Uptown Theatre
4816 N. Broadway,
Chicago,
IL
60640
4816 N. Broadway,
Chicago,
IL
60640
88 people
favorited this theater
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For those who missed the premiere of the Uptown Theatre movie at the Portage earlier this summer, the award-winning documentary is being released on DVD.
Filmmakers John Pappas and Michael Bisberg have generously agreed to donate any proceeds from “Uptown: Portrait of a Palace” to Compass Rose and Friends of the Uptown to help further promote the concept of the theatre’s renovation and reuse as an entertainment venue. Compass Rose has an extensive History of the Uptown on its Web site, and sponsors the Uptown Signature Drive to show local and international support for the theatre. You may also download a free PDF of the Opening Day Program.
The production and distribution of this DVD is an all-volunteer effort, from the graphic artist who is designing the cover to the volunteers who will be wrapping and shipping the DVDs.
To learn more and to watch the film’s original theatrical trailer, go to:
Uptown: Portrait of a Palace
There are two interesting slide shows of the uptown theatre interior. one at www.chicagosuptowntheater.com and another at www.balabanandkatz.com thanks
david balaban
balaban and katz historical foundation
Some interesting interior photos can be viewed here:
View link
Re the Terminal:
It was the closest theater to me and the one I most often attended— the last time was in 1962. In early 1963 I went West and eventually into the Navy for 8 years. While in the Navy the Terminal (to my later sad discovery) was torn down.
Here, for you and others who may visit, I’ll tell you much of what I remember about the Terminal (inside and out)— this will be my tribute to the place where I spent many happy Saturday afternoons as a child: there was a large overhanging marquee with flashing lights that ran along the periphery, with a large vertical lighted sign rising above (about 30-40 feet high) displaying the “Terminal” name (named for the Ravenswood [now Brown Line] terminal-depot at the Western end of the block (the Terminal was on the South side of Lawrence Ave. about ½ block East of the El terminal at Kimball Ave.).
There were two ticket booths, one as an island (entered from the outside) centered directly under the marquee, and another which extended from the inside to the right-front side of the exterior. You entered the theater through large brass-windowed doors which opened into a hall area to another set of metal windowed doors you passed through to enter the theater proper. There were nice carpets and wall decorations, as well as staircases immediately on either side as you entered, rising to the second landing and balcony (from childhood memory I would estimate the theater was 1500-2000 seats).
The interior theater seating area: the screen was covered by full length curtains which opened at the start of the show, below which was a stage used for stage shows and special events during the lifetime of the theater. On either side of the interior side-walls at mezzanine level, there were small decorated alcoves giving the appearance of side seating areas (just for show-no real seats), as well as other decorations.
Most every Summer Saturday afternoon the Parental School (home for troubled kids) would walk about 20-30 of them in-line from their property on Foster Ave. West of Kimball (about a mile away) to the Terminal where the balcony was reserved just for them.
There was a small refreshment stand and Grandfather clock near the center of the main floor. The rest rooms were upstairs, and I remember looking out the Men’s Restroom window into the El-Yard which extended behind the Terminal, covering the entire block.
I especially enjoyed going to Saturday Matinees, especially when they had a Cartoon Festival. When I was about 6-12 years of age (1948-54) I’d get into Saturday Matinees for 15 cents, which then (as with all theaters of the time) included two full length movies, a short subject (often a Disney Production), a cartoon, and trailers of “Coming Attractions”— those were the days!!
I’ll place this post on the “Terminal” message board as well as here.
Paul:
Sigh…
As I have in the past, I will ask you a straightforwad question and see if you can give me a straightforward answer:
What was dismissed?
Here is another:
What vintage theatre have you resotred and run successfully for a period of greater than six months?
Let me guess: “I don’t have to give that information to you! Who are you? Why don’t you come out of the shadows? Are you afraid of me?”
It certainly doesn’t impress me that you met with Brian and spun a colorful tale for him. You are a damn good salesman. A good salesman can sell ice to eskimos as they say.
As far as your involvement in the UTCA goes, I don’t think I ever mentioned that organization. You are most certainly putting words in my mouth. But, this is an interesting article (especially the part about how you were deposed from the Board):
April 9, 2003
Inside Online
UTCA good will short, funds shorter, as trouble erupts
by Ronald Roenigk, Publisher
View link
Efforts to save the haggard Uptown Theatre, 4814 N. Broadway, have stalled now as supporters struggle with dwindling operating funds and discover battles within the Uptown Theatre and Center for the Arts (UTCA) Board of Directors.
Two years ago the not-for-profit UTCA was formed when Albert Goodman made a $1 million donation to the effort from the Edith Marie Appleton Foundation, named after his mother. According to financial statements, by the end of February the UTCA had less than $2,000 in cash on hand and over $160,000 in loans and accounts payable, with no clear means of meeting those obligations.
At the same time a battle within the Board of Directors broke out into the open. Now-deposed board member Paul Warshauer accused the UTCA of being “out of control” in a March 10 letter to Gov. Rod Blagojevich which calls for a formal investigation. He has since contacted several members of the media, including Inside, seeking to air his issues with UTCA management.
Also distracting the over-burdened UTCA staff is the status of a fateful fundraising idea gone bad: the raffling off of a new Jaguar automobile leased from Orloff Jaguar and now gathering dust in a garage. Nearly $30,000 worth of tickets were sold for the raffle, money which now must be refunded.
“That was a horrible mistake,” said Carol Jean Carlson, CEO of UTCA, of the raffle that caused the UTCA to be fined $1,000 by the city’s Department of Revenue for running a raffle without a license. “We sold about 300 tickets and now we’re contacting those people and giving them several options for restitution.” The status of those funds is unclear in the current financial statements.
Left in limbo are UTCA’s efforts to purchase the 4,381 seat, 46,000 square foot movie house. “We’ll know pretty soon if we’ll be purchasing itâ€"we’re closer than ever,” said Carlson. Indeed, a total of $250,000 in escrow payments has been released to the seller in two payments last June and July, funds which would presumably be lost if the deal falls apart.
“I don’t think the [current] owners want us to fail. We put that money down on good faith but haven’t been able to raise money as fast as possible,” said Carlson. She said that the UTCA kicked off their fundraising efforts one week prior to the 9/11 attack and that timing, along with a slumping economy, are the reasons that fundraising has been weak.
Warshauer claims to have another for-profit investment group with new plans and ideas ready to take up the effort if the deal does fail. UTCA staff doubt this and claim it would be “a direct conflict of interest and violation of his non-compete clause,” said Carlson. “He’s just trying to stir up trouble.”
“The bad part is that the building has had to wait so long,” said Warshauer. “They’ve spent $1.3 million and have nothing to show for it. I will not keep quiet any longer. Decay and damage occur inside and out every day.” Warshauer joined the UTCA board in July of 2002 and was named chairman in October; he resigned as chairman on Feb. 8 and was voted off the board on March 22.
As for the Jaguar, it was one of a number of bad fiscal decisions made by the board while Michael Morrison was UTCA’s CEO. (Morrison has since left the state and is reportedly now living in Kentucky after being indicted by the Attorney General of Illinois.) The board had given him approval to lease the Jaguar for his own use using UTCA funds to pay for it. Morrison and the board also hired Mark Zipperer as an outside consultant for $2,000 a week; Zipperer took over the CEO’s post on an interim basis when Morrison fled the state. It was Zipperer’s idea to raffle off the car, unaware that a license was required to do so. “We’re looking for someone who would like to buy the lease, if you know anyone,” offered Carlson.
“Michael Morrison had no business sense,” said Warshauer. “Nobody ever wrote a business plan and there were no theater professionals with any experience in the organization…There still isn’t,” he said. “I pleaded with them to stop spending money, regroup and ask for help. They refused, hoping against hope that a miracle would occur. No miracle is coming.”
The UTCA is “insolvent in part due to [Warshauer] and we have our own lawyers working with us on him,” said Carlson, who says nevertheless that their vendors, their supporters and the community still want them to succeed.
Hey Rich: what was the Terminal like on the inside? I have never seen a good picture of the outside, let alone the interior. Also, do you remember when it was demolished?
Time to cheer up and learn more about Uptown Chicago…Cradle of Entertainment.
I spent the 1950s going to the movies downtown and at the Terminal, Gateway, Riviera, Granada, Nortown, and Uptown as they were the closest to where I lived. I marvelled at theaters like the Granada and Uptown without knowing their interesting histories, which I’ve recently learned by taking the tour at the above website.
Did you know that Director Vincent Minelli and composer Victor Young (“Around The World In 80 Days”) began their careers by working on the Stageshows at the Uptown theater? Or that the Essanay Movie Studio in Uptown predated Hollywood? Or that the fire scenes in “Backdraft,” or Duncan’s Toy Store in the Movie “Home Alone2: Lost In New York” were filmed in the Uptown theater? (Duncan’s Toy Store in Uptown’s enormous front lobby). For this and much more which will probably leave you flabbergasted, spend an enjoyable couple of hours at the above site. You’ll thank me.
By the way, I was reminded by someone that all of the cases you reference above were settled or dismissed.
Libel involves the intent to do damage. You are trying to do that but losing badly. Judgements and lawsuits from unrelated business deals are not the issue. None of the above actions had to do with the Uptown Theatre. You muddy the waters again. If you have done any business in the city (which I doubt you have) you know lawsuits and litigation are part of the game. Have you seen the cases we have won? You don’t know me or have any idea who I am. Sad that you spend so much time attacking me when you could be helping the Uptown Theatre. For the last time and to clear my name: NO LAWSUIT EVER CAME TO REMOVE ME OR ACCUSED ME OF WRONG DOING WHILE I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE UTCA, THE NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION! THAT WAS YOUR ALLEGATION. I ask again, like one of the posters earlier, what is your goal for the Uptown or do you just wish to bash others? I am not going away so get used to me trying to reopen the theatre. Listen to the Uptown Advisor and talk about this ISSUES. You keep hiding in the bushes and attacking but will not disclose who you are. If you are so frightened of me, call some friends and let’s sit down at the Uptown Starbucks like human beings and discuss our differences so we free up valuable space on this wonderful website. After some concerns, I met with frequent poster and theatre advocate Brian Wolf. He is a skeptic and we had a great meeting to discuss saving old theatres. Move on and discuss the theatre, PLEASE!
It is not libel. Libel involves lies and the judgments against you are a matter of public record, available on the Circuit Court of Cook County web site. All I am doing is quoting information that anyone can find with a web browser. Here are the case numbers.
http://198.173.15.34/
Case Number Plaintiff Defendant Date Filed
2005-M2-000785 PALES CAROL WARSHAUER PAUL 04/11/2005
2004-M1-719354 MID AMERICA MANAGE WARSHAUER PAUL 08/06/2004
2003-M1-731056 MID AMERICA MGMT WARSHAUER PAUL 12/04/2003
2003-M1-164392 ANNOYANCE PRODUCTI WARSHAUER PAUL 10/06/2003
This article describes the Uptown Theatre-related financial actions which led to a court judgement against you:
http://www.annoyanceproductions.com/readerart.gif
How can you possibly say that all of this is a lie and that you have never been involved with the legal system? If you have a way of explaining to me why the government would enter false court judgments against you I will be willing to listen. Is the Cook County government trying to ruin you? Maybe your attorney should contact them…or the daily newspaper that wrote the article above…or the authors of the countless other negative articles about you available in print and on the internet.
Webmaster: Please cut this person off. No “legal system” was involved. What Life said is most definitely libelous. I will contact my lawyer if this persists. This character slam comes from a total stranger and is totally unacceptable. For the record: No criminal acts or crimes were committed by me or any UTCA board member. No one was charged and I am insulted at your lies regarding all the good people who served on the UTCA Board. Yes, I am a champion to rstore the Uptown Theatre. Are YOU?? Enough us enough. Life: YOU have worn out your welcome here and refuse to discuss the theatre like we agreed! The movie was a student film and did not tell the whole story. Period. Everyone else has opinions about the movie and why aren’t they posting them? It was a good work to be sure.
Paul: I can’t believe you had the nerve to go and see a movie about one theatre that you were run out of under a cloud of controversy BEING SHOWN AT another theatre that you were run out of under a cloud of controversy, THEN post critical remarks about how the movie didn’t include a section about you. It boggles the mind.
And no, frankly, you started it by posting here again. I think “goaway” summed it up nicely when noting that conversation remains pleasant on Cinema Treasures as long as you are not around.
Uptown Advisor: I don’t think the business of theatre restoration is always nice, nor are the conversations surrounding it. Look at how heated things have gotten in Richmond surrounding the John Eberson Loews theatre there. A movie is fine and good. Historical research is fine and good. Talking about how the Uptown would be a good concert hall is fine and good. But the REAL business of restoring a large theatre, as Paul is fond of saying, is not pleasant.
The legal system has found that Paul committed financial crimes related to the Uptown Theatre. Do you want me to sit here, Uptown Advisor, and let him try to make people believe that he is a champion of the Uptown Theatre just so that Cinema Treasures remains NICE? How does that make sense? If you want to bring Martin Luther King into this, I would like to point out that Dr. King certainly didn’t ignore a ridiculous situation just in the name of keeping things pleasant. The actions he took during the 1960’s were highly aggressive.
Dear Uptown Advisor: Plain fact is Life doesn’t know squat but I agree with your message and sentiment. I agree to do what you ask. My last posting was in reference to the movie. Plain and simple. i hate to use the phrase but, “he started it!”
I disagree Uptown Advisor.
And as far as sharing my phone number with Paul goes, I would sooner send it to every telemarketing firm in the greater metro area.
Dear Paul Warshauer and Life’s Too Short:
Please have the courtesy to take your sparring away from the Uptown’s page here, and perhaps away from Cinema Treasures (a really nice place!). Your issues have nothing to do with this theatre building.
I suggest you share your email addresses with each other so you may argue in private. Or, exchange phone numbers. Or, arrange to meet in an alley or boxing ring and work out your frustrations on each other. Let’s self-police this forum and keep it positive.
Consider the wisdom of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:
“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
Accepting Nobel Peace Prize,
December 10, 1964
So why isn’t the theatre open, you oh so studly rainmaker?
That’s all very cute. But you are like a salesman making excuses to his district manager about lack of production:
“but I did this, but I did that.”
You haven’t restored, reopened and successfully run a single theatre. Meanwhile people far and wide have accused you of crimes, and the court system has agreed with them. Everybody hates you Paul. Did that happen for no reason? Of course not. The human race doesn’t work that way.
You have balls Paul. But one day you are going to go too far with this behavior. Then somebody is going to chop them off.
You see? Again you are off task. Stick to the issues. Stay focused on the goal and not on the players. The only controversy that ALL of the board members of the old UTCA left under was the lack of money and vision. I offered then and continue to try and offer today specific and productive ideas. “Life’s:” your comments are always negative. What have you offered positively lately? By the way: Mary Brush is smarter than all of us. No one bilked her. Ask her who brought her engineering firm (Klein and Hoffman) to the table in the first place… ask architect Gary Martinez who brought him to the table… yeah that’s right. Me.
Leave Mary Brush alone. I will not be pleased with you, my little friend, if I find out that you have bilked her.
“It will take music promoters, producers, actors, musicians, theatre historians, preservationists, architects, construction estimators, professional theatre consultants, REAL developers with REAL money, dreamers, workers, finance people, grass roots groups and the politicos to save this theatre”
I don’t see scam artists in that list Paul. You have serious balls to continue posting here after you were run out of the Uptown Theatre under a cloud of controversy.
The REAL question is:
WHEN did they start allowing PRISON INMATES to use the INTERNET?
With great respect: The documentary, “Portrait of a Palace” was lacking in many respects. It was a good student film but lacked historical data like where the chandeliers are today and how they got there. It also failed to answer the question of who the REAL owners are. Glaring ommissions were the failure to interview: Mary Brush, D'escoto Architects, the two banks and their mortgage people, Carol, Mike, Mark Zipperer, Chad, Marty Tangora, and many others who could have explained the complex financial history and status of the theatre today. Rudy, Louie Wolf, Kenny Goldberg… It also lacked an interview with ME! I have collected and archived so many financial and historical documents from the Uptown, I would have been honored to share them all. I would have been a natural on camera. Even if I wasn’t interviewed, no one from UTCA was interviewed nor was Albert Goodman. Why wasn’t the official “trustee” even interviewed? “Portrait of a Palace” was a great piece to save other theatres but did little to answer the REAL questions of what to do programming wise with the Uptown Theatre when it opens…not if…but when. Many of us at the Portage Park Theatre that night were deeply saddened that a large committee of well meaning community members could not meet and discuss their strengths and weaknesses. Some informal groups began their discussions on the street outside the theatre. (Dave S., Ruth, and her investors, George from Cleveland, and even Dr. Talsky with some of his minions.) The Alderman has the power and authority to do this: Organize the first Uptown Summit! It is time to bury our individual egos, roll up our sleeves and go to work. It truly will take a nation to save this theatre. It will take music promoters, producers, actors, musicians, theatre historians, preservationists, architects, construction estimators, professional theatre consultants, REAL developers with REAL money, dreamers, workers, finance people, grass roots groups and the politicos to save this theatre. Let’s stop addressing the root causes of why it hasn’t opened and deal with how it CAN open. And please.. leave the personal attacks of me off of this site and stick to the issues?
Does the Green Mill building’s owner agree to such floodlights, and who pays the hundreds or thousands for them, the electricians (at almost $100 the hour) to put in the wiring to them and then the daily electric power for them? How helpful would such be if the lights illuminate only one side of the building and thus the miscreants simply move their attentions to other sides then more deeply in darkness? If only some high powered flood lights could do it all. It seems that there are a few questions to be answered first, sad to say.
It is excellent news about the DVD coming out through Compass Rose! Let us hope that selling these at a reasonable price will promote their circulation and thus raise awareness of the UPTOWN as the landmark it really is.
There was one thing I was wondering about the pressure washer. Why can’t there be security floodlighting installed on top of the Green Mill building to deter vandals?
The DVDs will be available soon through http://www.compassrose.org once the filmmakers take care of a few technicalities.
The turnout at the Portage was fantastic. Proceeds supported the Portage Film Forum and Friends of the Uptown; F.o.t.U are now able to purchase a power washer so volunteers can now take care of the exterior graffitti on the theatre that’s otherwise prohibitively expensive to clean off. I’ll post photos from the premiere event soon.
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes small pictures. Here is another.
The film was very good, with a few caveats, and the 80 DVD copies available on-hand sold out easily. The filmmakers said that more copies would be made, and that people who wrote their emails down would be informed, but no word yet.