Glen Theater
20 W. Ridge Road,
Gary,
IN
46408
20 W. Ridge Road,
Gary,
IN
46408
3 people
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Showing 26 - 37 of 37 comments
The Ridge and the Glen are/were one and the same. The theater on Broadway was the Roxy. It was at 3764 Broadway, next to Dickerson’s Drug. The Glen/Ridge is at 20 Ridge Road, next to the alley behind what was Dickerson’s Drug.
The Roxy was built in 1930, and closed in 1950. The Roxie had 1070 seats, and became Andros Furniture, after it’s closure.
You were allowed to exit the Roxie after a movie through the rear of the building. Which meant you were just steps away from the front entrance to the Glen/Ridge.
http://movie-theatre.org/usa/il/chicago/gary.pdf
This link lists Indiana theaters. Note that the Ridge is listed and the address is the same as the Glen. The mystery continues.
The Ridge theatre was on Broadway next to the drug store. There was an alley behind both buildings and on the west side of the alley and on Ridge Road was the Glen.
The Ridge was an older theatre and designed in the movie palace style with lots of Stucco work on the facade and on the interior. It did have a balcony also and a working full stage although I never did see live entertainment in either theatre.
The Glen was a Deco style theatre and newer. in the mid 40’s I went to both as they were around the corner from where my family lived so I knew them well.
When the Ridge was converted to the furniture store I investigated the stage that was being ripped out. It had several dresing rooms and a fly grid although it was a hemp and rope system.
The Glen being a smaller theatre was probably a more profitable operation at that time with the advent of TV.
The Glen was similar to the Miller Theatre at miller beach and it alternated films with stage shows for a time. It also had a nursery on the balcony level where children could be left while their parents saw the film show. It did not last very long though and it closed not may years after opening. TV again killed it.
I have two older brothers and in asking them seperately they both insist the Ridge was the same building where the Glen was. Both also remembered another theater right on Broadway that Jase may be referring to that was turned into a furniture store but neither could remember its name. It does make sense though. Why would a theater named the Ridge sit on Broadway and not Ridge Road? Even though we are taling about intersecting roads it makes more sense that the Ridge was on Ridge Road close to Broadway instead of vice versa. Also the status of the theater should be changed to OPEN and its function be LIVE SHOWS.
NO! They were two separate theatres. The Ridge beacme a furniture store in the 50’s and the Glen still exists. The Glen was a smaller modern style movie house while the Ridge was a larger movie palace style house. It did have a stage as I remember, with a fly tower although it was not counterweighted.
jase
I went by the theater the other day. The marquee states that the theater is re-oening October 13 but I couldn’t see with what as I was driving past. It appears to be live theater which would be a first as it was always a movie theater.
I grew up going to the Glen. Not only did I see all the Disney movies but I also saw “What’s Up Doc?” “Towering Inferno,” “The Front Page,” “Race With The Devil” and “Jaws” here. There was also a racing documentary called “Funny Car Summer” that I remember seeing in a packed house. I have never seen it anywhere since. It was a nice theater and not long ago I went by there and saw the back exit door open. I peaked in and saw the seats looked brand new but was afraid to go in any further as I could hear workers inside. Hopefully this nice theater will re-open.
I have fond memories of the Glen. On the “Big Screen” I saw Mad,Mad,Mad, Mad World One of the greatest comedys ever filmed, in my opinion. Thanks Glen Theater!
Splinterfoot is correct. The Ridge was on Broadway and was converted into a furniture store in the 50’s.
As a child in the 40’s I remember it as being a large movie palace type theatre and it did have a full stage which the Glen Park did not.
jase
“In 1983 a Bible group reopened the Glen to show religous films such as "Ben-Hur” and “The Ten Commandments”. That failed miserably and the doors closed for good just a month later."
Showing family films would be one thing but how many religious films are there, and who did they think would keep coming?
Splinter, I don’t know about the Ridge as it was before my time but the Glen was definetly not on Broadway but is on Ridge Road. I still pass by the building at least once a month and the giant GLEN sign is still there. The entrance faced South and across the street was the Beauty Spot restaurant parking lot.
The Ridge and the Glen were separate theatres in Gary(Glen Park)
on the intersection of Ridge Road & Broadway. There was a Walgreen drug store right on the corner and the Glen was next to the drug store on Broadway and the Ridge was behind the drug store, across an alley and faced on Ridge Road. As kids, we always thought it was “neat” to be able to see 2 completely different shows every week.
We rode the Burr St. bus to town and usually spent the day. The Ridge had a very fancy front which looked like cream colored tile of some sort and the Glen was pretty much all wood, except for the ticket booth. I remember getting popcorn and cold cokes from a small concession stand just inside the doors at the Glen and sitting through the movies a couple of times. When they got to the cartoon or the newsreels again, we left and went to see what was at the Ridge. These were WW2 days, so there was always plenty to see on the newsreels. I remember seeing almost all of the “Frankenstein” and “Mummy” movies here in these 2 theatres, along with Abbott & Costello and others of that era. I was only in my pre-teens at that time so it’s a little difficult to remember what either of these buildings looked like inside. All I know is that they provided many hours of entertainment for very little money.