This Strand was briefly profiled in tonight’s PBS series “Lost & Found”.
A WWII era Strand employee fondly remembered the nightlife/boomtown that was Manitiwoc during it’s submarine building days.
She also was a welder at the shipyard that built the shows main subject. The USS Largato that was built in Manitiwoc, and missing in action since 1944. Found sunken recently in the Gulf of Siam. (Thailand).
The show used a B&W shot of the Strand from the `40’s, and old interior footage of the auditorium & stage. Complete with the old intermission reel of food dancing off to the lobby.
Thanks for posting those. I remember driving by this theatre not long before it was demolished. Thinking then of course how great it would be if it were refurbished.
FYI. JRS40 posted a list on 05/02/07, of films that played at the United Artist’s from 1964-1980. “West Side Story” appears to have played there on/week of 10/13/71. Albeit 10 years after it’s original release.
Another milestone I just noticed is, that the golden voice of The Turtle’s Howard Kaylan apparently graced the UA screen twice. In the theme song to “Guide For The Married Man” in 1967, and as an actor in Zappa’s film “200 Motels”. Now there is an odd distinction befitting his humor.
Wow, what was goin' on in that town in 1933? “Models In Cellophane”? “Sex To Be Determined”? Does that article say “Wife Preservers? Wonder if all that was before or after Prohibition.
Scaffolds are now down. The front of building’s first floor is still covered up during whatever remodling is ongoing. However there are new Marvin windows installed on the second floor overlooking Lincoln Ave. Shouldn’t be much longer.
I am not sure how appetizing “Flame Steaks” would have been, wedged between two XXX buildings. It looks like it even has it’s own mini-marquee.
Not to mention the next door Grocery, Candy, Cold Beer & Cigarettes.
Seems like every hedonistic base was covered, in those four stores.
Yeah I saw that one. It really shows how massive in height the building is.
Even if the screen was at the bottom & back of the building, it seems that all of the towering front space above the doors must have housed something.
I wonder if there was balcony seating possibly OVER the projection booth. I saw a similar layout in a theatre in Chicago once. Much like Cinerama, but with only one projector at that mid-hieght under a balcony overhang.
Wow. For such a narrow building, it’s pretty tall. It must have had one helluva balcony.
Don Lewis is right. With all those visible neon outlets in the crown,
it must have been an awesome sight when fully lit back in it’s hayday.
FYI. In BWChicago’s April 19th post of a 1944 photo, the word Chicago can be seen painted on the side alley wall. Directly behind the Marshall Fields clock trajectory wise.
I cut through that very alley today, and the painted remnants of the sign are still there. It says Chicago Theater Entrance, with a giant arrow pointing towards the State Street entrance. It should be noted that it spelled Theater with the “er”, and not Theatre with an “re”.
Those old signs painted directly on to brick, were usually done using lead based paints. Paint which could withstand the elements, and the porousness of brick.
It is the reason most are still visible and survive today. I unfortunately didn’t have a camera with me.
Great picture. This is a little off topic, but I’d completely forgotten about Hargrave’s Secret Service. The large neon with the eagle to the East of the Oriental. They had several other locations around Chicago.
One was over near Superior & Franklin as I recall. Some of those signs hung on buildings long after Hargrave’s had vacated.
I think it was some type of detective & guard agency that accompanied various businesses to banks with their deposits.
There currently are more live music events at the Wilmette. Various members of the Chicago Cabaret Professionals have had featured showcases there, as well as at the Skokie Theatre.
P.S. That Wilmette Chuck Wagon next door had great burgers also back in the day. I believe it may still be there.
Cool. I actually saw “Tron” at the Nortown.
And “Flashdance” co-starred Chicago's
own Kyle Heffner. Whom I worked with in Evanston just 2 years earlier. He was part of the Practical Theatre Company on Howard Street too.
Sally’s Stage was across the street from the Nortown. We covered this on one of the other CT pages. The organ they had in the restaurant/bar may or may not have come from the Nortown. I think someone said it was smaller.
Oh, how I miss those street lights.
It sure was a sight looking South down State Street from the “L” tracks.
All the vintage buildings with the “modern” `60’s street lights hanging over the traffic with their cold glow. Lower Wacker still had all the green lighting too.
FYI. If you enlarge Lost Memory’s May 2009 pic, you can just make out the painted wall signage I mentioned above.
Correction, USS Lagarto.
This Strand was briefly profiled in tonight’s PBS series “Lost & Found”.
A WWII era Strand employee fondly remembered the nightlife/boomtown that was Manitiwoc during it’s submarine building days.
She also was a welder at the shipyard that built the shows main subject. The USS Largato that was built in Manitiwoc, and missing in action since 1944. Found sunken recently in the Gulf of Siam. (Thailand).
The show used a B&W shot of the Strand from the `40’s, and old interior footage of the auditorium & stage. Complete with the old intermission reel of food dancing off to the lobby.
Thanks for posting those. I remember driving by this theatre not long before it was demolished. Thinking then of course how great it would be if it were refurbished.
FYI. JRS40 posted a list on 05/02/07, of films that played at the United Artist’s from 1964-1980. “West Side Story” appears to have played there on/week of 10/13/71. Albeit 10 years after it’s original release.
Another milestone I just noticed is, that the golden voice of The Turtle’s Howard Kaylan apparently graced the UA screen twice. In the theme song to “Guide For The Married Man” in 1967, and as an actor in Zappa’s film “200 Motels”. Now there is an odd distinction befitting his humor.
Wow, what was goin' on in that town in 1933? “Models In Cellophane”? “Sex To Be Determined”? Does that article say “Wife Preservers? Wonder if all that was before or after Prohibition.
Scaffolds are now down. The front of building’s first floor is still covered up during whatever remodling is ongoing. However there are new Marvin windows installed on the second floor overlooking Lincoln Ave. Shouldn’t be much longer.
Apparently there is no CT page yet for the Mount Prospect Cinema at Rand Road & Central Road, whose ad is pictured in ken mc’s May 19th post.
I am not sure how appetizing “Flame Steaks” would have been, wedged between two XXX buildings. It looks like it even has it’s own mini-marquee.
Not to mention the next door Grocery, Candy, Cold Beer & Cigarettes.
Seems like every hedonistic base was covered, in those four stores.
FYI. Just noticed the 1984 picture shows “Prospect Theatre” spelled with the “RE”. Not sure if that means updating the header/bio or not for accuracy.
Yeah I saw that one. It really shows how massive in height the building is.
Even if the screen was at the bottom & back of the building, it seems that all of the towering front space above the doors must have housed something.
I wonder if there was balcony seating possibly OVER the projection booth. I saw a similar layout in a theatre in Chicago once. Much like Cinerama, but with only one projector at that mid-hieght under a balcony overhang.
Wow. For such a narrow building, it’s pretty tall. It must have had one helluva balcony.
Don Lewis is right. With all those visible neon outlets in the crown,
it must have been an awesome sight when fully lit back in it’s hayday.
Reactivate notification status.
Great pics too!
FYI. In BWChicago’s April 19th post of a 1944 photo, the word Chicago can be seen painted on the side alley wall. Directly behind the Marshall Fields clock trajectory wise.
I cut through that very alley today, and the painted remnants of the sign are still there. It says Chicago Theater Entrance, with a giant arrow pointing towards the State Street entrance. It should be noted that it spelled Theater with the “er”, and not Theatre with an “re”.
Those old signs painted directly on to brick, were usually done using lead based paints. Paint which could withstand the elements, and the porousness of brick.
It is the reason most are still visible and survive today. I unfortunately didn’t have a camera with me.
Greetings ken mc. Neither link seems to work.
I tried accessing them from a couple different servers, to no avail.
Well it is definately pre-1986. That exterior, freestanding ticket booth was gone by the time I rented the upstairs space.
Great picture. This is a little off topic, but I’d completely forgotten about Hargrave’s Secret Service. The large neon with the eagle to the East of the Oriental. They had several other locations around Chicago.
One was over near Superior & Franklin as I recall. Some of those signs hung on buildings long after Hargrave’s had vacated.
I think it was some type of detective & guard agency that accompanied various businesses to banks with their deposits.
So should Happy Hour Theatre be an AKA?
That spire in the `50’s was something else. I wonder why they chose to remove the cork screw design & replace it with bands.
Wow, I had no idea this place existed.
Thanks to CT & everyone whose posted pictures.
This place was definately where the new multi level parking structure is that served the Genesse when I was there.
There currently are more live music events at the Wilmette. Various members of the Chicago Cabaret Professionals have had featured showcases there, as well as at the Skokie Theatre.
P.S. That Wilmette Chuck Wagon next door had great burgers also back in the day. I believe it may still be there.
Cool. I actually saw “Tron” at the Nortown.
And “Flashdance” co-starred Chicago's
own Kyle Heffner. Whom I worked with in Evanston just 2 years earlier. He was part of the Practical Theatre Company on Howard Street too.
Sally’s Stage was across the street from the Nortown. We covered this on one of the other CT pages. The organ they had in the restaurant/bar may or may not have come from the Nortown. I think someone said it was smaller.
Oh, how I miss those street lights.
It sure was a sight looking South down State Street from the “L” tracks.
All the vintage buildings with the “modern” `60’s street lights hanging over the traffic with their cold glow. Lower Wacker still had all the green lighting too.
Brief shot of the Tivoli blade on the NBC Nightly News this evening.
A report from a Chattanooga jobs fair by the late Tim Russert’s son Luke.