This site when it was the “Howard Bowl” as well as the Howard “El” station was the gateway to what my friends and I effectionately referred to as “The Jungle”. I’m hoping the Gateway Plaza(Thats what that strip mall is called now right?) helped clean the area up at least alittle. Although a movie theater would’ve been nice to put in there. I actually remember when it was in development and how excited everyone was that there would be movie theater closer to the neighborhood instead of having to trek over to the Adelphi.
Alot of my memories of early childhood date back to these beautiful theaters. On weekends my mother and I would take the ‘EL’ from Evanston all the way to downtown Chicago, pick up some Garrett’s popcorn and hit the movie theater strip. I now live in Texas and thanks to this website which re-awakened my interest in the subject of these theaters and their history.
I’m sorry, I believe the theater I’m recalling was downtown Chicago and it was across the street from the theater that had the “ABC” logo on the outside of it. The interior looks alot like the Nortown. I was very young back then so I think the memory of the theater I’m thinking of resembled the Nortown alot since it had the upper balcony section and huge lobby area. Can anyone tell me which theater I’m trying to recall?
Werent there several other theaters up and down the same street The Oriental was located? I was very young then to remember what they were named, but I do remember several more up and down the same block. Anyone who can name them for me, it would be greatly appreciated to further my research of these amazing theatrical palaces.
Another painful loss. I didnt discover this theater until high school when during the summer months me and my best friend would trek all the way downtown Chicago from Evanston and catch sneak previews on their huge screen.
I was wondering if anyone knew what the other Sheridan Road theater on the north side is now called. The one located near Loyola University. I rememer at one point it was referred to as “The 400” but I believe the name has changed since.
I was always upset to hear that this was torn down after being in its' location for so many years. A high school buddy of mine lived in the apartment right next door to this theater above that restaurant. Of all the years is been around I can only recall seeing one film there which was “Poltergeist”.
This is the only place I can get someone to fix me a “cricket” drink properly. My last memory of this place is shelling out $9.50 for the disappointing “Superman Returns” this past summer.
Great memories of this place. It was the first place I can actually remember seeing a full length motion picture and it was “The Empire Strikes Back”. I saw my first unsupervized film here which was “Back to the Future Part II”, that was also the first time I’d seen a line stretch as far as the block could go! Also in my early teenage years, my buddies and I made many summertime pilgrammages and long days here seeing everything they had running in each screening room. My best friend worked up the street at the solo screen our senior year of high school so we got to see alot more films for free then as well. Good times.
This is the first theater I “theater hopped” in. My mother left my cousin and I to see “The Goonies” while she went shopping at Golf Mill Mall, she was gone long enough for us to go on to see “A View To a Kill” and “Rambo: First Blood Part II”.
Yes, I too also grew up going to this theater seeing films like “E.T.”, “Lost in Space”, “Star Trek Generations and First COntact”, the sneak previews of “Batman Forever” and “Independance Day”; I believe the last two films I saw there were “Chicken Run” and “X-Men” before it closed for good. Nothing beat their main auditorium on opening night with a packed audiance for sheer movie-going excitement and ambiance. Thats just something you don’t much of these days in cramped multiplex auditoriums. Also, thanks again BW for posting pics, great memories of this place.
I remember when I was very young and I was taken to see the film “E.T.-The Extra-Terrestrial” for the first of what would be probably ten times in 1982 alone in the Chicago theater. I also remember there was a theater directly across the street where we went to see “John Carpenter’s The Thing” after “E.T.”, however I cannot recall the name of the theater which sat across from the Chicago. I also remember next to that theater was a restaurant that served White Castle-style burgers which we used to dine afterwards. I was wondering if anyone who knows could jog my memory on what theater that was across from the Chicago? I seem to remember it was one of the first of the eventually demolished downtown movie houses to go. Thanks in advance.
Alot of my memories of early childhood date back to this beautiful theater. In fact, this is the very theater that got me interested in the art that is theater architecture and movie houses in general. On weekends my mother and I would take the ‘EL’ from Evanston all the way to downtown Chicago, pick up some Garrett’s popcorn and hit the movie theater strip. At the Nortown I can remember seeing the films Creepshow, Cujo, Beverly Hills Cop and a few others back in the day. I now live in Texas and thanks to this website and Mr. Russell Phillip’s masterful photography that re-awakened my interest in the subject of these theaters and their history.
Born and raised in Evanston/Chicago here. The Adelphi back in the day was THE place to go. I live in Texas now and by grace of a higher power I stumbled upon this great site and cannot believe that many of my favorite places to go see movies in my early youth to teenage years no longer exsist.
This site when it was the “Howard Bowl” as well as the Howard “El” station was the gateway to what my friends and I effectionately referred to as “The Jungle”. I’m hoping the Gateway Plaza(Thats what that strip mall is called now right?) helped clean the area up at least alittle. Although a movie theater would’ve been nice to put in there. I actually remember when it was in development and how excited everyone was that there would be movie theater closer to the neighborhood instead of having to trek over to the Adelphi.
Coolness, thanx. It was irking me what they changed the name to for awhile now.
I’m pretty sure in my early years I recall my mother taking me to this theater and we saw my very first 3-D film which was “Friday the 13th 3-D”.
Alot of my memories of early childhood date back to these beautiful theaters. On weekends my mother and I would take the ‘EL’ from Evanston all the way to downtown Chicago, pick up some Garrett’s popcorn and hit the movie theater strip. I now live in Texas and thanks to this website which re-awakened my interest in the subject of these theaters and their history.
I’m sorry, I believe the theater I’m recalling was downtown Chicago and it was across the street from the theater that had the “ABC” logo on the outside of it. The interior looks alot like the Nortown. I was very young back then so I think the memory of the theater I’m thinking of resembled the Nortown alot since it had the upper balcony section and huge lobby area. Can anyone tell me which theater I’m trying to recall?
Waitaminute, I must be thinking of the wrong theater here…
Awesome, invaluable info. Thanks very much BW.
Werent there several other theaters up and down the same street The Oriental was located? I was very young then to remember what they were named, but I do remember several more up and down the same block. Anyone who can name them for me, it would be greatly appreciated to further my research of these amazing theatrical palaces.
Another painful loss. I didnt discover this theater until high school when during the summer months me and my best friend would trek all the way downtown Chicago from Evanston and catch sneak previews on their huge screen.
I was wondering if anyone knew what the other Sheridan Road theater on the north side is now called. The one located near Loyola University. I rememer at one point it was referred to as “The 400” but I believe the name has changed since.
I was always upset to hear that this was torn down after being in its' location for so many years. A high school buddy of mine lived in the apartment right next door to this theater above that restaurant. Of all the years is been around I can only recall seeing one film there which was “Poltergeist”.
Whups, not “cricket” but “grasshopper”. :)
This is the only place I can get someone to fix me a “cricket” drink properly. My last memory of this place is shelling out $9.50 for the disappointing “Superman Returns” this past summer.
Great memories of this place. It was the first place I can actually remember seeing a full length motion picture and it was “The Empire Strikes Back”. I saw my first unsupervized film here which was “Back to the Future Part II”, that was also the first time I’d seen a line stretch as far as the block could go! Also in my early teenage years, my buddies and I made many summertime pilgrammages and long days here seeing everything they had running in each screening room. My best friend worked up the street at the solo screen our senior year of high school so we got to see alot more films for free then as well. Good times.
This is the first theater I “theater hopped” in. My mother left my cousin and I to see “The Goonies” while she went shopping at Golf Mill Mall, she was gone long enough for us to go on to see “A View To a Kill” and “Rambo: First Blood Part II”.
Yes, I too also grew up going to this theater seeing films like “E.T.”, “Lost in Space”, “Star Trek Generations and First COntact”, the sneak previews of “Batman Forever” and “Independance Day”; I believe the last two films I saw there were “Chicken Run” and “X-Men” before it closed for good. Nothing beat their main auditorium on opening night with a packed audiance for sheer movie-going excitement and ambiance. Thats just something you don’t much of these days in cramped multiplex auditoriums. Also, thanks again BW for posting pics, great memories of this place.
Thanks BW.
I remember when I was very young and I was taken to see the film “E.T.-The Extra-Terrestrial” for the first of what would be probably ten times in 1982 alone in the Chicago theater. I also remember there was a theater directly across the street where we went to see “John Carpenter’s The Thing” after “E.T.”, however I cannot recall the name of the theater which sat across from the Chicago. I also remember next to that theater was a restaurant that served White Castle-style burgers which we used to dine afterwards. I was wondering if anyone who knows could jog my memory on what theater that was across from the Chicago? I seem to remember it was one of the first of the eventually demolished downtown movie houses to go. Thanks in advance.
Alot of my memories of early childhood date back to this beautiful theater. In fact, this is the very theater that got me interested in the art that is theater architecture and movie houses in general. On weekends my mother and I would take the ‘EL’ from Evanston all the way to downtown Chicago, pick up some Garrett’s popcorn and hit the movie theater strip. At the Nortown I can remember seeing the films Creepshow, Cujo, Beverly Hills Cop and a few others back in the day. I now live in Texas and thanks to this website and Mr. Russell Phillip’s masterful photography that re-awakened my interest in the subject of these theaters and their history.
Born and raised in Evanston/Chicago here. The Adelphi back in the day was THE place to go. I live in Texas now and by grace of a higher power I stumbled upon this great site and cannot believe that many of my favorite places to go see movies in my early youth to teenage years no longer exsist.