Brighton Theatre

The notorious case of the Grimes sisters, found murdered in the forest preserves in 1957, began at the Brighton theater as the girls attended an Elvis movie.

The brighton was used for a Mexican arts center or something along those lines when it was torn down the 2 buldings next to it all so went a jewelery store and a coffie shop. I recall going to this theatre and we called it the brightion park theatre, i rember that the ticket booth was on the out side and when you bought your ticket you had to go up this very steep incline at the top of this incline was the popcorn stand the auditouium was entered via double doors on eather side of the stand, also this was the way up to the balc. but every time that we went it was closed to the public. The sight is not even being bult on as of yet just another empty lot with a fence aroud it.

The Grimes Girls! My Dad, who would be 91 if he was still alive, could not pass the Brighton without telling me about the Grimes Girls. From what I understand, the girls were found around 131st Street in Palos Hills. It was a pretty grisly crime for the day.

I have happier memories of the Brighton. I saw many Sinbad movies here!

This is a 2002 photo of the former Brighton Park Theater.

I am writing a book on the Grimes sisters; would welcome comments like above. Kartweeler@aol.com

Just an update to this theatre.

It sits unused behind a really bad looking chain link fence with a big sign on it that reads somthing like "THIS SPACE FOR RENT/LEASE"

I mean thay could have at least cot someone to buld on it before riping it down! I am form the Brightion Park neighborhood and i lived something like 4 or 5 blks.from it some of my childhood memories are at this theatre. O well thank you for you time and space.

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

I loved the Brighton Theater. I grew up there, watching probably 90% of the movies I've seen in my life at that theater. When they demolished it, I grabbed a whole box full of the facade to keep as a memorial of sorts and to share with friends who also wanted a piece.

I've had no luck getting pictures of the inside of the theater from the 70's, and would just about donate a body organ to obtain some. :-)

Does anyone have any ideas of where I might find pictures of the inside? Surely they must exist!

Does any one know the name of demoltion Co. ?
Some times when the Co. is contracted to demo a buld.
When the buld in question is in the middle the Co. takes pic for the record and for the web sight or use in getting more work.
Sort of a "look what we can do" thing.

The Chicago History Musiume has some photos but i am not sure if thay are of the in side i bleve that thay are dated 1958 May 28 and have a call # of HB-21232PPL HB-21232PPN or something like that if you go to their sight you might find out some more information the frim that took the pic in question is Hedrich-Blessing and thay sitll are around the sdress for them is WWW.HEDRICHBLESSING.COM i would try the CHM first and then try the firm above.
Thank You for your time :)

Dear Vintage Bob , Their are pics of the int of the Brightion thanks to a posting on the "Granada" page of this site posted by CAM.
the web address is www.mekong.net/random/theatres.htm
thay can be found under the SET 9 box. Thank you for you time .

CHI74, I don't know how to thank you for this! Just seeing the interior shots brings back so many memories! I'm still hoping to come across interior shots from the 70's, which seems to be like paning for gold. But even these shots are simply fantastic! Thanks!

Vintage Bob , No worries thay bring back memories for me as well
but the real thanks goes to CAM and the person who took the time to post them . thanks for your time. :)

I just went by the BRIGHTION PARK THEATRE or what is left of the theatre the only thing that is left is a small part of the tile by the sidewalk . It is just an empty lot with a broken down fence.
I am very sad that the brightion could not be save and made in to some thing that could be usefull to the public.
Thank you for your time :(

I had hoped to get a tour for nostalgic reasons before they tore the Brighton down, but that unfortunately did not pan out. I did manage to go grab a whole bunch of chunks from the facade afer they wrecked it, as souvenirs or mementos. If anyone would like one, I can send it for the cost of shipping alone. I have a handful of sizes (most just a couple of pounds if that). I figured there'd probably be some patrons who loved that theater as much as I did, so I grabbed extra to make sure that I wouldn't be the only one with a physical piece of the theater to hold for nostalgia. :-)

I have a nice piece with the building date sitting on a bookshelf.

I have been notified twice that someone responded to my message posted on here, but I don't see one when I reach this site. I wrote a book on the Grimes sisters, listed above as TShaffer, posted on May 24, 2006. Email is Kartweeler@aol.com

Well, these are sad pics, but nonetheless pics of the site where the glorious Brighton Theater once stood. The first shot is a more wide angle shot:

http://www.undermountain.org/brighton-lot1.jpg

The big grassy open spot in the center is where the Brighton Theater stood. The triangular shaped building to the north of the lot is now Watra, a Catholic religious store. It used to be Wolf's Furniture in the 60's and 70's. Going southeast of the lot is where Gertie's Ice Cream used to stand. Fannie May Candies was in the building just north of Watra/Wolf Furniture.

The red building on the left side of the photo is the firehouse where the movie Backdraft was filmed.

Here's a close-up of the lot where the Brighton stood:


http://www.undermountain.org/brighton-lot2.jpg

Well, I hope that at least brings back some memories of the area, even if the theater is missing.

PLEASE HELP!! Someone tell me how to access a message left for me on this site. I've been notified three times and there's nothing here directed at me.

TShaffer: By clicking on the box "Notify me when someone replies to my comment" means that you will be notified whenever a comment is posted on this theatre site, whether the comment is meant for you directly or not.

Thank you, sam_e.

Vintage Bob: The fire house is on Sacamento off of Archer ave.it was one of the fire houses that were used, it is in the "First day of work " shot, also the other firehouse was the Chinatown House.
this pic must have ben taken right after demo their is a old fence on the spot now.

Also i recall Wolf furniture that is now Watra
And the Fannie may Candies is now i think a gold store
But i can not recall a Gerties ice cream by the Brightion i recall one by the Colony.
Next to the brightion (if you were facing the front door) to the left was the Brightion Park Jewlery Store and to the right was some kind of sweet shop.
And up Archer ave. was the Brightion Park dollar store and the Archer Big Store.

CHI74, the gold store was actually right next door to Fannie May. It was in the part of the building next to it, right before the alley. Gerties was off to the right of the Brighton (when facing it). I think it was owned by the same people who owned the Gerties by the Colony. I remember stopping in there after school in the early 70's to get hot chocolate, which they made with milk, not water. Yum! I remember the jewelry store to the right of the Brighton. Tiny little place! That got torn down along with the theater. :-(

Vintage Bob, The Brightion Jewlery shop moved up Archer to Central Ave and it was torn down to make way for a Walgreens.

I must have not ben paying attention to the name i think the buld. that housed the gerties is still their i think it is a resturant.
It is just sad that the brightion could not be save and used for someting like the CRAIN across the street .

Thank you for you time keep typing :)

CHI74, I think you're right. The place that was Gerties is still there. I think it's now a tiny Mexican restaurant. It is a shame. Brighton Park is getting totally run down and infested with gangs now. Very little is even in English anymore, and almost every building has graffiti on it.

Oh, by the way. The jewelry store was to the left of the Brighton when facing the doors not the right. I noticed in my last post that I had that turned around. Next to the jewlery store was Wolf Furniture, which is now Watra, a Catholic religious store.

Vintage Bob,
This is true it back in the day all you needed was on Archer we would walk to the Brightion and then go home, now that is not an a good idea after a certin hour. But i guess that is why that are called the "Wonder Years" becuse after a while we "Wonder" waht happened to them! The Brightion will be missed even after the gapping hole of a lot has a buld. on it and the fence comes down.

Every time i drive down Archer i glance over in the direction of the theatre and recall all the fun.

Thank you for your time.

CHI74, I do the same. I try to remember all the great places in Brighton Park as I drive through...the Park Restaurant, Community Smokeshop, Gerties, Huck Finn, Brighton Theater, Archer Avenue Big Store, Fannie May, etc.

I remember often stopping at Huck Finn, White Castle, Park Restaurant, or the Golden Heart after or before a show at the Brighton Theater. There was a bowling alley just past Archer on Kedzie by Huck Finn, that later became a Forest Auto store and is now a dollar store. Any idea what the bolwing alley name was?

Vintage Bob,

The bowling alley did not become Forest Auto the bowling alley was behind the auto part store.
Going North up Kedzie starting at Archer on the left side of the street was (or is) the White Castle then the White Castle parking lot then the Forest City(doller store) then the parking lot for the Forest City and right on the corner was or is a i want to say tan or cream color loking buld. that was the bowling alley .

I think it was called something like the Brightion Park lanes or something like that , i think their was a bar on street level and the alley was up stares.

Believe based upon CHI74's description, that the Forest Auto store was formerly in the 1950's a Robert Hall clothing store

It may have been i always recall it as the Forest City it could have ben a clothing store it sure is big enuff. :)

When the value goes up up up and the prices go down down down Robert Hall is the reason for every season is how the jingle used to go. As I remember. Moreys liquor store was north of White Castles in the 60's. I would get a new Easter suit every year from Rober Halls. Mom would buy her wine at Moreys. She was born at 44th and Troy in '22. Her mom was born in Brighton Park in 1900. I live about 15 blocks away. Grandma would take mom to the theater in the 30's. I used to go there in the 60's. I love the photos. Neil VS

Vintage Bob,
I, too, loved the Brighton. I used to spend all day there on Saturdays. Double Features for $1.75... Memories are so wonderful of my time spent there. I would love a piece of the facade.... please message me if you can .Thanks!

Igg, you don't seem to have your contact info set so that others can contact you. If you enable it, I can send you a PM so we can get you a piece of the facade. ;-)

Otherwise, send me a PM with your email so I can write you.

Vintage Bob, I think you can access my info now.. feel free to try again. Thanks

Cool! Check your email, Igg. I sent you some info. If anyone else wants a piece of the facade, just LMK. No charge, just pay exact shipping. I never intended on making a dime off it, I just figured I'd grab a bunch of pieces for when I run into other people who loved that theater as much as I did, so they'd have a source to get a "souvenir" so to speak. Man, I miss that place!

Unless there was another Brighton Theater in Chicago, this theater must have opened before 1929. A Kimball theater organ size 2/6 was installed in a Brighton Theater in 1920.

It does indeed appear to have opened in 1919, from the Tribune. This makes more sense with the Brighton's architecture as well.

Lost Memory: How did you know about the organ? That's pretty good research. I went over and got a couple of pieces of the theater when they tore it down. What a shame.

I believe lost memory is sourcing this great info from the database at theatreorgans.com . I'm glad to see someone cross-referencing this.

TShaffer....Now you know that the pieces of the theater that you have are older than you first thought they were. Maybe more valuable too. :)

That is the source for the information BWChicago. So far, the dates given seem to be pretty accurate. Some of the theater names and town names are misspelled which makes it a little more difficult to find the correct theater. And matching the theater names on the organ list to the theaters on Cinema Treasures can be tricky because some of the theaters on Cinema Treasures are missing aka names. Its a dirty job but someone has to do it. LOL

If I may drift away from the direct subject of the theater for a moment, I am looking for original copies of the newspapers carrying the Grimes case.

I went up Archer the other day. It has been so long, it's hard to recognize. Reading these posts helps to put things into perspective though!

I used to live in Brighton Park, and worked at the Brighton while in High School late 70's, early 80's. Worked there with my brother and some friends from school. We went to Gerties a lot for sandwiches and sodas. Ted Zaffer (not sure if that's spelled right) was the owner. Marty O'Brien was the manager at Brighton for many years. He was a great funny guy.

Don't know when the organ was removed, because I never saw it. Behind the screen was a stage. There were two sound system speakers, one on either side of the screen. We hooked up an 8-track player to the theater speakers and blasted music before we opened and on Saturday morning when we cleaned the place. Was happy to see the interior pictures.

It was a fun place to work for a bunch of teenagers!

Up the street was a dime store called McCrorys (sp) in the 70's, was it Neisners or something similar before that? They had a soda fountain inside the front door.

Neisners is the dimestore I remember and we also had Woolworths in the early 60's. If you go there now the name (Neisners)of the store is still in the sidewalk. I recently walked up and down Archer from Kedzie to California and took pictures of the signs in the sidewalk. Archer Ave Big Store name is still there as is Standard Federal and Thom McMahn and a few others like York and Malings Shoes. All those names are still in the sidewalk and a few others too! Neil

I lived in Brightion Park in the 1970`s and i can not recall a Woolworths? i do recall that the corner of Sac/Archer as you face the fire house was a taveren and what is Zemkeys was the archer ave big store. then (as you stand by the bank facing the archer ave big store)to you right was if i am right a dollar store then next to that was the fannie may candies,and across the streeet (whare Watra is now) was a furturnure store than next to that was a jeweler and then the Brightion Park Theatre.

The area has changed the only thing that can recall that is still there is THE PANTS BOX the LIQURE STORE that was next door and the RESTURANT i think it is call the GOLDEN DOLLAR or something like that .

One more thing whare was NEISNERS and ware was WOOLWORTHS at ?

Thank you for you time.

Neisners was on Archer but if you walked towards Archer down Albany (from 38th where I lived) you ended up right across the street from Neisners. So Archer and Albany. Woolworths was right next to Gerties on the right hand side. I have a nice black and white photo of the street and you can see the Wo from the Woolworth sign next to Gerties and Wolf Furniture at the end of the block and of course the theater was there too. NeilVS

My mother used to take me to Neisners to each lunch. We would sit at the counter, and they had good food! We used to get Coke Floats there, and they came in commerative Bicentennial Glasses with George Washington on them. That was in 1976.. That is a great memory that I have with my Mom. Growing up in that time was so fun! I spent many Saturdays at the Brighton, and always stopped at Fannie May's. My sister had "Stebrens" restaurant next door to Zips and down from Kelly High School. That was a fun place for me to go too. Anyone remember Stebrens?

I think the bowling alley at 43rd and Kedzie was called Archer Kedzie bowl. Had to be one of the last alley's to use "Pin Boys".
As for the Brighton Theater, I recall when they showed "The House On Haunted Hill" the management advertised a surprise during the showing of the movie which turned out to be a skeleton sliding on a cable they had stretched across the auditorium that had everyone yelling. Brighton Park sure was a great neighborhood to live in back in the 50's and 60's. Too bad is such a terrible area today.

There was a Fishman's Liquor store just east of Sacramento. Neilvs, I'd be interested in a copy of that b&w photo you mention; I'd be happy to pay copying and mailing fee. TShaffer

Wow, what a trip down memory lane. I lived in Brighton park until I got married and left for the army in '69. I too saw "The House On Haunted Hill" at the Brighton.

Just an update to this date their is NOT A THING on this spot just a broken down fence and a weed infested lot.

Tshaffer if you email me at vanstem@yahoo.com I can send you that photo and several others like Gerties, Silver Coin restaurant, Crane Company and a couple others like Archer and Kedzie before they put the Walgreens and Archer California before the new Kelly H. S. addition. So just email me and I can send you those. Oh I too saw House on Haunted Hill at the Brighton and I rememeber that skeleton coming at me! What fun memories are. The past is a great place to visit. Neil VS

My dad worked at the Brighton as a floor man (Manager) from 1955 till 1958. His boss and overseer of the Midwest and Peoples as well was a fellow named George Bishoff, who was also quite politically connected. I attended movies there nearly every Sunday afternoon during that time period eating all the free extra buttered popcorn I desired! During movies, I've been behind the screen and in the projection booth (two projectors)above the balcony observing the operation. To my knowledge, I have been the only rock band to have performed live on that stage during a democratic rally, 1966, to a full house of screaming 10 to 16 year olds. My father worked the evening the Grimes girls dissapeared. He was one of the last to see them alive. I'll never forget the day my mother was cooking dinner when the detectives knocked on our rear door and entered the kitchen with their wide brimmed hats and trenchcoats. They asked my dad if he would come down to 39th and California for some routine questioning. My dad returned home after about 3 hours visably shaken. He said that he told them that he remembered that the girls left the theatre alone. The police also interrogated, more than once, an usher working for my father that night, by the name of Benny. The rest is history. I graduated from Kelly, '68, where I met my wife of 38 years. We would go to Gerties (Not same owners as 59th St.) for a Coke after school. fido21@aol.com

My sister Nancye was class of 68 at kelly. Her and Linda Plonka both were in that class and both will be at a picnic my grammar school class is having on June 22nd on 95th between Willow SPrings rd. and LaGrange Rd. I was class of '71. Nedra my other sister was class of '70. At the last all years reunion Mr. Trybek and Mr. Prentergast were present. I have photos of them and Gerties too! We lived at 38th between Kedzie and Albany. Neil

I grew up in brighton park in the 70's and I even worked in the theater in the 80's. I have been living on the east coast and my kids keep asking me about where I used to live and what it was like, the more I told them about the movie theater the more I wanted to see it again. To my sorrow it has been torn down, but finding this site and listening to your stories has been a real treat. It has brought back good memories.

thomandlinda....I worked at the theater late 70's till around 81. Some of the ushers and all the candy counter girls went to Kelly HS.
Some ushers went to St. Rita's. What year(s) did you work there? Maybe we remember some of the same people!

Thomandlinda and Johnp77, I have some nice pieces of the facade from when they tore it down. If you want, I can send you one as a souvenir. I grabbed a bunch when it was being torn down because I wanted a keepsake and a few friends did also, so I took more in case I ran into other people who might have wanted a keepsake. It was such a wonderful place!

I worked there in 84,the manager was Marty and there was Scott who helped run things,one of the counter girls name was Jenny. I went to St. Rita's but never finished. I lived over on Spaulding and 43rd street.

Vintage Bob, I would like to get a small piece of the facade. I remember passing by once and it was an arts center and the next time I went by it was an empty lot! The block looks so vacant without the theater. Thanks, john.

thomandlinda, If it's the same Scott he was Sandy's brother. Marty was there a lot of years. He was such a nice guy...full of stories. Was Bob L. still there? He was the assnt. manager when I was there.

In 1962 I saw South Pacific with my college sweetheart at the Brighton. I've never forgotten either one.

Here are some 1983 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/cyxlfs
http://tinyurl.com/djkuj8

Wow those photos take me back!! thanks

I would like to know what was the reason they closed this theater and if there is any possible way of rebuilding it exactly the way it was or maybe even better.

Dear sias88, What killed so many movie theaters was the rise of home televisions in the mid 1950s. Theaters like the Brighton and thousands more on the Cinema Treasures website closed over the following 25 or so years . Around 1980 the film business began to bounce back but not in a way particularly valued by folks who frequent this website. Multi-screen theaters showing films devoted to violence, action, and computer-drawn special effects became common. Movies about interesting and significant human experience, which were so common before the mid 1950s, have pretty much disappeared, along with my college sweetheart. There is no possible way of rebuilding the Brighton.

I think there still could be a way of rebuilding this theater.Many people around the neighborhood of Brighton Park would love to see a theater in our community once again.Especially for young couples that live in the area who are still not old enough to drive to a far away theater.Its sad how most memories that people cherish have to come to an end.I am 21 now and was 14 when they demolished this theater.My father and elderly people from the neighborhood have told me how nice this theater once was and wonder what was the reason why it was destroyed.Many theaters still stand and motion pictures continue to still be released,there just has to be a way of rebuilding this theater.

Dear sias88, The enthusiasm of youth can prevail ant day over the acceptance of things the way they are by the older generation. I would be delighted if you would prove me wrong about resurrecting a new Brighton Theater and improve the Brighton Park neighborhood in the process. If I were in your place, I would line up a bunch of like-minded young people and get going on this project. It sounds like you already have substantial community support. I would bet that the Mayor's office would like to see a lot of neighborhood revitalization in Chicago. They might help you.

I grew up on the southwest side of Chicago in the Gage Park neighborhhood in the 1940s and early 1950s. It was the greatest place for this kid to have grown up. I thought then that we were poor because our family of 5 lived in a 1 bdrm apartment and my Dad did not own a car. However, we did not need a car because we could walk to virtually anywhere we wanted to go. On Saturday afternoons I walked to the Acadia Theater. My grandfather spent his life working at the Crane Co. on Kedzie Ave. When I went to Loyola in 1959 I met my college sweetheart of four years. She lived in Brighton Park and we used to go to the Brighton from time to time. You can make the good things from those early day return if you work at it.

Unfortunately, there's no way to resurrect the Brighton Theater. The Brighton Park neighborhood has become a crime-ridden slum. Most of the people there no longer even speak English. Education levels are far lower than what any of us remember (high illiteracy rate and high school drop out rate). Mexican gang bangers are on every corner and every building is tagged with graffiti. It's a truly destroyed neighborhood. No wonder the property values have plummeted to badly. So re-opening the Brighton Theater would not be economically feasible. Not any more. Not in Brighton Park.

Vintage Bob: Thanks for the information, sad though it is. That's what I feared would the situation. I've not lived in Chicago for many years.