United Artists Theatre

45 W. Randolph Street,
Chicago, IL 60601

Unfavorite 31 people favorited this theater

Additional Info

Previously operated by: ABC Theatres, Balaban & Katz Corp., Cineplex Odeon, Plitt Theatres, United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.

Architects: Charles Howard Crane

Firms: Holabird & Roche

Styles: Moorish, Neo-Classical, Spanish Gothic

Previous Names: Apollo Theatre

Nearby Theaters

News About This Theater

United Artists

The Apollo Theatre was opened in 1921 as a legitimate playhouse in the Neo-Classical style by Chicago architectural firm of Holibard and Roche, better known for their office buildings (they also designed the massive Neo-Classical style Chicago City Hall and Cook County Building just around the corner from where the UA once stood on W. Randolph Street). The theatre was built for A.H. Woods, the showman whose self-named theatre sat on the opposite corner from the Apollo Theatre.

In 1927, Woods sold the Apollo Theatre to the United Artists Corporation. United Artists had architect Howard Crane, who earlier in the same year designed the United Artists Theatre in Los Angeles, remodel the Apollo Theatre, in Spanish Gothic style (its interior was similar to the Los Angeles UA Theatre). The Apollo Theatre became the United Artists Theatre (the Apollo name went to the another former legitmate venue-turned-movie house, the Olympic Theatre not far away on W. Randolph Street and N. Clark Street).

The auditorium’s ceiling featured a cove-lit dome, encircled by ten smaller portholes. The lobby had a slightly Middle Eastern flavor, complete with polychrome plasterwork, black marble walls, hand-painted tiles in the lounges, and a carpeting pattern based on one from a 19th Century Ottoman palace in Turkey.

The theatre was taken over by the Balaban & Katz chain in April 1929, which would soon operate the majority of the Loop’s movie houses. Balaban & Katz operated the United Artists Theatre into the 1960’s. Afterwards, B & K’s successor chains, ABC/Great States and then Plitt Theatres ran the United Artists. For its last couple years of operation, during the mid-to-late-1980’s, it was part of the Cineplex-Odeon chain.

By the 1960’s, much of the original decor was either gone or heavily remodeled. In early-1988, this once-attractive theatre was shuttered and it was demolished in January, 1990.

Not only was the United Artists Theatre razed, but by 1991, every structure on the block–including the Roosevelt Theatre around the corner on State Street, the late-19th century McCarthy and Unity Buildings, and various other buildings–except an Art Moderne 1930s-era Commonwealth Edison substation at the corner of Dearborn Street and Washington Street–was wiped away. The razing was in preparation for a huge office and retail complex to be designed by famed architect Helmut Jahn that never materialized. The site, called “Block 37”, remained vacant for almost twenty years. with several plans for its redevelopment having come and gone.

By 2012, the site is now occupied by the mostly vacant Block 37 Mall, and the studios of Channel 2, CBS' Chicago affiliate.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft, Ray Martinez

Recent comments (view all 146 comments)

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on May 9, 2018 at 11:12 am

The much maligned Block 37 has been completely developed and also includes a mainstream movie theatre, the AMC Dine In Block 37.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on January 6, 2020 at 3:44 pm

YouTube link with footage from November-December 1978 that shows the United Artists Theatre beginning at the 2:46 mark. It shows “Blackjack” with an added feature of “The Black Godfather” from 1974, which does not appear on the master list of film presentations on page 5 of the comments. The Oriental Theatre is seen as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrNmKfhTPhY&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR12qM12hfzp99fRKy7NgngEwZ7QgmW266XP04zQPkqyBchzzuTQZWrhnxo

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 21, 2020 at 10:25 am

I thought this was in the gallery but it wasn’t. Underside of the United Artists marquee. 1/17/64-2/20/64 photo credit Jeanette Williams via Flickr link below.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jarchie/3553050290/in/album-72157618596556846/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 1, 2020 at 10:55 pm

Full width 8/31/66-9/22/66 photo credit Zeus Of Hollywood via Flickr.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zeusofhollywood/3375169478?fbclid=IwAR3Uf9dwCjyg0kxhLk7zdJ9gOVXVWjIPPxAMLnziTE_qTYP1kFfxQI5H9Dc

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 9, 2021 at 8:43 am

Mis-dated Chicago Sun-Times image.
“Jaws” ran at the United Artists 6/20/75-12/04/75.

https://www.alamy.com/june-1976-lunch-hour-in-the-sun-chicago-illinois-image220805103.html?irclickid=SGLVMaUzAxyLWAL0EkzjZTwgUkEQfyTuIzOT3Q0&irgwc=1&utm_source=77643&utm_campaign=Shop%20Royalty%20Free%20at%20Alamy&utm_medium=impact

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 29, 2021 at 9:47 pm

Painting on Flickr.
Some artistic license as that film came out 2 years after the United Artists was demolished.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/45436499@N02/12763356925/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on July 9, 2021 at 9:47 pm

12/29/86 photo credit Kevin Mueller.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37640374@N04/4212014009?fbclid=IwAR3Pt2Ygi_lhOLV4U7qPZmBRbs5J77N8ouwWmZXYXE-abOxmWN-DLEt4JnM

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 3, 2022 at 5:30 pm

6/20/75-12/4/75 photo in link below. Disregard description of it being June 1976.

https://www.alamy.com/june-1976-lunch-hour-in-the-sun-chicago-illinois-image220805103.html?irclickid=SKT2PG2fkxyNRqG3iHyDTyiwUkDT633CE1xOzI0&utm_source=77643&utm_campaign=Shop%20Royalty%20Free%20at%20Alamy&utm_medium=impact&irgwc=1&fbclid=IwAR1hDaEhsge-Qsd1KA_EHTu-e6K0x2rvOEDvffk6jnqVMfjacSjAL0Tz3wA

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on January 10, 2023 at 12:24 am

United Artists Theatre seen 7/14/87 & 9/17/89 in two panoramic photos copyright Thomas Yanul in below link.

http://www.thomasyanul.com/indexblock371.html

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on August 19, 2024 at 6:38 pm

CONFIRMED: The demolition of the United Artists Theatre began in January 1990. Final curtain for Loop theater January 17, 1990 | Chicago Sun-Times (IL) Page: 5 | Section: NEWS 57 Words

Read News Document Caption: A wrecking crane demolishes the United Artists Theatre Tuesday at Randolph and Dearborn in the Loop. The 1,700-seat theater, which opened as the Apollo legitimate theater in 1921, is being razed as part of a North Loop redevelopment; project. Another grande dame of the movies, the Granada Theater, is being razed on the North Side.

Credit: Rich Hein

You must login before making a comment.

New Comment

Subscribe Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.