RKO Grand Theatre
119 N. Clark Street,
Chicago,
IL
60602
119 N. Clark Street,
Chicago,
IL
60602
4 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: RKO, Shubert Brothers Theater Company
Architects: Roy B. Blass, Andrew N. Rebori
Firms: Adler and Sullivan
Previous Names: Grand Opera House, Cohan's Grand Opera House, Shubert Grand Opera House, Four Cohans Grand Opera House, Grand Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Grand Opera House opened in 1880 on Clark Street between Randolph and Washington Streets, a total renovation of the 1872 Hamlin’s Theatre building by the firm of Adler & Sullivan. It originally had 1,750-seats.
On March 3, 1912 it was taken over by George M. Cohan, and renamed Cohan’s Grand Opera House. After Cohan, it was operated by the Shubert Organization. The Grand was modernized in 1926 by architect A.N. Rebori.
In 1942, the Grand became a movie house. A year later, the theater became the RKO Grand Theatre, and operated until March 1958. It was razed a month later. The Chicago Civic Center (renamed the Richard J. Daley Center in 1976) was later constructed on the site.
Contributed by
Brian Wolf, Ron Salters, Ray Martinez
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Recent comments (view all 25 comments)
There was a small photo of the marquee in Boxoffice, March 1947:
http://tinyurl.com/yedajw2
Thanks for sharing that great pic, Bryan. Never got the chance to attend the Grand as a kid ; never saw the outside. (The photo I saw at the Corner Bakery Cafe doesn’t count…yours is much better). And now I know where “RED PLANET MARS” opened first run! lol…Thanks again.
When i was young during the WWII, i went to The Grand to see Guadalcanal Diary, i saw that film 13 times at 13 different theatres, the first being the Grand. I guess you could say i loved the movie.
Thanks to all who shared photos of the RKO Grand. In one of the pics, the marquee states OPEN ALL NIGHT AND ALL DAY. Just like the Clark theatre- about 1 block away, and, around the corner on Randolph- the Woods theatre (MIDNIGHT SHOWS EVERY NIGHT TO 6 A.M.) Back when downtown Chicago was busy almost 24/7.
Here is a photo during the 4 Cohans conversion. Here is is as the Grand Opera House. Here and Here as the RKO Grand.
Broan, the photo of the 4 Cohans conversion is the Ridge Theatre up North. The ECC link must have switched it out.
The Explore Chicago Collections link is now dead. But I was able to add one 1946 photo to the gallery.
Wrecking Crews Give Final Show at RKO Grand Theater
CHICAGO - Chicago’s RKO Grand theater is having its grand finale at the hands of a wrecking crew.
The site on Clark Street, across from the County Building, will become a parking lot. Thus ends a theater tradition that dates back to 1860 when Thomas Barbour Bryan built an auditorium.
Known as Bryan’s Hall, it was taken over by R. M. Hooley in 1870 for minstrel shows.
In 1871, it was partly destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire.
Rebuilt, it became the Grand Opera House. Then in 1873 it became Hamlin’s beer garden and in 1878 Hamlin’s Opera House.
In 1903, just around the corner on Randolph Street, the Iroquois Theater fire claimed 602 lives.
George M. Cohan and Sam Harris bought the theater in 1912 and named it Cohan’s Opera House. In 1926, it became Four Cohans' Theater.
This era in the 20’s brought Katherine Cornell to its stage.
Ziegfield’s Follies, Earl Carroll’s Vanities and George M. Cohan made seasonal appearances.
By 1942, the legitimate theater - Chicago’s first of any consequence - was converted into a movie house.
It then became The RKO Grand until a few weeks ago when the Harvey Wrecking Co., was billed on the marquee as the Grand’s last act and swiftly went about the business of turning the theater to rubble and memories. (4/25/58)
BANDIT SHOOTS
THEATER MAN, FIRES AT COP
Loop Crowd Sees Gun Battle
Roy Bogan, 39, of 8918 Blackstone av., assistant manager of the RKO Grand Theater at 119 N. Clark st., was shot above the heart by a holdup man late yesterday afternoon.
The bandit escaped in a gun battle with police during the evening rush hour in the Loop.
Bogan was taken to St. Luke’s hospital, where physicians said his condition is not serious. A 32 caliber bullet which passed thru Bogan’s body was found imbedded in the door of the ticket cage, fronting on the sidewalk where the shooting occurred.
Dares Bandit to Shoot
Bogan had relieved a woman ticket seller at the window only a few moments before the gunman walked up and demanded all the money in the cage.
“No.” Bogan told him.
“I’ll shoot you,” the gunman threatened.
“Go ahead,” Bogan told him.
The gunman fired and fled. Bogan turned sidewise as the shot was fired, the bullet passing diagonally thru the upper part of his chest.
Patrolman Joseph Ostermann, riding a three wheeled motorcycle, heard the shot at Clark and Washington sts. He arrived at the theater just in time to see the gunman dart into an alley north of the theater and run east.
Gunman Fires at Cop
As Ostermann reached the mouth of the alley, the gunman turned and fired two shots at him. Ostermann fired two shots in return, abandoned his motorcycle, and took up the chase on foot.
The gunman fled east to Dearborn st., south to Washington, and then turned east. He was reported to have fled into the basement of the Hillman store, but a search there by police disclosed no trace of him.
Miss Betty Talbott, an usherette at the theater, was the first to reach Bogan after the shooting. He was taken to St. Luke’s hospital by Detectives James Nihill and Harry Gazzola of the cartage detail in their squad car.
Brothers J.A. Hamlin and L.B. Hamlin bought the Foley’s Billiard Hall property in January 1872 and erected the ornate building with an additional building at the east end as a garden with fountains, waterfalls and stages, reconstructed in September 1878 as Hamlins’ Theater, soon sold to John Borden in 1880, then to his son William Borden, who after more reconstruction opened it on September 6, 1880 as the Grand Opera House under the management of John A. Hamlin. It opened by Hoey & Hardy’s Company in an adaptation of the play “A Child of the State,” followed by Tom Keene in a Shakespearian repertory, and hosted the first production of two hit musicals aimed at children and in June of 1902, the original production of The Wizard of Oz premiered there. In June 1903 came the premiere of Victor Herbert’s “Babes in Toyland”.
The Grand Opera House was built as a legitimate theatre and had seating for 1,750 in an orchestra floor, balcony, and gallery. The interior was lit by gas and described by the Chicago Daily Tribune as having “the beautiful blending of rich colors, and the graceful elegance of the designs charms the eye at every point."
On March 3rd, 1912, George M. Cohan and partner Sam H. Harris leased the theatre and renamed it “George M. Cohan’s Grand Opera House”. In 1926 the façade and auditorium were reconstructed by Andrew Rebori, and it reopened as the Four Cohans. Later the Shuberts took over and it became the Shubert Grand Opera House, but it soon returned to its original name Grand Opera House. When films began, the theatre was renamed the RKO Grand. In March, 1958 the RKO Grand closed, and was demolished a month later. The Chicago Civic Center was later constructed on the site, now the Richard J. Daley Center.
Among those who played the Grand over the years: Lionel Barrymore, Arthur Byron, Mady Christians, George M. Cohan, Constance Collier, Katharine Cornell, Dudley Digges, Robert Edeson, Leon Errol, Douglas Fairbanks, Walter Hampden, Miriam Hopkins, Allan Jones, Bert Lahr, Eva Le Gallienne, Canada Lee, the Marx Brothers, Chester Morris, Mildred Natwick, Effie Shannon, and Ethel Waters. (Thanks to Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.)