Capri Cinema
64 E. Van Buren Street,
Chicago,
IL
60605
64 E. Van Buren Street,
Chicago,
IL
60605
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Architects: Eugene Fuhrer, Dwight H. Perkins
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Steinway Hall, Ziegfeld Hall, Kelly and Leon Opera House, Whitney Opera House, Central Music Hall, Central Theatre, Shubert's Central Theatre, Punch & Judy Theatre, Sonotone Theatre, Studio Theatre, Ziegfeld Theatre
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Located on E. Van Buren Street, near S. Michigan Avenue, the Steinway Hall was located in the Chicago Musical College Building, designed in 1895 by Dwight H. Perkins.
The 890-seat theatre was known as Steinway Hall for the company which built the building, but by 1900 was known as the Ziegfeld Hall. Not long after, it was renamed again, first as the Kelly and Leon Opera House, and by 1910 as the Whitney Opera House. By 1915, it was called the Central Music Hall, renamed again the Central Theatre in 1923, with variations on that name over the next several years depending on who was running it (Minturn’s Central Theatre, Barrett’s Central Theatre, Shubert’s Central Theatre).
In 1930 it was taken over by Louis Machat and remodeled by architect Eugene Fuhrer with a reduced seating capacity of 354. It became a movie house for the first time, as the Punch & Judy Theatre, opening on September 18, 1930 with Walter Houston in “Abraham Lincoln”. In about a year, it returned to the Central Theatre name and live theatre, but from March 22, 1935 it was renamed yet again, as the Sonotone Theatre. It would remain a movie house and was renamed Studio Theatre from July 1, 1940. It became the Ziegfeld Theatre from November 24, 1950, and finally the Capri Cinema on July 5, 1958, which it remained for the rest of its life, finally running adult films to end the once-illustrious theatre’s career.
The Capri Cinema closed in the late-1960’s, and was demolished in April 1970.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 21 comments)
It’s in the Photos section…
A two page article about the Punch and Judy Theatre, complete with floor plans, followed by four pages of photos, appeared in the October 25, 1930, issue of Exhibitors Herald-World. It can be seen online at the Internet Archive (click on the + sign in the tool bar at the bottom to enlarge pages.)
5/07/67 photo added, photo credit Steve Lewandowski.
July 4th, 1958 grand opening ad as Capri in the photo section
March 22nd, 1935 grand opening ad as Sonotone in the photo section. It was the first theatre in the world be equipped for the hard of hearing according to the ad.
November 24th, 1950 grand opening ad as Ziegfeld also in the photo section.
The grand opening to the public was on November 21st, 1950, with a gala performance the night before for the benefit of the scholarship fund of the Chicago Musical College. See ad uploaded to the photo section.
In August, 1934 it was still advertising itself as the Punch and Judy. Check photo section for an advertising handbill from the Punch and Judy Theatre from August, 1934 (based on films and perpetual calendar dating) promoting upcoming films including “Secrets”, “Sorrell and Son”, “Little Man, What Now?” and “Cavalcade”.
This reopened as Studio on July 1st, 1940. Grand opening ad posted.
1954 marquee shot during S. Ziegfeld Ct street naming.
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/ziegfeld-ct-street-sign-installed-by-ziegfeld-theater-in-news-footage/471741596?adppopup=true&fbclid=IwAR34iuKj-cUcxKTojBwI9BU6K75hHiVNL0vqx7E4NvR38QgfZKUuQlIRfCc