Ramova Theater
3518 S. Halsted Street,
Chicago,
IL
60609
3518 S. Halsted Street,
Chicago,
IL
60609
21 people
favorited this theater
The Ramova Theater opened in 1929 on S. Halsted Street at 35th Street, as a “sister” to the Music Box Theater in Lake View, which was opened that same year. The architect of the Ramova Theater was Meyer O. Nathan.
Like the smaller Music Box Theater, which seats about half as many as the 1,500-seat Ramova Theater, both were designed in Atmospheric style inside, their auditoriums built to resemble Spanish-courtyards. On the deep blue ceiling of the Ramova Theater, “stars” glittered before each movie, and through the archways along the side walls were scenes of the Spanish countryside. Like the Music Box’s lobby, the blue sky with stars motif also continued into the ceiling. Faux-marble and gilded plasterwork were also in abundance, even more so than at the Music Box Theater.
The highlight of the Ramova’s life came in 1940, when Charlie Chaplin had the Chicago premiere of his “The Great Dictator” at the Ramova Theater and Music Box Theater, since the Loop palaces which would normally host such events were uncomfortable with the sensitive subject matter of the film and wouldn’t play it on their screens.
By the 1950’s, the Ramova Theater was no longer a first run house, but began to show second-run features. In its last years, it was showing Spanish-language films, as the Bridgeport neighborhood had gone from solidly Irish and Lithuanian, when the Ramova Theater opened, to mostly Hispanic today.
The theater was closed around the mid-1980’s, and has since sat vacant, but very much intact; a reminder of the neighborhood’s past and a viable and eminently restorable venue for Bridgeport’s future.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 67 comments)
Yes, if anyone has original floor plans they would be invaluable for our work with the IIT IPRO project to help save the theater.
Here is a link with info about the IIT group:http://ipro.iit.edu/about (see project #364 under current projects for info.)
Please, share them if you have them for the sake of this old girl!
Thanks Jim I and the rest of the theater loving community.
Maureen
Co-Founder @Save The Ramova! maureen@savetheramovacom
S
Like the Ramova theatre, and Ramova theatre on facebook!
Today the Ramova theatre opened at 1 pm with the dessert song happy birthday Ramova!
Why? Has construction work commenced? I don’t see any permit nor have I heard of plans. I’d love for it to be renovating, but status isn’t based on wishful thinking.
No, Ramova 7719 ‘Friends of the Ramova’ is not the official page of the Ramova. The official Facebook page for the Ramova is: https://www.facebook.com/ramovatheatre
‘Friends of the Ramova’ is a fan’s page. While we appreciate his zeal for the theater, we do not appreciate his misrepresentation of the official message of our advocacy group.
Stop confusing people, Vince.
Actually Maureen60609 Friends of the Ramova Theater has better pictures than Ramova Theater.
It is very confusing. People shouldn’t have to visit 7 different facebook pages to find the one that actually has information and a relationship to the theater. The other 6 have some nice pictures, but no indication who took them. I don’t see any reason those photos couldn’t have been posted to the main page (or, for that matter, to this Cinematreasures page). Confusing people and diluting supporters doesn’t help the Ramova, and I hope the various creators of these pages can get over whatever inspired them to splinter off and work together for the good of this theater.
Thank you Broan for agreeing that the additional Facebook pages are confusing. I’m one of the admins of the original Ramova Theater Facebook page (the page is over 2 years old with 2800+ fans). Our page is run by the Save the Ramova group, founded in 2005. We’re cautious about what photos we use, because we don’t have rights to a lot of photos. We have formed a non-profit corp “Friends of South Halsted” and are now fundraising for restoration of this theater into a performance space. This, as you all know will take a lot of time and work, so any good vibes or advice is appreciated.
Friends of the Ramova Theater is run by a fan of the theater. He is a minor who chooses to post willy-nilly information, use photos without credits and say things like “the status of the theater should be renovating, STATUS SHOULD BE RENOVATING”-Ramova 7719 (see in the comments above—renovation has not begun as of today). We have asked him to NOT do this, take down his Facebook page because it’s confusing etc., but he is a teen who’s parent doesn’t believe that he’s crossed any boundaries. You will notice that other Facebook pages have popped up too (same kid or friends of his are admining them too) Ramova 7719 is a member of the Theater Historical Society too.
Please do support the Ramova Theater Facebook page for up to date information about the theater project. Thanks, Maureen of Save the Ramova/Friends of South Halsted Street.
Most photographers don’t care as long as they have credit, but if they complain their photos should be removed.
It wasn’t long ago that I was the junior member of THSA and itching to do something. I’m sure he’ll soon learn how to use that energy more productively. I did a lot of structured research and photography with that energy.
I know you can’t go into specifics, but can you speak generally about the ideas that IIT has publicly presented? It seems to me that the Ramova would be difficult as a 1200+ seat live venue (no stage, no parking, neighborhood not very dense with no nearby el, limited lobby space, large volume and low flat ceiling make for difficult acoustics, etc), but something more like the Biograph (hopefully with more of the original decoration replicated, unlike their generic interior) would be feasible. Sort of like the unrealized Dupage concept or the shrunken Paramount in Boston.
What about adaptive use as plan B? The Ramova could make a fine tribute to the Daley family if it were restored as a library branch, replacing the smaller one up the street, and that would be a good reason for the city to restore and renovate it.
Let me know if you’d rather I contact you privately.
From today’s Chicago Tribune