elsewhere online I’ve seen a color photo of this old paulina theatre, well almost, because it came from the days after it’d been converted to a bowling alley (‘60s?). And I remember it, though at the time I didn’t know its original purpose. I’m rather surprised it’s not included here on cinema treasures anyway, because it seems to be all that survives
the Apollo, the Garrick, the Woods, the Oriental, the United Artists all there on Randolph (and if the photographer could turn at will around, also the Palace). What a comfritegration! (take that, spell check)
I particularly like this ‘50s photo not only because it shows the old Garrick theatre doubling as the WBBM-TV studio bldg then (in the days before mcClurg ct), but also at far right is the block torn down for the Civic/Daley center but a few years after that which I’d like to see more of myself to reminisce
great, we have here photos of all three named theatre incarnations—ROSE, then DALE, then ROUND-UP. The last seemed to give up and close about the same time as its very nearby milwaukee ave neighbor theatre the NITA. The early 50’s consumed a lot and 1953 seems to me to be the statistical closure peak year. Television was officially taking over and there was no longer a commercial need for so much movie screen city address saturation
at last, a photo of the Nita in its operational time. Bears little to no resemblance to the storefronts at that address that eventually took it over. No doubt gutted & rebuilt, I think this’s as small as old Chicago neighborhood theatres come
photos like this excellent one of the block that was demolished for the civic/daley center early ‘60s intrigue me greatly. It struck me as odd there weren’t any movie theatres on it but of obviously with the old RKO grand operating to 1958 that belief was wrong, plus another called the World there on Randolph it seems. Special attention that the RKO Grand premiered It’s A Wonderful Life for chicagoans
thank you very much nik1940 for that last post here, because for many years I could never recall that store name “Del Farm”, even though me and my Mom shopped there fairly often up until about 1968 (other 2 local supermarkets I do remember their names Sentry on north ave and courtesy foods on division). I just knew there was another story name for this between High-Low and Jimenez grocery
I’m pretty sure Friday Oct. 6 the Norridge #1-2 theatres reopened for business (with Blade Runner 2049). I had gotten an online AMC advertisement about it so Saturday when I was driving in that vicinity I turned in and the 2 auditoriums furthest west (away from Harlem) in the lot certainly looked ready for customers right now
that the Japanese Cinema wasn’t a ‘theatre place’ per se had already been established and needn’t be gone over again. Whichever way the CT listing goes (FWP school auditorium or Japanese Cinema) neither’d be 100% correct, but calling it the Japanese Cinema if not accurate from a building structure standpoint is certainly the most familiar and readily accessible (especially for the many who actually went there then) manner of listing here IMO
if it was advertised in (public) newspapers regularly perhaps so (I assume admission was charged). maybe it didn’t have a dedicated projection booth like the Japanese cinema @ FWP did
i went and saw Japanese movies (frequently a double-feature program) a lot back in the mid-1970’s. Considering this effort by Mr. Kaihatsu was so long-lived I say yes keep it in cinema treasures. He was quite a courteous and informative man if you talked with him. Two little drawbacks to screenings in the FWP school auditorium though – A) it was not air-conditioned; and B) the 35mm projectors were only 1000 ft reel equipped models up in the booth so film changeovers were abundant (carbon-arc projection lamps needless to say)
1959 – that’s the year for this great photo (not 1960 as previously stated). I say this after looking up the exact USA release dates for the movies playing. The Garrick theatre marques (barely discernible past the Woods) is illuminated (in 1960 the place closed). And I wonder exactly which Cinerama title is playing then (at the Palace/Bismarck). The hamburger restaurant there at the Randolph/ Dearborn corner says “Glorified Hamburger”, but I see no mention of the name ‘Wimpy’s’. The Wimpy’s Glorified Hamburger I’d frequented (one of them anyway) was at the Madison/Clark corner. I keep returning to this wonderful (to me) old color image—I particularly enjoy seeing what I know preceeded the Civic/Daley center.
I like this old photo because back in the late ‘60s and early '70s I could be found walking on that south Howard sidewalk, going east not to the howard theatre per se but to a store (long gone) in the 1500 w. block called Tropiquarium. I like to be reminded of these things by relevant photographs such as this. At that movie theatre though I’m pretty sure I saw Cinderella Liberty (w/ marsha mason) and Joe (w/ peter boyle)
GFeret
commented about
1949on
Dec 28, 2016 at 3:20 pm
I’m favoriting this old CROWN theatre photo because it’s easily the best one of the lot, plus it’s sort of how I can remember seeing it when I was little, in the ‘50s just before it was torn down. It had already closed of course when I saw it but I do remember the marquee w/ CROWN name looking just like this This’s the southwest corner of Division at Ashland. Look at all the movie posters around (including on the next-door roof), what showmanship
for a long time I certainly had my full of the old Oak theatre starting in the late ‘50s, certainly the '60s and into the '70s, and at least drove past throughout the '80s. But beginning mid-'90s I wasn’t ever in the neighborhood there so not only didn’t I see it’s demolition but was quite unaware of it then. Nowadays I return often but all I get for my trouble’s a drive-through bank (admittedly my wife likes the Mexican restaurant across western), because now Sam’s red-hots is gone too. Talk about a neighborhood character upheaval
boy do I love this 60s photo, as much for north ave as for the plaza theatre. this is looking east (towards the lake), and north ave looks absolutely nothing like this now. It got widened to be sure, gobbling up property frontages along the north side of the street, and the former plaza site now is North Park Tower, with the Pipers Alley theatres (now closed) just a couple doors east. No I never attended the Plaza theatre myself plus I’m a little miffed I have no childhood memory passing it by on the way to north ave beach then
yes! great old photo, probably taken about a year after the Harrison stop on the new State St subway opened. It’s easy to miss the PARIS Theatre to the left (at least I thought so), but look immediately right of the protruding ‘Tattooing Studio’ signage and you’ll see the movie posters on display there (with ‘PAR of Paris right above Billiards sign)
‘especially nowadays’ certainly does not apply here regarding enclosed (free) parking for the old Alamo theatre, simply because we see it stated in this vintage 1960 (after you say you’d moved away from the neighborhood) Chicago newspaper theatre section listing. Look under Alamo Theatre @ 3639 Chicago Ave there (after you’ve copied & pasted the link to access) and see for yourselves:
I remember the tearing down of the Alamo a few years later (I remained in west humboldt park through 1981 and wish now I could pinpoint just where that enclosed theatre parking may’ve been, having worked @ Rock-Ola nearby), though as a boy didn’t attach a great deal of importance to the loss
I’ve favorited this particular old Marbro theatre interior shot because of one ‘attachment’ to me: when I saw the movie Ben-Hur here with my mother and sister Constance (1959) I distinctly remember gazing up at the Mezzanine level seating we see clearly there, such a thing fascinating and amazing this 7 y.o. boy (it impressed me as much as the chariot race!)
this ‘71 oriental theatre photo says it all about the downfall of downtown Chicago moviegoing that happened then. “Rated X by all-white jury”. (And $1.69 steaks @ Ronnie’s !)
the balcony is open. I saw a movie at the Vic a month or two ago and the main floor area was closed-off and seating was now only in balcony (not sure why all this was but really doesn’t matter). Really neat IMO though, because the railings, staggered seats, lighted steps were still in their original style. At the low admission price the film was a terrific deal
elsewhere online I’ve seen a color photo of this old paulina theatre, well almost, because it came from the days after it’d been converted to a bowling alley (‘60s?). And I remember it, though at the time I didn’t know its original purpose. I’m rather surprised it’s not included here on cinema treasures anyway, because it seems to be all that survives
the Apollo, the Garrick, the Woods, the Oriental, the United Artists all there on Randolph (and if the photographer could turn at will around, also the Palace). What a comfritegration! (take that, spell check)
I particularly like this ‘50s photo not only because it shows the old Garrick theatre doubling as the WBBM-TV studio bldg then (in the days before mcClurg ct), but also at far right is the block torn down for the Civic/Daley center but a few years after that which I’d like to see more of myself to reminisce
great, we have here photos of all three named theatre incarnations—ROSE, then DALE, then ROUND-UP. The last seemed to give up and close about the same time as its very nearby milwaukee ave neighbor theatre the NITA. The early 50’s consumed a lot and 1953 seems to me to be the statistical closure peak year. Television was officially taking over and there was no longer a commercial need for so much movie screen city address saturation
at last, a photo of the Nita in its operational time. Bears little to no resemblance to the storefronts at that address that eventually took it over. No doubt gutted & rebuilt, I think this’s as small as old Chicago neighborhood theatres come
photos like this excellent one of the block that was demolished for the civic/daley center early ‘60s intrigue me greatly. It struck me as odd there weren’t any movie theatres on it but of obviously with the old RKO grand operating to 1958 that belief was wrong, plus another called the World there on Randolph it seems. Special attention that the RKO Grand premiered It’s A Wonderful Life for chicagoans
thank you very much nik1940 for that last post here, because for many years I could never recall that store name “Del Farm”, even though me and my Mom shopped there fairly often up until about 1968 (other 2 local supermarkets I do remember their names Sentry on north ave and courtesy foods on division). I just knew there was another story name for this between High-Low and Jimenez grocery
I’m pretty sure Friday Oct. 6 the Norridge #1-2 theatres reopened for business (with Blade Runner 2049). I had gotten an online AMC advertisement about it so Saturday when I was driving in that vicinity I turned in and the 2 auditoriums furthest west (away from Harlem) in the lot certainly looked ready for customers right now
that the Japanese Cinema wasn’t a ‘theatre place’ per se had already been established and needn’t be gone over again. Whichever way the CT listing goes (FWP school auditorium or Japanese Cinema) neither’d be 100% correct, but calling it the Japanese Cinema if not accurate from a building structure standpoint is certainly the most familiar and readily accessible (especially for the many who actually went there then) manner of listing here IMO
if it was advertised in (public) newspapers regularly perhaps so (I assume admission was charged). maybe it didn’t have a dedicated projection booth like the Japanese cinema @ FWP did
i went and saw Japanese movies (frequently a double-feature program) a lot back in the mid-1970’s. Considering this effort by Mr. Kaihatsu was so long-lived I say yes keep it in cinema treasures. He was quite a courteous and informative man if you talked with him. Two little drawbacks to screenings in the FWP school auditorium though – A) it was not air-conditioned; and B) the 35mm projectors were only 1000 ft reel equipped models up in the booth so film changeovers were abundant (carbon-arc projection lamps needless to say)
1959 – that’s the year for this great photo (not 1960 as previously stated). I say this after looking up the exact USA release dates for the movies playing. The Garrick theatre marques (barely discernible past the Woods) is illuminated (in 1960 the place closed). And I wonder exactly which Cinerama title is playing then (at the Palace/Bismarck). The hamburger restaurant there at the Randolph/ Dearborn corner says “Glorified Hamburger”, but I see no mention of the name ‘Wimpy’s’. The Wimpy’s Glorified Hamburger I’d frequented (one of them anyway) was at the Madison/Clark corner. I keep returning to this wonderful (to me) old color image—I particularly enjoy seeing what I know preceeded the Civic/Daley center.
I like this old photo because back in the late ‘60s and early '70s I could be found walking on that south Howard sidewalk, going east not to the howard theatre per se but to a store (long gone) in the 1500 w. block called Tropiquarium. I like to be reminded of these things by relevant photographs such as this. At that movie theatre though I’m pretty sure I saw Cinderella Liberty (w/ marsha mason) and Joe (w/ peter boyle)
I’m favoriting this old CROWN theatre photo because it’s easily the best one of the lot, plus it’s sort of how I can remember seeing it when I was little, in the ‘50s just before it was torn down. It had already closed of course when I saw it but I do remember the marquee w/ CROWN name looking just like this This’s the southwest corner of Division at Ashland. Look at all the movie posters around (including on the next-door roof), what showmanship
for a long time I certainly had my full of the old Oak theatre starting in the late ‘50s, certainly the '60s and into the '70s, and at least drove past throughout the '80s. But beginning mid-'90s I wasn’t ever in the neighborhood there so not only didn’t I see it’s demolition but was quite unaware of it then. Nowadays I return often but all I get for my trouble’s a drive-through bank (admittedly my wife likes the Mexican restaurant across western), because now Sam’s red-hots is gone too. Talk about a neighborhood character upheaval
boy do I love this 60s photo, as much for north ave as for the plaza theatre. this is looking east (towards the lake), and north ave looks absolutely nothing like this now. It got widened to be sure, gobbling up property frontages along the north side of the street, and the former plaza site now is North Park Tower, with the Pipers Alley theatres (now closed) just a couple doors east. No I never attended the Plaza theatre myself plus I’m a little miffed I have no childhood memory passing it by on the way to north ave beach then
yes! great old photo, probably taken about a year after the Harrison stop on the new State St subway opened. It’s easy to miss the PARIS Theatre to the left (at least I thought so), but look immediately right of the protruding ‘Tattooing Studio’ signage and you’ll see the movie posters on display there (with ‘PAR of Paris right above Billiards sign)
?
(they can’t crop that)
(the link again since it appears cinematreasures site has strangely cropped off the right side of my post):
https://www.facebook.com/northwestchicagofilmsociety/photos/a.188403531178757.46145.186264588059318/531624763523297/?type=3&theater
‘especially nowadays’ certainly does not apply here regarding enclosed (free) parking for the old Alamo theatre, simply because we see it stated in this vintage 1960 (after you say you’d moved away from the neighborhood) Chicago newspaper theatre section listing. Look under Alamo Theatre @ 3639 Chicago Ave there (after you’ve copied & pasted the link to access) and see for yourselves:
https://www.facebook.com/northwestchicagofilmsociety/photos/a.188403531178757.46145.186264588059318/531624763523297/?type=3&theater
I remember the tearing down of the Alamo a few years later (I remained in west humboldt park through 1981 and wish now I could pinpoint just where that enclosed theatre parking may’ve been, having worked @ Rock-Ola nearby), though as a boy didn’t attach a great deal of importance to the loss
yes it must have had enclosed parking because the Alamo ad in a 1960 newspaper theatre listing (the one I’m looking at is 3/25/60) says just that
the old chicago newspaper theatre section print listing for the ALAMO said ‘enclosed free parking’. really? enclosed? enclosed where I wonder
I’ve favorited this particular old Marbro theatre interior shot because of one ‘attachment’ to me: when I saw the movie Ben-Hur here with my mother and sister Constance (1959) I distinctly remember gazing up at the Mezzanine level seating we see clearly there, such a thing fascinating and amazing this 7 y.o. boy (it impressed me as much as the chariot race!)
this ‘71 oriental theatre photo says it all about the downfall of downtown Chicago moviegoing that happened then. “Rated X by all-white jury”. (And $1.69 steaks @ Ronnie’s !)
the balcony is open. I saw a movie at the Vic a month or two ago and the main floor area was closed-off and seating was now only in balcony (not sure why all this was but really doesn’t matter). Really neat IMO though, because the railings, staggered seats, lighted steps were still in their original style. At the low admission price the film was a terrific deal