The 1908 Sanborn shows a restaurant in the building at 620/622 Broadway. But in December 1908 and January 1909 the Gem Theatre was advertising at 622 Broadway. The Gem Theatre moved to the Beehive building at 722 Broadway by January 21, 1909. (A May 1909 article said that the theater had been in existence for over a year.) Sanborn again showed a restaurant at 620/622 in 1911. By 1914, the building was home to the Art Theatre.
The first Gem Theatre in Gary was at 622 Broadway, advertising in December 1908 and January 1909. (A May 1909 article said that it had been in existence for over a year.) By January 21, 1909, the Gem Theatre relocated to the Beehive building at 722 Broadway. A January 25, 1912, article noted that a Gary businessman had leased the Beehive building for twelve years and two months. Upon expiration of the Gem lease on December 31, 1913, the space was to be converted into a clothing store.
Before Warner Brothers, the Orpheum Theatre was operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company, and Gumbiner Brothers.
Before Brotman & Sherman and Warner Brothers, the Parthenon Theatre was operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, and before that by the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company.
Lou Rugani’s photo shows the extent to which the Parthenon building interfered with long-discussed plans to widen Hohman Avenue south of the railroad tracks. In 1950-51 the Parthenon received a severe, $100,000 facelift – the front fifteen feet of the building was cleaved off after which an entirely new façade was erected.
A 1915 Sanborn map shows the 1000-seat Orpheum on the south side of State Street just east of the railroad crossing. The address was 156 State Street, changed to 448 State Street during Hammond’s 1930 city-wide street-renumbering project. The location is a First Baptist Church parking lot in 2024.
Sanborn maps in 1915 shows that the auditorium of the 1150-seat “De Luxe Theatre” sat parallel to Hohman Avenue but well behind the front portion of a building that contained several stores facing Hohman. Access to the theater was through a long corridor at 589 Hohman. The drawing depicts an auditorium with a shallow, wrap-around balcony.
After several delays, the Hartley Theatre in East Chicago, IN, reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe.
July 10, 1925, advertisement for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company stated “that the Parthenon was planned and built by the famous Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp, who also designed the Chicago Theatre.”
The Parthenon was designed by Rapp & Rapp, not R. Levine & Co.
The February 10, 1920, Hammond Times reported that “Hammond’s newest and most modern theater [was under construction in the block on the west side of Hohman Avenue.] The architects for the new building are Rapp & Rapp of Chicago.” Not yet called Parthenon, it was referred to as the Gregory Theater – the showplace was being erected for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company. Rufus Danner, Hammond, served as general contractor. Reuben Levine, who later formed R. Levine & Company, was general superintendent supervising construction for the architects from the time ground was broken.
A July 10, 1925, advertisement for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company stated “that the Parthenon was planned and built by the famous Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp, who also designed the Chicago Theatre.” Marquee noted on page 31 of the first-quarter 1991 issue that Rapp & Rapp designed the Parthenon theater. A photo of the Parthenon’s lobby carries a watermark with the names “C.W. & Geo. L. Rapp.” The accompanying caption points out that early Rapp & Rapp lobbies had “almost identical designs.”
The S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company on October 1, 1923, acquired the Lyric and Hartley theaters in East Chicago, from Joseph Hartley Sr. Both briefly closed while they were remodeled, redecorated and fitted with large electric street signs. The Lyric Theatre reopened on October 6, 1923. The Hartley Theatre reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe. The local newspaper reported on July 15, 1925, that the Lyric shut down for remodeling. After that it reopened from time to time for events. Both playhouses eventually reverted to the Hartley family, which formed the Hartley Theater Corporation in January 1930. Incorporators were the children of Joseph Hartley Sr. The firm continued to operate the Forsythe theater and in 1936 completely remodeled and modernized the long-shuttered Lyric, which had been closed since the advent of sound pictures. The venue reopened on March 18, 1936, as the Voge theater.
The S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company on October 1, 1923, acquired the Lyric and Hartley theaters in East Chicago, from Joseph Hartley Sr. Both briefly closed while they were remodeled, redecorated and fitted with large electric street signs. The Lyric Theatre reopened on October 6, 1923. The Hartley Theatre reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe. The local newspaper reported on July 15, 1925, that the Lyric shut down for remodeling. After that it reopened from time to time for events. Both playhouses eventually reverted to the Hartley family, which formed the Hartley Theater Corporation in January 1930. Incorporators were the children of Joseph Hartley Sr. The firm continued to operate the Forsythe theater and in 1936 completely remodeled and modernized the long-shuttered Lyric, which had been closed since the advent of sound pictures. The venue reopened on March 18, 1936, as the Voge theater.
Warner Brothers moved into northwest Indiana in 1930. Warner struck a $750,000 deal in July to acquire the Indiana and the American theaters in Indiana Harbor and the Hoosier theater in Whiting from Michael Kozacik. Included was an option that Kozacik and partner Alex Manta had to build a theater at Chicago Avenue and Olcott Avenue in East Chicago, IN. First announced in April 1929, the theater at Chicago and Olcott was to become a Publix playhouse but the project stalled after the death of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy’s Blair McElroy. (Publix acquired Fitzpatrick-McElroy in April 1929.)
Warner Brothers moved into northwest Indiana in 1930. Warner struck a $750,000 deal in July to acquire the Indiana and the American theaters in Indiana Harbor and the Hoosier theater in Whiting from Michael Kozacik. Included was an option that Kozacik and partner Alex Manta had to build a theater at Chicago Avenue and Olcott Avenue in East Chicago, IN. First announced in April 1929, the theater at Chicago and Olcott was to become a Publix playhouse but the project stalled after the death of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy’s Blair McElroy. (Publix acquired Fitzpatrick-McElroy in April 1929.)
Warner Brothers moved into northwest Indiana in 1930. Warner struck a $750,000 deal in July to acquire the Indiana and the American theaters in Indiana Harbor and the Hoosier theater in Whiting from Michael Kozacik. Included was an option that Kozacik and partner Alex Manta had to build a theater at Chicago Avenue and Olcott Avenue in East Chicago, IN. First announced in April 1929, the theater at Chicago and Olcott was to become a Publix playhouse but the project stalled after the death of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy’s Blair McElroy. (Publix acquired Fitzpatrick-McElroy in April 1929.)
In March 1922 the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company took over the original Crown theater in Crown Point, owned and operated by Fred Bartholmae. At the time the Gregory firm was operating the Parthenon, Orpheum and DeLuxe theaters in Hammond, IN. It had previously operated the Illinois theater in Chicago Heights, IL, until it was spun off to Fitzpatrick-McElroy.
In June 1921 Fitzpatrick-McElroy acquired Carley & Hanson’s large, opulent 1600-seat Lincoln-Dixie theater in Chicago Heights – Film Daily reported the purchase that month. The Lincoln-Dixie theater probably opened on March 15, 1921 – Exhibitors Herald on April 9, 1921, referred to the “recent opening of the Lincoln-Dixie” theater in Chicago Heights (another source has June 23).
Publix acquired Fitzpatrick-McElroy in April 1929.
The S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company, incorporated in July 1919 and based in Chicago Heights, IL, was operating the Illinois theater in Chicago Heights at least as early as April 1920. In November 1921 Motion Picture News reported that Fitzpatrick-McElroy had taken over the Illinois theater from Gregory.
In June 1921 Fitzpatrick-McElroy acquired Carley & Hanson’s larger, opulent 1600-seat Lincoln-Dixie theater in Chicago Heights – Film Daily reported the purchase that month. The Lincoln-Dixie theater probably opened on March 15, 1921 – Exhibitors Herald on April 9, 1921, referred to the “recent opening of the Lincoln-Dixie” theater in Chicago Heights (another source has June 23).
Interesting article about this drive-in’s use of in-car heaters can be found here:
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/27005867/boxoffice-july031954
When it opened on August 29, 1913, the new Gary Theatre was leased to and operated by the Carrouthers, Smith & Colby Amusement Company. CS&C had a 10-year lease at a rate of $10,000 per year. On February 24, 1914, the Gary Theater Company, an Illinois corporation, purchased the 10-year lease from CS&C for $100,000. (There was also a Gary Theater Company of Gary formed three years earlier.)
The 800-seat Orpheum Theatre at the southeast corner of Eighth Avenue and Washington Street opened as a showhouse on September 22, 1910. The 90-ft x 125-ft building started life as the Washington skating rink, which might have been the city’s largest public space at the time. As such, it hosted skaters, banquets, basketball games and special events. It closed in June 1910. Owner Young & Vossler, a real estate concern, leased the building to F&H Amusement Company after spending $10,000 to convert the space into a theater. Local contractor Wiley Brothers did the work, which included remodeling the floors and building a stage. V.U. Young, of Young & Vossler, supervised the transformation and managed the theater for F&H. (F&H was also leasing the Majestic Theatre in Gary from Young & Vossler, and V.U. Young was managing that venue too.)
Young would spend the next 38 years managing theaters. He and future partner C.J Wolf eventually owned a web of inter-related companies that in turn owned and/or operated theaters, several of which were in Gary. One such entity was the Young Amusement Company, which operated the Orpheum after F&H. On June 2, 1929, Indiana-Ohio Theatre Corp., a new Publix Theaters Corp. subsidiary, acquired control of the Orpheum and nine other Young Amusement theaters. Never wired for sound, the Orpheum closed in 1930.
The Vidette-Messenger newspaper reported on August 2, 1930, that miniature golf had taken the place of drama and motion pictures inside the Orpheum. The article noted that owner V.U. Young spent $10,000 to remodel the interior of the building and construct a miniature golf course. Another source indicated that the building was leased to Indoor Golf Courses of America in September 1930.
The structure was razed in 1933. After that the property was home to a filling station.
This was likely the Princess Theatre, which was advertising in 1909 (see Photos). The 1908 Sanborn shows a theater at 730 Broadway. The 1911 Sanborn shows the same building as 728-730 Broadway, though it’s no longer labeled as a theater.
The theater was leased to F&H Amusement for five years. Unless terminated early the five-year term would have run until March 15, 1914. It seems likely that the Majestic Theatre closed in 1914 after which it became a skating rink.
The 1908 Sanborn shows a restaurant in the building at 620/622 Broadway. But in December 1908 and January 1909 the Gem Theatre was advertising at 622 Broadway. The Gem Theatre moved to the Beehive building at 722 Broadway by January 21, 1909. (A May 1909 article said that the theater had been in existence for over a year.) Sanborn again showed a restaurant at 620/622 in 1911. By 1914, the building was home to the Art Theatre.
The first Gem Theatre in Gary was at 622 Broadway, advertising in December 1908 and January 1909. (A May 1909 article said that it had been in existence for over a year.) By January 21, 1909, the Gem Theatre relocated to the Beehive building at 722 Broadway. A January 25, 1912, article noted that a Gary businessman had leased the Beehive building for twelve years and two months. Upon expiration of the Gem lease on December 31, 1913, the space was to be converted into a clothing store.
Before Warner Brothers, the Orpheum Theatre was operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company, and Gumbiner Brothers.
The DeLuxe Theater was previously operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company, and Gumbiner Brothers.
Before Brotman & Sherman and Warner Brothers, the Parthenon Theatre was operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, and before that by the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company.
Lou Rugani’s photo shows the extent to which the Parthenon building interfered with long-discussed plans to widen Hohman Avenue south of the railroad tracks. In 1950-51 the Parthenon received a severe, $100,000 facelift – the front fifteen feet of the building was cleaved off after which an entirely new façade was erected.
A 1915 Sanborn map shows the 1000-seat Orpheum on the south side of State Street just east of the railroad crossing. The address was 156 State Street, changed to 448 State Street during Hammond’s 1930 city-wide street-renumbering project. The location is a First Baptist Church parking lot in 2024.
Sanborn maps in 1915 shows that the auditorium of the 1150-seat “De Luxe Theatre” sat parallel to Hohman Avenue but well behind the front portion of a building that contained several stores facing Hohman. Access to the theater was through a long corridor at 589 Hohman. The drawing depicts an auditorium with a shallow, wrap-around balcony.
After several delays, the Hartley Theatre in East Chicago, IN, reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe.
July 10, 1925, advertisement for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company stated “that the Parthenon was planned and built by the famous Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp, who also designed the Chicago Theatre.”
The Parthenon was designed by Rapp & Rapp, not R. Levine & Co.
The February 10, 1920, Hammond Times reported that “Hammond’s newest and most modern theater [was under construction in the block on the west side of Hohman Avenue.] The architects for the new building are Rapp & Rapp of Chicago.” Not yet called Parthenon, it was referred to as the Gregory Theater – the showplace was being erected for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company. Rufus Danner, Hammond, served as general contractor. Reuben Levine, who later formed R. Levine & Company, was general superintendent supervising construction for the architects from the time ground was broken.
A July 10, 1925, advertisement for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company stated “that the Parthenon was planned and built by the famous Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp, who also designed the Chicago Theatre.” Marquee noted on page 31 of the first-quarter 1991 issue that Rapp & Rapp designed the Parthenon theater. A photo of the Parthenon’s lobby carries a watermark with the names “C.W. & Geo. L. Rapp.” The accompanying caption points out that early Rapp & Rapp lobbies had “almost identical designs.”
More to come…
The S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company on October 1, 1923, acquired the Lyric and Hartley theaters in East Chicago, from Joseph Hartley Sr. Both briefly closed while they were remodeled, redecorated and fitted with large electric street signs. The Lyric Theatre reopened on October 6, 1923. The Hartley Theatre reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe. The local newspaper reported on July 15, 1925, that the Lyric shut down for remodeling. After that it reopened from time to time for events. Both playhouses eventually reverted to the Hartley family, which formed the Hartley Theater Corporation in January 1930. Incorporators were the children of Joseph Hartley Sr. The firm continued to operate the Forsythe theater and in 1936 completely remodeled and modernized the long-shuttered Lyric, which had been closed since the advent of sound pictures. The venue reopened on March 18, 1936, as the Voge theater.
The S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company on October 1, 1923, acquired the Lyric and Hartley theaters in East Chicago, from Joseph Hartley Sr. Both briefly closed while they were remodeled, redecorated and fitted with large electric street signs. The Lyric Theatre reopened on October 6, 1923. The Hartley Theatre reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe. The local newspaper reported on July 15, 1925, that the Lyric shut down for remodeling. After that it reopened from time to time for events. Both playhouses eventually reverted to the Hartley family, which formed the Hartley Theater Corporation in January 1930. Incorporators were the children of Joseph Hartley Sr. The firm continued to operate the Forsythe theater and in 1936 completely remodeled and modernized the long-shuttered Lyric, which had been closed since the advent of sound pictures. The venue reopened on March 18, 1936, as the Voge theater.
Warner Brothers moved into northwest Indiana in 1930. Warner struck a $750,000 deal in July to acquire the Indiana and the American theaters in Indiana Harbor and the Hoosier theater in Whiting from Michael Kozacik. Included was an option that Kozacik and partner Alex Manta had to build a theater at Chicago Avenue and Olcott Avenue in East Chicago, IN. First announced in April 1929, the theater at Chicago and Olcott was to become a Publix playhouse but the project stalled after the death of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy’s Blair McElroy. (Publix acquired Fitzpatrick-McElroy in April 1929.)
Warner Brothers moved into northwest Indiana in 1930. Warner struck a $750,000 deal in July to acquire the Indiana and the American theaters in Indiana Harbor and the Hoosier theater in Whiting from Michael Kozacik. Included was an option that Kozacik and partner Alex Manta had to build a theater at Chicago Avenue and Olcott Avenue in East Chicago, IN. First announced in April 1929, the theater at Chicago and Olcott was to become a Publix playhouse but the project stalled after the death of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy’s Blair McElroy. (Publix acquired Fitzpatrick-McElroy in April 1929.)
Warner Brothers moved into northwest Indiana in 1930. Warner struck a $750,000 deal in July to acquire the Indiana and the American theaters in Indiana Harbor and the Hoosier theater in Whiting from Michael Kozacik. Included was an option that Kozacik and partner Alex Manta had to build a theater at Chicago Avenue and Olcott Avenue in East Chicago, IN. First announced in April 1929, the theater at Chicago and Olcott was to become a Publix playhouse but the project stalled after the death of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy’s Blair McElroy. (Publix acquired Fitzpatrick-McElroy in April 1929.)
In March 1922 the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company took over the original Crown theater in Crown Point, owned and operated by Fred Bartholmae. At the time the Gregory firm was operating the Parthenon, Orpheum and DeLuxe theaters in Hammond, IN. It had previously operated the Illinois theater in Chicago Heights, IL, until it was spun off to Fitzpatrick-McElroy.
In June 1921 Fitzpatrick-McElroy acquired Carley & Hanson’s large, opulent 1600-seat Lincoln-Dixie theater in Chicago Heights – Film Daily reported the purchase that month. The Lincoln-Dixie theater probably opened on March 15, 1921 – Exhibitors Herald on April 9, 1921, referred to the “recent opening of the Lincoln-Dixie” theater in Chicago Heights (another source has June 23).
Publix acquired Fitzpatrick-McElroy in April 1929.
The S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company, incorporated in July 1919 and based in Chicago Heights, IL, was operating the Illinois theater in Chicago Heights at least as early as April 1920. In November 1921 Motion Picture News reported that Fitzpatrick-McElroy had taken over the Illinois theater from Gregory.
In June 1921 Fitzpatrick-McElroy acquired Carley & Hanson’s larger, opulent 1600-seat Lincoln-Dixie theater in Chicago Heights – Film Daily reported the purchase that month. The Lincoln-Dixie theater probably opened on March 15, 1921 – Exhibitors Herald on April 9, 1921, referred to the “recent opening of the Lincoln-Dixie” theater in Chicago Heights (another source has June 23).
Interesting article about this drive-in’s use of in-car heaters can be found here: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/27005867/boxoffice-july031954
When it opened on August 29, 1913, the new Gary Theatre was leased to and operated by the Carrouthers, Smith & Colby Amusement Company. CS&C had a 10-year lease at a rate of $10,000 per year. On February 24, 1914, the Gary Theater Company, an Illinois corporation, purchased the 10-year lease from CS&C for $100,000. (There was also a Gary Theater Company of Gary formed three years earlier.)
In 1909 the first Broadway Theatre was being operated by the Gary Amusement Company.
The 800-seat Orpheum Theatre at the southeast corner of Eighth Avenue and Washington Street opened as a showhouse on September 22, 1910. The 90-ft x 125-ft building started life as the Washington skating rink, which might have been the city’s largest public space at the time. As such, it hosted skaters, banquets, basketball games and special events. It closed in June 1910. Owner Young & Vossler, a real estate concern, leased the building to F&H Amusement Company after spending $10,000 to convert the space into a theater. Local contractor Wiley Brothers did the work, which included remodeling the floors and building a stage. V.U. Young, of Young & Vossler, supervised the transformation and managed the theater for F&H. (F&H was also leasing the Majestic Theatre in Gary from Young & Vossler, and V.U. Young was managing that venue too.)
Young would spend the next 38 years managing theaters. He and future partner C.J Wolf eventually owned a web of inter-related companies that in turn owned and/or operated theaters, several of which were in Gary. One such entity was the Young Amusement Company, which operated the Orpheum after F&H. On June 2, 1929, Indiana-Ohio Theatre Corp., a new Publix Theaters Corp. subsidiary, acquired control of the Orpheum and nine other Young Amusement theaters. Never wired for sound, the Orpheum closed in 1930.
The Vidette-Messenger newspaper reported on August 2, 1930, that miniature golf had taken the place of drama and motion pictures inside the Orpheum. The article noted that owner V.U. Young spent $10,000 to remodel the interior of the building and construct a miniature golf course. Another source indicated that the building was leased to Indoor Golf Courses of America in September 1930.
The structure was razed in 1933. After that the property was home to a filling station.
This was likely the Princess Theatre, which was advertising in 1909 (see Photos). The 1908 Sanborn shows a theater at 730 Broadway. The 1911 Sanborn shows the same building as 728-730 Broadway, though it’s no longer labeled as a theater.
The theater was leased to F&H Amusement for five years. Unless terminated early the five-year term would have run until March 15, 1914. It seems likely that the Majestic Theatre closed in 1914 after which it became a skating rink.