Funny thing, I can’t recall anything on the block the Roosevelt was on either, and I should as many times as I walked by it! I don’t know if your going to get the book or not, but here are some things that I seem to remember from mostly the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. I can remember on the other sides of the block. On the Washington St side was a very fine food grocery store (really to good to be called a grocery store) called STOP AND SHOP. At the corner of Washington Blvd and Dearborn St was a very historic building (I can’t recall what was in it), but it should have never been torn down, SHAME ON CHICAGO! In the middle of the Dearborn St side was a Comonwealth Edison sub station (I guess that’s what it’s called) and it is the only thing that is still standing on the whole block. At the corner of Dearborn St and Randolph St was the United Artists Theatre. Randolph because of all the theatres had the most interesting area. Seems to me there was a resturant or bar called FLO"S that would have a young lady outside on a swing up on the second floor, wired for sound trying to get you to come into “FABULOUS FLO’S”. I think it had a fire and it was a Burger King in the 1970’s. I also remember a magazine store, it might have had books too, but it sure had a lot of magazines. It might have had adult magazines, but I don’t recall, I like trains, so it was the train magazines I was checking out! Accross the street, I think in part of the OLD HIDELBERG they grilled steaks in the window. Remember late at nght when new movies would play the next day. White Way Sign Co. would come and change all the letters and those big boards with info about the movie that just about covered up all the brick. What did they call those boards. Seems to me the PIT AND THE PEDULUM PLAYED at the Roosevelt and they had a wood pedulum that swug back and forth against the building! Help me out, did I get anything mixed up or what can you add. It would be neat to be able to know every business around that whole block anchored by those two great B&K’s!
Up about 8 posts, on August 20th is a nice night view of the Chicago Theatre. Those lights they have restored in the terra cotta really look nice (but what a pain to replace a bulb!). Anyway, is there a name or what is it called when a system of lights is built into the terra cotta? Also, I had noticed those bulbs in the building never lite way back in the early 1960’s. To get them lite again after perhaps at least 50 years, I would guess they would have had to do some rewiring and such, how can they do that? Most folks, I bet, never noticed those blackened bulbs (I’ve seen them at other theatres too), but, it looks great and kudos to the theatre for getting them lite, I really never expected them to do that!
Also the Ambassador Theatre? From the 2006 book THE CHICAGO MOVIE PALACES OF BALABAN AND KATZ by David Balaban, page 51. On talking about the Chicago Theatre, “Originally called the Ambassador Theatre before its completion”??
CORRECTION THE NAME OF THE VILLAGE IS OAK BROOK, THAT’S TWO WORDS. YOU CAN CHECK THAT ON THE VILLAGE OF OAK BROOK WEB PAGE OR A RAND McNALLY MAP, BUT THE THEATRE IS IN OAKBROOK (0NE WORD) CENTER. This will get the Oakbrook Center Theatre and the UA Cinema 150 into the same town as they should be.
To CHASMAN and RICK3904 you might want to look at my coments from today on the UA Cinema 150.
To DON KINSTALLO, the photo no longer shows up on this site, but I remember when it did. I thought that the photo from the air was taken when the theatre was being built because if I remember right the photo shows the parking lot has not been paved. I don’t remember anything about a fire.
To CHITOWNGUY, if you thought this theatre was “wonderful/elegant” when it was twined, you should have seen it before it was twined. This was a DIMENSION 150 (D-150) theatre (the only other D-150 theatre around Chicago was/is the River Oaks in Calumet City, it is now closed but I hope it will open again). I have always felt that these two theatres were the finest “modern” theatres around. Both theatres were built from the ground up as D-150 theatres. They had huge curved solid sheet screens (Does anyone know how they would compare to a CINERAMA screen), they could show non-scope, scope, 70mm and D-150 movies, the sound was great and the projectionist could control the maskings for all four types of movies with a push of some buttons. Only two D-150 films were made THE BIBLE: IN THE BEGINNING… and PATTON. Does anyone know if either of these movies played in D-150 at either of these theatres. At the Oak Brook thatre they had an open house before movies started playing. I went and got a book on D-150 (I hope I have it in my vast archives but I think it got destroyed by accident). They showed a demo film on D-150, I dont remember much about it, but I guess it started with a roller coaster ride. Anyone fill me in on more of the demo movie? I have often wondered if any D-150 theatre ever showed a non D-150 movie useing the full screen and the D-150 Super Curvulon Projection Lens. It is my understanding that the full screen and the D-150 lens was only to be used for D-150 films and not other 70mm. Anyone know anything about this? Of course it was never the same after it was twined, but alas it was torn down and I think of it often and it’s sad to drive by!
From the Kankakee, Illinois Daily Journal, April 24, 2006. The theatre closed in January 2006 and opened April 21 2006, under a new name and new ownership (renting). It’s now called the REEL TO REAL I (II will open soon in the PRINCESS II at 103 W. Oak St.). First-run family-oriented films will be shown. 815.432.4461
vito, first of all the sad thing is that both these theatres are gone! Second of all, I was interested in the fact that you were a projectionist at this theatre and pehaps you or someone else can answer some questions about D-150 for me. As far as I can recall I have only been in two D-150’s, the UA 150 in Oakbrook, Illinois which was later twined and then torn down years and years ago, and the River Oaks 9 in Calumet City, Illinois. Both of these are in the Chicago suburbs and I haven’t been to the River Oaks in years. The first thing I noticed was that you could see very plainly where the different maskings on the screen had been when it was opened to a bigger screen. Was the part of the screen covered most of the time what was dirty or was it the part that was exposed the most that was dirty, I can’t remember. In other words did the maskings rubbing on the screen make it dirty or was it from the air in the theatre? On the curtain, masking and ? control box, can you remember what all the buttons were for? Could you change the maskings with the curtain open, that would have been neat to see? Did you ever get to really show one of the two D-150 movies? Did you ever use the D-150 lens to show a regular 70mm movie? Any thing else you can think of that would be interesting about D-150 to those of us out in the non projectionist world? Thirdly about CINERAMA at the “other” theatre, you should know, you were the projectionist! I took my info from some CINERAMA lists, the Cinema Treasures, Syosset Triplex site, [url=http://cinerama.topcities.com/syosset.htm,] I see that box on the side of the building, is this picture of some other Syosset? and http:www.in70mm.com/news/2003/syosset/syosset_li.htm. I’m doing this by long distance from Chicago, so what do I know? It would be nice if you would put an entry on the other theatre site to straighten this all out.
Could be more, but the only two that I think were CINERAMA were the Clairidge in Montclair and the Bellevue in UPPER MONTCLAIR. On the other hand, not to make you feel bad, but at one time or another New York State had about 13 CINERAMA Theatres!
“70mm In NY” is a great site. It does have a bit of confusion. It lists Cinema 150/The Syosset and on the next line Syosset/Syosset Triplex/The Syosset. I think the real “The Syosset” was the CINERAMA/Todd-AO/70mm roadshow theatre down the street not this D-150 theatre. I’ve seen a picture of the back of this theatre and it has a curved wall that matches the screen. Loews Cineplex River Oaks 9 in Calumet City, Illinois in the South Suburbs of Chicago has the same neat kind of back wall. At least the River Oaks D-150 is still standing, is still a theatre and has not been twined. tonite 10/13/04 it is showing TAXI. The Cinema 150 in Syosset was not a CINERAMA Theatre, but a D-150 Theatre, perhaps a new style for D-150’s needs to be made. Alas as far as I know only 38 D-150’s got built world wide!
That is an awesome site and it lists Syosset/Syosset Triplex/The Syosset and the theatre down the road Cinema 150/The Syosset. Some confussion when The Syosset gets listed twice. As best as I can tell this theatre opened in 1956 and started out as a 70mm Todd-AO Theatre showing roadshows. It went to 3 strip CINERAMA from 6/25/59-5/26/64. I have seen photos of the Able and Charly booths sticking out of the sides of the building. It played CINERAMA type travelogue programs until August 1961. When no CINERAMA product was available other films would be shown. It had a 146 degree louvered screen with a 30 foot radius that was placed in front of the Todd-AO screen. It went to 70mm CINERAMA on 5/27/64. The style of this theatre should not be listed as unknown, but should be CINERAMA.
I think this theatre was at one time also called the Cooperstown Theatre. I’ve looked at my various CINERAMA Theatre lists and do not see this theatre listed.
I see the Cinerama was removed from the style of this drive-in and I think that is correct. As things would happen the day after I made the above entry I found information on the second Cinerama Drive-In. The Mann, France Avenue Drive-In at 7800 (HWY 494) France Ave South, Bloomington, Minesota (Mineapolis suburb). It opened June 15, 1966 and the ad says it was equipped for Cinerama (most likley 70mm), Todd-AO, 70 MM, and all other film processes. The ad goes on to say it had the “World’s Largest Screen!” 150ft by 92ft (the Cinerama expert Roland Lataille writes that the screen size has not been confirmed) and had a 1700 car capacity (that seems awful big), but it did end up with 3 screens. It closed in 1982, was demolished in 1986 and is now the Minnesota Center office complex. Now, is there a third Cinerama Drive-In?
I see the style is listed as Cinerama. I could be wrong, but the only Cinerama Drive-In I ever heard of was the Century Drive in Los Angeles (Inglewood) California.
I never heard of a chain called Cinerama. I notice that the style is listed as Cinerama which is OK if the theatre is old enough, but an 8 plex? Was the Cinerama theatre divided up and/or had additional theatres added to it?
A long time ago I saw a 35MM print of “How The West Was Won” at the Commodore Theatre, not quite the same as seeing it over in Norfolk at the Ronsa in CINERAMA!
Yes I know “Zorba the Greek” was not a 70MM release, something got messed up in editing. It was just a little 35MM, non widescreen black and white film. If I remember right they only used as much of the screen as was used in Lowel Thomas’s intro to “This Is Cinerama”.
On April 9, 1958 Grauman’s Chinese Theatre had the world premiere of “WINDJAMMER” projected in the CineMiracle process. CineMiracle was almost the same as 3-strip CINERAMA and in fact was shown in many CINERAMA theatres and ended up being owned by CINERAMA.
LEVINE THEATRICAL ENTERPRISES is the chain for this theatre.
LEVINE THEATRICAL ENTERPRISES is the chain for this theatre.
LEVINE THEATRICAL ENTERPRISES is the chain for this theatre.
Funny thing, I can’t recall anything on the block the Roosevelt was on either, and I should as many times as I walked by it! I don’t know if your going to get the book or not, but here are some things that I seem to remember from mostly the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. I can remember on the other sides of the block. On the Washington St side was a very fine food grocery store (really to good to be called a grocery store) called STOP AND SHOP. At the corner of Washington Blvd and Dearborn St was a very historic building (I can’t recall what was in it), but it should have never been torn down, SHAME ON CHICAGO! In the middle of the Dearborn St side was a Comonwealth Edison sub station (I guess that’s what it’s called) and it is the only thing that is still standing on the whole block. At the corner of Dearborn St and Randolph St was the United Artists Theatre. Randolph because of all the theatres had the most interesting area. Seems to me there was a resturant or bar called FLO"S that would have a young lady outside on a swing up on the second floor, wired for sound trying to get you to come into “FABULOUS FLO’S”. I think it had a fire and it was a Burger King in the 1970’s. I also remember a magazine store, it might have had books too, but it sure had a lot of magazines. It might have had adult magazines, but I don’t recall, I like trains, so it was the train magazines I was checking out! Accross the street, I think in part of the OLD HIDELBERG they grilled steaks in the window. Remember late at nght when new movies would play the next day. White Way Sign Co. would come and change all the letters and those big boards with info about the movie that just about covered up all the brick. What did they call those boards. Seems to me the PIT AND THE PEDULUM PLAYED at the Roosevelt and they had a wood pedulum that swug back and forth against the building! Help me out, did I get anything mixed up or what can you add. It would be neat to be able to know every business around that whole block anchored by those two great B&K’s!
Up about 8 posts, on August 20th is a nice night view of the Chicago Theatre. Those lights they have restored in the terra cotta really look nice (but what a pain to replace a bulb!). Anyway, is there a name or what is it called when a system of lights is built into the terra cotta? Also, I had noticed those bulbs in the building never lite way back in the early 1960’s. To get them lite again after perhaps at least 50 years, I would guess they would have had to do some rewiring and such, how can they do that? Most folks, I bet, never noticed those blackened bulbs (I’ve seen them at other theatres too), but, it looks great and kudos to the theatre for getting them lite, I really never expected them to do that!
Also the Ambassador Theatre? From the 2006 book THE CHICAGO MOVIE PALACES OF BALABAN AND KATZ by David Balaban, page 51. On talking about the Chicago Theatre, “Originally called the Ambassador Theatre before its completion”??
Go to the homepage then go to the photos. Really have done a great job, what devotion!
CORRECTION THE NAME OF THE VILLAGE IS OAK BROOK, THAT’S TWO WORDS. YOU CAN CHECK THAT ON THE VILLAGE OF OAK BROOK WEB PAGE OR A RAND McNALLY MAP, BUT THE THEATRE IS IN OAKBROOK (0NE WORD) CENTER. This will get the Oakbrook Center Theatre and the UA Cinema 150 into the same town as they should be.
To CHASMAN and RICK3904 you might want to look at my coments from today on the UA Cinema 150.
To DON KINSTALLO, the photo no longer shows up on this site, but I remember when it did. I thought that the photo from the air was taken when the theatre was being built because if I remember right the photo shows the parking lot has not been paved. I don’t remember anything about a fire.
To CHITOWNGUY, if you thought this theatre was “wonderful/elegant” when it was twined, you should have seen it before it was twined. This was a DIMENSION 150 (D-150) theatre (the only other D-150 theatre around Chicago was/is the River Oaks in Calumet City, it is now closed but I hope it will open again). I have always felt that these two theatres were the finest “modern” theatres around. Both theatres were built from the ground up as D-150 theatres. They had huge curved solid sheet screens (Does anyone know how they would compare to a CINERAMA screen), they could show non-scope, scope, 70mm and D-150 movies, the sound was great and the projectionist could control the maskings for all four types of movies with a push of some buttons. Only two D-150 films were made THE BIBLE: IN THE BEGINNING… and PATTON. Does anyone know if either of these movies played in D-150 at either of these theatres. At the Oak Brook thatre they had an open house before movies started playing. I went and got a book on D-150 (I hope I have it in my vast archives but I think it got destroyed by accident). They showed a demo film on D-150, I dont remember much about it, but I guess it started with a roller coaster ride. Anyone fill me in on more of the demo movie? I have often wondered if any D-150 theatre ever showed a non D-150 movie useing the full screen and the D-150 Super Curvulon Projection Lens. It is my understanding that the full screen and the D-150 lens was only to be used for D-150 films and not other 70mm. Anyone know anything about this? Of course it was never the same after it was twined, but alas it was torn down and I think of it often and it’s sad to drive by!
From the Kankakee, Illinois THE DAILY JOURNAL “has been closed since 1998 and is offered for sale”.
From the Kankakee, Illinois Daily Journal, April 24, 2006. The theatre closed in January 2006 and opened April 21 2006, under a new name and new ownership (renting). It’s now called the REEL TO REAL I (II will open soon in the PRINCESS II at 103 W. Oak St.). First-run family-oriented films will be shown. 815.432.4461
vito, first of all the sad thing is that both these theatres are gone! Second of all, I was interested in the fact that you were a projectionist at this theatre and pehaps you or someone else can answer some questions about D-150 for me. As far as I can recall I have only been in two D-150’s, the UA 150 in Oakbrook, Illinois which was later twined and then torn down years and years ago, and the River Oaks 9 in Calumet City, Illinois. Both of these are in the Chicago suburbs and I haven’t been to the River Oaks in years. The first thing I noticed was that you could see very plainly where the different maskings on the screen had been when it was opened to a bigger screen. Was the part of the screen covered most of the time what was dirty or was it the part that was exposed the most that was dirty, I can’t remember. In other words did the maskings rubbing on the screen make it dirty or was it from the air in the theatre? On the curtain, masking and ? control box, can you remember what all the buttons were for? Could you change the maskings with the curtain open, that would have been neat to see? Did you ever get to really show one of the two D-150 movies? Did you ever use the D-150 lens to show a regular 70mm movie? Any thing else you can think of that would be interesting about D-150 to those of us out in the non projectionist world? Thirdly about CINERAMA at the “other” theatre, you should know, you were the projectionist! I took my info from some CINERAMA lists, the Cinema Treasures, Syosset Triplex site, [url=http://cinerama.topcities.com/syosset.htm,] I see that box on the side of the building, is this picture of some other Syosset? and http:www.in70mm.com/news/2003/syosset/syosset_li.htm. I’m doing this by long distance from Chicago, so what do I know? It would be nice if you would put an entry on the other theatre site to straighten this all out.
Could be more, but the only two that I think were CINERAMA were the Clairidge in Montclair and the Bellevue in UPPER MONTCLAIR. On the other hand, not to make you feel bad, but at one time or another New York State had about 13 CINERAMA Theatres!
“70mm In NY” is a great site. It does have a bit of confusion. It lists Cinema 150/The Syosset and on the next line Syosset/Syosset Triplex/The Syosset. I think the real “The Syosset” was the CINERAMA/Todd-AO/70mm roadshow theatre down the street not this D-150 theatre. I’ve seen a picture of the back of this theatre and it has a curved wall that matches the screen. Loews Cineplex River Oaks 9 in Calumet City, Illinois in the South Suburbs of Chicago has the same neat kind of back wall. At least the River Oaks D-150 is still standing, is still a theatre and has not been twined. tonite 10/13/04 it is showing TAXI. The Cinema 150 in Syosset was not a CINERAMA Theatre, but a D-150 Theatre, perhaps a new style for D-150’s needs to be made. Alas as far as I know only 38 D-150’s got built world wide!
That is an awesome site and it lists Syosset/Syosset Triplex/The Syosset and the theatre down the road Cinema 150/The Syosset. Some confussion when The Syosset gets listed twice. As best as I can tell this theatre opened in 1956 and started out as a 70mm Todd-AO Theatre showing roadshows. It went to 3 strip CINERAMA from 6/25/59-5/26/64. I have seen photos of the Able and Charly booths sticking out of the sides of the building. It played CINERAMA type travelogue programs until August 1961. When no CINERAMA product was available other films would be shown. It had a 146 degree louvered screen with a 30 foot radius that was placed in front of the Todd-AO screen. It went to 70mm CINERAMA on 5/27/64. The style of this theatre should not be listed as unknown, but should be CINERAMA.
I think this theatre was at one time also called the Cooperstown Theatre. I’ve looked at my various CINERAMA Theatre lists and do not see this theatre listed.
I’ve looked at my various CINERAMA Theatre lists and do not see this theatre listed.
I see the Cinerama was removed from the style of this drive-in and I think that is correct. As things would happen the day after I made the above entry I found information on the second Cinerama Drive-In. The Mann, France Avenue Drive-In at 7800 (HWY 494) France Ave South, Bloomington, Minesota (Mineapolis suburb). It opened June 15, 1966 and the ad says it was equipped for Cinerama (most likley 70mm), Todd-AO, 70 MM, and all other film processes. The ad goes on to say it had the “World’s Largest Screen!” 150ft by 92ft (the Cinerama expert Roland Lataille writes that the screen size has not been confirmed) and had a 1700 car capacity (that seems awful big), but it did end up with 3 screens. It closed in 1982, was demolished in 1986 and is now the Minnesota Center office complex. Now, is there a third Cinerama Drive-In?
I see the style is listed as Cinerama. I could be wrong, but the only Cinerama Drive-In I ever heard of was the Century Drive in Los Angeles (Inglewood) California.
I never heard of a chain called Cinerama. I notice that the style is listed as Cinerama which is OK if the theatre is old enough, but an 8 plex? Was the Cinerama theatre divided up and/or had additional theatres added to it?
A long time ago I saw a 35MM print of “How The West Was Won” at the Commodore Theatre, not quite the same as seeing it over in Norfolk at the Ronsa in CINERAMA!
Yes I know “Zorba the Greek” was not a 70MM release, something got messed up in editing. It was just a little 35MM, non widescreen black and white film. If I remember right they only used as much of the screen as was used in Lowel Thomas’s intro to “This Is Cinerama”.
On April 9, 1958 Grauman’s Chinese Theatre had the world premiere of “WINDJAMMER” projected in the CineMiracle process. CineMiracle was almost the same as 3-strip CINERAMA and in fact was shown in many CINERAMA theatres and ended up being owned by CINERAMA.
I think the River Oaks #9 in Calumet City, Illinois (a suburb just south of Chicago) still is a D-150 theatre.
I’ve seen it mentioned that the Plaza has been in both the Interstate and Publix theatre chains.