State-Lake Theatre

Built in 1919 as a vaudeville house for the Orpheum Circuit, the State-Lake Theatre opened on March 17, 1919 with Trixie Friganza topping the bill. Fronted by an office building designed by architectural firm Rapp & Rapp, the auditorium was designed by architect G. Albert Lansburgh. It later became the major venue for the RKO theatre chain in Chicago (along with the Palace Theatre on W. Randolph Street). The theatre is named for its location on the corner of N. State Street and W. Lake Street, across the street from the State and Lake “El” Station.

It was built a couple years before the Chicago Theatre, which sits just across the street from the State-Lake Theatre, by the same architects, Rapp & Rapp, who designed it in a similar style as the French Renaissance style Chicago Theatre, though the State-Lake Theatre was nowhere near as grandiose as its cousin across the street. The theatre became part of the Balaban & Katz chain in 1938, which continued a policy of live acts and movies until 1941, when the State-Lake Theatre switched to movies-only.

After closing on June 28, 1984, the State-Lake Theatre’s interior was gutted and converted into studios and offices for the ABC network’s Chicago affiliate, WLS-TV.

The Rapp & Rapp designed exterior was restored to it’s 1920’s appearance (except for its marquee and ticket booth) and is still quite an impressive bookend to the Chicago Theatre across N. State Street.

Recent comments (view all 159 comments)

DavidZornig on February 26, 2018 at 2:25 pm

1953 photo added credit Bettmann/Getty.

DavidZornig on February 28, 2018 at 8:36 pm

9/12/51 photo added credit Larry Nocerino (Vintage Tribune).

Tim O'Neill on August 20, 2018 at 6:08 pm

The State Lake Theatre showed its last movie on Thursday, June 28, 1984.

larrynow on February 2, 2019 at 5:15 pm

I wonder why there is so little photo documentation of the lobby or auditorium? I found 1 grainy pic of the interior…that was it!!!!!

DavidZornig on March 16, 2019 at 8:19 pm

100th anniversary piece for tomorrow.

https://abc7chicago.com/society/state-lake-theater-home-of-abc-7-celebrates-100-years/5195875/?fbclid=IwAR35rodItdxdIxdcGpj7JssI-Il_QTpBMYKMoLKLe9RPaLNm8eW6PJ6dYg0

DavidZornig on June 21, 2019 at 6:15 am

Saul Smaizys 9/30/77-10/20/77 photo via Flickr. (misdated originally) Will enlarge in link.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceebop/23970597550/in/album-72157662523920010/

DavidZornig on December 29, 2020 at 9:33 pm

1939 marquee photo credit Charles Dunlap via Flickr.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/vincentnip/4572457477/in/photostream/

plugai on September 22, 2021 at 2:27 pm

The State Lake is the only Chicago theater I never saw a movie in. My Dad would drive our family in his 1966 Chrysler Newport “downtown” in the evenings and I do recall seeing outside the State /Lake one evening quite large advertising for One Million Years B.C. in 1966 with a life size cardboard cut out of Raquel Welch dressed in fur skins standing outside the glass doors! Years later, my friend who worked with me in theater, invited me across the street from the Chicago Theater we were working a theatrical play to visit with her husband who worked for Channel 7 for a tour of the Channel 7 facilities. The former State/Lake theater is still preserved in the Channel 7 facilities. From the news studio, to Oprah’s former studio. One could see evidence of the former theaters self. I’m glad I was able to observe architecture of the former theater.

DavidZornig on November 10, 2021 at 7:36 pm

Paul Dimler photo.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37640374@N04/6287620225?fbclid=IwAR1sjFPLlENa-LqXr23Rv48fIMKbwm708R5PE_u9HB_qV8va6RyPJSZCbYI

Broan on April 6, 2022 at 1:56 pm

Early lobby view https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435022587802&view=1up&seq=28&skin=2021&q1=rapp