Sandburg Theatre
1204 N. Dearborn Street,
Chicago,
IL
60610
1204 N. Dearborn Street,
Chicago,
IL
60610
2 people
favorited this theater
Opened in 1913 as the New Dearborn Theatre, later just the Dearborn Theatre, this theater stood at the corner of Division Street and Dearborn Street. Originally, the theater’s main entrance was on Division Street (40 W. Division), but was later moved to Dearborn Street.
The Dearborn Theatre was remodeled in 1934 by the firm of Pereira & Pereira. By the 1940’s, the Dearborn Theatre was known as the Surf Theatre. In September 1964, the Surf Theatre closed and was reopened later the same month as the Playboy Theater, which was originally known for screening eclectic and offbeat films. It also was one of the venues which hosted the Chicago International Film Festival during its early years.
In 1976, the Playboy Theater was renamed the Chelex Theatre, and in 1979, the theater was renamed one final time, as the Sandburg Theatre, which screened repertory films. The Sandburg Theatre lasted until April 1983, when it was closed.
A Walgreens was later built on the site of the theater.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 29 comments)
A few corrections. First, Playboy never used the spelling “theatre” but theater. Jerry Dukor had left the theater many years before the Naked Ape, my now husband was the manager at the time. There was not a chimp, but a life-size Neanderthal in a museum case in the lobby for the premiere. The weekend midnight shows were called The All Night Show and was booked by my husband, who in addition to managing the theater was a grad student, finishing his degree in film at the time. I am, myself, a former Playboy employee who was there at the time.
Thank you for the corrections. I remember the neanderthal in the museum case. But the chimp in the tux was why I was taken there by my parents. Is it possible there was more than one night to the premiere? We’d known Jerry Dukor for many years. He may have gone back and just met us there. He later worked at a CD store on North Ave. And at a florist called The Bronx Zoo at 12 E. Division. Jerry died around 2000.
We were regulars at the All Night Shows. Your husband did a fantastic job booking the films. We’d grab a bite beforehand at Lane Drugs, then again afterwards. Same waitress sometimes.
Sorry to hear about Jerry. I had only heard of him, never met him. I asked my husband about the chimp, again. He was very busy inside the theater but said it was possible that the chimp was part of whatever was going on outside. He personally, never saw one. So, you may both be correct. Glad you enjoyed the All Night Shows. We had a laugh at the mention of Lane Drugs.
Greetings gtl. You surely remember Oliver’s Pub then too. It was just to the North of Lane Drugs on Dearborn, directly across from the Playboy Theater. My grade school Ogden actually had our graduation luncheon there. Only on the Near North side in the `70’s, would a school take a bunch of kids to a bar.
If you are ever down there, there is still an Oliver’s Pub advertisement painted on the brick wall, across the alley from Five Faces. It is up on the East elevation above Shennanigan’s, and is partially covered by exterior duct work from when Shennanigan’s had a grill inside.
I’m sure you also remember the China Doll on the S/E corner too. With their fleet of bashed up, red AMC Gremlin delivery vehicles. Driven by drivers who literally parked by ear.
I use to go to the Playboy Theater often around 1970 when Bob Lyman was the manager. Remember seeing Start the Revolution Without Me (Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland) several times. Stayed friends with Bob and his wife (at that time) Martha, until I lost touch with both of them in the late 70’s. Played darts on a team for Oliver’s Pub. Remember Lane Drugs and lots of other great places in the neighborhood.
I remember Bob well.
I lived down the street from the Sandburg Theatre from 1980-81, and spent many evenings there. Just at the dawn of this new invention called the VCR, and the end of the repertory theater era. It was wonderful filling the gaps in my movie going experience and seeing great films on the big screen. One highlight was Night of the Hunter, which remains a personal favorite.
Here is the new link to the June 20th 1942 article in BOXOFFICE: http://www.boxofficemagazine.com/the_vault/issue_page?issue_id=1942-6-20&page_no=54
The principals of Pereira & Pereira, the firm that designed the 1934 and 1942 remodeling jobs for this theater, were William Pereira and Hal Pereira. Percival Pereira was an older architect who was never a member of this firm.
Here’s an active link to the 1942 trade article: boxofficemagazine