I was in Peoria not too long ago after a very long absence. It was good to be back! I believe the theatre is still there, but is used for some other purpose (?). Those who live in Peoria, please advise.
This is a link to what I found in the Peoria Journal Star: http://www.pjstar.com/news/x484739208/Future-of-historic-Madison-Theater-uncertain?zc_p=0. I did watch the You Tube video. My salute to the chutzpah of the videographer and canine friend! I have visited four theatres in the Chicago Metro area which have found investors: the Auditorium Theatre; The Chicago Theatre; the Oriental/Ford Center for the Performing Arts; and the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, IL, all of which have fallen into extreme disrepair and which have been renovated. I was in the Chicago Theatre before it was renovated and it was in similar shape to what was shown on the You Tube video. I hope someday to be able to revisit the Madison Theatre. Note: as you know – but others may not – it does have a Facebook page.
Thanks! This really gives one an idea of how big the Sauk Trail Drive-In was in its heyday. There were – and are – homes to the east of the Drive-In; Once sold, a large amount of homes were built on the site, a senior center, with acreage left available. Whoever designed the new area did a good job and one cannot tell what was in the area in 1952.
I finally drove by the Glenwood Theatre today; all is down but the foundation. It really looks like it was built very well. What a shame that a better effort was made to update it and keep it going.
In the mid-1970s I saw, of all things, Ken Russell’s film “Tommy” in a veru large, traditional downtown movie palace in Oklahoma City. I now believe it was the Criterion. About three of us were at the showing of the film (which was about right).
I was in this theatre only once, during the period when it was the Chief Theatre. It was an older one, with lots of trim. The sound and sight lines were pretty good; glad to hear it’s still being used as the Gaslight Theatre.
As seen from my commuter train the Hyde Park Theatres (never visited it as I’m a suburbanite) is covered with scaffolding. As it is in an area of demolition/redevelopment, is the theatre going to be renovated, or demolished? For those of you who live, or have lived, in Hyde Park or Kenwood, here’s a link to the redevelopment going on. http://www.hydepark.org/historicpres/theater.htm
The Congress Theater made the Chicago news today after a young woman, unable to enter the theatre for a concert on New Years' Eve due to lack of proper ID, was the victim of a violent crime. The crime may or may not result in investigations concerning security issues for the venue.
The owner of record got what sounds like a fair settlement ($480,000 for a very depressed property) but it must have been terribly expensive to operate, and maybe it was highly taxed as well. From this point things should move forward. Sorry about the end of this story; it should have ended better.
The Art Institute of Chicago is featuring “Bertrand Goldberg: Architecture of Invention”. It will be in place until January 15, 2012. The Cinestage is mentioned in it; evidently Michael Todd and Bertrand Goldberg were friends and collaborators. Goldberg had a hand in the redesign of the interior of the theatre when it re-opened in the 1950s. Todd and Goldberg were working on establishing a chain of motion picture theatres called Cinestage; this endeavor never occurred due to the death of Michael Todd. Along with figaro14, I am interested in photographs of the interior of the Cinestage along with anyone’s memories of the theatre building.
I drove by the Glenwood Theatre today (September 18, 2011). It has not been demolished nor prepared for same. If anyone knows anything about the status of the Theatre, please report in.
Thanks for the posted photographs of the State-Lake Theater in Chicago, IL. The one and only time I was in the State-Lake Theater was when a friend and I decided to see “Saturday Night Fever” on a cold winter’s day. That was quite a visit. The theater was in sad shape by the late 1970’s (I seem to remember a rip in the screen; I also remember never seeing the place with the lights full up) and I think served that day as shelter for street and other vulnerable people, not a bad idea, just kind of unsettling. The usual stinky popcorn machine was in the lobby. I wish we had seen it in its prime.
Thanks! I’ve never seen what the theatre’s interior looked like originally. As in my earlier comment, it was impossible to determine what the interior looked like due to all of those curtains that ensured that wonderful sound quality. The acoustics must have been pretty good in the Harris era, too.
Make an appointment with one of the staff at the Chicago Heights Public Library; their archives are extensive (they have a room dedicated to their work in the past). It is not open to the public, hence the need to make an appointment.)
KP, I’ve had a hard time trying to follow this story; thanks for the follow-up. Yes, it really is a shame; why didn’t the municipality put the renovation of the theatre on their priority list?
My Mom lived in Fort Madison, Iowa during the 1940’s-early 1950’s. An avid moviegoer, she mentioned the Iowa Theatre frequently. Thanks for the information about it.
I was in Peoria not too long ago after a very long absence. It was good to be back! I believe the theatre is still there, but is used for some other purpose (?). Those who live in Peoria, please advise.
This is a link to what I found in the Peoria Journal Star: http://www.pjstar.com/news/x484739208/Future-of-historic-Madison-Theater-uncertain?zc_p=0. I did watch the You Tube video. My salute to the chutzpah of the videographer and canine friend! I have visited four theatres in the Chicago Metro area which have found investors: the Auditorium Theatre; The Chicago Theatre; the Oriental/Ford Center for the Performing Arts; and the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet, IL, all of which have fallen into extreme disrepair and which have been renovated. I was in the Chicago Theatre before it was renovated and it was in similar shape to what was shown on the You Tube video. I hope someday to be able to revisit the Madison Theatre. Note: as you know – but others may not – it does have a Facebook page.
Thanks! This really gives one an idea of how big the Sauk Trail Drive-In was in its heyday. There were – and are – homes to the east of the Drive-In; Once sold, a large amount of homes were built on the site, a senior center, with acreage left available. Whoever designed the new area did a good job and one cannot tell what was in the area in 1952.
I finally drove by the Glenwood Theatre today; all is down but the foundation. It really looks like it was built very well. What a shame that a better effort was made to update it and keep it going.
In the mid-1970s I saw, of all things, Ken Russell’s film “Tommy” in a veru large, traditional downtown movie palace in Oklahoma City. I now believe it was the Criterion. About three of us were at the showing of the film (which was about right).
Never got to the Enid Drive-In (no car!). I do remember it – that was really the end of an era. It’s still standing?
This was a fairly new theatre in downtown Enid during the era when I lived there. Good sightlines and sound.
I was in this theatre only once, during the period when it was the Chief Theatre. It was an older one, with lots of trim. The sound and sight lines were pretty good; glad to hear it’s still being used as the Gaslight Theatre.
As seen from my commuter train the Hyde Park Theatres (never visited it as I’m a suburbanite) is covered with scaffolding. As it is in an area of demolition/redevelopment, is the theatre going to be renovated, or demolished? For those of you who live, or have lived, in Hyde Park or Kenwood, here’s a link to the redevelopment going on. http://www.hydepark.org/historicpres/theater.htm
The Congress Theater made the Chicago news today after a young woman, unable to enter the theatre for a concert on New Years' Eve due to lack of proper ID, was the victim of a violent crime. The crime may or may not result in investigations concerning security issues for the venue.
As of December 28, 2011 the Glenwood Theatre is still in place; no sign of demolition preparations can be seen from the street.
Thanks, Broan! I had not seen the article, nor do I remember the interior extrance of the Michael Todd Theatre looking like this.
The owner of record got what sounds like a fair settlement ($480,000 for a very depressed property) but it must have been terribly expensive to operate, and maybe it was highly taxed as well. From this point things should move forward. Sorry about the end of this story; it should have ended better.
The Art Institute of Chicago is featuring “Bertrand Goldberg: Architecture of Invention”. It will be in place until January 15, 2012. The Cinestage is mentioned in it; evidently Michael Todd and Bertrand Goldberg were friends and collaborators. Goldberg had a hand in the redesign of the interior of the theatre when it re-opened in the 1950s. Todd and Goldberg were working on establishing a chain of motion picture theatres called Cinestage; this endeavor never occurred due to the death of Michael Todd. Along with figaro14, I am interested in photographs of the interior of the Cinestage along with anyone’s memories of the theatre building.
Thanks!
I agree, Paul. The building materials and blocky design are similar.
My office is just down the street from State and Madison; lots of changes.
I drove by the Glenwood Theatre today (September 18, 2011). It has not been demolished nor prepared for same. If anyone knows anything about the status of the Theatre, please report in.
Great photo! Lots of the block is gone, but I do remember the McVickers.
Thanks for the posted photographs of the State-Lake Theater in Chicago, IL. The one and only time I was in the State-Lake Theater was when a friend and I decided to see “Saturday Night Fever” on a cold winter’s day. That was quite a visit. The theater was in sad shape by the late 1970’s (I seem to remember a rip in the screen; I also remember never seeing the place with the lights full up) and I think served that day as shelter for street and other vulnerable people, not a bad idea, just kind of unsettling. The usual stinky popcorn machine was in the lobby. I wish we had seen it in its prime.
Thanks! I’ve never seen what the theatre’s interior looked like originally. As in my earlier comment, it was impossible to determine what the interior looked like due to all of those curtains that ensured that wonderful sound quality. The acoustics must have been pretty good in the Harris era, too.
Cam, thanks for the photos! Bob, I agree with your take on the Glenwood Theatre story; why it was so neglected is beyond me, too.
Make an appointment with one of the staff at the Chicago Heights Public Library; their archives are extensive (they have a room dedicated to their work in the past). It is not open to the public, hence the need to make an appointment.)
KP, I’ve had a hard time trying to follow this story; thanks for the follow-up. Yes, it really is a shame; why didn’t the municipality put the renovation of the theatre on their priority list?
My Mom lived in Fort Madison, Iowa during the 1940’s-early 1950’s. An avid moviegoer, she mentioned the Iowa Theatre frequently. Thanks for the information about it.