Columbus Theater

6238 S. Ashland Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60636

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The Columbus Theater opened in 1915, on South Ashland Avenue near West 63rd Street, in the West Englewood neighborhood. It was built for the Ascher Brothers circuit. The Columbus Theater had a fairly brief career, since it was closed in 1926. It has long ago been torn down.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

lostmemory
lostmemory on September 10, 2007 at 6:32 pm

A Kimball theater organ was installed in the Columbus Theater in 1915.

Englewood
Englewood on October 22, 2008 at 1:07 pm

Was this ever known as the Hippodrome Theatre?

I have an ad from March 1915 for the Hippodrome with the location given as 63rd and Ashland—-no actual address.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on March 1, 2009 at 7:29 pm

This document, which is lengthy, concerns the “Four Minute Men”, which was a group of WWI-related speakers in 1919. If you scroll down about halfway, there is a list of supporting theaters in Chicago, including addresses. The Columbus is on the list. It’s an interesting roster if you’re looking for any theaters around that time.
http://tinyurl.com/awpdpp

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 21, 2012 at 7:47 am

The January 1, 1916, issue of The Moving Picture World ran the following item about the Columbus Theatre:

“The Ascher Brothers opened their fine theater, the Columbus, Sixty-third street and Ashland avenue, this city, on Saturday, December 18. The Ascher Brothers justly consider the Columbus one of the most beautiful in their long chain of houses. Architect Newhouse says of the design of the interior: ‘It has always been my aim while designing theaters to avoid the trouble often found — too many useless seats, due to the arrangement. I decided to substitute the amphitheater arrangement for the seats and place the screen in such a position as to afford a clear and direct view from any seat in the auditorium. The use of the dome lighting system, by which the management can burn 150 sixty-watt lamps throughout the performance and keep the house well lighted without affecting the picture will meet with popular favor.’”

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