Roxy Cinemas
827 LaSalle Street,
Ottawa,
IL
61350
827 LaSalle Street,
Ottawa,
IL
61350
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According to this 2010 article from the Ottawa Times, the Gayety Theater was heavily damaged in a blaze in December 1930 that began in a next door beauty salon. The theater was remodeled in Spanish atmospheric style and reopened in September 1931 as the Roxy.
I remember and dearly loved Isabelle Sanders' paintings that were in the Roxy. arnie P, do you have any idea what happened to them? Please contact me…
Here are a couple of my recent pictures of the Roxy:
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1985 Night Photo
Here is a 1985 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c4c2qj
The Roxy in Ottawa, was originally the Gayety and was a vaudeville house. It was an art showcase with six large paintings by Isabelle Sanders, an OTHS teacher, who was also an artist. They were of Starved Rock and other areas. My mom played the organ there during the silent era and at the Orphuem, too. I once helped her install new curtains, as she was an interior decorator, and was hired to do so. In the late 40s, shows ran Sun-Tue, then a double on wed with dish night, and then Thur -Sat. If the projectionist missed his cue, we would all stomp and clap until movie came back on. The Roxy greeted 3D with Bwana Devil and Cinemascope with the Robe. IT also featured the first push back rocking seats. The box office was out front on the sidewalk, and the original marquee hung over the walk and there was also an upright sign. For years, it was An Alliance Theater.
Here is another photo of the Roxy.
Operated by 21st Century Cinemas, the address for the Roxy Cinemas should be 827 La Salle Street.
A Marr & Colton theater organ was installed in the Roxy Theater in Ottawa, IL in 1927.
This is a recent photo of the R_XY at night.
Here is a photo of the Roxy.
Roxy Cinemas
827 La Salle Street
Ottawa, IL 61350
Show Info (815) 433-8303
For Further Info 433-1816
The Roxy was built circa 1910. During the Cold War, the basement served as an emergency shelter and there are still rations supposedly stored there.
I worked at the Roxy in Ottawa befor, during, and after the twin remodeling. I agree that it was in fact a vaudeville theater befor a movie house. The stage behind the screen was a full wood floor stage with flies above, and dressing rooms below. There was a light panel behind the stage with copper knife switches. I was told that it once had a balcony. This was probably one of the finest vaudeville theaters in Illinois in it’s day.
It is amazing how many theatres are named ROXY in imitation of the once famous name of the New York City panjandrum of the movie palace: Samual Lionel Rothapfel = “Roxy”. His namesake was the famous ROXY THEATRE in NYC, which outlasted him by only 25 years when it was demolished in 1960. The whole story is in that landmark book “The Best Remaining Seats: The Story of the Golden Age of the Movie Palace” by the late Ben M. Hall in 1961. Various editions of it are sometimes available from www.Amazon.com, but only the first edition contains the color plates.
Seating capacity for the Rox Theatre was 750.