Teatro del Lago

I worked as an usher at this beautiful theater in 1959-60. Movie legend Rock Hudson was also an usher here before my time. Rock Hudson donated a huge self portrait to the theater in the early to mid 1950's. Theater management would hang the picture in the lobby when they knew Rock would be visiting Wilmette. All other times it was stashed in the attic of the theater gathering dust. Always wondered what happened to the picture when the theater was razed. The owner of the theater was a gentleman named Sam Meyer. He also owned a small theater in Glencoe Illinois. Terrific guy. I will be posting a picture of the Teatro Del Lago as soon as I find it.

I grew up in Winnetka, just down the road from the theater and used to take my dates to it between 1962-66. We would then go across the street and get an ice cream. After that, we would go down to the water and have a few beers. The theater was THE place to go almost every weekend. I had many a good evening both watching the movies and meeting friends there. I miss that joint. It was also one of the most beautiful theaters I have ever seen from the outside.

My dad was the manager at the Teatro from about 1950 until it closed. I was born in 1965 and the theater was torn down in 1966. Somewhere my family has pictures of the theater and if I locate them, I'll try to get them to this sight.

I was born in 1951 and lived in the Spanish Court apartments across from the Teatro del Lago until 1958. My parents were friends with Stan Pratt, and his son Jim was one of my first playmates. Occasionally, Mr Pratt would treat my folks to free admission to the theatre. My bedroom window faced this beautiful building with its bright, pulsating, and scrolling marquee, and I have fond memories of the aroma of fresh buttered popcorn, and the sounds of the crowd outside on warm summer nights.

I just talked to my brother Jim and he remembers you too. He is going to send me some copies of his pictures of the Teatro, unfortunately most were taken when it was being torn down. I'll try and scan them and post them here.

Casey, I have a photo from March 1953 of Jim and me playing in the parking lot of the Teatro during the daytime before the evening crowds. Jim is on a tricycle and I am standing nearby wearing a winter snowsuit-type outfit. Unfortunately only the apartments show in the background; the Teatro is off-camera to the right, but it's a cute picture!

On a whim, I thought I'd check out my favorite Saturday movie house from my youth, and here it is! I can't even think of all of the Three Stooges shorts that I saw there, along with who knows what other Saturday Matinees. I do remember "Robinson Carusoe on Mars" in particular, for some reason. BTW, Sarah - do you have a brother Tim? I think I went to school with him.
Bob Meder

Bob, no, I have a brother Andrew. I too, saw a lot of movies there, some of them Three Stooges shorts, and I remember one of the "Sinbad the Sailor" Technicolor movies that had an impressive tidal wave in it! I think the last movie I saw there was the Beatles in "A Hard Day's Night".

This is great seeing that there are still a handful of us who remember this theater. I think I spent half my childhood in that building. I would quite often con the projectionist (i think his name was louie) into letting me sit up in his palace and watch the workings up close.
A note to Casey Pratt. I knew your dad well. He was a great guy to work for. The last I saw of him was in a picture in the wilds of Colorado.

Sarah - I knew your last name was familiar! Your brother and I met at Howard when the "Central" and "Logan" kids went to Junior High together.
In any case, my fondest memory of the "Teatro" was great flicks and the best popcorn ever. One of my odder memories of the theater was the poster for "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World." I never saw the movie until I was in my late 30's but for some reason that poster stuck. The only reason I can determine is that "Mad" magazine (a staple in our house for many years due to the ten years between my brother and me) issued one of their many specials called "A World, World, World Mad".

One more memory - my mom worked for the bank that sponsered the annual Christmas movie at the theater. Always went to 'em.

Is this the former Teatro del Lago? I am not clear if the Jewel Food Store is built in the former theater building, or if the Jewel was built on the site of the theater if it was demolished, or if the facade was kept and a new building built behind it? Can anybody clarify? Thanks.

I've seen this site put up by the Central Elementary School, and it is incorrect. What you see is the Jewel Food Store, which is a completely new (as of the late 60s) building. The Teatro was demolished. Incidentally the Jewel is not on the very site of the theatre, but a bit south of where it was. The Jewel is built in a Spanish style to fit in with the architecture of the original block of apartments and stores called Spanish Court.

Thanks for clearing that up, Sarah!

Bob, Andy says he remembers you from Jr. High School and that you had some classes together. We couldn't find you in the New Trier Directory, though. Andy has gotten pretty good at finger-picking guitar - see http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stranglen1
He wonders if you still live in the Chicago area.

Al, My dad owned a movie theatre in Estes Park, CO where I grew up called the Village Theater from 1965 until 1987 when he opened a triplex in town. Through the years he owned theaters in Brighton, CO, Rifle, CO, Evergreen, CO and Woodland Park, CO. In 1999 he sold his last two, the triplex in Estes and the twin in Woodland Park, to my sister. Dad was still lugging film canisters up to projection booths at 72 and carrying 50 lb bags of popcorn on his shoulder to help Heather get started. In Dec. of 1999 he was diagnosed with an acute type of leukemia and passed away on April 30th, 2000. He truly loved the theater business and the Teatro.

Casey,
Thanks so much for the information on your dad. Although I have not seen him in about 40 years, I still feel a great loss. Sounds like he really got into the business in a big way. I don't know your age so I don't know how much you remember about the Teatro. I do have a few pictures of the interior I took when I worked there in 1958. I would be more than happy to email copies to you if you have any interest.

Sarah - No, I don't live in Chicago area anymore (*sob*). The Union Pacific (yes, the one deMille named the movie after) has me in Omaha now. Oddly enough, while working for major railroad (or two, depending on how you count mergers), I've become a multi-engine flight instructor. Go figure...

I was born in 1952, and recall going to the Teatro del Lago w/ my sister and seeing Father Goose for .50 - sometime between 1959-1964, when we lived in east Wilmette. I now enjoy browsing through the Plaza, especially going to Long Grove Confectionary, either before or after going to Dr. Cook's office.
Valerie Smith

We lived within walking distance of the Teatro del Lago so we often went to matinees and evening shows there (1955-1970). The Teatro ran first run films right after their Chicago downtown premieres. It had a huge screen and good stereo sound system. There was no balcony but plenty of seating in its big auditorium.
The Teatro never ran double features (which the downtown Evanston theaters did), but they had plenty of shorts, cartoons and newsreels to make it a full show.
We too went through the Wilmette school system: Central, Wilmette Jr High and New Trier and many a kids' birthday party wound up at the Teatro for a Danny Kaye or Disney movie.)

Here is a picture of the Teatro from back in the early days.

I have a Chicago Tribune film listing from 1950 that lists the theater simply as "Teatro". I wonder if anyone knows if the name was officially shortened by then, or if that's how it was advertised to save money/space in the ad (with the "del Lago" part removed)?

As far as I can remember, everyone called it just the "Teatro". Almost used as slang to say "Let's go to the "Teatro". The full name didn't matter. Everyone in town knew what you meant.

I can't believe there is a thread devoted to one of my most cherished memories. I grew up around 13th and Greenwood and "lived" at "no man's land" and the Teatro. To read Sarah's comments about growing up there is heartwarming. I can't tell you how many weekends and movies I spent and saw there, respectively. The Great Escape, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, the Pink Panther movies -- I wish I could remember them all. The place was so cool, dark, and atmospheric, not to mention the sex education we got in the rear rows. But I also remember the culture of no man's land back then. Sarah's apartments stand out, so does San Pedro restaurant. Does anyone remember the Vista, those ruins facing the lake? They were destroyed when they put up those apartment buildings there, but I always wanted to know their origin. Rumor was that it was a nightspot run by the mob back in the days of Big Al Capone. I keep meaning to ask the Wilmette Historical Society, a site you should definitely check out. I also remember Peacock's ice cream across Sheridan Road run by a Greek man who later moved it to downtown Evanston. O how I miss those glorious summers! We lived in a little paradise and didn't know it. Does anyone remember Paul's record store? It was run by a man who had a palsied hand and we used to sit in those booths listing to records endlessly. We also used to play touch football on Sundays in that little clearing in Kenilworth at the border. I also remember some garage that fixed foreign cars or something. That entire area is beautiful and I truly miss it. (I have been living in California since '85.) I also want to thank everyone on this thread for their contributions. Reading you all has been good for my soul. Thanks again. Frank.

Frank - Just happened to be online when your message came in. It's great to read of your memories! It was always a treat when my folks took me to San Pedro's - what a wonderful little restaurant that was, and a great menu, too! (Where else could you find chilled borscht, pecan loaf, and whitefish almondine all on the same menu?) The Vista del Lago certianly was, I believe, a mob-run nightclub from the 30s. It had Art-Deco architecture, and the ruins were still there when I was little, and I was forbidden to cross Sheridan Rd to explore them. Jim and I instead played either in the parking lot on our trikes before the Teatro opened for the first film of the day, or explored the little wild undeveloped area of woods behind the theatre (now all townhouses and perfect lawns...too bad). The Peacock's ice cream place was called "The Dairy Bar", and sometimes we'd stop for ice cream cones after a day at the beach. Paul's was probably one of the last of those record shops where you could listen to records in those little booths. I used to stop in there to pick up each week's WLS Silver Dollar Survey. The place you played touch football was called Mahoney Park. In the early days of the village there was a small farm there, owned by someone named Mahoney. The car place was Walther's - mainly a Buick place, if I recall right, but they certainly worked on the imports too, like Jaguars and such. I used to see Walther from the apt windows facing the alley, and he walked with a limp and always had a cane. Do you remember Leo at the 1st and Linden "L" station? Well, it was wonderful to hear from a fellow No-Man's-Land "graduate" - sometimes I wish I had a time-machine!

Sarah, reading you is like eating a feast of madelines. It's so great to keep the memories coming. I do remember Leo at the 4th and Linden stop. He always accused me of stealing a Playboy, but I never did. WLS Silver Dollar Survey!!!! We probably picked some up there, but I think that there was a shop "downtown" where I usually got them, though I can't remember its name. I found a site run by Art Roberts of old WLS and I keep meaning to email him, if the site (and Art) are still kicking. Jim Dunbar from the Golden Days of WLS lived on 9th Street (I believe) just off Lake Street. We used to ask his wife for free demo records that they always had around the house. He's been out here for decades and was on the radio here on KGO since I got here in 85. He's retired now, and KGO was not a rock station, but I had always thought of dropping him a line. I don't remember woods behind the Teatro; that was Chestnut Street and I remember Nancy Ward and Bob Barton, who, like me, went to St. Francis. I remember Twin Mansions on the other side of Chestnut. Rumor was that it was originally designed / occupied by the Amos and Andy radio stars of the 30s when Chicago was home to many classic radio shows. One memory is the house at the northwest corner of Chestnut and 10th Street (?). It was a beautiful Beverly Hills pink. Ah! All of those homes and pools we used to explore. The Vista. Yes, we often explored there, and the big hoods (and their fast women, for us anyway) of West Wilmette and Glenview drank and did whatnot there. I remember seeking blankets in some of the spaces. Lynn Rivera is a fast chick I remember from the Vista. But you said 30s -- could it have been a prohibition nightclub? and do you have any leads for anyone who does know its true history? Thanks. Frank

Hi again, Frank - My memory re Vista del Lago was a bit skewed. First, there was the Breakers Beach Club, which never really got off the ground, especially once the Depression hit. As for Vista del Lago, while it was a club, it was intended for whole families to join. It was never completed - only the first two floors were finished. It was the Miralago with the unsavory reputation for illegal gambling and sale of liquor (Prohibition still in effect). Miralago burned in 1932. According to the book: From No Man's Land To Plaza del Lago, by Robert Schea, "The ballroom on the second floor......featured a silvered ceiling, black marble columns, jade-green drapes and lighting that changed colors. Its centerpiece was a neon fountain which, if it still existed, would be viewed with the same reverence by collectors of Art Deco objets that a Rembrandt commands among art dealers."(p.58) Because it was in No Man's Land, police from Kenilworth and Wilmette claimed they had no jurisdiction in settling incidents of violence or illegal gambling and liquor. Since Wilmette authorities could not enforce order there, Wilmette withdrew fire protection and shut off the water in 1931. No Man's Land residents sank their own wells. Wilmette offered fire protection for $500 a month in advance. No one took up that offer. Fire broke out March 8 '32, and Wilmette and Winnetka FDs did not respond. The Evanston FD came through, but Kenilworth then shut off the water! There is more to all this in the book. Another book you might try to find is Wilmette: A History, by George D. Bushnell. I have a copy, but can't find it. I saw several copies of both books listed on Alibris.com. Both books have plenty of photos including several of the Teatro.
Sad to say, Art Roberts, one of my favorite DJs passed away on March 6, 2002 after a second stroke. He and his wife Bobbie lived in Nevada. His website is still there www.artroberts.com - be sure to visit the tribute page there.

Sarah, I guess we could go on and on. I had no idea such books existed. Talk about treasures. One day I must get those books. I don't know what the Breakers Beach Club is or knew that there were two clubs there, the Vista and the Miralago. I only wonder how and why you became such an authority.

I just have many fond memories of the way it was then, remember a lot of things about the past, still live in Wilmette, and was very sorry to see the Teatro go and much of the look of things there change. Like you said, we were living in a paradise and didn't know it. Didn't mean to sound like an authority....I just tried to answer some of your questions.

There's nothing wrong with being an authority; in this case, it's awesome. It's just that it is rare that someone would actually research the era and come up with those books. And you still live in Wilmette too. Outstanding (I think I'm a little jealous). I agree about the look of the Plaza. Yuck. That Jewell on such hallowed ground, and those cheapo restaurants that sprouted up there in the late 70s when I returned from some years away. BTW, I just talked to someone who returned from Chicago last week and told me it was cold and snowing. Speaking of our mutual interests, I discovered that the City of Chicago has great links to its historic neighborhoods and architecture. I visited Logan Square and other sites around the City. I also discovered, to my delight, that fave restaurants and other gourmet delights, such as Homer's on Green Bay Road, have websites and that you can overnight their wares! To think that I can order Homer's homemade chocolate chip ice cream, Gino's deep dish pizza, and visit Phil Smidt's in Hammond -- can't wait to order. Stay in touch. Frank.

The Film Daily Yearbook of 1945 gives a seating capacity for the Teatro of 500.

What a fabulous discussion. My mother, Carolyn Rapp, grew up on the North Shore & went to the Teatro. My uncle Bill tells me that he played on that lot on the border with Kenilworth. But, by the time I came around No Man's Land was much less exciting...basically a row of apartments. One of them has an old-fashioned entrance that I believe once led to the ruins you speak of. I actually worked at that Jewel in high school. The thing that blows me away is that Leo was still at the Linden Avenue El station into the 90's...still hassling the kids about magazines. He moved into a new retail stall when they rebuilt the El terminal building, but disappeared soon after that. I imagine he must be gone now...rest his soul.

The top of this page shows the seating capacity at 1190. Bryan researched and came up with 500. Let me throw my 2 cents in. When I worked at the Teatro as an usher in 1959, the boredom of the job was at times overwhelming. I remember being stationed inside the seating area one Sunday afternoon and decided to count the seats. I remember counting 725 on the first floor and around 150 in the balcony. Please don't ask why I remember that. I have no answer.

For those who'd like to know the history of Leo Elbaum, here it is. My source material is from The Wilmette Life (Thursday, March 11, 1999) in an article about him ("Leo leaves his newsstand at CTA depot") upon the closure of the old 4th & Linden station house and opening of the new one just east of it. Here is an abridged transcript with a comment or two from me:

"In the fast-paced evolution of modern retail, many specialty stores and strip malls come and go in a matter of months. Others stick around for a decade or more. A very few go on to become institutions.

"If ever a small business earned that distinction, Leo Elbaum and his newwstand in the CTA station, current and former, at Fourth Street and Linden Avenue, Wilmette, certainly qualifies.

"Through the better part of four decades, eight presidents, and a seven-day work-week that often amounted to double shifts, Elbaum was the first friendly face that many commuters and neighborhood residents saw. The one-man kiosk was the source of newspapers, magazines, cigarettes and friendly greetings for CTA train riders as well as neighbors picking up the weekend edition.

"Now the institution is gone, a darkened, locked space at the train station with a hand-written sign announcing his departure.
----------------
"The 85-year-old Elbaum has since retired to his Skokie home.

"In a brief telephone interview, Elbaum said only that he didn't want to quit working.

"'I am trying to get somewhere else. I like to work," Elbaum said in a raspy voice.

"Both his long career and his personal history show Elbaum to be a survivor in the largest sense of the word. Born in Poland, he came of age just as the Nazis invaded and ultimately shuttled him to a concentration camp, where he stayed until liberation in 1948.

"With only one close relative, a sister, remaining, he came to the United States in 1951. He opened his business in Wilmette in 1963, selling newspapers the week President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, according to a 1990 Wilmette Life feature."----(NOT TRUE - date is WRONG----I remember Leo from when I was a little tot in the early 1950s when my Dad would take me downtown for a day at his office at 620 N. Michigan Ave., and Dad would buy candy or a comic book from Leo for me before we got on the el!)

"Although none of his earliest regulars seem to remain in the neighborhood, (oh yeah? what about me, who spent all that time going to the School of the Art Inst. during the 80s in persuit of my Master's degree and taking the el back then, and Leo saying on very cold January mornings as I bought a pack of smokes, "Your hands will be so cold - don't you have gloves?" as he put his hands on mine while I assured him I had gloves in my coat pocket, and in the 90s when I'd go downtown with a friend?) some of his long-time acquaintances remember Elbaum as a hard-working businessman who did things his own way.

"Donald Olson, who opened his State Farm Insurance office neaby 28 years ago, recalled that Elbaum had bought his original stand (at) the old el station. It was there that he did his best business.

"'He bought that stand from a guy named Harry. He did a tremendous newspaper business, and he had a lot of books. If he didn't have it, he'd get it for you. He was the Barnes and Noble of the neighborhood,' Olson said.
(Leo saved for me the last regular issue of Life Magazine (1972)).

"As the sole operator, Elbaum also held himself to hours that no hired help would have tolerated. He usually arrived at 6:00am and often stayed until 9 or 9:30pm and kept weekend hours with infrequent breaks and almost no extended leaves.

"'I remember Leo taking maybe two vacations in 26 years,' Olson said.
----------------------------------------------------

"Through some mix of long hours and a good location, the shop was apparently good to him, helping put a son and a daughter through college.

"Olson said he sensed Elbaum's business suffered somewhat in more recent years after he moved into the new station east of the old depot. Changing commuter patterns might have played a role, and the newsstand also seemed to attract more than its share of shoplifters.

"'Once he moved over here, it kind of fell apart. It was harder for people to get into here and it kind of lost its mystique. I think what he lost was the neighborhood traffic,' Olson said.

"For better and worse, Elbaum was an active and accommodating entrepreneur.

"His vision of free enterprise was, at times, a bit broader than the authorities would tolerate. His store was reputedly a destination for teens hoping to buy cigarettes, and Elbaum several years ago faced a citation for firework sales.

"Olson keeps his memories of Elbaum in perspective.

"'He wasn't a saint, but I like him for what he was. He was an old wheeler-dealer. He was a legend and now he's gone.'

"CTA officials said the agency is seeking proposals and has not yet identified a new vendor for the newsstand space. Both a nationally known coffee chain and donut shop have been mentioned as possibilites.

"Elbaum said he plans to go back to work and promised to announce his new location when he finds it.
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Leo Elbaum passed away a few years after this article was printed.

Wow - what great posts! I remember Leo, and I'm sorry to hear that he's pass on. My first "real" job after college was at the Evanston bank, and I lived at Dad's house for a while - I would drive over to the El to go to work and there would be Leo. Also, I remember him from all of the Cubs games my brother and I would go to (you know, in '67 before they fouled up baseball with these silly divisions and the Cubs moved to first place for real for a while).

I also fondly remember that I used to love to ride my bike around the "block" at Chestnut when I was a kid (yeah, crossed Green Bay road, etc. - man, would mom get mad!). It took forever! In fact, Frank, I'm curious - I won't post a last name, but are you from a large family that lived in a nice house on the north side of Chestnut? If so, I remember playing a lot of softball on the side lawn with you guys (and you all gave me a hard time for going to Catechism class on Sundays while you all went to St. Francis during the week).

And Paul's records! Wow - he used to be on Wilmette Ave. across from the Encyclopedia Britannica building before he went down to the Teatro area (or do I have that backwards? - having a brother ten years older and going everywhere with him in the summer sometimes messes up the details). Real nice, always helpful to me when I was getting albums for mom and dad for Christmas (hey, no guessing any sizes that way).

Finally, wasn't there a Peacock's in the del Lago area? For those of us that used to go to Homer's for shakes, malts, and such, Peacock's was like sneaking off to date someone else - a little different, even disloyal in a way.

Sure! Peacock's "Dairy Bar"...gum under the counters and all!

Bob Jacobs, Sam Meyers' nephew, worked with Stan Pratt in the early 1950s while he was going to college. He lived at 946 Spanish Court. In 1956 he met his future wife, Joan, at the Teatro and in 1957 they were married. They first lived at 946 Spanish Court and then in the apartment complex on the corner of 10th Street and Spanish Court. Besides the Teatro del Lago, Sam Meyers also owned the Wilmette Theater and the Glencoe Theater. The Teatro was a self-contained building, having its own electrical power and air-conditioning that was cooled by water from a deep well under the theater.
Submitted by Joan Jacobs

My uncle, Bill Bruns, owned the San Pedro Restaurant across from the Teatro Del Lago. My father, George King was one of the managers of the Teatro when it first was built in the 30's until the 50's. I was an usherette in the 40's. My brother and sister-in-law were very good friends with Rock Hudson(Roy Fitzgerald as we all grew up in Winnetka. I was very good friends with Nancy Pratt, Stan's first wife. I know Jim Pratt when he was a very little guy. Wow, what memories this brings back. I knew Stan, Sam and Jenny Meyers well. I guess this really dates me.
Submitted by Joan King Kelly

I loved the times my parents took me to San Pedro's when I was a child. Their varied menu was unlike any other restaurant around our area, and from the start I loved trying foods not cooked at our apt. in Spanish Court: from San Pedro's I learned in later years with common sense and experiment to make the chilled jelled borscht which first entranced me among the varied menu options, and the pecan loaf, a meatless roast (before vegan times) served with a lucious mushroom sauce: heavenly! I also loved the cold asparagus and lettuce vinaigrette. These dishes were so in synch with the TV program I watched, as a little girl, on our old Admiral b/w TV: "Creative Cookery", hosted by Antoinette and Francoise Pope. As far as I know, that was the first cooking show on the tube.
I have been so sorry these years that the San Pedro restaurant is gone. The one that takes its place is all right, but doesn't have the same "flavor" at all!
Current residents who weren't here in the past don't know what they are missing!

Sarah - - Thanks for writing. My brother Paul introduced me to this website a few months ago and the walk down memory lane has been fun whenever I return. So well do I remember San Pedro's and all the rest of Spanish Court. San Pedro's was a place our grandparents took us little Enchelmayer kids back in the mid-50's. The aromas upon entering were so inviting, and whatever we ordered was always a real treat. Your recently posted comments about CREATIVE COOKERY caused us to reflect back on wonders of that show. The fine food from that show on TV was a dream for us kids raised on Chef Boy-Ar-Dee, even if we had a rare, occasional meal back on old Spanish Court. Thanks again for the memories. - - Pete Enchelmayer, 9/26/2005; 3:40pm

I grew up in Winnetka, 1950-1958 and spent many wonderful Saturday afternoons not only at the Theatro but at the Glencoe and at the Community House in Winnetka. Little did I know that I would spend about ten years of my life managing movie theatres (see my comment under Rockhill in Kansas City). The 50's, we were young and life was good, and so were the films. Wonderful memories.

I was born in Evanston, and I spent most of my childhood on the North Shore of Chicago. I've got fond memories of the Teatro, where I spent many Saturday afternoons and evenings when I lived in Wilmette and Kenilworth. Several of my favorite memories at the Teatro include "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," "Charade," and the film musicals "State Fair" and "Bye Bye Birdie" (Ann-Margret lived in Wilmette, and graduated from New Trier High School in 1959). I always enjoyed the special Saturday matinees, which would usually feature science fiction hits of the '50s and early '60s ("The War of the Worlds" and "The Time Machine" were most popular and shown often). "Roman Holiday" was the last film shown at the Teatro. The Teatro was a beautiful movie palace. They don't make 'em like that anymore!

I've enjoyed reading all the posts here. Ah, the memories!

Architect was Edwin H. Clark.

I don't think this has been mentioned yet, and if so, sorry, but on the Wilmette Theatre's "history" page, it mentions:

"In 1931...Sam Meyers, owner of the Teatro del Lago and Glencoe Theatre buys the Wilmette Theatre."

Some tidbits from the Tribune archives....
Ann-Margret apparently had her professional singing debut here, in a Radio broadcast.

The article marking the theater's next-day closure printed September 9, 1965 notes that in addition to Hudson and Ann-Margret, former Senator Charles H. Percy served as an usher. English music hall star Gracie Fields also performed there in war bond drives. The article also claims that Meyers built some 22 theaters in Chicagoland, though his name is scarcely mentioned elsewhere. This must be in reference to the fact that he was director of Allied Theaters of Illinois, a syndicate of independent theaters.

A 1962 article claims, "Meyers had traveled to Paris in 1926 to meet with Claude Neon, an inventor. Neon explained the principles of neon lighting. Meyers arranged for the inventor to create the first neon theater sign for the proposed moving picture theater which would be built fronting Lake Michigan between Wilmette and Kenilworth." It also identifies Spanish Court as one of the first shopping centers in America (along with Market Square in Lake Forest). It further states that in 1925 Meyers hired the young Vincente Minelli to design and decorate the theater, and that Meyers also intoduced a 'first' of special concert programs in the 1940s featuring the likes of Marlo Lanza, Rise Stevens, and Madame Shuman-Heink to the stage. Meyers was still further credited with starting the first Cub Scout pack in America, the Del Lago Cubs, in 1927.

Have enjoyed reading all your posts....even though I did not discover you until waaaaaay after the fact. I too grew up in Wilmette. I am the third oldest of nine. All of your stories brought me back to a time that I still cherish so many years later. I lived in Wilmette in the late 1940's until 1969. We lived at 901 Linden and then 830 Oakwood Avenue. I am hoping to find a picture of the Teatro del Lago. Any suggestions??? I remember Leo also. Did not know his last name. I really appreciated hearing his story. Can't go past 4th and Linden without remembering him even so many years later. Hope all of you will continue to share your memories with all of us. Very cool! Mary
posted by Mary Burback Vallelonga on Sep 15, 2007 at 1:16am

Mary, I would be happy to share 2 pictures of the Teatro Del Lago with you. One I took of the ticket taker at his post when I worked there in 1960. Can't remember his name. I think he worked there forever. Send me your email address at alcfetz@att.net and I will foreward them to you.

As curator of the Wilmette Historical Museum, I'm so glad to have all of these wonderful memories recorded here; I've learned a lot from them, and have printed them out to add to our reference files. If anyone has photos or other memorabilia about the Teatro, or for that matter about Wilmette, we'd love to hear from you. Our website is at http://www.wilmettehistory.org Incidentally, we recently learned that the Teatro's old Kimball organ was rescued and is now in the hands of a collector who is restoring it.

One small correction to the info in the heading: the Teatro opened in the spring of 1927, not 1926, and closed on September 10, 1965. It was torn down early in 1966.

From a Chicago Tribune article dated 11/1/64:

The Teatro theater in Wilmette will be razed in February, said its new owner Plato Foufas.

Plans must've changed about that February 1965 razing.
From the Chicago Tribune of 2/26/65 "Teatro at Wilmette to Continue Operating". However, as Patrick Leary mentioned in his 7/10/08 post above, the theater did close on 9/10/65, per the Chicago Tribune article dated 9/9/65, "Theater Lights Dim Forever". The first line of the article reads,
"Sam Meyers isn't planning to make a big deal out of the closing of his 38 year-old Teatro del Lago in Wilmette tomorrow..."