Loop Theater
165 N. State Street,
Chicago,
IL
60601
165 N. State Street,
Chicago,
IL
60601
10 people
favorited this theater
Originally known as the Telenews when it opened on December 23, 1939, this small theater was once the place where moviegoers could see a couple of cartoons, a newsreel, a comical short, and the famous “March of Time” news reports, all in a single hour.
Keeping with its newsy theme, a United Press teletype clacked away in the lobby where an usher would spike the copy on the wall behind the machine.
The Telenews was renamed the Loop Theater in April of 1950 and began to show first-run features. In July of 1950, the newsreel policy was restored, as was the Telenews name. In August of 1953, the theater again switched to first-run films, and the name was changed, this time for good, to the Loop Theater.
In the mid-to-late-1960’s, the theater began to show a lot of B-grade films as well as Russ Meyer-type adult films, in addition to continuing to screen first-run features. The theater thrived during this mixed-format programming. The Loop Theater closed in 1978.
For years, the former Loop Theater had housed a retail store but had been vacant for some time. The building was demolished in November and December 2005 to make way for a mixed-use 31-story high rise originally called MoMo (for Modern Momentum), but now called the Joffrey Tower, for the Joffrey Ballet, which is now housed in the building. The tower also is home to the Residences at the Joffrey Tower condominiums and two floors of retail space.
Contributed by
Ray Martinez, John Keating
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Recent comments (view all 71 comments)
Thanks for listing all those movies.
Re: the newspaper ads for “VIXEN”– on Fridays, for many weeks during the run, the advice columnist Ann Landers (sister of Dear Abby) was spoofed. One example (not the funniest, but the only one I have): from the Sun Times dated Friday, July 11, 1969- OPEN LETTER TO JANE ANDERS Dear Jane: I run a gas station. I’ve been going steady with the same gal for 20 years, but can’t get up the nerve to propose. Last week she suggested my taking her to see “RUSS MEYER’S VIXEN,” but I turned her down. What do you think? (signed) BASHFUL. Dear Bashful: There is no Fuel like an Old Fuel. —JANE. About a month or two before VIXEN started its run, I remember reading that quite a few guys would buy a ticket and time it so they would enter the theatre JUST to see the trailer for VIXEN- and then leave. If memory serves- admission price of $3.00 for perhaps a two and a half minute trailer? No wonder it was a smash hit.
Great story KenC.
Mike – you’re welcome.
From the Sun Times movie directory dated Friday,May 7. 1971: The Stewardesses 3D OPEN LETTER TO LOOP THEATRE MANAGER Dear Sir, We saw ‘THE STEWARDESSES’ at the Loop Theatre. WOW! Are all stewardesses like the ones in the movie? (signed) John and Mary Dear John and Mary, I don’t know. I haven’t met every stewardess. Max Milstein, Mgr. Loop Theatre. (Mr. Milstein was a real person-real name. He worked for Balaban & Katz for years; I remember him from the United Artists theatre in the mid 60s. A short guy with glasses and a dry- sometimes wicked- sense of humour. As managers go, a nice guy.)
Strange coincidence. In ken mc’s 1966 photo posted on 4/25/09, the film playing at the Loop is “Dear John”.
Nice photos.
Fifty years ago today, Columbia’s “The 3 Worlds of Gulliver,” in Super Dynamation and Eastman Color, made its Chicago debut at the Loop Theatre. Doors opened at 8:45am for what was described as “Nothing Less Than a Miracle in Motion Pictures!”.
Here is a 1949 view
A 1952 photo of the theater as the Telenews can be seen here.