Star and Garter Theatre
815 W. Madison Street,
Chicago,
IL
60607
815 W. Madison Street,
Chicago,
IL
60607
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This theater was located on Madison Street just west of Halsted. It was originally opened in 1908 as a burlesque theater, not the burlesque of the 1940’s and 1950’s, but closer to vaudeville at this time. Later, the Star & Garter became a vaudeville house, and later still, a movie theater.
Demolished, in 1973, the site of the Star & Garter is now a parking lot for Mid City National Bank in an upscale area.
Contributed by
John P Keating Jr
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
The theater appears in the 1971 film My Name Is Rocco Papaleo. Filmed in Chicago, there is a brief scene where Marcello Mastroianni walks in front of the theater. I passed the theater daily while commuting to the U of I and saw them filming the scene.
Can anybody confirm/or deny that the lovely Anna Held appeared
at this venue? Thanks Isadore
A synopsis in the Chicago Daily Tribune announced that the theater had been sold on May 26, 1946 for $110,000 cash. Unfortunately the synopsis did not provide the parties to the sale.
I grew up in the Taylor Street area of Chicago in the 1940s and 1950s. I can remember on Saturdays walking with a half dozen friends over to Madison and Halsted to attend the Star & Garter theater for its three (3) movies and 15 cartoons. It was an old, dirty theater but what the heck we were young and just as dirty so we went.
There was a fellow in the neighborhood we called “Loouie Shoes” and he would sometimes hand out passes to the Star and Garter so half the times that we went we had passes.
The bums used to come in from skid row and sleep off a drunk. And I remember one Mexican kid who yelled out during a movie, “Hell, I saw this movie last week on television”. And he was right, it had been on TV.
Mike
Here is a detailed history of the Star and Garter at the Jazz Age Chicago web site. The theater was designed by the New York architectural firm Dodge & Morrison.
Here is a 1955 view of the intersection of Madison and Halsted Streets, with the Star and Garter partially visible in the background.
Nice vintatge photo Bryan.
I remember going to the Star & Garter on Sundays for the Cartoons Serials of Superman,Batman,Shadow,Rocket man,and lets not forget the News Reels in the Late Fifties and Early Sixties.I remember the Wine Bottles hitting the floor and guys Snoring,But all the Young kids sat towards the front and Left side of the show and Protected our selfs because of our Numbers .Its all in the past Just old Memories
Here is a closeup photo of the Star and Garter’s marquee taken shortly before the theater’s demolition. Notice the wrecking company’s sign playing off the theater’s burlesque past.
Here is a circa-1910 postcard view of the Star & Garter.