RKO Grand Theatre

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.

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.

Here is a 1952 view of the RKO Grand from the corner of Clark and Washington Streets. The Erlanger Theatre is next door to the Grand.

http://bit.ly/30YNu6 – Photo of demoliition

Cliches come to life, from the LA Times on November 24, 1909:

FIRE PANIC AVERTED

CHICAGO, Nov. 23 – Fire in a hotel adjacent to the Grand Operahouse tonight caused the audience to leave the theater. A panic in the theater was averted by theater employees stopping a policeman, who ran into the building shouting “Fire, fire, there’s a fire in the building”.

Good catch, Warren. It was indeed the Grand Theatre in its first year as a movie house, 1942-1943.

Are we certain that this became the RKO Grand in 1942? I saw some newspaper advertising from May and June 1943 where it’s identified only as the Grand Theatre. One of those ads claimed it had the lowest prices of any first-run theatre in the Loop.

The building was built in 1872, by the Hamlin family, originally snake-oil salesmen. The site had been a theater since 1860, called Beyan’s Hall, renamed Hooley’s Opera House in 1870 and then the Coliseum before falling in the Grat Chicago Fire. In 1873 the theater was added, originally a 30-table billiard hall. 1874 the billiard hall was enlarged and altered into an amusement hall with fountains, waterfalls, and refreshments; in 1878 it was converted into a theater proper, called Hamlin’s; following further renovations in 1880 by Adler and Sullivan, completely redecorating and partially rebuilding, it became the Grand Opera House; it was leased by the famed George M. Cohan in 1912; in 1926 following extensive modernizations by architect A.N. Rebori it was to become “The Four Cohans”, but a covenant in the lease said that whatever name it would tak had to include “Grand Opera House” and so for six months it was “The Four Cohans Grand Opera House” before being named back as Cohan’s Grand Opera House, later passing to the Shuberts; it became the RKO Grand in 1942, closed in March 1958 and was demolished the next month.

The RKO Grand, as the Grand Opera House, is listed in the 1897-98 edition of Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide. The managers are F.R.Hamlin and H.L. Hamlin. The seating capacity is given as 1,700 (but that figure may have included standees). The proscenium opening was 35 feet wide x 33 feet high. The stage was 42 feet deep and the theatre was located on the first floor.

There are some comments about the RKO Grand on pages 198-99, and 214 of “The National Trust Guide to Great Opera Houses in America” by Karyl Lynn Zietz published in 1996 by John Wiley & Sons. The one point I disagree with is that the author states that the Grand was demolished on March 31, 1958 which I believe was probably the closing date. The book contains a great deal of interesting information, and the author also wrote a guide to opera houses in western Europe. The Grand is also mentioned in the bio “Fred Stone” by Armond Fields (McFarland, 2002). The vaudeville and musical comedy star Fred Stone originated the role of the Scarecrow in the original stage version of “The Wizard of Oz” and the book details how he perfected the role while playing at the Grand in the summer of 1902. The book states that curious kids would gather outside his dressing room window at the Grand to watch him get into his Scarecrow makeup and costume.

THe RKO Grand was remodeled in the 1940s by Roy B. Blass

The RKO Grand on N. Clark Street was a historic theatre. It opened in 1880 on the site of an earlier theatre and was called the Grand Opera House. It had about 1500 seats. After 1900 it was under the direction of Fred and H.L. Hamilin, theatrical managers and producers. It was the scene of the first production of two huge hit musicals aimed at children. In June 1902, the original production of “The Wizard of OZ” had its premier there. One year later, in June 1903, came the premiere of Victor Herbert’s “Babes in Toyland”. Both of these shows were big hits and ran thru the summer. (Did this theatre have an early form of air-conditioning?? – most theatres then closed for the summer.) I believe it later was under the management of the actor/producer George M. Cohan. It became a RKO movie house later (by 1941?). It closed around 1958. I understand that it was not demolished until long after it closed.

Demolished many years ago. Now the site of the Daley Civic Center.