Broadway Strand Theatre
1641 W. Roosevelt Road,
Chicago,
IL
60608
1641 W. Roosevelt Road,
Chicago,
IL
60608
2 people
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The Broadway Strand Theatre opened on November 10, 1917 on Roosevelt Road (then still called 12th Street) at Ashland Avenue on the Near West Side (close to what is today the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center). In its prime, this theater had a 2/8 Kimball theater organ.
The Broadway Strand Theatre was demolished in 1998 after a long period of disuse.
Contributed by
Ray Martinez, Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
The Broadway Strand was originally part of the Essaness circuit, before being taken over by the Marks Brothers chain, who later opened the Marbro Theater.
The Broadway Strand opened in 1917, and operated into the 60s. It was torn down in 1998.
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture.
I photographed this place in the early 90’s. At the time there was retail in the lobby, although no current tenant. Building appeared to be in good shape. It’s a shame they couldn’t have at least saved the shell.
I wonder why the IHPA site identifies the architect as JH Gernfeld. It looks like an unusual place.
It appears that the architect information was conflated with the entry for the Marshfield across the street; this was the theater actually designed by Gernfeld.
These “before and after” photos copied from a 1937 trade journal ad show how the Broadway Strand modernized its marquee: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/bwaystrand.jpg
Here are some 1982 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/cbnha4
http://tinyurl.com/dxgy78
Thanks for posting those. I remember driving by this theatre not long before it was demolished. Thinking then of course how great it would be if it were refurbished.
The Broadway-Strand Theatre address was listed in Moving Picture World as 6141-53 W. Twelfth street, and opened November 10, 1917 by Marshfield Amusement Company officials Louis L. Marks, Julius Goodman, Meyer S. Marks and Louis H. Harrison. It seated 2,100 people without a balcony, employed a fifteen-piece orchestra, and the architect was A. L. Levy. There was a playroom for children and a gymnasium for the employees. Marshfield Amusement Company also then operated the Orpheus, Illington and Marshfield theatres.