Englewood Theatre

The Englewood is now known as the Appollo 2000. It host Spanish entertainers and dances and also has used some of the space for a restaurant. The marquee has been changed to an electronic sign , and all of the lights have been restored and light up at night. The theater name has been covered with a Appollo 2000 sign , and the Box office has been changed.

The Englewood Theater, which was at 726 W. 63rd Street, was actually demolished many years ago. The Apollo 2000 is in the old Marshall Square Theatre, which is known for its graceful terra-cotta facade (which was severely damaged when a marquee put up in the 40s or 50s smashed a hole right through the beautiful terra-cotta face of one of the goddesses above the main entrance). See Camilo Jose Vergara's new book of photographs, "Unexpected Chicago", for a recent picture of the Apollo 2000/Marshall Square facade.

The 1913 Englewood was part of he Orpheum vaudeville circuit for its first decade or so, before changing over to movies. It later served as a burlesque house, but again returned to movies before closing and eventually being razed.

The curious thing about the Englewood was that its concession stand also opened up right on to 63rd Street. The smell of the popcorn surely enticed people to buy some while waiting for the bus.

The Englewood had vaudeville acts (by older ,but entertaining,unknowns ) on Friday and Saturday nights in the late 40s.
It was an 'older' theatre and much more nostalgic than the either the Stratford or Southtown down the street.
Tony S

With the exception of the Southtown, all of the theaters in Englewood, at one time or another, featured either vaudeville or burlesque. I remember reading on a chat room from a woman who's back porch faced the rear of the Empress Theater and she remembered watching the strippers taking smoke breaks on the fire escape. As for the Stratford, it's where Bob Hope got his start in the 1920s.

You're correct in noting the Southtown (built in 1931) wasn't as old as the Englewood. However the above-noted Stratford opened in 1919, only seven years after the Englewood, so the 'more nostalgic' label might be a bit too narrow. In addition, the Empress opened in 1913, same year as the Englewood.

Good to hear about the theaters around 63rd & Halsted. Hope to hear more.

Sorry if I was misleading. The atomosphere of the Englewood was quaint for the late 40s. The entertainers at the Stratford seemed to be more 'professional'or up to date. Just an imppression.
Tony S

Ah,Here we go!
My memories of the Englewood are. This was the third of the classier theatres in the Englewood area. It had a much smaller lobby than the Southtown and Stratford and seemed to be affilliated with the Linden accross the street. I had a friend who was a doorman there and he would alternate between them.The Englewood had a broader selection of movies as I don't think that they were associated with any few studios.I remember such films as State Fair with Dick Hames,The Outlaw with Jane Russell and Johnnie Belinda with Jane Wyman whichthe later being two racie films at the time and labeled adults only.They also had stage shows and as a kid I remember they had one curtain that they dropped which had a scene from a court yard and when I seen it I used to think Oh No because it was always the prelude to some opera singer or whistler that I considered a wasted act as I wanted to see something that would entertain or amaze me!After all this was radio days and live entertainment had to be spectaculer.They also had dish nite on Thursday where They had a wooden apple tree on stage and they would turn over the apples to reveal the winning numbers.Now that was spectacular,Free stuff!!!I don't remember what happened to the theatre as it was still there when I left the area but it will never leave my memory bank.
Chuckie Z.

The Daily Southtown is celebrating their 100th birthday this year. As such, they are running items from their 1906 and later editions. Below is part of what appeared in today's paper (Sun., Jan. 8, 2006) from 1913:

"A staple from the start was theater advertising, invariably accompanied by press releases from the theaters and printed in the news columns as submitted. The ads reached a zenith on Dec. 8, 1913, when the Englewood Theatre at 63rd and Halsted declared itself 'The Home of Refined Burlesque,' imploring readers to 'Go Where The Ladies Go.'"

Newest from the Daily Southtown's re-running of snippets from their old editions. This one from last Sunday's edition.

News item, March 7, 1917:

"Well, here it is at last — the long looked for, much heralded French Frolics, with its newest addition, the rainbow rosetinted glass runway, will open a week's engagement at the Englewood Theatre Sunday Matinee, March 11.

"This attraction has the distinction of being the Fashion Plate of the entire circuit and is the leading show of the wheel in business done to date, and in the past thirty weeks this show has broken twenty-three house records. The management of the Englewood is pleased to indorse the French Frolics as the best offering of the entire season."

Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency's HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture.

I visited and photographed the Englewood around 1990. The building appeared to be structurally sound, and not suffering from an advanced state of decay at that point.

It is my understanding that the entire shopping plaza built as an effort to bring back 63rd and Halsted has been demolished now, leaving a barren wasteland.

It is a shame that they couldn't have found a use for at least the exterior of the Englewood, similar to the conversion of the Belmont Theatre on the city's north side.

I spent many hours sitting in the dark at the Englewood watching movies. It was great. I could walk to it from my house on 59th. I miss the neighborhood, the way it used to be. I would love to see a marquee of the Englewood from the old days. If anyone knows where I can get one, please let me know.

Recently I was on 63rd & Halsted, or rather as close as you can get to it now. They are building the college there now, so most of the streets are blocked off. It all looked so strange . . . no more SEARS, Wieboldts, etc. If the bank building wasn't there, the intersection could have been anywhere.

I just heard they are closing Carson's on State St. downtown. Add that to Marshall Field's becoming a Macy's store and pretty soon State Street will be almost hard to recognize as 63rd & Halsted is now.

A 1930s video clip of the Englewood is available by searching http://www.wttwdigitalarchives.com/searchres.php for 22275

Boy, that is a little different than the block looked in the 80's.

This from the Chicago Tribune of January 3, 1920, Pg. 17:

"Chicago's outlying burlesque theater, the Englewood, at 726 West Sixth-third Street, which has been in successful operation for around seven years, has been sold by Thomas Gaynor of Los Angeles to E. Thomas Beatty, manager of the house since its opening, for an indicated consideration of $160,000. The playhouse seats 1,300, is fireproof, and is one of the most attractive in the city. The lot is 88'x124'.

Mr. Beatty is part owner of the American Burlesque association, which operates a "wheel" throughout the country. He also operates the Linden, a movie directly accross the street from the Englewood, and about 55 feet east of Halsted; the Harvard, at Sixty-third and Harvard, and the E.A.R. at Sixty-ninth street and Wentworth avenue"

Mr. Gaynor owns the southeast corner of Sixty-third street and Halsted, 123'x110', which is leased at an unusually high figure, even for that corner, the figures of which have just become public"

I too walked many times from 59th street to 63rd & Halsted, and later from 62nd & Union (before Union went thro'). Many saturday afternoons in the Ace and Empress. In my teens saturday afternoons at the Planet 76th & Racine, thence Sunday afternoons at the Southtown. Got lots of phone numbers. Its a real shame the neighborhood has grown totally hostile to Euros.

On the contrary, there are many Irish, German, Italian people happily living in Englewood, like at my house for instance!

Flickchick...where you live? I last visited my old haunts about 20 yrs ago. I recall my room at Beale school had a huge map of Englewood with borders of 55th, 74th, State, and Ashland ???

RogerW

I have been trying to tell people that what they call Englewood now is wrong. They go too far south and too far west, all the way to Western. Do you remember what they used to call the neighborhood west of ASHLAND?
I live on Normal Blvd (between Halsted and Princeton)up the street from the Kelly Library on 62nd and Normal. There are white people also living on Englewood Ave, Parnell, and Eggleston. There's also a white couple and their children living on Garfield, just east of Halsted. You meet people at the alserman's community meetings. There are also Hispanic people living in Englewood. We all get along just fine.

Flickchick,
I am aghast. I did not think we were still in Englewood...reality being what it is, unfortunately, it would be extremely dangerous, and impossible to live a "normal" life. And yes, it appears the Englewood boundaries have been extended. I'm not sure but west of Ashland may have been Ogden? (Lawndale ? Chicago Lawn police sta is at 63d & Lawndale; & Gresham near 83d Halsted ?). I lived all over Englewood...5916 Halsted; 658 W.62d; 6529 Morgan; 6316 Racine; had Times routes 63rd-64th Eggleston; 63d-65th Peoria-Halsted; 63d-67th May-Aberdeen. My first library card (1946) was Kelly-Normal Branch.

RogerW
It's not really dangerious where I live. Most of the residents are more struggling, poor people than they are criminals. As a matter of fact, the criminals are people from other places...anyway, enough of that.
Wow! You really have lived in a few places in Englewood. The only time I remember going west of Halsted was to church. I went to Bethel Lutheran Church on Sangamon, not too far from the firehouse.

I loved Kelly Library. My father would take me there every two weeks to pick our three books. I also remember going to some programs there once or twice on Saturdays(puppet shows, book readings). There were so many wholesome things for kids to do when they weren't in school. Unfortunenately, things have changed so much. A hardworking man/woman can't afford to put their children in programs like the ones that were free for us or only costs a small amount.

Someone told me recenly that a restaurant by the airport (Midway)has a map of the old Chicago neighborhoods hanging on the wall at the entrance. I plan to go over there one day for lunch and check it out. I'll let you know what I find.

Flickchick, That sounds like quite a map. I have not set foot on MDW since '01. On 62d Street I recall the firehouse at Green, and Our Lady of Solace at Sangamon ? I recall walking to Kelly Library I think on Saturday mornings. (Very quiet inside & kind of intimidating). One book I remember taking out twice but could not read more than a few pages...too many big words. A few years ago I bought a used copy of that book just because. The title is "War Paint and Powder Horn," a western. Likely a carryover from my Sat afternoons at the Ace & Empress & the movies of Johnny Mack Brown, Buster Crabbe, Lash LaRue, & Sunset Carson. Wha' chu' think ?

RogerW
As I mentioned before, the firehouse is still there. The college has plans to open it up as a restaurant, as part of their cuilinary program. Our Lady of Solace is still there too, but I think they changed the name to something else.

My church wasn't so lucky. It was torn down to make way for one of the may curving streets that led to nowhere. Many people lost their homes to "urban renewal" and the community lost a large portion of it's good citizens.

You're so right about the westerns! When we were coming up, they were everywhere, books, magazines, serials, and full-length movies.
My older sister and my father called them "shoot 'em ups" and all three of us were fans.

I also agree with you about Kelly Library. The new libraries being built are really nice, but even with renovations, Kelly Library is still awesome and makes you want to lower your voice when you step inside.

An interesting item from the Southtown Economist of Weds., June 20, 1928:

TO STAGE PUBLIC WEDDING

Wedding bells, with the necessary ring, license and minister furnished by the management, will sound for the adventurous couple who are chosen by Harry J. Bryan, manager of the Englewood Theatre, to be the principals in the public wedding which will be staged at the theater Thursday evening of next week.

Any couple in Southtown who contemplate marriage late this month is eligible for the contest. The wedding is to be no trial or companionate affair, Mr. Bryan assures, and the winning couple must be, he said, most serious in their intent. All names to be entered in the contest must be left at the theater by the end of the week.

The wedding ring, a platinum band studded with diamonds, has been donated by Holland's Jewelry Store, 6351 So. Halsted St., A floor lamp with an onyx-trimmed base and an elaborate silk shade is to be given by the Becker-Ryan* company. Other donations, although the list is as yet incomplete, will include frocks for the bride's party and the bride, furniture and other articles.

For the ceremony, which is to take place during the regular evening performance, the theater's organist will play the Wedding March, and a minister, to be selected by the management after a conference with the prospective bride and bridegroom, will read the wedding service. This is the first public ceremony to be staged at the theater.

*Note: The Becker-Ryan company, a department store, occupied the 63rd & Halsted corner where Sears, Roebuck was later located. According to the Southtown Economist, the ceremony took place between Harriett Anderson, age 16, 6350 So. Racine Avenue, and Ralph G. Mixer, age 19, 524 W. 72nd St. The married on Thursday evening, June 28, 1928.

On Sunday, February 12, 1922, the Englewood Theatre ceased being a burlesque house and began showing motion pictures exclusively, starting with 'Hail The Woman.'

Here is a 1982 photo of the Englewood:
http://tinyurl.com/dejg78

This is a 1979 photo.

Here is a July 1915 ad from the Suburbanite Economist:
http://tinyurl.com/o6a7hg

Here is a March 1915 ad from the same source:
http://tinyurl.com/m94fck

On Friday, April 24, 1959, The Englewood (along with many other theatres) was showing "HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL". From the entertaining ad in the Tribune movie directory: TODAY- The Whole Town's HAUNTED! 1st RUN! CHICAGOLAND Premieerie! ACCLAIMED THE SUPER-SHOCKER OF THE CENTURY! FIRST FILM WITH THE AMAZING NEW WONDER EMERGO.....THE THRILLS FLY RIGHT INTO THE AUDIENCE! Nominated for 13 SHOCK AWARDS! On Thursday, the movie ad advised 'See it with someone with warm hands!' I saw it across town at the Uptown;it seemed like every seat on the main floor was taken. "HOUSE" was also playing at the Granada, Century, Congress, Gateway, Imperial, Marbro, Avalon, Capitol, Jeffery, Peoples, Ramova, and many more...