Tivoli Theatre
6328 S. Cottage Grove Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60637
6328 S. Cottage Grove Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60637
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Showing 1 - 25 of 40 comments found
Hi Folks. Does anyone recall a pizzeria near the Tivoli, in the 1950s, perhaps across the street, called Enrico’s—or something like that? I’m writing a book on a Chicago artist who did a youthful mural there—an Italian scene—c. 1952-53. He said that pizzerias were a novelty at that time. I zoomed in on that 1955 photo someone mentioned, but didn’t see anything that looked like a restaurant. Thanks.
The closing and demolition of American movie palaces was well under way by 1963. Prior to this, the Chicago Paradise razing began in 1956, the Philadelphia Mastbaum was razed in 1958, and the NYC Roxy was destroyed in 1961, among others. Those 3 would have to be on anyone’s top 10 list of all-time greatest movie palaces. There were hundreds of closings precipitated by the introduction of TV, and most of those theatres were eventually demolished. Also in 1963, Chicago’s Marbro closed (razed 1964) and the San Francisco Fox was demolished. And there were others. So I guess you could say the Tivoli went down in the early stage of the decline, but it was by no means one of the first. The Tivoli was dealing with dwindling numbers due to TV and a rapidly changing neighborhood. Which was the case for most of Chicago’s large neighborhood theatres.
I’m still curious about the decision to close and demolish in so short a time; surely this is one of the first of the movie-palace era in the nation to be demolished.
Looking at periodicals of the day, it seemed to be doing good business up until the very end. A 1963 issue of Jet Magazine mentions a touring concert show and a conference having to scramble to find a new venue, as though the theater closed without much notice. A Moms Mabley LP released in 1964 was recorded at the theater in March of ‘63.
February 16th, 1921 grand opening ad has been posted in the photo section for this theatre.
Click here for an exterior view of the Tivoli Theatre in 1930.
In the paperwork submitted to the Landmarks Commission regarding the Portage Theater, it’s mentioned that the marquee from the Tivoli was refashioned and installed on the Portage, and that doors from the Marbro were reused there as well – I assume since they were fairly new at the time.
Thanks, Bryan! Good to see that the original vertical sign was still in place, though now supplemented at bottom by a modern attraction board that didn’t match the vertical or the marquee below it.
A 1955 exterior view of the Tivoli can be seen here.
Fifty years ago tomorrow, on 12/30/60, the B&K Tivoli started a one-week engagement of the stage revue “Smart Affairs of 1961,” with a cast of 50 topped by jazz-blues singer Nancy Wilson, the instrumental group The Three Sounds, comedian Slappy White, and limbo dancer Roz Croney. On screen was the sub-run John Wayne epic, “North to Alaska.” Doors opened daily at 1:00pm, with last stage show starting at 10:30pm.
Thanks, David. My first thought was some kind of candy bar or edible treat…guess not. I wonder how many youngsters showed up that day.Hope that beautiful palace was at least half full.
P.S. Given it’s the same year as the Stooges visit, a Croonola must have been the current fad.
Google has a “Croonola” as some type of “sub-musical instrument” in a December 1959 New Yorker article link.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie directory dated Saturday, May 9, 1959: Redecorated-Refurbished for Your Enjoyment! TIVOLI “THE 3 STOOGES” ON OUR STAGE- IN PERSON! Open 10:30 A.M.– Show Starts 11:30 A.M. FREE “CROONOLAS” to First 500 Kiddies! (Huh?)
Thanks for the Trianon info. I’ll hunt down a copy.
There is a photo of the updated Tivoli marquee visible in a different book called Chicago Jazz, by Sandor Demlinger.
I’ve only ever seen two exterior photos of the Trianon, and one of those only has the building’s marquee and radio transmission towers ever so slightly in the background (find it in Max Grinell’s book on Hyde Park). The other is a good shot taken from a building across the street that can be seen in William Kenney’s book Chicago Jazz: A Cultural History. Hope this helps.
Reactivate Notification Status.
This is off topic, but if anyone has any links to exterior shots of the once nearby Trianon Ballroom, I’d appreciate them.
The only shots I can ever find on the web, are the same color drawings of the interior on postcards. But nothing of the outside. Thanks.
I went to the Tivoli Theatre a total of three times. All in 1962 to
see their live stage shows. I remember in March of 1962 I saw the fantastic Jackie Wilson (still my all-time favorite performer.) He was even better then he was on Dick Clark or Ed Sullivan shows. The next time I went was in May to see Clyde McPhatter and Laven Baker. Also on the bill was Pigmeat Markham. The third and last time was to see Della Reese, Adam Wade and Billy Stewart. They had a poster in the lobby that Dinah Washington and Dick Gregory were to appear at the next live show, but this never happened. I believe by the end of 1962, they were closed. It was still a beautiful theatre,
but they never had the talent roster that the Regal Theatre on South Parkway had. I believe that the Tivoli was more adult oriented, and the Regal was more for younger people.
NEWS ITEM:
Chicago Daily News, Tuesday, February 4, 1936, p. 18, c. 3:
TIVOLI HAS ANNIVERSARY
The Balaban & Katz Tivoli theater, the first of the large de luxe neighborhood theaters, will celebrate its fifteenth anniversary during the week of Friday, Feb. 7. Although there doesn’t seem to be any great importance attached to theater birthdays, it is interesting to know that the Tivoli, when built, set the pace for the pretentious movie house of today.
The stage show for this event will be unit Mo. 5 of the Major Bowes amateur group. This group has never appeared on any other Chicago stage before. It will be their local debut.
The screen attraction for Anniversary week will be Lloyd C. Douglas' “Magnificent Obsession,” starring Irene Dunne and Robert Taylor.
Famed “Schmeling-Louis” fight film shown at Tivoli—–
NEWS ITEM:
Chicago Daily News, Friday, June 26, 1936, p. 36, c. 1—–
FIGHT FILMS OPEN AT B-K THEATERS
The Joe Louis-Max Schmeling fight pictures, complete from beginning to end have been booked in as extra screen attractions at eight Balaban & Katz theaters starting today. In the loop the pictures will be shown at the Roosevelt and Apollo theaters; west side Marbro; south side, Tivoli and Southtown; north side, Granada, Varsity and Uptown. The pictures showing the knockdown in slow motion, also start at the Regal theater on the south side on Sunday
I think that it is not even an office but a parking lot.
It is hard to believe that this neighborhood, which is now so devastated, once had things like the Tivoli Theatre and Trianon Ballroom.
Regarding the discussion of what now stands there:
I was under the impression that there is a Social Security office on the theatre site today.
Here is a postcard view of the lobby
In the book “CHICAGO INTERIORS” by David Garrard Lowe, there are some really nice pictures of the Tivoli, Central Park, and Uptown theatres (pages 44 to 49).