Regal Theater
4719 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive,
Chicago,
IL
60615
4719 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive,
Chicago,
IL
60615
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Showing 26 - 36 of 36 comments
Here is another lobby view
I would imagine South Park was coined because King Drive used to be known as South Parkway, and before that Grand Boulevard, so with the new name came the neighborhood name.
Here is a postcard from shortly after the theatre’s opening showing the original flush marquees
Just a quick correction: the Regal organ was not a Wurlitzer, but a 3-manual Barton that was reputed to have been very large-scaled, loud, and jazzy.
<http://memory.loc.gov/pnp/fsa/8c00000/8c00600/8c00649r.jpg>Here</a> is a chicago daily news photo of the Regal at night in 1941, and here is a photo of the lobby. Here is the reverse view of the main photo above. Here is the box office.
Nat King Cole, at age 10, won first prize in one the amateur nights, at the Regal Theater in 1929. He won a turkey.
Josephine Baker performed at the Regal in the late 40’s early 50’s sporting a new hairstlye—the ponytail. Anyone out there remember more specifically when the performance took place?? Also, by chance does anyone know how South Park got its name. Thanx much.
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“Return of the diva. Photo by Mel Larson, February 19, 1960.
Josephine Baker makes up backstage for an appearance at South Side’s Regal Theater.”
It made me proud to read this article knowing that my father, Joseph Tolmaire was (probaly) the first black manager of this historic theater in the late 20’s. My mother first saw my father dressed in a black tux on the job. She was visiting Chicago on vacation from New Orleans, and said that my father was so handsome that she made plans to return to Chicago and marry him. They were introduced to one another by my father’s cousin. My mother succeeded, and they were married in 1937. She passed in 1987 and he passed in 1996.
Another interesting part of this story is that my father hired K. Bluitt (forgive my spelling of his name) as an usher at the theater. Mr. Bluitt was the legendary manager of the Regal for years to come, and he always let Joe Tolmaire’s daughters into the
theater free. All we had to do was ask to speak to him.
My father only worked as the manager for about two years. He left the job to work in my grandfather’s roofing and sheet metal company at 3671 S. State Street. Charles Tolmaire & Sons was open from 1917 to 1999 and was most likely one of the oldest blace businesses in Chicago.
I loved listening to stories of how elaborate the theater was. It had a machine that actually produced an imitation snowfall. My father also met many famous entertainers and had loads of autographed photos that have somehow been misplaced. Thanks for noting that the Regal was staffed by blacks from the beginning of its history.
Louise E. Catron
I saw the Motortown Revue of 1963 at the Regal when I was a kid. Contrary to the above story, the Regal held stage shows to the end. I believe James Brown was the last to headline the theatre, which closed in 1968. The Regal was Chicago’s equivalent to Harlem’s Apollo Theatre and was one of the major four theatres on the so-called “chitlin circuit.” The other two being the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C. and the Uptown in Philadelphia.
For information on many Chicago theaters contact Robert Lubliner at . He is 85 and his father was of Lubliner and Tranz and he himself owned and ran numerous of the old theaters in chicago