Just as I remember it. I was 11 in 1952. My family moved from the Gage Park neighborhood in 1954. The Acadia had a major affect on my formative years. My wife still groans when I say a movie on TV today is one I saw at the Acadia back then. Last night the first of the Superman series that began in 1948 was on. Lois Lane, Jimmy Olson and Perry White, editor of the Daily Planet, looked just like I remembered them. Ironically I did not remember Clark Kent Superman. I still have nostalgia for those good days.
This is a great photo of a Red Cross parade heading West toward Midway Airport along 55th Street at the corner with S. California Ave. Judging by the Red Cross flag at the head of the parade and the autos, it looks to have been taken during World War II circa 1943-1944. The Acadia Theater is in the upper left near the corner of 55th and Fairfield. The building facing in upper right is on the SE corner of 55th and California. In 1947 I entered First Grade at St. Clare School at 55th and Washtenaw, another block to the rear (east) of the Acadia and on the other (north) side of 55th.
In my earliest remembrance, a Walgreen’s Drug store was on the SE corner of 55th and California. Armstead’s Bakery is shown on the SW corner. In my earliest remembrance, Gage Liquors had moved one door west to the SW corner and Armstead’s moved east to two doors west of the Acadia. Gertie’s Ice Cream Parlor was between the Acadia and Armstead’s. Just east of Armstead’s was Stanley’s Meat Market, followed by the Keyser Store (women’s and children’s clothing), and then Walgreen’s. I believe the tall chimney in the background behind the Acadia was part of Gage Park Elementary School.
In 1951 during the Korean War President Truman fired Gen. Douglas McArthur as head of UN troops in Korea. McArthur took a “victory lap” around the US to close his career. He was deeply revered by the American people for his military accomplishments in the Pacific during WW II and the Korean War. As part of his farewell tour he flew into Midway Airport and then drove East along 55th to Michigan Ave and then north to the Loop where a ticker-tape parade awaited him. 55th Street was lined with people 4 deep along his route, including the same intersection in the photo.
The Acadia was a social experience found nowhere else. In the early 50’s my pals and I enjoyed tearing empty popcorn boxes into pieces and launching them with rubber bands through the light beam from the film projector. When our projectiles went through the beam, they lit up like shooting stars. They also lit up the ushers. During Saturday matinees, which were never attended by anyone over thirteen, the ushers had to keep order. Since an ever-increasing number of shooting stars would eventually end in general chaos, the ushers did their best to find the culprits shooting them. If caught, the culprits were ejected from the theater, something I fortunately never had to suffer.
Dear sias88, The enthusiasm of youth can prevail ant day over the acceptance of things the way they are by the older generation. I would be delighted if you would prove me wrong about resurrecting a new Brighton Theater and improve the Brighton Park neighborhood in the process. If I were in your place, I would line up a bunch of like-minded young people and get going on this project. It sounds like you already have substantial community support. I would bet that the Mayor’s office would like to see a lot of neighborhood revitalization in Chicago. They might help you.
I grew up on the southwest side of Chicago in the Gage Park neighborhhood in the 1940s and early 1950s. It was the greatest place for this kid to have grown up. I thought then that we were poor because our family of 5 lived in a 1 bdrm apartment and my Dad did not own a car. However, we did not need a car because we could walk to virtually anywhere we wanted to go. On Saturday afternoons I walked to the Acadia Theater. My grandfather spent his life working at the Crane Co. on Kedzie Ave. When I went to Loyola in 1959 I met my college sweetheart of four years. She lived in Brighton Park and we used to go to the Brighton from time to time. You can make the good things from those early day return if you work at it.
Dear sias88, What killed so many movie theaters was the rise of home televisions in the mid 1950s. Theaters like the Brighton and thousands more on the Cinema Treasures website closed over the following 25 or so years . Around 1980 the film business began to bounce back but not in a way particularly valued by folks who frequent this website. Multi-screen theaters showing films devoted to violence, action, and computer-drawn special effects became common. Movies about interesting and significant human experience, which were so common before the mid 1950s, have pretty much disappeared, along with my college sweetheart. There is no possible way of rebuilding the Brighton.
The Acadia Theater was located on 55th Street between Fairfield Ave. and California Ave. 2739 W. sounds right. In 1947 I entered first grade at St. Clare of Montefalco School at 55th and Washtenaw, one block east of the Acadia. Today the Church is active but the school closed many years ago. From 1949 through 1954 I went to the Acadia Theater with my pals every Saturday. Movies told us about history, current events, good guys, bad guys, no guys (cartoons), and what it’s like when a kid grows up. All movies were family movies. The Acadia showed recent films and ones made back to 1939. Films included Wizard of Oz, original Disney films, John Wayne films about the West and WWII, Casablanca, Shane, and Samson and Delilah. Many were about American heroes who did the right thing no matter what. They stimulated our imaginations and educated us. The Acadia, St. Clare’s, and the Gage Park neighborhood were an incredible and unforgettable experience for a kid.
Just as I remember it. I was 11 in 1952. My family moved from the Gage Park neighborhood in 1954. The Acadia had a major affect on my formative years. My wife still groans when I say a movie on TV today is one I saw at the Acadia back then. Last night the first of the Superman series that began in 1948 was on. Lois Lane, Jimmy Olson and Perry White, editor of the Daily Planet, looked just like I remembered them. Ironically I did not remember Clark Kent Superman. I still have nostalgia for those good days.
This is a great photo of a Red Cross parade heading West toward Midway Airport along 55th Street at the corner with S. California Ave. Judging by the Red Cross flag at the head of the parade and the autos, it looks to have been taken during World War II circa 1943-1944. The Acadia Theater is in the upper left near the corner of 55th and Fairfield. The building facing in upper right is on the SE corner of 55th and California. In 1947 I entered First Grade at St. Clare School at 55th and Washtenaw, another block to the rear (east) of the Acadia and on the other (north) side of 55th.
In my earliest remembrance, a Walgreen’s Drug store was on the SE corner of 55th and California. Armstead’s Bakery is shown on the SW corner. In my earliest remembrance, Gage Liquors had moved one door west to the SW corner and Armstead’s moved east to two doors west of the Acadia. Gertie’s Ice Cream Parlor was between the Acadia and Armstead’s. Just east of Armstead’s was Stanley’s Meat Market, followed by the Keyser Store (women’s and children’s clothing), and then Walgreen’s. I believe the tall chimney in the background behind the Acadia was part of Gage Park Elementary School.
In 1951 during the Korean War President Truman fired Gen. Douglas McArthur as head of UN troops in Korea. McArthur took a “victory lap” around the US to close his career. He was deeply revered by the American people for his military accomplishments in the Pacific during WW II and the Korean War. As part of his farewell tour he flew into Midway Airport and then drove East along 55th to Michigan Ave and then north to the Loop where a ticker-tape parade awaited him. 55th Street was lined with people 4 deep along his route, including the same intersection in the photo.
The Acadia was a social experience found nowhere else. In the early 50’s my pals and I enjoyed tearing empty popcorn boxes into pieces and launching them with rubber bands through the light beam from the film projector. When our projectiles went through the beam, they lit up like shooting stars. They also lit up the ushers. During Saturday matinees, which were never attended by anyone over thirteen, the ushers had to keep order. Since an ever-increasing number of shooting stars would eventually end in general chaos, the ushers did their best to find the culprits shooting them. If caught, the culprits were ejected from the theater, something I fortunately never had to suffer.
Vintage Bob: Thanks for the information, sad though it is. That’s what I feared would the situation. I’ve not lived in Chicago for many years.
Dear sias88, The enthusiasm of youth can prevail ant day over the acceptance of things the way they are by the older generation. I would be delighted if you would prove me wrong about resurrecting a new Brighton Theater and improve the Brighton Park neighborhood in the process. If I were in your place, I would line up a bunch of like-minded young people and get going on this project. It sounds like you already have substantial community support. I would bet that the Mayor’s office would like to see a lot of neighborhood revitalization in Chicago. They might help you.
I grew up on the southwest side of Chicago in the Gage Park neighborhhood in the 1940s and early 1950s. It was the greatest place for this kid to have grown up. I thought then that we were poor because our family of 5 lived in a 1 bdrm apartment and my Dad did not own a car. However, we did not need a car because we could walk to virtually anywhere we wanted to go. On Saturday afternoons I walked to the Acadia Theater. My grandfather spent his life working at the Crane Co. on Kedzie Ave. When I went to Loyola in 1959 I met my college sweetheart of four years. She lived in Brighton Park and we used to go to the Brighton from time to time. You can make the good things from those early day return if you work at it.
Dear sias88, What killed so many movie theaters was the rise of home televisions in the mid 1950s. Theaters like the Brighton and thousands more on the Cinema Treasures website closed over the following 25 or so years . Around 1980 the film business began to bounce back but not in a way particularly valued by folks who frequent this website. Multi-screen theaters showing films devoted to violence, action, and computer-drawn special effects became common. Movies about interesting and significant human experience, which were so common before the mid 1950s, have pretty much disappeared, along with my college sweetheart. There is no possible way of rebuilding the Brighton.
In 1962 I saw South Pacific with my college sweetheart at the Brighton. I’ve never forgotten either one.
The Acadia Theater was located on 55th Street between Fairfield Ave. and California Ave. 2739 W. sounds right. In 1947 I entered first grade at St. Clare of Montefalco School at 55th and Washtenaw, one block east of the Acadia. Today the Church is active but the school closed many years ago. From 1949 through 1954 I went to the Acadia Theater with my pals every Saturday. Movies told us about history, current events, good guys, bad guys, no guys (cartoons), and what it’s like when a kid grows up. All movies were family movies. The Acadia showed recent films and ones made back to 1939. Films included Wizard of Oz, original Disney films, John Wayne films about the West and WWII, Casablanca, Shane, and Samson and Delilah. Many were about American heroes who did the right thing no matter what. They stimulated our imaginations and educated us. The Acadia, St. Clare’s, and the Gage Park neighborhood were an incredible and unforgettable experience for a kid.