Midway Theatre
721 E. State Street,
Rockford,
IL
61104
721 E. State Street,
Rockford,
IL
61104
21 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Ascher Brothers Inc., Balaban & Katz Corp., Plitt Theatres, Publix Great States Theatres Corp
Architects: John Edmund Oldaker Pridmore
Styles: Spanish Baroque
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jun 18, 2010 — "Jaws"... Happy 35th!
- May 14, 2010 — Please Post Today, May 14 --- "Jaws," Happy 35th
Opened on August 3, 1918 by the Ascher Brothers Amusement Enterprises. It had 2,000 seats, all on a single floor. It was equipped with a Moller pipe organ which had 3 manuals. It was closed as an independently operated movie theatre on February 25, 1984 with Tom Cruise in “All the Right Moves”.
This former movie house last hosted various live performances, from comedians to metal concerts. It appears to have closed around 2006.
Contributed by
Paul Salley, Charlton F. Quinn
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Recent comments (view all 63 comments)
so glad their intrest in rockfordmidway check us out on facebook
please ask your parents if they remember seeing shows at rockford midway theater.
The Midway marquee appears multiple times in Cheap Trick’s 1997 video for “Say Goodbye”. Copy and paste to view.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOAl2TKBA0w
Undated photo added courtesy of the Rockford Rewind Facebook page.
1939 photo with original marquee added courtesy of the Rockford Rewind Facebook page.
Saw movies here in the late 1960s. I always liked coming to the Midway!
Today (6/20/23) is the 48th anniversary of the release of Jaws which, of course, is now considered the first of the summer blockbuster movies. Jaws played at the Midway, which I was fortunate to have seen there. I don’t remember if I was there on opening night in 1975, but if not, then it was soon after. I had read the book already so I was really excited about seeing the movie. The Midway was still in prime condition at the time, and the auditorium was absolutely packed the night I was there. There were few empty seats, if any. The movie was great, of course, and the audience really responded to it. It was a very exhilarating experience and remains a great memory. Hopefully the Midway can come alive again to entertain the masses.
Once operated by Publix Great States Theatres Corp, and later Plitt Theatres. It last operated independently before closing on February 25, 1984 with “All The Right Moves”. It became a special events house afterward that hosted mostly performing arts and live performances.
Once operated by Plitt Theatres.
Opened with Norma Talmadge in “The Safety Curtain” and Harold Lloyd in “Kicking The Germ Out Of Germany” along with Universal Animated Weekly newsreel (including the latest in World War I).