan on September 5, 2011 at 2:49 pm

You’re right. I’ll delete it.

Ramova7719
Ramova7719 on September 5, 2011 at 1:02 pm

broan the nice early view of the audiotrium is of the uptown theatre!

Broan
Broan on July 27, 2011 at 8:46 pm

Here is a 1952 view