Capitol Theatre
7941 S. Halsted Street,
Chicago,
IL
60620
7941 S. Halsted Street,
Chicago,
IL
60620
9 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 55 comments found
January 19th, 1925 grand opening ad posted here.
A Karen do you remember this
The restaurant across the street next to the Cosmo Theatre was the Green Mill, They had great milk shakes there.
And many more photos Here
Additional SAIC photos: 1, 2, 3
That is a nice shot,Thanks for posting btkrefft.
A great nighttime view of the Capitol from around the time it opened can be seen here.
Was a nice looking theatre.
A 3/17 WurliTzer was installed in the theatre in 1925.
Does anyone remember Lewis-Champlin elementary school in Englewood? Does anyone know where in Englewood it was located? It was torn down in 1937. Thanks
We would love to see them jimbarry.
Hi, all
I have alot of pictures from the Captiol, dating back to the 40’s.
And Before, when my dad was a usher and Chief of Service
Jim Barry
Looking at the picture brings back so many memories. I lived at the time in the 60’s at 8013 S. Emerald Ave. Me my sister and friends would go there to see movies and stage shows. I don’t know if anyone remembers when the Jackson 5 played there with Jackie Wilson. I was there for the rehersals because my stepfather played in the band. My sister and friend got Michael Jackson to give us his phone number, we call but Joe did not let us speak to him. I also got piece of Jackie Wilson’s shirt it was a blue shirt. I remember getting in trouble from my stepdad for ripping the man’s shirt. Those were the good old days.
1982 Photo
Here is a March 1968 ad from the Woodlawn Booster:
http://tinyurl.com/pxnm8z
Here is the Capitol in 1962:
http://tinyurl.com/c2bo4o
It reminds me of the Royal in South Philadelphia, or the Imperial in Inglewood, CA. Both sat empty and rotting for years, although the Royal has been saved. The Imperial was razed for a strip mall.
The Capitol sat as a decaying hulk for many years on South Halsted Street before it was finally torn down:
View link
The Capitol was the regular theatre visted by my folks. Once in awhile they would take me along. The Capitol was an atmospheric theatre and vastly different from the very plain 30s Beverly which was the movie house I normally went to. I was fascinated by the decor and twinkling stars in the ceiling. The Capitol had a 3m 17r Wurlitzer theatre organ. After the talkies made their appearance the main cable was axed and the organ console stored back stage. It was removed in the 60s and is currently installed in a suburban Chicago home. The water tank on the roof of the auditorium had a structure with lights around it which made to resemble the Capitol dome.
Hi UofICPA.
I grew up @ 8012 S. Peoria and I am so Glad things are so safe there.
The 6th District has the 2nd highest rate of Murders in the City.
Leo High School has gone from 1200 intergated students to 300 students in a segragated setting that still depends on it White alumni to keep the School going.
Merchants have been driven out because of there ethnaticity—ie:
Korean, Arab, Jewish etc.
No theatres left, no Fine Dining, no shopping malls (remember 69th and Halsted was a mall that Failled, because of Crime.)
He was the Manager during the war Years and they always had Live show. I have ALOT of Pictures and the one he Loved most was the Picture of him and Ann Sheridan.
The Annex was resteraunt, but next door to the North was POPCORN JOE’s, then the Bus Turn around, then the Auburn Park Chamber of Commerice (my dad way the Secretary) Then the Annax.
Hi all.
My dad was the Manager there for quite some time.
He left I believe in 1956 and went to work as an Engineer for the Chicago BOE.
OMG ken I just saw you post about my DAD, thanks so much.
You know during the Depression my Dad,(Richard BArry) was the Chief of Service and FIRED his brother (Edward, Bus Barry), my Grandmother made my dad hire hem back——it’s such a funny Story.
Jim Barry
Did he retire or get fired?
The October 28, 1956 issue of the Southtown Economist reported the end of manager Richard Berry’s career at the Capitol after 31 years. He was an usher when the theater opened in 1925.
I’m pretty sure the Capitol was never part of the Balaban & Katz chain. It, and the nearby Highland, were, for certain, part of the Stanley-Warner chain when I went to them frequently in the 1950s. I used to get free passes for these theaters because I had a newspaper route, delivering the “Southtown Economist.” I liked the palatial interior decoration of the Capitol, especially the “star” lights in the ceiling. The Highland’s interior was more modest.