Cinema Italia

306 S. Cicero Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60644

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Additional Info

Architects: D.S. Pentecost

Previous Names: K & C Theatre, Ben Hur Theatre, Avenue Theatre

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Cinema Italia

This 595-seat movie house was located on S. Cicero Avenue, near the intersection of W. Jackson Boulevard in the Austin neighborhood. It opened in the 1910’s. It seems to have closed in the mid-to-late-1920’s. It was rebuilt, again with 595-seats and reopened on November 8, 1935, operating until the mid-1940’s.

During the early-1950’s, it very briefly reopened as the Cinema Italia, as the name would imply, screening Italian-language films. However, after closing once more, it doesn’t appear to have reopened as a theatre, and has since been demolished. A gas station is now on the site of this theatre.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

Broan
Broan on April 11, 2006 at 9:09 pm

Architect was D.S. Pentecost

LouisRugani
LouisRugani on January 19, 2011 at 3:30 pm

This article in The Garfieldian shows that in mid-1947 the theatre bore the name “K & C”:
(July 24, 1947) LICENSE DRIVE HITS 7 LOCAL MOVIE HOUSES
When the city’s drive on license violators hit theaters last week, seven West Side movie houses made quick amends in their admission prices. In view of speedy corrections of the violations, Judge Cecil Smith discharged the cases.
Theaters affected and their maximum prices were: Tiffin, 4045 North, 40 cents; West End, 121 N. Cicero, 40 cents; Byrd, 4730 Madison, 40 cents; Symphony, 4921 Chicago, 40 cents; Crawford, 19 S. Crawford, 40 cents; K and C, 306 S, Cicero, 25 cents; and the Plaisance, 466 N. Parkside, 40 cents.

rivest266
rivest266 on August 13, 2020 at 1:23 pm

Rebuilt and reopened on November 8th, 1935. Grand opening ad posted.

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