Uptown Theater
4816 North Broadway,
Chicago,
IL
60640
4816 North Broadway,
Chicago,
IL
60640
76 people
favorited this theater
One of the last great movie palaces in Chicago, this fabulous theater built in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago was built in 1925 and was the destination for moviegoers until the theater closed on December 19, 1981.
Changing times and the shift in population have not helped the Uptown Theater. Additionally, the Uptown Theater has succumbed to water damage, vandalism and the wear and tear of time. Every year its exterior stands stoically facing the cold winter while its interior slowly erodes.
The Uptown Theater is one of the last truly great theaters without a certain future. The Uptown Theater must be saved before it is too late.
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Recent comments (view all 440 comments)
From today’s Chicago Tribune
Haven’t we heard all this before?
There are two new aldermen in Uptown as well, which might change things a bit. I know Mary Ann Smith, the former alderman for the ward where the Uptown is located, stated her desire to restore the theatre to its original state, whereas the new aldermen seem more open to seeing the theatre open slightly-altered for mixed use (ex. tearing floor seats out). I would love to see the theatre exactly as Balaban and Katz intended, but I think it might be necessary to consider changes to meet modern needs and keep the theatre profitable.
Seems to me that if some slight changes to the Uptown are needed to make it operational in todays world then so be it. Doing nothing will eventually bring the building down. And using it only as a movie house today is just not an option. So restoration as a mixed use facility is a great plan, as the theatre will be saved! Better than the wrecking ball!!
I wish that I had known about this grand theater when briefly living in Chicago in 67-68. Saw movies at several of the loop theaters—the Chicago (In Cold Blood), the Oriental, and Woods State (Cool Hand Luke, and Bonnie and Clyde). Seems like the United Artist was possibly playing Barefoot in the Park and Funny Girl the whole time, not guy movies. I guess I was so overwhelmed by the Oriental that I don’t remember the film. The Chicago had a nice little light show with their Balaban Katz promo clip. That is a lot of money to raise with the economy such as it is, but I sure hope they manage to save this movie palace.
I moved here in 1985, after the Uptown had closed. Finally last Wednesday I had the chance to see the inside for the first time. I’ve seen hundreds of photos of the Uptown over the years, and none do it justice. You can’t capture in a photograph a space this grand and expansive. Even in its badly deteriorating condition, it’s awe-inspiring. Something must be done to save it. We’ll never see anything like it again.
I know what you mean figaro14. I took a tour of the Loew’s Kings in Brooklyn and, though it was dripping with 30+ years of abandonment, it was phenomenally beautiful and impressive; even in decay. No photo did it justice. Hopefully, the Uptown will meet with the same success as the Kings. Please look at that page to see the thrilling $75MM restoration that this palace is currently undergoing. The Kings and the Uptown (IMO) were the two most spectacular of the abandoned palaces in this country. The Uptown now stands alone. Hopefully, the city of Chicago, which prides itself so much on architecture, will not lose this special beauty.
The restoration of the Rialto is to be applauded but in no way does that “palace” compare to the Uptown, not just in size but in quality of design. Even more important reason to restore the greatest surviving example,(probably) in the world.
TimeOut Chicago marks the 30th anniversary of the closing of the Uptown Theater.
Does Anyone From The Plitt Days such as Irwin Cohen, Les Jacobs have pictures to post? Even the carry over to CinePlex Odeon, they were the last of the Theatre landlords for this Theatre.
Some great photos from 2000 are here