Crown Theatre

Here is a link to a photograph showing the exterior of the Crown in 1909, the year it opened, from the Chicago Daily News collection of the Library of Congress.

Wow! I love the photos of the old Crown. As I remember it from the early to mid 1950s it had a MAJOR marquis with a large globe and light strands around it. I was a little kid and I remember how the lights would melt the snow under the marquis! It all seemed amazing.

The Crown's balcony was called the "mezzanine" by the owners. No other Northwest Side theater this close to the Loop had a balcony. BZ is right, the marquis blazed with lights. It illuminated the entire intersection of Division, Milwaukee and Asland Avenue, and the Manufacturer's Bank building across the street. Next door to the east was a neat restaurant, siding on Ashland Avenue, Palmer's Grill, if memory serves, a hamburger place, great fries, long building, with booths and a sit-down counter. The marquis in the 1909 photo reads, "David Higgins - Last Performance." A theater actor of that name and during that time is listed in several data bases in nearby Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Crown was built by W.A. Wieboldt of department store fame. Architect was Robert C. Berlin, associated with William Bender and John Eberson. This information, and a rendering, appears in the July 18, 1909 Chicago Tribune, page I17.

The CROWN theatre bldg stood until 1960 (closed) I saw, then sayonara. Somehow I've always associated with the nearby "Paulina Street El", and it's skeletal stations, this ghost of a theatre in my mind.

It's nice to see this theatre remembered. I would see it when we'd go with my mother to the bank or to see my grandmother who lived on Wood Street.

The last time I saw it was during its demolition. It was replaced by a playlot next to a YMCA. I would always look at that playlot and recall that there was once a theatre there.

I also recall the Paulina "L" tracks that would turn off Milwaukee. They were hardly used back then as the trains were already running through the subway.

Given the address and various descriptions above, the Crown would have been where the Wendy's restaurant, it's drive-thru and adjacent parking lot is now.
Across from the small U.S Post Office, also on the South side of Division St.
As noted above, The Crown Theatre would have faced the Manufacturers Bank which is still on the N/W corner.

The dark brick building to the left of the Crown in the 1909 photo, would be where the Pizza Hut and it's parking lot is now at Ashland & Division. On the S/W corner.

It should also be noted that there recently was/is a small live theatre group that works out of another classic white enamel brick building, just East on Division. In the short block between Milwaukee & Ashland. Next to the old Arandas Burrito place.

The Chopin? That's listed here.

That's it! Thanks yet again.

The Crown was one of the few neighborhood theatres that opened its doors early-very early(at least on Sundays). From the Chicago Sun Times movie directory dated Sunday, August 25, 1957: CROWN COOL! OPEN 10 A.M. Science-Fiction Thrillers! "Giant Claw" & "Night the World Exploded". The Alvin was another theatre that opened at 10 A.M. -every day- for a number of years. Also- for at least a short period of time- the Crown, Irving, Biograph, and Mode were probably owned by the same company. Each of the four theatres had a black dot to the left of the name.(October 1957).

Still listed in 1960 yellow pages. Phone number was HUmblt 6-1021.

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