Comments from John P Keating Jr

Showing 26 - 37 of 37 comments

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Halfield Theatre on Oct 7, 2003 at 4:38 pm

I went by there last month. The site is now occupied by a White Castle restaurant.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Century Centre Cinema on Oct 7, 2003 at 4:36 pm

A great place to see a movie. All stadium seating. You reach the theaters by escalator or elevators. It is the home of the Chicago Film Festival. It plays independent and art movies.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Monroe Theatre on Jan 18, 2002 at 10:29 pm

The site is now the home of the Xerox Center and the first floor contains a Sharper Image store.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about RKO Grand Theatre on Jan 18, 2002 at 10:21 pm

Demolished many years ago. Now the site of the Daley Civic Center.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Capitol Theatre on Dec 17, 2001 at 7:59 am

In the early 70’s it was used by Rev Jesse Jackson for his Operation Breadbasket meetings. That organization later became Operation Push.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Today Theater on Dec 16, 2001 at 1:56 pm

Demolished Toward the end it showed porno movies. Site is now the 3 First National Plaza Building

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Garrick Theatre on Dec 2, 2001 at 2:10 pm

The new Goodman Theater is indeed on this site. The Thompson State of Illinois building was the site of the Sherman Hotel.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Century Centre Cinema on Dec 2, 2001 at 2:06 pm

A great place to see a movie. Stadium seating and run by people who know about movies. They show the best of foreign films as well as the latest American films.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Orpheum Theater on Dec 2, 2001 at 1:30 pm

I was in the army at nearby Fort Hood, Texas. In 1955 I was Giant at the Waco Theatre starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Radio City Music Hall on Dec 2, 2001 at 1:25 pm

In the 1950’s I saw Doris Day and James Cagney in Love Me Or Leave Me plus a stage show featuring the Rockettes. You could sit anywhere you liked and stay as long as you wanted.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Roxy Theatre on Dec 2, 2001 at 1:21 pm

I remember a picture in Live magazine of Gloria Swanson in an evening gown standing in the rubble of the Roxy.

John P Keating Jr
John P Keating Jr commented about Chicago Theatre on Dec 2, 2001 at 1:14 pm

When I was growing up the Chicago Theatre was famous for its stage shows plus a movie. For 90 cents you could go early in the morning and stay as long as you liked. The performers were usually booked for a week and did 5 shows a day and 6 on the weekend. Some of the stars I saw there were: Betty Grable, Martin and Lewis, Jack Benny, Jackie Gleason, Sarah Vaughn, Patti Page, Josephine Baker, and Vic Damone. TV and Las Vegas helped in the demise of the stage shows. The Chicago is still a gem and has many special shows and events booked.