Loop Theater
165 N. State Street,
Chicago,
IL
60601
165 N. State Street,
Chicago,
IL
60601
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In the 40s and 50s,The Loop was also a place for bus travelers who were making connections to catch up on the news and spend a few minutes relaxing. It was located around the corner from the Trailways bus station, which can be seen in the 1988 movie “Red Heat” Before the new Greyhound station was built, their buses used a storefront across State street from the Loop Theater, near the State Lake theater. So, it was just a quick dash across the street to catch a newsreel.
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.
Here is a 1948 photo from LIFE magazine.
Teddy666 you sound like a guy named Rocky I used to know back in my Cinema Theatre/Village Theatre days!
It would be amazing to see any pictures of the interior of this theater. Jerry supposedly had stacks of pictures, but unfortunately I never had a chance to see them. Does anyone have any pics of this place inside?
I worked and trained as a manager for years with Jerry Usher (RIP), one time manager of Cinema Theater & Loop Theater from 1966-1978. He told me all sorts of stories about movie theater life in Chicago at that time and I’d like to share some stories with you. About the Loop Theater: Jerry mentioned how lines of people wrapped around and down the alley between the Chicago and Loop and across the back of the building every day for months and months when Russ Meyer’s Vixen premiered. He said he had never seen anything like it. He spoke how one day when he was in the lobby Russ Meyer himself dropped in with two envelopes; one with $1000 cash for him and another with $500 to be split amongst the workers who helped make Vixen such a success in Chicago. Jerry said Russ Meyer paid for his trip to Puerto Rico that year! He spoke of Ilsa being the nastiest movie the theater played and how furious the owner was with it when he finally saw it. He also mentioned that he would walk around outside the theater dressed in a tux holding a mic and a small amplifier and announce what movies were playing (true showmanship!). He used ‘Harry Cherry & Raquel’ in his example. He said the theater was on a year to year lease and they never knew when it would be up. He said it lasted much longer than he thought it would. When it did finally close in 1978 he was recruited by then owner Bob Taylor and longtime associate to run The Village Theater. And he did until his death in 2004.
David – Yes “The Front Page” is on the schedule I listed, December 1974. It’s easy to miss but it’s there.
My first trip to the Loop Theatre was in 1958. “THE CRAWLING EYE” plus “COSMIC MONSTERS”, a double feature I couldn’t resist.About a decade later, a very different movie: “VIXEN”. Although the Loop played some great movies- both serious and exploitation- I didn’t care much for the theatre. Way too small for a downtown theatre; when it played a hit(more often than not) the crowds did not help my claustrophobia. A bit of trivia: The manager of the Loop in the early 70s was a short, jolly man with glasses -Mr. Milstein(sp?).In the early to late 60s, he was the manager of the United Artists. To David- I remember the Treasure Chest. I’m sure it was on Randolph, a little West of State St. on the South side of the street. Not far away was a bookstore with a wild (for the time) adult section. Close by was a restaurant- the 17, if memory serves.
I remember seeing the “The Sting” at The Loop Theatre the day of my grade school graduation in June of `74. Still in my red velvet bow tie. Yikes. Also saw the Ben Hecht film “The Front Page” there, though it’s not listed above.
What some may not remember is on the corner above the neighboring Walgreen’s, was the longtime Winston billboard that had a giant face that blew out smoke rings. I think it also had a giant clock, and was reduced to just the clock when cigarette ads took a beating.
Years later when the Loop Theatre was reduced to being an electronics store of sorts, they had hanging speakers that were obviously blown. Blasting music out of their doorway towards the street. Like that was somehow the hook to get folks inside. You almost had to hug the curb to avoid it.
Which reminds me of another Loop area legend. A place called the Treasure Chest. An arcade type place filled with old time pinball & bowling machines with wooden balls. Glass counters everywhere filled with everything from playing cards to glass pipes. Even switchblades on request. Why? I think it was South of Randolph though. Closer to Madison.
Sound of Music in the theatres it played for a year or more was shown as a road show – that is with one or two shows a day at most, so that would severely cut down on the total exposure one projectionist would have.
I was thinking about “The Sound of Music” playing in Downtown Chicago for over two years, and if that was some kind of a record so I did some checking.
It played, reserved seat at the Dominion Theater in London, England for 170 WEEKS (that’s 3 YEARS and 14 WEEKS in one theater!).
If a projectionist worked a 5 day week and only ran 6 shows (it could be as many as 8 depending on which days they work when matinees play) and taking into account vacations the projectionist would see and hear SOM about 380 times!
It played in Sydney, Australia at a combination of the Mayfair and Paris Theaters for a total of 180 WEEKS (that’s 3 YEARS and 24 WEEKS!).
“The hills are alive with the sound of music” Oscar Hammerstine II 1895-1960
Tell us more about “the legendary (and difficult) Oscar Brotman.” I’ve forgotten, what theaters did he have?
Yes I seem to remember “The Sound of Music” being at the Loop. It started out at the Michael Todd as a roadshow in 70mm TODD-AO on March 17, 1965 and ran for 93 WEEKS! That would mean it wouldn’t be able to get to the Loop till the end 1966. So after I typed the preceding I looked at the list of movies that JRS40 listed and both tombrueggemann and myself missed The “Sound of Music” listed at 12/28/1966! So it played another 16 weeks that we know of downtown. That’s a total of 109 weeks it played in a row!
“And now you know—-The Rest of The Story.” Paul Harvy 1918-
I booked the Loop from 1976-1978 working for the legendary (and difficult) Oscar Brotman. What a bunch of grade Z movies were included – it clearly was at the end of an era.
On the list of movies before that – I could have sworn I saw a post-road show engagement of The Sound of Music there sometime in 1966, but don’t see it listed among the films.
Here is a 1940s view
Here are the movies that played here from 1964 until its closing in 1978.
1/03/1964 – WHO’S BEEN SLEEPING IN MY BED?
1/24/1964 – FANTASIA
3/06/1964 – TWO WOMEN plus THE SKY ABOVE, THE MUD BELOW
3/20/1964 – THE SILENCE
5/01/1964 – THE EMPTY CANVAS
5/15/1964 – WEEKEND
6/05/1964 – THE CHRISTINE KEELER STORY
6/19/1964 – HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM plus HOUSE OF FRIGHT
6/26/1964 – ZULU
7/24/1964 – YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW
9/25/1964 – ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO
10/16/1964- SHOCK TREATMENT
10/23/1964- MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH plus BLACK SABBATH
10/30/1964- LOS TARANTOS
11/6/1964 – LILI
11/27/1964- DIARY OF A BACHELOR
12/18/1964- SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS plus SANTA’S MAGIC KINGDOM
12/25/1964- GOODBYE CHARLIE
1/22/1965 – MARRIAGE – ITALIAN STYLE
3/19/1965 – ZORBA THE GREEK
7/02/1965 – THE PAWNBROKER
8/06/1965 – CASANOVA 70
10/8/1965 – DARLING
11/17/1965- UNDER AGE? – THE VERDICT IS YOURS
11/26/1965- PARIS SECRET
12/22/1965- THE 1OTH VICTIM
2/11/1966 – THE SLENDER THREAD
3/10/1966 – DARLING
4/22/1966 – THE SHOP ON MAIN STREET
6/03/1966 – MALE COMPANION
6/24/1966 – AROUND THE WORLD, UNDER THE SEA
7/27/1966 – DEAR JOHN
8/17/1966 – THE WILD ANGELS
10/21/1966- GIGI
11/18/1966- HOTEL PARADISO
11/30/1966- MATA HARI plus THE THIN MAN
12/7/1966 – NINOTCHKA plus MIN AND BILL
12/14/1966- ANNA KARENINA plus GO WEST
12/21/1966- CAMILLE plus THE BIG STORE
12/28/1966- THE SOUND OF MUSIC
4/21/1967 – THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
9/27/1967 – ENTER LAUGHING
10/13/1967- BLACKBOARD JUNGLE plus A PATCH OF BLUE
10/27/1967- THE FLIM FLAM MAN
11/10/1967- OUR MOTHER’S HOUSE
12/1/1967 – HOUSE OF 1000 DOLLS
12/22/1967- THE GRADUATE
1/18/1968 – FAR FROM THE MADDENING CROWD
2/23/1968 – THE GRADUATE
6/14/1968 – BLUE
7/03/1968 – THE PRODUCERS
8/14/1968 – TARGETS
8/28/1968 – ANYONE CAN PLAY
9/18/1968 – THE PRODUCERS
10/4/1968 – THE YOUNG RUNAWAYS
10/25/1968- THERESE AND ISABELLE
12/27/1968- SKIDOO
1/10/1969 – LES BICHES
2/21/1969 – VIXEN
12/19/1969- JOHN AND MARY
3/13/1970 – CHERRY, HARRY AND RAQUEL
8/26/1970 – WITHOUT A STITCH
12/16/1970- EQUINOX
2/10/1971 – UNCLE TOM’S CABIN
3/19/1971 – THE STEWARDESSES
6/30/1971 – EVIL KNIEVEL
7/28/1971 – BILLY JACK
9/24/1971 – HONKY
11/5/1971 – THE ANIMALS
11/12/1971- THE BUS IS COMING
11/19/1971- HOUSE OF WAX (IN 3-D)
12/17/1971- THE STEWARDESSES
12/25/1971- DIRTY HARRY
4/21/1972 – BUCK AND THE PREACHER
7/28/1972 – FRITZ THE CAT
9/22/1972 – A GROUP MARRIAGE
10/13/1972- IS THE FATHER BLACK ENOUGH?
10/27/1972- PRIVATE PARTY
11/3/1972 – BUCK AND THE PREACHER plus COOL BREEZE
11/17/1972- RAGE
12/1/1972 – SUPERFLY plus MELINDA
12/20/1972- TRICK BABY
2/02/1973 – BLACK GIRL
2/23/1973 – SHAMUS
3/14/1973 – DELIVERANCE
3/23/1973 – WATTSTAX
4/13/1973 – SCHLOCK
4/22/1973 – DUEL OF THE IRON FIST
5/11/1973 – THE MACK
6/01/1973 – THE MAN FROM DEEP RIVER
6/15/1973 – KUNG FU: THE INVISIBLE FIST
6/29/1973 – EMPEROR OF THE NORTH
7/06/1973 – DUEL OF THE IRON FIST plus KUNG FU: THE INVISIBLE FIST
7/27/1973 – CAHILL – U.S. MARSHALL
8/10/1973 – THEY CALL ME TRINITY plus TRINITY IS STILL MY NAME
8/24/1973 – HEAVY TRAFFIC
10/5/1973 – LAST TANGO IN PARIS
11/16/1973- DAY OF THE JACKAL plus PETE N TILLIE
11/22/1973- BLACKBELT
11/30/1973- BLACK GIRL plus ACROSS 110TH STREET
12/20/1973- TROUBLE MAN plus HAMMER
12/25/1973- THE STING
7/19/1974 – THE LORDS OF FLATBUSH
8/02/1974 – BUSTER AND BILLIE
8/16/1974 – THE CHINESE GODFATHER
9/04/1974 – BLAZING SADDLES plus BLUME IN LOVE
9/13/1974 – EXORCISM’S DAUGHTER
9/20/1974 – VIXEN/CHERRY, HARRY, RAQUEL/BEYOND VALLEY OF THE DOLLS
10/18/1974- UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT plus THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE
10/25/1974- LAW AND DISORDER
11/8/1974 – THE SPOOK WHO SAT BY THE DOOR/5 ON THE BLACK HAND SIDE
11/15/1974- THE MANDARIN MAGICIAN
11/22/1974- GOLD
12/6/1974 – LOVE UNDER 18 plus SENSUOUS YOUTH
12/20/1974- THE FRONT PAGE
1/15/1975 – VOODOO BLACK EXORCIST
1/31/1975 – YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
3/14/1975 – A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE
4/25/1975 – SUPERVIXENS
6/20/1975 – DOLEMITE
6/27/1975 – SHAMPOO
7/04/1975 – THE GROOVE TUBE plus FLESH GORDON
7/11/1975 – LOVE (IN 3-D)
8/08/1975 – ILSA – SHE WOLF OF THE SS
8/29/1975 – SUPERVIXENS/CHERRY,HARRY,RAQUEL/VIXEN/FINDERS KEEPERS LOVERS WEEPERS
10/3/1975 – THE MASTER GUNFIGHTER
10/31/1975- LENNY plus LAST TANGO IN PARIS
11/21/1975- BLACK ALLEYCATS plus THE BLACK BUNCH
12/19/1975- VIXEN/CHERRY,HARRY,RAQUEL/FINDERS KEEPERS LOVERS WEEPERS
12/26/1975- SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS
1/16/1976 – THE NAUGHTIEST SHOW IN TOWN plus HOT TIMES
1/23/1976 – THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR
1/30/1976 – THE ADVENTURES OF FRONTIER FREEMONT
2/11/1976 – NO DEPOSIT, NO RETURN
2/27/1976 – BLACK HOOKER plus COME BACK, CHARLESTON BLUE
3/12/1976 – MAN FRIDAY
3/19/1976 – BRUCE LEE – ALIVE OR DEAD?
4/16/1976 – DEEP JAWS
5/07/1976 – TAXI DRIVER
5/28/1976 – JACKSON COUNTY JAIL plus MEAN FRANK AND CRAZY TONY
6/18/1976 – VIGILANTE FORCE
6/15/1976 – PETER PAN
7/09/1976 – A SMALL TOWN IN TEXAS
7/16/1976 – THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES
8/06/1976 – INFRA-MAN plus WONDER WOMEN
8/27/1976 – THE SPOOK WHO SAT BY THE DOOR
10/1/1976 – APE (IN 3-D)
10/15/1976- ADIOS AMIGO plus THE KILLER ELITE
10/20/1976- THE POM POM GIRLS plus SWINGING STEWARDESSES
10/29/1976- WOODSTOCK
11/5/1975 – RUSS MEYER’S UP
12/24/1976- MARATHON MAN
1/14/1977 – TRICK BABY plus BLACKBELT JONES
1/28/1977 – IN SEARCH OF NOAH’S ARK
2/18/1977 – THE ENFORCER
3/04/1977 – MANDINGO plus DRUM
3/11/1977 – ANDY WARHOL’S FRANKENSTEIN
4/22/1977 – FANTASTIC INVASION OF PLANET EARTH (IN 3-D)
5/06/1977 – THE STEWARDESSES (IN 3-D)
5/20/1977 – FRITZ THE CAT plus HEAVY TRAFFIC
6/03/1977 – CINDERELLA (X-rated)
10/14/1977- SHORT EYES
12/21/1977- OH, GOD! plus AMAZING GRACE
12/30/1977- CINDERELLA plus ALICE IN WONDERLAND (X-rated)
1/27/1978 – THE ADVENTURES OF THE WILDERNESS FAMILY
2/03/1978 – LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR plus LIPSTICK
2/10/1978 – EMMANUELLE IN BANGKOCK
2/24/1978 – WHICH WAY IS UP? plus THE BLACK BIRD
3/17/1978 – STRAIGHT TIME
CLOSED AFTER PERFORMANCES SUNDAY APRIL 2, 1978
GOSSIP COLUMN ITEM:
Chicago Tribune, Friday, May 13, 1954, s. 2, p. 2, c. 7:
Tower Ticker, by Herb Lyon
“… . Biggest box office clicks in town are "Blackboard Jungle” at the Woods and G. Garbo in the oldie, “Camille,” at the Loop [she’s doin' just greta].
GOSSIP COLUMN ITEM:
Chicago Tribune, Friday, May 13, 1954, s. 2, p. 2, c. 7:
Tower Ticker, by Herb Lyon
“… . Biggest box office clicks in town are "Blackboard Jungle” at the Woods and G. Garbo in the oldie, “Camille,” at the Loop [she’s doin' just greta].
NEWS ITEM:
Chicago Daily News, Thursday, November 30, 1939, p. 26, c. 5:
TELENEWS THEATER IS SET TO OPEN DEC. 23
The new Telenews theater on State street, between Lake and Randolph, is scheduled top open Dec. 23. it will be devoted exclusively to the presentation of newsreels and selected short subjects. Each weekly program will be especially edited from the product of all the newsreel companies.
The Telenews will afford patrons some innovations for their comfort and relaxation as well as entertainment. Particular care has been given to a spacious lounge and recreation room, and a new type of streamlined orchestra chair will be featured. The world’s first exclusive newsreel theater was established in 1929 in New York City and is enjoying great popularity with theatrgoers.
First 3-D movie shown in Chicago was at the Telenews, here’s the ad from Chicago Tribune, Thursday, January 22, 1953, s. 3, p. 7, c. 1:
There is Only 1 perfect Tri-Opticon 3 Dimension motion pictures, color by technicolor—-5th dazzling week! “Adventure in Space” “The program marks a milestone in motion picture history!”—Chicago Tribune; “brilliant visibility!”—Sam Lesner, Daily News; Telenews, State and Randolph.
Here is a shot of the building when it was new and considerably less ugly.
Video clips of the Telenews Marquee from 1951 are available at http://www.wttwdigitalarchives.com/searchres.php by searching for 25327 or 25328. 1954 views of the Loop marquee are found by searching for 26438 or 26439.
I remember seeing a film at the Loop called “Equinox.” Truly awful. Not even sure how to categorize it (monster movie? sci-fi/horror flick?). I see someone in a previous post referred to it as a grade z thriller—that captures it perfectly. But my friends and I had a ball making fun of it. I also saw “The Sting” there when it first opened. Don’t recall going there too often…it was a smaller venue on a boulevard of cavernous movie palaces.
The Loop is presently being demolished. Also, during the 1950s it briefly reverted to the Telenews name and format before returning to the Loop name.
I believe that the Walgreens has already closed.