State-Lake Theatre
190 N. State Street,
Chicago,
IL
60601
190 N. State Street,
Chicago,
IL
60601
30 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 163 comments
Hachidan8, “The Exorcist” played at the State-Lake 2/15/74-6/13/74, and again 4/20/79-5/24/79 as a second run. “Papillon” preceded it 12/21/73-2/14/74. The Gateway Theatre featured it at the time of it’s release too. All films that played at the State-Lake 1964-1980 are listed by dates on page 5 in a 2007 comment. As are most of the other downtown theatres.
I came here every weekend on the train to watch the same movie over and over. This theater held the honor of premiering the movie “The Exorcist” Dec. 26th 1973. It played at this theater for the next year and ten months straight. All the hype, the lines, the ambulances, the fainting, all happened here from 73 to 75. What a time to be alive.
11 seconds of marquee footage from 6/15/73-6/28/73.
https://www.pond5.com/stock-footage/item/219786010-chicago-1973street-view-chicago-theater-and-iconic-chicago-s?fbclid=IwAR3bZJNMx6QrLjJr_hlF1adckBq58qGDazZqW0MkM8BBa4fSFYIMOp__TAU
1972 photo with top of marquee. Image will enlarge within Flickr link.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/photosarchive/50224056926/
Early lobby view https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435022587802&view=1up&seq=28&skin=2021&q1=rapp
Paul Dimler photo.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/37640374@N04/6287620225?fbclid=IwAR1sjFPLlENa-LqXr23Rv48fIMKbwm708R5PE_u9HB_qV8va6RyPJSZCbYI
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.
1939 marquee photo credit Charles Dunlap via Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vincentnip/4572457477/in/photostream/
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/
100th anniversary piece for tomorrow.
https://abc7chicago.com/society/state-lake-theater-home-of-abc-7-celebrates-100-years/5195875/?fbclid=IwAR35rodItdxdIxdcGpj7JssI-Il_QTpBMYKMoLKLe9RPaLNm8eW6PJ6dYg0
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!!!!!
The State Lake Theatre showed its last movie on Thursday, June 28, 1984.
9/12/51 photo added credit Larry Nocerino (Vintage Tribune).
1953 photo added credit Bettmann/Getty.
Its not it’s
“The Rapp & Rapp designed exterior was restored to it’s 1920s appearance…”
The architect of the theatre was G. Albert Lansburgh.
Rapp & Rapp designed the office building which housed the theatre.
THE EXORCIST didn’t open at the State-Lake on December 26, 1973. It started showing at the State-Lake in February, 1974. The big 1973 Christmas attraction at the State-Lake was PAPILLON.
Dec.26th 1973. A friday. Blowing snow. Cold. I stood with my Mom in a long long line stretched around Lake st. The line inched. I could see the movie title, “The Exorcist”. Inched again. Twirling red lights.Christmas lights? No. Ambulance. Then another one. Fire? No. Sick people coming out crying and throwing up. People were cheering. Some kissing crosses on a necklace. I looked at my mom. I was not ready to see this film. All happened here from 73 to late 75…The Exorcist.
December 1954 photo added, photo and caption credit Chicago Transit Authority Historical Collection.
06/12/64-07/02/64 photo added courtesy of the AmeriCar The Beautiful Facebook page.
Saw the bubble 3d in late 60s
February 11th-15th, 1982 photo added, courtesy of the John Chuckman Collection. Mayor Byrne’s “Loop Alive”.
This link has photos of a dual premiere at both the Chicago and State-Lake Theatres in 1940. Copy & paste to view.
http://www.vintag.es/2015/01/old-photos-of-chicagos-first-hollywood.html
Jeez, Louise! I SAW Cleopatra at the State-Late Theater! (We teenagers called it the “State and Lake”)
Thank you Broan, much appreciated.