Marquette Theatre
3157 W. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60632
3157 W. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60632
9 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Balaban & Katz Corp., Stern Theater Interests
Architects: Felix M. Bernham, Henry L. Newhouse
Nearby Theaters
The Marquette Theatre was located in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood at S. Kedzie Avenue and W. 63rd Street, just four blocks away from the Colony Theatre on W. 59th Street and S. Kedzie Avenue.
Designed to the plans of architects Henry L. Newhouse & F.M. Bernham it opened on March 23, 1924 with 1,200 seats, all on a stadium plan, with raised stepped section at the rear, rather than a conventional balcony. The central dome in the auditorium ceiling had twinkling stars and drifting clouds. It was equipped with a pipe organ which was removed in 1939. The Marquette Theatre was a project of K.S. Fitzpatrick & Donald McElroy, who operated their own circuit, but leased the Marquette Theatre for 10-years to Balaban & Katz Corp. The Marquette Theatre was operated by the Stern Theater Interests circuit for many years and was closed on January 4, 1981 with Walt Disney’s “The Aristocats”. It was demolished in August 1987 and the site became a parking lot for Walgreens.
Contributed by
Larry Prohaska, Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 37 comments)
The Marquette Theate closed on this date in 1981 with its final movie being THE ARISTOCATS.
Here are some newly discovered although sad photos of the demolition of the Marquette Theater in Aug. 1987.
http://eddiesrailroad.blogspot.com/2012/02/demolition-of-marquette-theatre.html
Thank you VintageBob. Yes, you’re right in that it is a sad photo, but it’s good to know that there are still some of us around who recall the Marquette in fond memory. We loved it! Thanks again – Danny.
Here is a nice photo prior to demolition
Sad when a movie theater dies
The 1923 exterior architectural sketch of Henry L. Newhouse and F.M. Bernham, architects of the 1,200-seat -at opening in 1924 – Marquette Theatre – can be found in photos. Fitpatrick & McElroy owned the theatre but leased it to competitor Balaban & Katz for the first ten years. Ten stores including the Oriental Café on the second floor of the theatre adjoined the building.
Does anyone know why old newspaper ads show the address as 3155 63rd.??? Were the newspapers giving the wrong address? You can see one of the ads That I posted in the “Photos” section here.
The Marquette Theatre was actually on 63rd Street; however, the building did wrap around on Kedzie Avenue. We all said the Marquette Theatre was at 63rd & Kedzie.
August 1987 demolition photo credit Edward Kwiatkowski via Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eddie-chicago-railfan/3090736896/in/album-72157632051630805/
February 12, 1982 ticket image added credit Daniel Linehan. Live concert scheduled but never happened, a year and a month after the Marquette’s closing.
http://cinematreasures.org/photos/411331