Studebaker Theater & Playhouse Theater

410 S. Michigan Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60605

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Showing 26 - 50 of 112 comments

Broan
Broan on August 16, 2015 at 9:08 am

The Studebaker is apparently to reopen October 18. http://www.studebakertheater.com

Broan
Broan on January 14, 2014 at 8:45 am

The newspapers were a little unclear. “The Fine Arts Theatre” and “The Fine Arts Music Hall” both appear in the Tribune from 1908-1912. I suspect the ‘music hall’ references were talking about Assembly/Curtiss Hall on the 10th floor but it’s not really clear. I’ll take it down and re-edit.

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on January 14, 2014 at 12:20 am

Bravo!!! One thing I noticed; you mention the small theatre was renamed the Fine Arts in 1908 and then you mention that the small theatre was renamed the Fine Arts in 1912. Is this an error in naming of the smaller theater?

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on January 13, 2014 at 9:13 pm

We’re not not “bitching” about bad writing; we’re mentioning the fact that the description has way too many historical inaccuracies. For an excellent piece of writing on the history of the Fine Arts Theatres, and other Downtown Chicago movie houses, pick up a copy of “Downtown Chicago’s Historic Movie Theatres”, by Konrad Schiecke. I couldn’t have written it better myself.

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on October 22, 2013 at 9:43 pm

I worked at the M&R Fine Arts Theatre 30 years ago. I wish somebody would re-open these 2 historic late 19th Century theatres.

Broan
Broan on October 22, 2013 at 9:41 pm

Yes, this is a particularly inaccurate and confusing entry.

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on October 22, 2013 at 9:37 pm

Broan; I’m glad you got it right. The author of this page has so much info incorrect.

Broan
Broan on October 22, 2013 at 9:29 pm

Actually the Playhouse was University Hall until about in 1903, when it was renamed Music Hall and may have gained its balcony, renamed again in 1912, when it was rebuilt as the Fine Arts Theatre which it remained until 1917, when it was renamed the Playhouse, until it was renamed World Playhouse in 1932. Oddly, in 1917, the Studebaker was run by Jones, Linick, and Shaefer while the Playhouse was run by Alfred Hamburger, a competitor.

Broan
Broan on October 22, 2013 at 7:57 pm

Here are 1898 views of the Studebaker and the Playhouse (then known as University Hall until the 1916 remodeling)

Broan
Broan on October 21, 2013 at 6:17 pm

Here are recent views of the Playhouse and Studebaker

Broan
Broan on October 8, 2013 at 8:38 am

http://www.openhousechicago.org/site/144/ This year’s OpenHouseChicago features the opportunity to step inside the Studebaker.

Matthew Prigge
Matthew Prigge on November 8, 2012 at 7:09 am

If anyone has any stories about going to/ working at this threatre in its adult days, I would love to hear them. I am chronicling the histories of adult theatres in the US. Please contact me at Thanks!

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on March 13, 2011 at 1:22 am

Here is a 2006 video tape from CLTV News in Chicago. At the end of the report is footage of the auditorium of the Studebaker Theater a.k.a. Fine Arts Theatre #1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxJvqOEjbLs

cbnight
cbnight on December 10, 2010 at 10:50 am

Another image in the lobby by the manned elevator.
View link

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on December 7, 2010 at 4:15 am

Solon S. Beman was the architect of the Studebaker Building, but a pamphlet providing information for self-guided walking tours of the Fine Arts Building (Google Documents quick view) says that the 1917 Studebaker Theatre was designed by architect Andrew Rebori. Solon S. Beman died in 1914.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on May 25, 2010 at 5:44 pm

Tim,thanks for the article and your hard work putting it together one has to have worked at a theatre to want to take the time to research and write it up. Thanks.And because you worked in the business it means more to us that did work in a theatre. Has Too.

JudithK
JudithK on May 20, 2010 at 4:58 pm

I saw quite a few films right up to the closing of the Fine Arts complex (just once in what was the Studebaker); there were issues of renovation that needed to be addressed, but I loved the place. I hope it re-opens.

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on December 4, 2009 at 1:58 am

jwballer, The Studebaker was the original name of the 1200 seat theatre. It was called the Fine Arts Theatre #1 from December, 1982 until November, 2000. The smaller theatre had several different names; it was called the World Playhouse beginning in the early 1930s until December, 1982 when it was known as the Fine Arts #2 until it closed in November, 2000. When M&R Theatres re-opened these two theatres on Christmas Day, 1982, the newspaper ads had the new theatres advertised as “Fine Arts” but underneath that term, in parenthesis, it said “Studebaker/World Playhouse.”

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on December 1, 2009 at 5:34 pm

According to the website you just posted, both theatres are to be restored. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what comes out of their upcoming event.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on December 1, 2009 at 5:32 pm

Well now that’s some good news. Thanks for posting.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on November 1, 2009 at 9:51 am

1985 picture of the Studebaker auditorium:
View link

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on November 1, 2009 at 1:51 am

Hello, my name is Tim O'Neill. I worked as usher at the M&R Fine Arts Theatres from 1983-1985. I have to correct some information that is reported on this page. Now keep in mind, I would have to take a leave of abscence from my job in order to conduct a thourough research on the 111 year-old history of the two individual theaters located on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building. This information that I have comes from people who worked at the Fine Arts Building while I was an M&R employee. Okay, what I’ve been told or I have read about: The theater on the left opened as the Studebaker in 1898; the smaller theater on the right opened in 1901, according to THS. The smaller theater had various different names during it’s existence. I can’t remember in which order but the smaller theater has been known as the Fine Arts Theater, Orchestra Hall, the Playhouse Theater, the World Playhouse Theater, the World Theatre, and finally M&R Fine Arts 2 (later Loews, Sony, and Loews Cineplex). The Studebaker orginally opened as a concert hall. In the 1920s the interior was gutted and the auditorium was completely re-done. The only thing that survives from 1898 is the ceiling. The smaller theater has undergone changes as well and became a movie house in 1933. The Studebaker showed some movies during the silent era as well. Throughout the 30s through the 70s, the Studebaker was mainly a live stage house, while the World Playhouse was a movie house. I had heard that the World Playouse was used as a church after it closed as a movie house. In 1982, M&R Amusements took over the Studebaker and World Playhouse and began operating the two theatres as the Fine Arts 1&2. It opened on Christmas Day with MOONLIGHTING in Theatre 1 (Studebaker) and VERONIKA VOSS in Theatre 2 (World Playhouse). One year later, M&R closed Theatre 1 down for a few days and built a wall on the stage. Behind that wall they built Theatre 3 on the Studebaker stage. They converted one of the orginal dressing rooms into a projection booth. In the summer of 1984, M&R literally turned Theatre 3 around by placing the screen on the south end of the auditorium and re-sloping the floor. They built a twin booth and then built Theatre 4 on the stage of the World Playhouse. They had to build a wall on the stage of the World Playhouse. Now the Fine Arts had 4 auditorioums. Theatre 1 approx. 1200 seats; Theatre 2 approx. 550 seats; Theatre 3 240 seats; Theatre 4 158 seats. The theatres remained in business until November 2000.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on June 17, 2009 at 9:29 pm

My guess is that nothing will be happening here for a while, given the economic climate out there.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on April 16, 2009 at 4:47 pm

FYI. There’s a 1983 picture of the Fine Arts facade on the American Classic Images site, should anyone want to post it that is able.

RickB
RickB on April 16, 2009 at 4:31 pm

Charles Teitel, who operated the World Playhouse until it closed in 1971, died on April 4, according to the Los Angeles Times. The obituary says that he succeeded his father, Abraham Teitel, who opened the cinema in 1933, and that he fought many battles with Chicago’s film censorship board, culminating in a victory in the U.S. Supreme Court in 1968. Full obit (including a picture with Russ Meyer and Roger Ebert) here.