Circle Theatre
3211 W. Roosevelt Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60624
3211 W. Roosevelt Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60624
1 person
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The Circle was the first theater that belonged to the Balaban and Katz theater chain.
When the theater first opened, it showed short features and the price of admission was just five cents.
Contributed by
Ray Martinez
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
The Circle opened in 1909 and closed during the 40s.
This article indicates that an earlier theater was operated by Balaban & Katz
Brian, from that article it sounds like they had operated a nickelodeon prior to the Circle, but the Circle was the first movie theater which they opened.
Not sure why. But that neighborhood kept the circle name. After the University of Illinois moved out it’s Navy Pier campus. (When it was called U of I, Navy Pier) it moved to the west side and was called the University of Illinois, Circle campus well into the late 80s (sometimes called Chicago Circle). I’ve only noticed that in the last 10 years they call it just plain ol' Univeristy of Illinois, Chicago.
The storefront theatre the Balabans operated prior to the Circle was called the Kedzie. It was in the same neighborhood. Everyone wanted the land parcel where the Circle was constructed at the time. But the Balabans managed to form a friendship with a judge who was involved with the situation, and won the day. Having no experience with construction, they thought that the project would be completed quickly. However, it was nine months between leaving the Kedzie and opening the Circle. Track down a copy of the book “Continuous Preformances” to read the full story of the Circle. It is interesting reading.
From what i understand whare the CIRCLE stood it is now some kind of appt. buld or housing project maybe a condo.
A Kimball theater organ was installed in the Circle Theater in 1914.
It was built in 1909, and was Balaban and Katz’s first theatre.