Paradise Theater

Hello all,

Wow! Apparently this particular theatre causes quite a stir! I guess primarily because of the Styx album. Back in the early 80’s Styx was my favorite group and of course I had to get the Paradise Theatre album when it came out. My jaw hit the floor when I saw the album cover. I was like WOW this is one beautiful theatre. I read the small newspaper clipping that was within the album and found that the theatre actually existed. From then on I began a long research project on the Chicago Paradise Theatre. At first I was a bit disappointed when I first saw a picture of the REAL Paradise as it looks nothing like the one on the Styx album cover. True, the artwork is true to the period and design, but the marquee is totally different. The real marquee was vertical and perpendicular to the theatre. It had some what of a starburst design rather than the ‘wave’ depicted on the Styx Album. Someone mentioned at one time that the marquee on the Styx Album was from another theatre. So now I am confused at the what the truth is. Is the Styx marquee and facade depicting the Chicago Paradise just an inspired drawing or was it a borrowed idea from an actual theatre? Did the Paradise have at one time a Marquee that looked like that? I find the Paradise marquee depicted on the Styx album to be the most beautiful I have seen to date…and that is a long time since I had the album since the 80’s. Much can be said about this album as it DID trigger an interest within me to getting into the theatre industry and possibly even owning a theatre someday. But my interest does lie more with a Performing Arts Theatre in that aspect. On a final note, I have noticed that most of the links to pictures of the Chicago Paradise are broken. I would appreciate it if someone could direct me to a good source of pictures of this theatre from it’s beginnings to its demolition.

Thanks in advance and keep this thread going…it is an interesting one and I enjoyed reading everyone’s posts.

JG

Hey everybody

I am a Michael LeVan. I have lived in the city of Chicago my entire life. I am a filmmaker and a attendee of Columbia College, heading into my final year. I love all the old movie palaces of Chicago. It has been my intent for sometime to Make a documentary on the history, and the ongoings of these historic theaters in the present. The means to make this documentary are finally in my grasp. I planned on featuring 3 theaters, the Copernicus Center(formally The Gateway), The Patio(Formally The Avalon), and The Uptown. While the Documentary will focus on the entire history, These are the three that will be visual examples, and the ones i would like to film in. I have spoken with the People at The Gateway Theater, and they are estatic that i am doing this. The only problem now is The Uptown and the The Patio. These two theaters seem to have ghosts of owners , or even managers. If somebody could help me in finding someone to talk too, i would be very appriciative. Also, this documentary will require interviews, and finding old information as well. If anybody would be kind enough to do either that would be fantastic. My somewhat set date to start filming is June 10 ,2006. My goal with the entire project is to help and benifit these theaters. Help alot more people to gain interest, and all the profit that i attain, if any, will be donated to help with these theaters. I am going to submit it to Wttw(Pbs Chicago) , and also the History Channel. So if anyone would like to help in anyway, they can contact me at my email.

or by phone (773)-656-5821

Well i appriciate if you read that entire thing, and hopefully i will be hearing from you

Michael Levan of Bleeding Chicago Productions

Jim Rankin, if one tries finding the photos on the link you indicated, they are not on the website. To be specific, one actually has to go to the Theatre Historical Society in Elmhurst, IL (it’s in the same building as the York Theatre).

Thanks for the information. I have every other Friday off from work and I’ll be sure to visit the Society.

Paul – I remember the grocery store, but it doesn’t seem to me that it belonged to any of the chains you listed. If you could find a 1960s Chicago phone book you could figure it out. And you’re right, they used the basement and some of the outer walls of the Paradise lobby in the construction of the grocery store. It’s amazing that no photos seem to exist of the demolition (aside from a couple of grainy newspaper clippings of the auditorium), or of the grocery store. At least I’ve never seen any.

I recently had the chance to “re-visit” Styx’s PARADISE THEATRE CD and I know I have the old LP lying around somewhere. While it was a great trip during memory lane—I was a senior in high school when it was released—I don’t think that the CD has aged well. This is in common with a lot of 70s album rock. But I do give Styx credit for what they were trying to say with the album and it certainly was an ambitious project for its time. I recall that the local music charts in late 1980 and early 1981 were dominated by just two albums, both by Illinois bands: PARADISE THEATRE and REO Speedwagon’s HI INFIDELITY.

Thanks, bearbear 31, that clears up a lot for me. I once heard that DeYoung was from the West Side of Chicago (I can’t confirm this) so, as I said above, it could have been possible for him to have gone to the Paradise. The album, “Paradise Theatre” actually peaked in 1981 and I recall going to see Styx at the Rosemont Horizon (now called the Allstate Arena and primarily used for pro hockey). Styx had a scale model of the Paradise marquee and it was the one from the album cover. I do recall hearing that the band rehearsed in the Granada Theatre for the tour. The band again played the Horizon for the 1996 “Return to Paradise” tour. In both the 1981 and 1996 tours, Tommy Shaw played the part of a janitor/stage hand before and after the concert.

On another note, I recall reading that the original demolition contractor did go bankrupt and that the company owner committed suicide during the project.

Paul,
In an interview with Dennis DeYoung: “I saw a photograph of the Paradise about two years ago,” says De Young. “It was taken just before the building was torn down in 1958, and there was a sign on the front that said: ‘Paradise Closed.’ That meant something to me.”

Per Bobs above: Bobs, it is clear that you are not from the Chicagoland Area. I would highly advise against driving around sites like the Marbro and the Paradise. As a previous poster said, these areas are ghettoes. Enjoy the many old photos of these theatres in books, etc. It’s not worth the risk you’d take driving thru here.

I’ve often wondered how Dennis DeYoung & Styx came up with the idea of basing a concept album on the Paradise. Given DeYoung’s birthdate, it is conceivable that he went there as a small boy. I also wonder if any demolition pictures of the Paradise exist anywhere.

Bryan, thanks for the info from the Assessor’s office, it even has a small picture of the current site. Someday I’ll take a trip to Chicago and at least drive by the Paradise and Marbro site. Jim, thanks for the advice on using the magnifier, will give that a try:–) Still not quite the same because the lighting and colors used are pretty much left to our imagination. From the THS annual they describe how Artwork and niches were lit from the back. Must have been quite an effect. Scott, thanks for your memory of the area. Have many vague memories of theaters in my hometown too. When going with my parents, they were always late, so the film would already be on and the auditorium dark.

What is especially tantalizing about this great theater is the fact that it seems nobody who reads this site was ever in it. It was torn down so long ago that any of its regular patrons would be fairly old now and hardly surfing sites like these to share their experiences and impressions of this beautiful and epic building.
Its like discussing one of the wonders of the ancient world.
If I had the money to rebuild any theater this would be it.

The Paradise theater in Chicago has always been one that has fascinated me. I had heard of it prior to the Styx album in the late 70’s early 80’s, but the album probably caused me to conduct some research. The more I read about it, the more fascinating this place becomes.

The THS annual (mentioned in earlier posts) does have some wonderful photos and written descriptions of the entire complex. Some of the photos from the period right before it opened and after it opened are truly amazing. The storefront section seems so artfully done with bronze window panels! That original marquee and upright are outstanding. Some of the interior shots seem almost like drawings in the sense that it’s difficult to picture something like this actually existed.

It seems this theater really had a sad story from beginning to end. Driving some people to bankruptcy getting built, a difficult life with competition from the Marboro and others in the same neighborhood, and driving some to bankruptcy while getting demolished.

This is the one theater out of all theaters (if I somehow had the ability) I’d like to visit and see a performance. Could care less if the acoustics were poor, I’d be there to see the building!

Since I’m not near the Chicago area, often wondered what was built there now. If you visit the terraserver web site and put in the theaters’ address, you can see a satellite image of the block. It appears to be some kind of industrial parking lot. Appears to be trucks, dumpsters and other industrial material on the lot. No building there at all. Have to wonder if the foundation or basement is somewhere down there?! Seems to be a fast food restaurant or bank office on the Marboro site.

TC: Thanks for the photo and I just have to shake my head to think this theatre and many other elaborate Chicago theatres are either GONE or in very sad condition with rotting interiors due to leaking roofs and no heat during the harsh midwestern winters! If Eberson AND his son, Drew were to see all of this, they’d turn over in their graves!!!