Englewood Theatre
726 W. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60621
726 W. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60621
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Showing 26 - 33 of 33 comments
Newest from the Daily Southtown’s re-running of snippets from their old editions. This one from last Sunday’s edition.
News item, March 7, 1917:
“Well, here it is at last — the long looked for, much heralded French Frolics, with its newest addition, the rainbow rosetinted glass runway, will open a week’s engagement at the Englewood Theatre Sunday Matinee, March 11.
“This attraction has the distinction of being the Fashion Plate of the entire circuit and is the leading show of the wheel in business done to date, and in the past thirty weeks this show has broken twenty-three house records. The management of the Englewood is pleased to indorse the French Frolics as the best offering of the entire season.”
The Daily Southtown is celebrating their 100th birthday this year. As such, they are running items from their 1906 and later editions. Below is part of what appeared in today’s paper (Sun., Jan. 8, 2006) from 1913:
“A staple from the start was theater advertising, invariably accompanied by press releases from the theaters and printed in the news columns as submitted. The ads reached a zenith on Dec. 8, 1913, when the Englewood Theatre at 63rd and Halsted declared itself ‘The Home of Refined Burlesque,’ imploring readers to ‘Go Where The Ladies Go.’”
Ah,Here we go!
My memories of the Englewood are. This was the third of the classier theatres in the Englewood area. It had a much smaller lobby than the Southtown and Stratford and seemed to be affilliated with the Linden accross the street. I had a friend who was a doorman there and he would alternate between them.The Englewood had a broader selection of movies as I don’t think that they were associated with any few studios.I remember such films as State Fair with Dick Hames,The Outlaw with Jane Russell and Johnnie Belinda with Jane Wyman whichthe later being two racie films at the time and labeled adults only.They also had stage shows and as a kid I remember they had one curtain that they dropped which had a scene from a court yard and when I seen it I used to think Oh No because it was always the prelude to some opera singer or whistler that I considered a wasted act as I wanted to see something that would entertain or amaze me!After all this was radio days and live entertainment had to be spectaculer.They also had dish nite on Thursday where They had a wooden apple tree on stage and they would turn over the apples to reveal the winning numbers.Now that was spectacular,Free stuff!!!I don’t remember what happened to the theatre as it was still there when I left the area but it will never leave my memory bank.
Chuckie Z.
Sorry if I was misleading. The atomosphere of the Englewood was quaint for the late 40s. The entertainers at the Stratford seemed to be more ‘professional'or up to date. Just an imppression.
Tony S
With the exception of the Southtown, all of the theaters in Englewood, at one time or another, featured either vaudeville or burlesque. I remember reading on a chat room from a woman who’s back porch faced the rear of the Empress Theater and she remembered watching the strippers taking smoke breaks on the fire escape. As for the Stratford, it’s where Bob Hope got his start in the 1920s.
You’re correct in noting the Southtown (built in 1931) wasn’t as old as the Englewood. However the above-noted Stratford opened in 1919, only seven years after the Englewood, so the ‘more nostalgic’ label might be a bit too narrow. In addition, the Empress opened in 1913, same year as the Englewood.
Good to hear about the theaters around 63rd & Halsted. Hope to hear more.
The Englewood had vaudeville acts (by older ,but entertaining,unknowns ) on Friday and Saturday nights in the late 40s.
It was an ‘older’ theatre and much more nostalgic than the either the Stratford or Southtown down the street.
Tony S
The curious thing about the Englewood was that its concession stand also opened up right on to 63rd Street. The smell of the popcorn surely enticed people to buy some while waiting for the bus.
The Englewood is now known as the Appollo 2000. It host Spanish entertainers and dances and also has used some of the space for a restaurant. The marquee has been changed to an electronic sign , and all of the lights have been restored and light up at night. The theater name has been covered with a Appollo 2000 sign , and the Box office has been changed.