What a telling picture. You can see the transition from electric buses to gas. The bus further back is still powered by the trolley line above, while the bus in the foreground isn’t tethered. They still used the electric trolleys as late as 1970 on some routes. I was on one at North & Clark whose trolley connection popped loose from the roof on a turn. The driver simply climbed up top and reattached what was needed.
The Capitol place on the corner of the alley reads as a lounge. Of course the larger marquee to the left is the Chicago Theatre with a Tyrone Power flick. Funny that the Loop Theatre is running newsreels as entertainment.
You can just see the famous Marshall Fields clock in the background. The Walgreens was just replaced a few years ago.
There is a framed B/W picture of the Cinestage hanging in the Chicago Cultural Center. Second floor West walkway from the Washington Street side.
It is among other a few other Chicago buildings hanging in the walkway.
The picture appears to be mid `70’s complete with an AMC Gremlin parked in front. A portion of the Cinestage marquee is visible, along with the actual word Porno spelled out.
On the first floor walkway there is a much larger exhibit of historic Chicago buildings & landmarks.
We were in Orchestra Hall endlessly as school kids. My grade school Ogden had a music program that included regular, daytime concert trips to Orchestra Hall. At least 2-4 times a school year.
One conductor I remember well was Dave Mazur. A girl in our class was an accomplished violinist in our school band, Debbie Hoffman. And her father Irwin Hoffman was at that time first violin at the CSO. As I recall Hoffman briefly took over conductor duties when Mazur’s predecessor, who’d been there a long time, retired or moved on. Might have been George Solti, but I think it was before him. And I could have the chronology wrong.
We definately had the same CSO & conductors as the evening performances had.
The stage was huge as one could imagine with possible dumb waiters that brought the grand piano up when needed. Also 3 giant tubular sections above some choral group areas, all above the stage. Not sure if the tubes were acoustically functional, or just decorative. Either way the acoustics are always perfect at Orchestra Hall.
Nice comfy, deep red velvety seats too.
The last thing I saw there was a St. Patrick’s Day reading by John Malkovich a few years back. Which included a Western Illinois based orchestra surprisingly featuring our percussionist from grade school, after over 35 years. And now on the same stage we used to watch.
Plus a prominent solo Irish dancer who danced on a wood platform at certain points in the story.
The interior seems to the eye to have jsut as much seating area as there is stage area. As the main floor is kind of short, with several levels of balconies directly over the main floor.
Not really staggered back as much as you would expect.
Passed by the Riviera today. It had some newer looking, protective white tarps over the top span of the front wall, oer the marquee.
Same as the Uptown still has. Though the Uptown’s upper terra cotta arches had been removed a while back.
A good sign that both are being protected from the elements, until brick/facade work can be done.
Sure wonder what “An Evening In Mayberry” was in Lost Memory’s 2005 photo link.
Vintage Mayberry patrol cars out front and two showings? Must have been a unique event what ever it was.
Don’t know of any film of that name.
I’ll have to hit up the old imdb.
Somewhere on the vast internet, is a link to a `50’s juke box accessory called Band Box.
It was a miniature 24 inch half circle stage with curtains,that had big-band dressed puppets that appeared to play little instruments along to the juke box. The print ad was hilarious.
I beleive the company that made them was out of Chicago as well. Band Box Theatre might have been where they got the name from.
Next door to the North on Pulaski is a small green & black, art deco apartment building. As I remember it has a pointy almost crown like overhang above it’s entrance.
A friend of mine lived there around 1989. It still had the original built-in drop down Murphy beds & ironing boards.
Cool place. A surviving Irving Theatre would have been cooler though.
Neat looking building. We can assume the original Orpheum name built into the brickwork is safely behind that newer facade.
The Orpheum’s website history though, doesn’t say when the newer facade was installed. Obviously before the 1973 photo. Maybe late 50's early60’s given the style?
Looks like their band schedule is a little thin as of now. I thought maybe The Misfits was a screening of the 1960 Gable/Monroe film, set in a Western town. The skull logo though solved that.
Not far off though, as The Misfits was easily one of the most depressing films I’d ever seen.
This theatre would have been pretty close to the elevated tracks. Is it possible it shared some of the space that the Double Door is in?
Or was the Wicker Theatre in it’s own building a tad further South on Milwaukee?
The Double Door was previously a large tavern called Main Street that was kind of bi-level. Until about 1991 or so.
It had giant “L” shaped pool tables with carved legs. And a small stage towards the Damen entrance side. Not sure if Double Door has multiple entrances on boh Milwaukee & Damen as Main Street did.
Ah, thanks. Saw Ravi Shankar & a real early stage version of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Auditorium.
Ravi Shankar used a really strong, on-stage incense that worked it’s way up to the balcony. And about knocked us out.
Interesting. I hadn’t known that the owner could pass in theory pass along a tax break, let alone write his losses off in the bigger picture.
I’m still surprised the village doesn’t snatch it up. Of course who has almost 4 mil. lying around.
Do you happen to know how the Arie Crown or Auditorium Theatre’s in Chicago are listed on Cinema Treasures? Thanks.
Given the address and various descriptions above, the Crown would have been where the Wendy’s restaurant, it’s drive-thru and adjacent parking lot is now.
Across from the small U.S Post Office, also on the South side of Division St.
As noted above, The Crown Theatre would have faced the Manufacturers Bank which is still on the N/W corner.
The dark brick building to the left of the Crown in the 1909 photo, would be where the Pizza Hut and it’s parking lot is now at Ashland & Division. On the S/W corner.
It should also be noted that there recently was/is a small live theatre group that works out of another classic white enamel brick building, just East on Division. In the short block between Milwaukee & Ashland. Next to the old Arandas Burrito place.
Greetings BWChicago. I guess I thought that if the village owned it, they wouldn’t have to charge potential tenants as much in rent as the current owner might have to, in order to keep up with his own taxes. Which surely must be high if if’s valued at 3.7 mil. Epecially if the buildings largest space/tenant goes largely unused. Then the only ground floor tenants are the restaurants. Are those rental apartments above everything?
Would the village have to pay the same taxes as a regular owner? If it was partly used for community use, it must be partly tax exempt somehow.
Also hypothetically if the village owned it, they could use or lease the theatre space out for community theatre events, etc. I thought they could pt mini Des Plaines museums in any vacant storefronts. I didn’t know there were only 2, and both were active restaurants.
I drove by the Des Plaines a few months back after a car show at the Metra station. I seem to remember the marquee was lit, but only advertised a phone number, no movies.
Just a thought, if the Des Plaines had some success with the New Years/Disney HSM2 showing, maybe the managemnent would consider events of the same genre. The Music Box Theatre in Chicago had good success with some “Grease” sing-a-longs. Even a “Wizard of Oz” sing-a-long might garner some viewership not normally prone to come out to the movies.
It could still share the theatre with the Indian films if all scheduled correctly.
Odd to read the city council wouldn’t purchase such a historic building when it had the chance to. If for no other reason, than to have a hand in regulating and revitalizing all the other storefronts within the building.
It could have been a flagship Des Plaines Cultural Center of sorts. Building out any vacant storefronts as they come & go, to highlight Des Plaines history. Also the Village would be more able to offer tax breaks to potential tenants on land it owns.
Wow, the theatre looks great. Appears they must have done a chemical cleaning of the exterior brickwork during their renovation. The new signage looks sleek too. Updated but not overbearing. Went back to the original name. Nice job!
Thanks TFS. My e-mail is:
I think it may be the only thing in my profile. Which I blindly used my real name on back in 2005 or whatever. I was Googleproof until then. Well, losing out on a 2006 Emmy saw to that too.
Good luck with your sale, and the hopes The Ritz will remain a theatre for ever.
Not that this matters, but I’ve often heard Ukranian Village referred to as Uke-Ville, rather than Uketown.
Many young artists reside in the area. Until the expensive gentrification firmly takes hold. As it did in Wicker Park.
Thanks Lost Memory. I did click on the Loopnet link, but it only had 4 very dark photos. 3 really, as 2 of the 4 were the same interior shot. I thought the realtor might have some more current sales type pics. One’s that showed the exterior in daylight, etc. Thanks again.
Maybe the posting of some daytime photos would help to showcase the theatre better. Is there a link to a current listing or something?
I’m not in the market, but thought anyone who might peruse the site, might take a second look if there were pictures.
“Theater for sale” is indeed a great moniker to start with. I linked over just based on that alone.
Best of Luck!
Silly me, I guess I should have read the “Add A Photo” criteria first.
I wasn’t critiquing Cinema Treasures, just curious that if accurate photos were already posted in discussion, why couldn’t they just be chosen & moved to the top. I had no idea of the volume of additional photos CT receives.
Like I should talk with my lowly WebTV.
Wow, that 1939 photo posted by tkpepper seems the perfect picture to post at the top of this Linda Lea CT page. Maybe blow it up a tad, and crop off all but the theatre. It also seems the oldest representation of The Arrow in reference to it’s original opening.
I’ve often wondered why of all the theatres profiled on Cinema Treasures, CT doesn’t just use one of the many photos posted during discussions, as the main header establishing photos.
Instead of keeping the “No Photo Available” image up.
Is it a photo copyright’s issue or something? Just wondering.
I just saw a Retro Minute feature from www.getback.com that said on 11/17/68, The Who, Small Faces, Mindbenders and one other band played live at the London Hippodrome.
I searched the CT list for London Hippodrome, and this was the only one still standing at that time.
Nice picture indeed LTS. It kind of shocked me when it scrolled up.
Somewhere I have an octagonal paving brick from the State Street Mall.
Can’t blame Mayor Bryne for trying.
The city actually maintained the cab & bus traffic only thing long after the mall idea fizzled. If only the 1992 flood hadn’t occurred, we’d still be able to street park down there. Once they saw how traffic was moving, meters were history. (Not counting Wabash)
I thought that the Roosevelt Theatre had run a closed circuit showing of the Frazier-Foreman fight back in `74. But I see no break in the movie action on the list.
Must have been one of the other downtown theatres. The Aragon Ballroom also ran closed circuit fights occasionally.
What a telling picture. You can see the transition from electric buses to gas. The bus further back is still powered by the trolley line above, while the bus in the foreground isn’t tethered. They still used the electric trolleys as late as 1970 on some routes. I was on one at North & Clark whose trolley connection popped loose from the roof on a turn. The driver simply climbed up top and reattached what was needed.
The Capitol place on the corner of the alley reads as a lounge. Of course the larger marquee to the left is the Chicago Theatre with a Tyrone Power flick. Funny that the Loop Theatre is running newsreels as entertainment.
You can just see the famous Marshall Fields clock in the background. The Walgreens was just replaced a few years ago.
There is a framed B/W picture of the Cinestage hanging in the Chicago Cultural Center. Second floor West walkway from the Washington Street side.
It is among other a few other Chicago buildings hanging in the walkway.
The picture appears to be mid `70’s complete with an AMC Gremlin parked in front. A portion of the Cinestage marquee is visible, along with the actual word Porno spelled out.
On the first floor walkway there is a much larger exhibit of historic Chicago buildings & landmarks.
We were in Orchestra Hall endlessly as school kids. My grade school Ogden had a music program that included regular, daytime concert trips to Orchestra Hall. At least 2-4 times a school year.
One conductor I remember well was Dave Mazur. A girl in our class was an accomplished violinist in our school band, Debbie Hoffman. And her father Irwin Hoffman was at that time first violin at the CSO. As I recall Hoffman briefly took over conductor duties when Mazur’s predecessor, who’d been there a long time, retired or moved on. Might have been George Solti, but I think it was before him. And I could have the chronology wrong.
We definately had the same CSO & conductors as the evening performances had.
The stage was huge as one could imagine with possible dumb waiters that brought the grand piano up when needed. Also 3 giant tubular sections above some choral group areas, all above the stage. Not sure if the tubes were acoustically functional, or just decorative. Either way the acoustics are always perfect at Orchestra Hall.
Nice comfy, deep red velvety seats too.
The last thing I saw there was a St. Patrick’s Day reading by John Malkovich a few years back. Which included a Western Illinois based orchestra surprisingly featuring our percussionist from grade school, after over 35 years. And now on the same stage we used to watch.
Plus a prominent solo Irish dancer who danced on a wood platform at certain points in the story.
The interior seems to the eye to have jsut as much seating area as there is stage area. As the main floor is kind of short, with several levels of balconies directly over the main floor.
Not really staggered back as much as you would expect.
Passed by the Riviera today. It had some newer looking, protective white tarps over the top span of the front wall, oer the marquee.
Same as the Uptown still has. Though the Uptown’s upper terra cotta arches had been removed a while back.
A good sign that both are being protected from the elements, until brick/facade work can be done.
Sure wonder what “An Evening In Mayberry” was in Lost Memory’s 2005 photo link.
Vintage Mayberry patrol cars out front and two showings? Must have been a unique event what ever it was.
Don’t know of any film of that name.
I’ll have to hit up the old imdb.
Somewhere on the vast internet, is a link to a `50’s juke box accessory called Band Box.
It was a miniature 24 inch half circle stage with curtains,that had big-band dressed puppets that appeared to play little instruments along to the juke box. The print ad was hilarious.
I beleive the company that made them was out of Chicago as well. Band Box Theatre might have been where they got the name from.
Next door to the North on Pulaski is a small green & black, art deco apartment building. As I remember it has a pointy almost crown like overhang above it’s entrance.
A friend of mine lived there around 1989. It still had the original built-in drop down Murphy beds & ironing boards.
Cool place. A surviving Irving Theatre would have been cooler though.
Wow, what an ornate facade. It didn’t even last 15 years. What a waste.
This is one I never knew about.
Thanks CT.
Neat looking building. We can assume the original Orpheum name built into the brickwork is safely behind that newer facade.
The Orpheum’s website history though, doesn’t say when the newer facade was installed. Obviously before the 1973 photo. Maybe late
50's early60’s given the style?Looks like their band schedule is a little thin as of now. I thought maybe The Misfits was a screening of the 1960 Gable/Monroe film, set in a Western town. The skull logo though solved that.
Not far off though, as The Misfits was easily one of the most depressing films I’d ever seen.
This theatre would have been pretty close to the elevated tracks. Is it possible it shared some of the space that the Double Door is in?
Or was the Wicker Theatre in it’s own building a tad further South on Milwaukee?
The Double Door was previously a large tavern called Main Street that was kind of bi-level. Until about 1991 or so.
It had giant “L” shaped pool tables with carved legs. And a small stage towards the Damen entrance side. Not sure if Double Door has multiple entrances on boh Milwaukee & Damen as Main Street did.
Ah, thanks. Saw Ravi Shankar & a real early stage version of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Auditorium.
Ravi Shankar used a really strong, on-stage incense that worked it’s way up to the balcony. And about knocked us out.
That’s it! Thanks yet again.
Interesting. I hadn’t known that the owner could pass in theory pass along a tax break, let alone write his losses off in the bigger picture.
I’m still surprised the village doesn’t snatch it up. Of course who has almost 4 mil. lying around.
Do you happen to know how the Arie Crown or Auditorium Theatre’s in Chicago are listed on Cinema Treasures? Thanks.
Given the address and various descriptions above, the Crown would have been where the Wendy’s restaurant, it’s drive-thru and adjacent parking lot is now.
Across from the small U.S Post Office, also on the South side of Division St.
As noted above, The Crown Theatre would have faced the Manufacturers Bank which is still on the N/W corner.
The dark brick building to the left of the Crown in the 1909 photo, would be where the Pizza Hut and it’s parking lot is now at Ashland & Division. On the S/W corner.
It should also be noted that there recently was/is a small live theatre group that works out of another classic white enamel brick building, just East on Division. In the short block between Milwaukee & Ashland. Next to the old Arandas Burrito place.
Greetings BWChicago. I guess I thought that if the village owned it, they wouldn’t have to charge potential tenants as much in rent as the current owner might have to, in order to keep up with his own taxes. Which surely must be high if if’s valued at 3.7 mil. Epecially if the buildings largest space/tenant goes largely unused. Then the only ground floor tenants are the restaurants. Are those rental apartments above everything?
Would the village have to pay the same taxes as a regular owner? If it was partly used for community use, it must be partly tax exempt somehow.
Also hypothetically if the village owned it, they could use or lease the theatre space out for community theatre events, etc. I thought they could pt mini Des Plaines museums in any vacant storefronts. I didn’t know there were only 2, and both were active restaurants.
I drove by the Des Plaines a few months back after a car show at the Metra station. I seem to remember the marquee was lit, but only advertised a phone number, no movies.
Just a thought, if the Des Plaines had some success with the New Years/Disney HSM2 showing, maybe the managemnent would consider events of the same genre. The Music Box Theatre in Chicago had good success with some “Grease” sing-a-longs. Even a “Wizard of Oz” sing-a-long might garner some viewership not normally prone to come out to the movies.
It could still share the theatre with the Indian films if all scheduled correctly.
Odd to read the city council wouldn’t purchase such a historic building when it had the chance to. If for no other reason, than to have a hand in regulating and revitalizing all the other storefronts within the building.
It could have been a flagship Des Plaines Cultural Center of sorts. Building out any vacant storefronts as they come & go, to highlight Des Plaines history. Also the Village would be more able to offer tax breaks to potential tenants on land it owns.
Wow, the theatre looks great. Appears they must have done a chemical cleaning of the exterior brickwork during their renovation. The new signage looks sleek too. Updated but not overbearing. Went back to the original name. Nice job!
Thanks TFS. My e-mail is:
I think it may be the only thing in my profile. Which I blindly used my real name on back in 2005 or whatever. I was Googleproof until then. Well, losing out on a 2006 Emmy saw to that too.
Good luck with your sale, and the hopes The Ritz will remain a theatre for ever.
Not that this matters, but I’ve often heard Ukranian Village referred to as Uke-Ville, rather than Uketown.
Many young artists reside in the area. Until the expensive gentrification firmly takes hold. As it did in Wicker Park.
Thanks Lost Memory. I did click on the Loopnet link, but it only had 4 very dark photos. 3 really, as 2 of the 4 were the same interior shot. I thought the realtor might have some more current sales type pics. One’s that showed the exterior in daylight, etc. Thanks again.
Maybe the posting of some daytime photos would help to showcase the theatre better. Is there a link to a current listing or something?
I’m not in the market, but thought anyone who might peruse the site, might take a second look if there were pictures.
“Theater for sale” is indeed a great moniker to start with. I linked over just based on that alone.
Best of Luck!
Silly me, I guess I should have read the “Add A Photo” criteria first.
I wasn’t critiquing Cinema Treasures, just curious that if accurate photos were already posted in discussion, why couldn’t they just be chosen & moved to the top. I had no idea of the volume of additional photos CT receives.
Like I should talk with my lowly WebTV.
Wow, that 1939 photo posted by tkpepper seems the perfect picture to post at the top of this Linda Lea CT page. Maybe blow it up a tad, and crop off all but the theatre. It also seems the oldest representation of The Arrow in reference to it’s original opening.
I’ve often wondered why of all the theatres profiled on Cinema Treasures, CT doesn’t just use one of the many photos posted during discussions, as the main header establishing photos.
Instead of keeping the “No Photo Available” image up.
Is it a photo copyright’s issue or something? Just wondering.
I just saw a Retro Minute feature from www.getback.com that said on 11/17/68, The Who, Small Faces, Mindbenders and one other band played live at the London Hippodrome.
I searched the CT list for London Hippodrome, and this was the only one still standing at that time.
Nice picture indeed LTS. It kind of shocked me when it scrolled up.
Somewhere I have an octagonal paving brick from the State Street Mall.
Can’t blame Mayor Bryne for trying.
The city actually maintained the cab & bus traffic only thing long after the mall idea fizzled. If only the 1992 flood hadn’t occurred, we’d still be able to street park down there. Once they saw how traffic was moving, meters were history. (Not counting Wabash)
I thought that the Roosevelt Theatre had run a closed circuit showing of the Frazier-Foreman fight back in `74. But I see no break in the movie action on the list.
Must have been one of the other downtown theatres. The Aragon Ballroom also ran closed circuit fights occasionally.