Ark Theater
858 E. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60637
858 E. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60637
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Opened in 1912, the Drexel Theater was located in the Woodlawn neighborhood, on 63rd Street at the intersection of Drexel Avenue. It sat near the larger Woodlawn Theatre, which opened a few years after the Drexel Theater.
During the 1920’s, the theater was part of the Fecher & Nortman circuit, which included other South Side theaters such as the Lexington Theater, the Kimbark Theater and the Harvard Theater.
The Drexel Theater was renamed the Ark Theater by the 1940’s when it was operated as the flagship of the Gollos Brothers chain, and continued to operate at least through the 1960’s. The theater has since been torn down.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
The Ark theatre (aka Drexel) was in operation at least through May 1959. From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings, Friday April 19,1957: ARK -LOW PRICES ADULTS .25 CHILDREN .10.(No films are listed.) From the Sun Times Sunday, May 10, 1959: ARK –“THE VIKINGS” “BOUNTY HUNTER” “FLAMING FRONTIER”.
Architects were Grossman & Proskauer
The Ark theatre was open at least through mid February 1965. From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings on Thursday Feb. 11,1965: ARK 858 E. 63rd- Op. 1:30 “FORT DOBBS” “MADEMOISELLE STRIPTEASE” “NEVER PUT IT IN WRITING”.
Does anyone know where the Ark name comes from for this theatre? It is a rather strange name for a theatre.
Just a wild guess, Bryan: Kimbark Ave. was (is) located 1300 east.The Kimbark theatre, near 63rd and Kimbark, was open at least through mid 1960. The Kim theatre was at 62nd- Halsted. Bark would seem to be a silly name for a theatre. Perhaps new owners decided on the name Ark, which was about 4 blocks from Kimbark Ave.
Thanks Ken for your thoughts on the name.
In the 1940’s this was the nastiest little show ever, your feet would always stick to the floor.
A couple of interior photos of the recently remodeled Ark Theatre were published in the May 25, 1940, issue of Boxoffice Magazine. The new Art Moderne design had been done by architect Erwin G. Fredrick, in association with interior designer Hans Teichert.
I’m looking for a possible link with any exterior pictures of the Trianon Ballroom also on 63rd St.
All that seems to ever come up is postcards of the same interior shots.
Exterior shots of the Trianon have proved quite elusive. Thanks.
The two 1940 photos cited above by Joe Vogel can be viewed here: boxofficemagazine