Grand Theatre

230 Market Street,
Alton, IL 62002

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Balaban & Katz Corp.

Architects: Lucas Pfeiffenberger

Firms: L. Pfeiffenberger & Sons

Nearby Theaters

Grand Theatre

The Grand Theatre opened December 4, 1920, and was the largest theatre in Alton at the time, seating around 1,400, though later, seating was reduced to a little over 1,000.

It cost $150,000 to build and was managed during most of the 1920’s by William Sauvage, who also ran a handful of other Alton movie houses, including the Hippodrome Theatre and Temple Theatre.

In 1954, CinemaScope was installed at the Grand Theatre.

The last movies shown at the Grand Theatre were a double-feature of “Heavy Traffic” and “The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat” in 1977. Afterwards, the theatre was “temporarily” closed, but the “temporary” closing has lasted until the present.

It does get some use during Halloween as a “haunted theatre” (Alton is reputedly one of the most haunted cities in Illinois) but plans to reuse the Grand Theatre for a performing arts center or movie house have not gotten beyond talk yet.

The Grand Theatre is the only classic movie house in Alton remaining mostly intact whereas the others which are still standing today have been repurposed for other uses and no longer resemble their former selves.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 22 comments)

richardosborn
richardosborn on September 24, 2010 at 3:37 pm

Lost Memory,

How do you know about the Robert-Morton theater organ size 2/8 and its installation date?

richardosborn
richardosborn on September 27, 2010 at 10:49 am

Is anyone familiar with
Illinois Theatre Association donating funds for theatre renovation?
Is there a public record of past donations?

richardosborn
richardosborn on October 12, 2010 at 2:55 pm

The Grand Theatre in Alton is now a city landmark. The historical commission voted to grant the old main street theatre landmark status.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on October 12, 2010 at 6:51 pm

Great News.No PARKING LOT!

richardosborn
richardosborn on February 14, 2011 at 6:16 pm

The city council reversed the decision of the historical commission.
It is not a city landmark.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on June 13, 2014 at 6:43 pm

This item from the May 22, 1920, issue of The American Contractor must be about the Grand Theatre (complete with misspellings):

“Alton. Ill.—Theater (M. P.): 1 sty. 145 x 90. Archts. L. Pfeiffenbergers & Sons. 102 W. 3d St. Owner John Jianakopolis. Gen. contr. let to H. H. Underbrinck.”
The Grand Tehatre buildingis probably only about 60 feet wide, but the lot on which it sits is probably 145 x 90. Newspaper items transcribed on this web page about theaters in Madison County say that John Jianakopolis was the owner of the Grand Theatre, and that it was built by H. H. Unterbrinck. Lucas Pfeiffenberger was one of Alton’s leading architects of the period.

The Grand Theatre opened on December 4, 1920.

rivest266
rivest266 on March 10, 2016 at 4:21 am

December 4th, 1920 grand opening ad in photo section.

Escott O. Norton
Escott O. Norton on July 25, 2023 at 12:15 am

Mr. Osborn, I just discovered the Grand Theatre in my recent visit to Alton to research my great grandfather who lived there in the 1920-30s. I am a historic theatre advocate from the Los Angeles area, and very curious what the latest news is. From what I can see, it was dedicated as a landmark, and then removed from the list, which is frustrating, then it looks like a couple of New Year Eve parties happened. If anyone has more recent info and if it is the same owner, I’m very curious. Such a great resource for the city, it’s such a shame to see it wasting away.

DavidAE
DavidAE on July 25, 2023 at 11:50 am

richardosborn. Here is the source

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 25, 2023 at 2:20 pm

Escott O. Norton: The web site of an organization called AltonWorks covers all the public rehabilitation and renovation projects currently underway in Alton, including the Grand Theatre. Plans to give the Grand project priority were put on hold by the pandemic, but the site’s Project Updates page says that the building is being stabilized for future construction.

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