Here’s an image. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-original-8-x-10-glass-negative-HALFIELD-MOVIE-THEATRE-THEATER-Chicago-IL-/121333725952?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item1c400dbb00&ssPageName=RSS:B:SHOP:US:101
9/5/2013 9/6/2013 2013-1504 1548 N. Clark 100486552 Village Theater 42
Exterior: Remove and rebuilt 76 linear feet of 3' high parapet along Clark Street façade per Historic Preservation stamped plans dated 9/6/13.
Salvageable masonry to be retained and reinstalled. Any required new masonry to match historic size, color, texture and appearance. Masonry to be cataloged and evaluated per submitted plans. Historic Preservation staff to be notified to view and approve terra cotta samples prior to order and installation. No other work permitted with this approval.
There continues to be a lot of confusion over the location of the White Front. All the hard evidence I’ve seen points to the storefront that was most recently Kiss & Tell Lingerie as the location, while anecdotes point to the Foot Locker.
Known facts:
-The White Front was at 909 Milwaukee under the pre-1909 numbering system, according to numerous sources
-The address 909 Milwaukee translated to 1257 Milwaukee when re-numbered, according to the 1909 renumbering guide (http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/1909snc/start.pdf) and the 1914 Sanborn Map covering this area.
-This is a photo of the White Front, reprinted in a 1916 Moving Picture World
-A February 6, 1906 article in the Chicago Tribune describes a fire in a three story building at 909 Milwaukee. The White Front opened later that month at 909 Milwaukee. If the fire was in the building now occupied by Foot Locker, it would have been described as a “two story building”
-The 1914 Sanborn Map illustrates the Kiss & Tell building as it currently stands, so that building dates at least to 1914 if not earlier.
-The 1916 article describes a 5&10 store in the former White Front. 1916 Chicago Tribune advertisements show a O'Connor & Goldberg shoe store in the 1253, Foot Locker building.
I have used photoshop to paste the image of the White Front onto the facades of the existing buildings. The proportions of the photo fit very well into the Kiss & Tell, especially the surrounding architectural details. The photo does not align well with the Foot Locker’s proportions. This comparison is posted here in the photos section.
Finally, Byster’s was not in the Foot Locker, it was one door south. The awning still says Byster’s.
The newspapers were a little unclear. “The Fine Arts Theatre” and “The Fine Arts Music Hall” both appear in the Tribune from 1908-1912. I suspect the ‘music hall’ references were talking about Assembly/Curtiss Hall on the 10th floor but it’s not really clear. I’ll take it down and re-edit.
NYC tore down even more big theaters than Chicago did. There’s just a limit for what’s supportable. Setting aside property taxes, who would pay to maintain these buildings with no foreseeable future use for 50-60 years? If all the loop theaters were still there, it’s likely none of them would be profitable. There’s only so much market and some pruning is painful but ultimately necessary.
Actually the Playhouse was University Hall until about in 1903, when it was renamed Music Hall and may have gained its balcony, renamed again in 1912, when it was rebuilt as the Fine Arts Theatre which it remained until 1917, when it was renamed the Playhouse, until it was renamed World Playhouse in 1932. Oddly, in 1917, the Studebaker was run by Jones, Linick, and Shaefer while the Playhouse was run by Alfred Hamburger, a competitor.
Holiday released in 1938
Robin Hood released in 1938
Here’s an image. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1937-original-8-x-10-glass-negative-HALFIELD-MOVIE-THEATRE-THEATER-Chicago-IL-/121333725952?pt=Art_Photo_Images&hash=item1c400dbb00&ssPageName=RSS:B:SHOP:US:101
9/5/2013 9/6/2013 2013-1504 1548 N. Clark 100486552 Village Theater 42
Exterior: Remove and rebuilt 76 linear feet of 3' high parapet along Clark Street façade per Historic Preservation stamped plans dated 9/6/13.
Salvageable masonry to be retained and reinstalled. Any required new masonry to match historic size, color, texture and appearance. Masonry to be cataloged and evaluated per submitted plans. Historic Preservation staff to be notified to view and approve terra cotta samples prior to order and installation. No other work permitted with this approval.
If Thalia Hall can finally come back, maybe the Colony can too.
Tribune article
Note that Chicago Filmmakers is in the same building as the LeGrand/Temple Theatre, but most of the theatre space is taken up by the stores.
Photos posted in photo section via Forgotten Chicago on Facebook
1987 Photo
There continues to be a lot of confusion over the location of the White Front. All the hard evidence I’ve seen points to the storefront that was most recently Kiss & Tell Lingerie as the location, while anecdotes point to the Foot Locker.
Known facts: -The White Front was at 909 Milwaukee under the pre-1909 numbering system, according to numerous sources -The address 909 Milwaukee translated to 1257 Milwaukee when re-numbered, according to the 1909 renumbering guide (http://www.chsmedia.org/househistory/1909snc/start.pdf) and the 1914 Sanborn Map covering this area.
-This is a photo of the White Front, reprinted in a 1916 Moving Picture World 
-A February 6, 1906 article in the Chicago Tribune describes a fire in a three story building at 909 Milwaukee. The White Front opened later that month at 909 Milwaukee. If the fire was in the building now occupied by Foot Locker, it would have been described as a “two story building” -The 1914 Sanborn Map illustrates the Kiss & Tell building as it currently stands, so that building dates at least to 1914 if not earlier. -The 1916 article describes a 5&10 store in the former White Front. 1916 Chicago Tribune advertisements show a O'Connor & Goldberg shoe store in the 1253, Foot Locker building.
I have used photoshop to paste the image of the White Front onto the facades of the existing buildings. The proportions of the photo fit very well into the Kiss & Tell, especially the surrounding architectural details. The photo does not align well with the Foot Locker’s proportions. This comparison is posted here in the photos section.
Finally, Byster’s was not in the Foot Locker, it was one door south. The awning still says Byster’s.
The newspapers were a little unclear. “The Fine Arts Theatre” and “The Fine Arts Music Hall” both appear in the Tribune from 1908-1912. I suspect the ‘music hall’ references were talking about Assembly/Curtiss Hall on the 10th floor but it’s not really clear. I’ll take it down and re-edit.
More likely they just fell apart by that time. I think they were pressed metal.
Review of a play about the Iroquois fire
NYC tore down even more big theaters than Chicago did. There’s just a limit for what’s supportable. Setting aside property taxes, who would pay to maintain these buildings with no foreseeable future use for 50-60 years? If all the loop theaters were still there, it’s likely none of them would be profitable. There’s only so much market and some pruning is painful but ultimately necessary.
Yes, this is a particularly inaccurate and confusing entry.
Actually the Playhouse was University Hall until about in 1903, when it was renamed Music Hall and may have gained its balcony, renamed again in 1912, when it was rebuilt as the Fine Arts Theatre which it remained until 1917, when it was renamed the Playhouse, until it was renamed World Playhouse in 1932. Oddly, in 1917, the Studebaker was run by Jones, Linick, and Shaefer while the Playhouse was run by Alfred Hamburger, a competitor.
Here are 1898 views of the Studebaker and the Playhouse (then known as University Hall until the 1916 remodeling)
Here are recent views of the Playhouse and Studebaker
Architects were Footlik & Rose
Robert Babbin was architect.
The BremenTowne Theater opened Jan 29, 1971 as a 1000 seat twin.
Actually opened June 10, 1966.
Original 1965 opening ad is posted. Original architect was Maurice Sornik.
Grand opening ad with illustration uploaded.
This was a Lubliner theater originally.
This was featured on the G4 program “Human Wrecking Balls”