I was there, working as a cashier/candy counter girl when Ben Hur played at the Marbro. So very good to see this once again. Best giant theater ever as was The Paradise theater on Pulaski.
Lois,
How cool to meet someone who saw what I saw. Hmm, those MARBRO bathrooms were really nice, all marble of course, and when I went to them at the end of my work day they were kinda spooky because no one else was down there. All sounds in a marble room echo a bit weirdly.
I was not wanting to hang around down there very much.
I was in CYO band and played at Riverview a couple times, what fun.
I went to St. Mel grammar and Providence High. How on earth did you get an operators license at 16? My grandmom, and mom were both beauticians and owned a shop. Lots of history there.
Probably best if you wrote me on my email: Talk to you soon.
No problem. I just wish more people took pics of the theatres. I have seen the MARBORO’S sister theater in one of the above links, but nothing on the PARADISE. I’m happy that Styx picked the PARADISE to dedicate an album to. Somebody cared.
That neighborhood was home to me for 9 years and the most memorable of my youth. I lived on Kostner and West End, walking distance to both movie houses. Good times. Thanks, Donna
Here’s the whole answer.
Well, I remember the PARADISE having the Greco-Roman statuettes in alcoves on the walls. Lots of them. It looked like an art museum.
It was way more ornate than the MARBORO which had vast expanses of marble in a long and wide hall.
The PARADISE had a distinctive feature of little semi hidden ornate stairways and staircases that could be found winding up to individual balconies of various sizes where you could watch the movie from your own private alcove so to speak. Very cool and unusual. Never saw that feature in any other theater.
The MARBORO where I was candy girl/ticket taker in the early 60’s, had a large front with ticket booth. Then you would encounter a second set of doors
(con’t from before-page length cut me off)
second set of doors, right behind that in the middle was the candy counter. Moving on to the left were the doors to the movie seats. If you went farther back in that great marble rectanglular hallway were the stairs spiraling down to the lavatories.
The whole interior of the MARBORO was vast and marbled. Whereas the PARADISE was more closely nestled with ornate artifacts and statuettes. Much gilding as well. In todays terms these theaters were both GIGUNGUS in size.
It’s amazing they were only a few blocks from each other.
The MARBORO was close to the Martinique on the northwest corner west of it that served great Tummy Busters ice cream treats. Miss that.
(con’t from before-page length cut me off)
second set of doors, right behind that in the middle was the candy counter. Moving on to the left were the doors to the movie seats. If you went farther back in that great marble rectanglular hallway were the stairs spiraling down to the lavatories. The whole interior of the MARBORO was vast and marbled. Whereas the PARADISE was more closely nestled with ornate artifacts and statuettes. Much gilding as well. In todays terms these theaters were both GIGUNGUS in size.
It’s amazing they were only a few blocks from each other.
The MARBORO was close to the Martinique on the northwest corner west of it that served great Tummy Busters ice cream treats. Miss that.
That is an incredible pic of the Marbro!! Was it an actual photo or an artful composite of technology?
I don’t remember that many people ever being on Madison Ave. at one time.
Wow, it is really good to see the Theatre alive and well!! Thanks for the look back!
P.S. Do you remember the Martinique? It was the Ice Cream parlor on the northwest corner just down the block to the west of the Marbro. It served the famous “Tummy Buster” creation. I always thought that combo of theatre and restaurant was heaven. Great to go to after a date. I’ll see if I can scare up a pic of a date there.
Wow, that’s amazing. I remember Mr. Konradt and ran into him in the middle 1960’s or so at a LaGrange theatre he was managing. I introduced myself and my husband to him thinking that he might have actually remembered me a humble candy girl. He didn’t lead on either way, so I was happy. That era was the last great hurrah of that neighborhood.
Funny, I’ve been to the Rialto theatre in Joliet, and it’s gorgeous alright..but I wrote the manager to ask how many seats there were in it. I believe it was right above 1,000 or so. Now that brings you to the incredible reality of how big that grand mama, the Marbro, really was – topping at almost 4,000 seats.
How lucky we were to have been there. How very lucky indeed.
Need more pics people!
I am amazed and thrilled to see my old movie house again. Awesome work everyone. I wish there were more pics of the inside. I worked there when I was in high school as a ticket seller and candy girl between 1959-1962. I was awed by this theater and felt honored to even be a part of it. I remember old Mr. Russo, the ticket taker, who regaled me with stories of his dealings with buying and selling vegetables by the car load from trains in old Water Market St.
I can remember the 10 Commandments playing there. The spiral stair cases that went to the lavatories, so outstanding, everything.
So much history and I’m glad to read of some of the artifacts still in use at other place. I also remember feeling bad about the Paradise Theater being torn down. I made a point of seeing the very last movie they ever showed. I thought the title was “The Red Sundown” but now I’m not even sure. Both theaters were great and sorely missed.
Donna
I was there, working as a cashier/candy counter girl when Ben Hur played at the Marbro. So very good to see this once again. Best giant theater ever as was The Paradise theater on Pulaski.
Lois,
How cool to meet someone who saw what I saw. Hmm, those MARBRO bathrooms were really nice, all marble of course, and when I went to them at the end of my work day they were kinda spooky because no one else was down there. All sounds in a marble room echo a bit weirdly.
I was not wanting to hang around down there very much.
I was in CYO band and played at Riverview a couple times, what fun.
I went to St. Mel grammar and Providence High. How on earth did you get an operators license at 16? My grandmom, and mom were both beauticians and owned a shop. Lots of history there.
Probably best if you wrote me on my email: Talk to you soon.
Oh, I can’t believe I misspelled MARBRO. Sorry. Must be Mad Cow.
No problem. I just wish more people took pics of the theatres. I have seen the MARBORO’S sister theater in one of the above links, but nothing on the PARADISE. I’m happy that Styx picked the PARADISE to dedicate an album to. Somebody cared.
That neighborhood was home to me for 9 years and the most memorable of my youth. I lived on Kostner and West End, walking distance to both movie houses. Good times. Thanks, Donna
Here’s the whole answer.
Well, I remember the PARADISE having the Greco-Roman statuettes in alcoves on the walls. Lots of them. It looked like an art museum.
It was way more ornate than the MARBORO which had vast expanses of marble in a long and wide hall.
The PARADISE had a distinctive feature of little semi hidden ornate stairways and staircases that could be found winding up to individual balconies of various sizes where you could watch the movie from your own private alcove so to speak. Very cool and unusual. Never saw that feature in any other theater.
The MARBORO where I was candy girl/ticket taker in the early 60’s, had a large front with ticket booth. Then you would encounter a second set of doors
(con’t from before-page length cut me off)
second set of doors, right behind that in the middle was the candy counter. Moving on to the left were the doors to the movie seats. If you went farther back in that great marble rectanglular hallway were the stairs spiraling down to the lavatories.
The whole interior of the MARBORO was vast and marbled. Whereas the PARADISE was more closely nestled with ornate artifacts and statuettes. Much gilding as well. In todays terms these theaters were both GIGUNGUS in size.
It’s amazing they were only a few blocks from each other.
The MARBORO was close to the Martinique on the northwest corner west of it that served great Tummy Busters ice cream treats. Miss that.
(con’t from before-page length cut me off)
second set of doors, right behind that in the middle was the candy counter. Moving on to the left were the doors to the movie seats. If you went farther back in that great marble rectanglular hallway were the stairs spiraling down to the lavatories. The whole interior of the MARBORO was vast and marbled. Whereas the PARADISE was more closely nestled with ornate artifacts and statuettes. Much gilding as well. In todays terms these theaters were both GIGUNGUS in size.
It’s amazing they were only a few blocks from each other.
The MARBORO was close to the Martinique on the northwest corner west of it that served great Tummy Busters ice cream treats. Miss that.
Ok, 1936, is the reason. I wasn’t born yet. Still very cool.
That is an incredible pic of the Marbro!! Was it an actual photo or an artful composite of technology?
I don’t remember that many people ever being on Madison Ave. at one time.
Wow, it is really good to see the Theatre alive and well!! Thanks for the look back!
P.S. Do you remember the Martinique? It was the Ice Cream parlor on the northwest corner just down the block to the west of the Marbro. It served the famous “Tummy Buster” creation. I always thought that combo of theatre and restaurant was heaven. Great to go to after a date. I’ll see if I can scare up a pic of a date there.
Wow, that’s amazing. I remember Mr. Konradt and ran into him in the middle 1960’s or so at a LaGrange theatre he was managing. I introduced myself and my husband to him thinking that he might have actually remembered me a humble candy girl. He didn’t lead on either way, so I was happy. That era was the last great hurrah of that neighborhood.
Funny, I’ve been to the Rialto theatre in Joliet, and it’s gorgeous alright..but I wrote the manager to ask how many seats there were in it. I believe it was right above 1,000 or so. Now that brings you to the incredible reality of how big that grand mama, the Marbro, really was – topping at almost 4,000 seats.
How lucky we were to have been there. How very lucky indeed.
Need more pics people!
I am amazed and thrilled to see my old movie house again. Awesome work everyone. I wish there were more pics of the inside. I worked there when I was in high school as a ticket seller and candy girl between 1959-1962. I was awed by this theater and felt honored to even be a part of it. I remember old Mr. Russo, the ticket taker, who regaled me with stories of his dealings with buying and selling vegetables by the car load from trains in old Water Market St.
I can remember the 10 Commandments playing there. The spiral stair cases that went to the lavatories, so outstanding, everything.
So much history and I’m glad to read of some of the artifacts still in use at other place. I also remember feeling bad about the Paradise Theater being torn down. I made a point of seeing the very last movie they ever showed. I thought the title was “The Red Sundown” but now I’m not even sure. Both theaters were great and sorely missed.
Donna