Comments from charles1954

Showing 1 - 25 of 34 comments

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Feb 4, 2011 at 3:17 pm

Hi Larry!
Did you go to St. Mary of the Lake too?!?!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Jan 30, 2011 at 12:20 pm

Hi Ken!
I just now discovered your Oct. 6 2010 comment (shouldn’t I have been automatically notified!?) How EXCITING! The prospect of getting a MODE flyer from 1959 / 1960!
Glad to hear that there is advertising for local neighbourhood merchants too! I used to get my flyers at Danny Schwab’s HOT DOG HAVEN on the corner of Sheridan and Damen(?). I’m such a collector – why I didn’t save a MODE flyer is beyond me!?
Please send me the flyer I will reimburse you for your expenidture! Thanks so much!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Davis Theater on Aug 26, 2008 at 2:40 am

I went to the Davis theatre with my parents throughout the 1960’s when it showed German language movies. We lived near Irving Park Road & Sheridan and Sunday evenings would dress up, take the bus to the cinema, buy Germany magazines (and comics) at the store nearby and meet the German community out for entertainment. The films back then were mostly musicals. As the German movie industry declined in the 60’s, the Davis theatre initiated live music and entertainment shows. Bringing German pop stars to Chicago. These shows were always hosted by Armin Homann, who still has a regular German language radio show in Chicago. What I did not realize was, that the theatre actually has a history of showing German films going back to its earliest days! Glad the place is still up and running. I visited the neighbourhood last year and was surprised to see the Old Town School of Music using my old library as their new home!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Sheridan Theatre on Aug 26, 2008 at 2:25 am

e_five: thanks for all that info! David: I believe the name of the nightclub was Barritz not Berlitz but I’m not entirely certain… I remember eating at the DINER often with my dad – it was next to a store called Jerry’s Toggery back in the 1960’s. The DeMar chain of restaurants rings a bell. As does Arnold’s at Irving & Broadway. Was Arnold’s on the north east corner? If so, I was in there often too and remember that it had a video juke box in the 1960’s!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Uptown Theatre on Aug 22, 2008 at 2:02 pm

Hi David,
The theatre on Sheridan Road, north of Irving Park Road is/was called the SHERIDAN and you’ll find lots of information about the cinema under that name at Cinema Treasures. The X-rated theatre south of Irving Park Road was my personal childhood favourite during the early 60’s, when it was still called by its original name – MODÈ. If you are interested in that one too, you’ll find plenty of information on it! If the Cinema Treasure site didn’t exist, one would have to invent it! Thanks very much to whoever is responsible for creating it!!!!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Uptown Theatre on Aug 2, 2008 at 8:22 am

Remember the old Chicago motto: I WILL! Despite rampant negativism, the city has always achieved what it sets out to do – despite all odds.
I have a very positive feeling, that this is really going to work out for the best of the Uptown Theatre and all those dedicated advocates, who have never given up hope – after all these years. We are most certain to see this architectural jewel restored to its former glory! YES WE WILL! YES WE CAN!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Feb 11, 2008 at 5:54 am

Hi Scott! Thanks for checking on the Hardward Store and the Grocery under the Sheridan L. From 1959 until 1963, I lived on the 3rd floor of 3934 Sheridan Road – which is the building directly adjacent to the tracks. An L passenger, reaching out of the window of a train, could have shook my hand! Needless to say, it was a very loud apartment! To the immediate south of our building’s entry was a butcher, a barber and Hot Dog Haven on the corner of Dakin. I have some Super 8 footage taken of that area and will put it on YouTube when I have it digitalized. The camera pans from the L station to the corner and then, unfortunately runs out of film before getting to the MODÈ! I’ll be doing some traveling and won’t be back until the end of March – thanks for all the information and memories that you and Sharon have provided me with in the past few days!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Feb 10, 2008 at 1:52 pm

I “enjoyed” seeing the ROWLAND FUNERAL HOME across the street from St. Mary Of the Lake Church thanks to Scott’s link to compassrose… I didn’t realize, that it was once the Parish Clubhouse! I remember, it had an impressive driveway. I was disapointed that it no longer existed, when I visited my old elementary school last July. Does anyone know what became of St. Mary of the Lake convent? it seems to be a food storage today?! Where are the nuns!? Unfortunately, the day that I was there, the church was closed…

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Feb 10, 2008 at 12:14 pm

Thanks for the links to those sites Scott! They’re great and will keep me busy for quite a while!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Sheridan Theatre on Feb 10, 2008 at 5:51 am

Have you posted the Sheridan demoltion photos somewhere that I don’t know about yet?

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Feb 10, 2008 at 5:40 am

Hi Scott! I would be very anxious to see your postcards and photos of the Sheridan/Irving Lakeview area shops. I hope you post them sometime soon so that we can all access them. The Egyptian building was quite a revelation when I visited the area last July after decades of absence. I had no recollection of that facade at all!
In the 60’s, there was a row of shops across the street from that Egyptian building; starting at the northwest corner of Sheridan/Irving there was a Walgreen’s, then a tiny self-service cafeteria, then Jerry’s Toggery, a ladies apparel shop and I believe a small bar…
There was a taxi stand at the north east corner of Sheridan/Irving â€" the taxis stood on Irving facing west, in front of another small bar, where in the mid 60’s live country music was played. As a child, I remember seeing a rhinestone “cowboy” walking the bar as I climbed into a cab with my family – very impressive! By the way, there were some cabs that had small television sets and I always insisted on taking one of those, so as not to miss Walt Disney on Sunday evenings when we went to visit friends.
The large parking lot of Biasetti’s on Irving always had a tiny diner its entry way – to this day, there is a hot dog place, there but the swivel chairs and the juke box are gone.
For the life of me â€" I can not remember what was on the south east corner of Sheridan/Irving before it was torn down to make room for the gas station that is still there now…

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Uptown Theatre on Feb 9, 2008 at 6:32 am

Hi Jayne1955! What school did you go to? I have a feeling we were calssmates! Did you go see the American International BEACH PARTY films at the Uptown too?

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Feb 9, 2008 at 6:13 am

Hi SPearce! That’s interesting that, in later life, you dream about the streets in the neighbourhood around Irving Park and Sheridan! I do too! When I finally visited the former site of the Modè Cinema after 35 years, stood on the L platform, remembered all the stores and shops that surrounded the theater in the early 60’s – it felt as if I was awake in a dream… Besides the Modè and Sheridan cinemas being gone, the other buildings on Sheridan and Irving were just the way I remembered them! What school did you go to? Do you remember the grocery store on the corner near the Modè and the Hot Dog Haven snack bar, Burney Brothers bakery, Walgreen’s, Rexall etc.? They’re all gone but the Hardware Store across the street from the Modè is still there! They used to sell toys as well. That’s where I got my first model train set.
A Saturday at the Modè was nearly an all day affair. Cartoons, double or triple features… and you could stay as long as you liked. Sometimes my parents would have to come and get me. All the neighbourhood kids were there! Great fun. I remember badly dubbed Italian Sandal films like Hercules Unchained, Samson, etc. Also, great classic B Horror films like; I WAS A TEENEAGED WEREWOLF…
Oh yes, as young as we were, we always used the French pronounciation! MO-DAY!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Sheridan Theatre on Sep 7, 2007 at 4:28 am

Hi Bryan!
During the years 1960-1968, I lived on Sheridan, next to the L station and then at Irving Park Road. I visited St. Mary of the Lake school in that time period. While my neighborhood movie theater going was limited to the MODE because the SHERIDAN by that time was already a synagogue – I do remember the theater vividly. I returned to the area for the first time in 35 years and found everything intact except for the disapearance of the two cinemas on Sheridan Road. I was wondering if you could tell me something about the nightclub across the stree from the Sheridan theater. It has an impressive facade which I would date to the 1920’s with lots of Egyptian motifs. It could well have been a small cinema too but I’ve never read anything about it. I only now discovered it again on my recent visit.

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Sep 1, 2007 at 2:41 pm

Ken,do you remember the candy machine located between the two washrooms? Everything was a nickel and in the course of a double or triple feature Saturday, I would get Snowcaps and a non-descript chewy candy that came in box with a “prize”. This was only ever available at the MODE – the candy wasn’t great but I would buy a lot because of the prizes – any idea what the name of the candy was? I almost remeber it beign in a blank box of some kind!?!?

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Aug 24, 2007 at 7:03 am

Great! Thanks for uploading the MODÈ info! That part of the street looks just like I remember it… and that’s my favorite neighborhood grocery on the corner: RAGGEDY ANN. Loved those Taffy Apples!
After 35 years, I finally visited the old neighborhood in Chicago and to my surprise, all the buildings, on both sides of Sheridan Road in the vicinity of the L station, are still there – except the MODÈ Theater of course…

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Sheridan Theatre on Feb 2, 2007 at 3:01 am

The MODE was my favorite theater! Growing up in the neighborhood in the early 60’s my friends and I spent countless weekends at the theater’s double and triple features! To see what has become of the site and severla demolition photos go to www.lakeviewstation.com
maybe I’ll by an apartment in the building!?!?!

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Apr 3, 2006 at 12:29 pm

Hi Brian, that’s very interesting! I would love to see that! I’ve often sketched Sheridan Roadas I remember it, from the Mode to the corner of Irving Park where the Rexal used to be. But I’m not an artist and it’s reealy not worth viewing. I remember each and every house though: Mode, Raggedy Ann, Hot Dog Haven, barber Shop, butcher Shop, my home, the “L” station, grocery store, Burny Brothers Bakery, Restaurant, Currency Exchange, coffee shop, drug store…did I forget something?

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Apr 3, 2006 at 12:28 pm

Hi Brian, that’s very interesting! I would love to see that! I’ve often sketched Sheridan Roadas I remember it, from the Mode to the corner of Irving Park where the Rexal used to be. But I’m not an artist and it’s reealy not worth viewing. I remember each and every house though: Mode, Raggedy Ann, Hot Dog Haven, barber Shop, butcher Shop, my home, the “L” station, grocery store, Burny Brothers Bakery, Restaurant, Currency Exchange, coffee shop, drug store…did I forget something?

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Mar 31, 2006 at 2:36 am

Hi! I wonder if anyone has historic exterior views of the Mode or maybe even pictures of the lobby amnong their family photos? The grocery store that Brian mentions in his comment was called Raggedy Ann – I used to buy Taffy Apples there on the way home from the movies in the early 60’s. The early chain groceries were often named after children’s stories. Other examples are Piggly Wiggly and Treasure Island.

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on Oct 15, 2005 at 8:45 am

Hi 1890matt!
I lived in the Lakeview neihgorhood from 1959 until 1968 – I’ll check to see if I have any historically interesting photos from that time period. I know I have about 2 minutes of Super 8 film showing Sheridan Road south of the L – so there is hopefully some footage of the Mode cinema. I’m having this film and others (I did an amatuer short horror film with some friends in Graceland Cemetery in 1972)transferred to DVD. So if your interested…
Movie posters and small pamphlets!!! Did you get any!?!? A copy of a pamphlet / flyer would be great!?! Of course, I would be interested in your book on the history of the Lakeview neighborhood

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Sheridan Theatre on Jul 8, 2005 at 2:18 am

Hi Richard
Sorry, I don’t have any suggestions…Brian sent me photos of the demolition of the MODE cinema without a hitch. I’ll ask my PC hacks if they can think of something that might solve the problem.
Charles

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Sheridan Theatre on Jul 6, 2005 at 10:13 pm

Hi Richard!
Please send the photos to
Thanks in advance.

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Rio Theatre on May 28, 2005 at 2:50 pm

The Rio was the site of my first movie experience – I remember going there with all my neighborhood friends from 25th Street to see ZORRO! I couldn’t have been more than 6 years old because we moved to Chicago in 1960. I also remember “going across a bridge” to Philadelphia, regularly accompanying an aunt to see films such as LIL' ABNER and BEN HUR. Does anyone know what cinema that might have been? It couldn’t have been far.

charles1954
charles1954 commented about Mode Theatre on May 24, 2005 at 12:51 pm

Hi KenC!
Yes, I believe that the bicylce raffles were held on Saturdays. Your ticket stub was your lottery number. Very impressed by your gift of memory! Here’s another minor tidbit of information: the owner of Hot Haven was named Danny Schwab. When the neighborhood began to deteriorate, he went into the flower business.