Catlow Theater
116 W. Main Street,
Barrington,
IL
60010
116 W. Main Street,
Barrington,
IL
60010
16 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 32 comments found
After 85 years, the Catlow screened its final film tonight, “Flight”. The theater will close for two days while its new digital projection system is installed. The theater will reopen Friday, digitally screening “The Polar Express” for free to those who donated to the Kickstarter campaign which raised over $175,000. Later Friday, the theater reopens to the public with “Skyfall”. More in this story in yesterday’s Patch.
According to this story in yesterday’s Daily Herald, the Catlow ended up raising nearly twice their goal of $100,000 when the Kickstarter campaign ended after 60 days. With enough raised for the conversion to digital, the theater will now focus additional funds raised on a new HVAC system, as well as a new HVAC system in the projection booth, needed to maintain the new digital equipment. Also, the owners hope to repair the ladies room, make repairs to the roof, and paint the marquee and vertical sign, among other fixes.
Amazingly, the Catlow has reached its goal of raising $100,000 towards replacing its film equipment with digital in less than a week. Read more in this article from today’s Daily Herald.
The Catlow Theater is threatened with extinction with Hollywood’s move to digital films. The cost of new equipment to show digital films runs around $100K. No problem for the huge multiplex chain theaters-but for a small single-screen cinema like The Catlow, this can easily put our beloved cinema out of business.
Tim and his fiance, Roberta, have launched a fundraising campaign to get the money for the new equipment and keep The Catlow alive and kicking. Go to the website below to contribute. In just one day 179 supporters have already pledged more than $16K for the new equipment. Barrington residents, those of us who grew up in Barrington, and cinema lovers from around the world are rising up to save this icon from extinction.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/468036259/rescue-the-historic-catlow-theater-from-extinction
PS to Tim: You and Roberta are doing a FANTASTIC job! Thank you!
Good luck Tim,some people think money justs falls out of the sky.Nice looking vertical and marquee.
“They should renovate this place its sort of a dump”
Ouch!
Yeah, we would love to, but with what money? We’re doing the best we can considering the times. There’s a lot more competition (with all the latest equipment) out there these days. Being an old-time single screen theater isn’t easy, but we’re still plugging along on our own. And most of our loyal patrons seem to enjoy coming here.
-Tim
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y63kp3t
A 3/8 Kimball Was installed in the theatre in 1927
This is an October 2009 photo of the Catlow.
Here is a recent photo.
Here is a December 1968 ad from the Daily Herald:
http://tinyurl.com/oawryq
Wow, I had no idea this place existed.
Thanks to CT & everyone whose posted pictures.
Here is a 1982 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/dlewtu
Catlow Theater photo
This is an interior view.
Here are more photos of the Catlow Theater. Click on each photo to expand it.
I serviced the Catlow projection and sound system in the 80’s and 90’s. I still remember Jim the relief projectionist and also the old gentleman who was the original full time projectionist there. He retired in the late 80’s and Jim retired sometime in the mid 90’s. I also remember him telling me about how he installed the very fisrt television antenna in Barrington.
The Catlow sound system was upgraded in the mid 90’s to include JBL 4675 stage speakers and JBL 8330 Surrounds. These speakers replaced the original RCA magnetic sound system speakers. In the booth we installed a Dolby CP-65 processor and new BGW power amps. This gear replaced an again EPRAD Starscope system.
Also in the late 90’s the Catlow underwent major structurial modifications. The main roof is supported by large wooden beams and some of these beams began to pull apart and or crack. This very extensive structural modification was done to guarantee the Catlow would not collapse and that it would be around for many years to come.
I do miss Baloneys alot… Roberta was constantly making the sandwiches bigger and bigger… Tim would raise the prices to accomodate the extra use of stuff going into them and then Roberta would make them larger yet…. It got to the point that if you could eat half the sandwich for lunch you were doing pretty good. The other half would be consumed for dinner.
We have no good deli’s out here in SLC… Hey Tim and Roberta… want to expand the sandwich shop?
m2violin: I don’t know when it was removed but it can’t be much later than 1968 (I would have thought earlier). I think it was removed by a Larry Coleman and someone else. They tried to install it in a church. Terry Kleven found it in a house’s basement and sold
it to me in maybe 1970. I only got the console; I don’t know what happened to the rest of the stuff. Someone told me the 16' diaphone was left behind in the theatre and was disposed of sometime later by persons unknown. You can reach Terry at 612-331-2444. I know he knows more than I do.
To Gary Rickert,
I vaguely remember the organ (my family moved to Barrington in 1968). I can’t remember ever hearing it played, though. Do you know when the organ was removed?
I’d definitely be interested in knowing what became of the organ’s components.
Here is a 7/20/61 ad from the Arlington Herald:
http://tinyurl.com/2uc94d
I have the original 3 manual console from the Kimball pipe organ form the Catlow connected to the organ in my home. I believe the remainder of the organ was scatered to the winds. Anyone want more info.?
Gary Rickert
To Michael LeVan – the Patio always was always (and still is) the Patio (closed) – the Avalon was and still is the Avalon (closed).
From what I’ve read in the DAILY HERALD, periodically there seems to be news that this theatre will close. Yet it always appears to bounce back.
Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989
Catlow Theatre (added 1989 – Building – #89001112)
112—116 W. Main St., Barrington
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Ianelli,Alfonso, Betts & Holcomb
Architectural Style: Tudor Revival
Area of Significance: Architecture, Engineering
Period of Significance: 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Restaurant, Specialty Store, Theater
Current Function: Commerce/Trade, Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function: Restaurant, Specialty Store, Theater
Here is a photo of a replica of the Catlow’s auditorium from the fourth of July. It was truly a spectacular replica.