Apollo's 2000
2875 W. Cermak Road,
Chicago,
IL
60623
2875 W. Cermak Road,
Chicago,
IL
60623
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Prominently featured in the background during a pivotal scene in 1983’s “Bad Boys” with Sean Penn
The Marshall Square Theatre was still screening motion pictures in 1984. The manager, a Mr. Miranda, hosted a Theatre Historical Society tour that year.
Building gets preliminary recommendation for Chicago Landmark status. Just the start of a long process. Block Club Chicago story here.
Marshall Square’s architect Alexander L. Levy, later teamed with Peoria’s Frederick (not William) J. Klein who designed the Apollo and Madison theatre’s in Peoria and later the magnificent atmospheric Coronado in Rockford.
https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435022587802?urlappend=%3Bseq=30%3Bownerid=13510798903008798-34
There was a Theatre Historical Society tour through the MARSHALL SQUARE in about 1984 as it still operated as a cinema.
This opened on December 22nd, 1917. Its grand opening ad can be found in the photo section.
So many memories, movies and several hour long all-cartoon afternoons !
Cinema Treasures policy is to list it under the current name if it’s open.
Why is this listed as Apollo 2000. That is the club name and it never showed movies under that name. It should be listed as Marshall Square theater. It started showing movies in Spanish in either 1967 or 1968.
Broan The Apollos 2000 is more similar to the Brighton Park and The Metro Theatre. (Now demolished) The Howard is more similar to interior design. The Metro was almost identical except that the arch and in the back of the Theatre had bleacher type seats. The Brighton Park had a balcony and looked nothing like the Apollos 2000 Theatre on the inside but on the outside were extremely similar.
Did this theater show Spanish language movies in the late 1970’s early 80’s?
Mike Royko worked as an usher here.
Curiously, the Marshall Square had a very similar design to the Howard Theatre, down to the domes (removed at the Howard). But they had different architects.
They were actually Brenkert projectors with Simplex lamphouses and RCA soundheads. I’ll post a couple pictures later, but they are not too good. Watch Flickr, I’m sure a lot of photos will pop up there.
Went to Open House Chicago. The interior of the theater is in very nice shape. The projection booth is still fully equipped, with three Simplex projectors with carbon arc lamps. I wish I had brought my camera—I wasn’t expecting the booth to be so complete. If anyone has pictures, please post!
A rare opportunity to visit this weekend during Open House Chicago http://myitinerary.openhousechicago.org/site/85/
Lifes too Shorts post and photo shows up what defacing a theatre really is.
There are rats in that theatre.
Complete with an AMC Hornet moved twice, into a fire lane. Enough said.
Here are some 1982 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/c8e3pf
http://tinyurl.com/dyfyhu
http://tinyurl.com/dc5rf5
I think the title, “Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!” is a little harsh. But this guy does have a point:
Caption:
There are few crimes for which I would prescribe a spear through the face as a just punishment… but this is one of them! Really, what idiot decided to put the sign support pole directly through the face of the lovely goddess on this old theatre on Cermak? Probably a misogynist…
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Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture.