Edens I & II Theaters
320 Skokie Boulevard,
Northbrook,
IL
60062
320 Skokie Boulevard,
Northbrook,
IL
60062
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The Edens reminds me of Pride Cleaners, still in business on the South Side of Chicago View link
Wild looking movie theatre.
Chicago’s CINERAMA Theaters
Palace
Opera House
McVickers
Cinestage
Edens
This was a great Lubliner & Trinz theater killed off by Cineplex Odeon. They ended great Chicago cinema with help from Loews.
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I was only at the Edens once as I recall. It was in 1985 or so to see FX starring Brian Dennihey. I seem to remember the
60's interior motif as still being somewhat intact. Foley Cadillac was and still is nearby. It to had a60’s looking round showroom that I think has since been torn down. There is also an old lodge like restaurant/bar known for burgers nearby.I’ve tried unsuccessfully to find the exact capacity for these theaters, but the best I could find was a mention in the Tribune that Edens II had 1,000 seats.
Edens 1 had more seating capacity, but Edens 2 had the newer equipment, both sound and visual.
I’m beginning to think that the #2 auditorium was the larger of the two. From the newspaper ads I’ve seen, it seems the big event films tended to play in #2. But comments earlier in this discussion suggest that #1 was the larger of the two. Can anyone confirm?
I saw This is Cinerama at the Edens. It was in the big theater and played on three huge side by side screens arranged in a curve with a small gap between them. It was one of these experiences that have always remained with me all these years. As I recall, it was the first time I ever visited that theater, though I returned several times to see other spectaculars – including Star Wars.
I suppose it’s possible that the Cinerama show had some traveling equipment?
I didn’t see “This is Cinerama”, but it played at Edens II. If memory serves, this theater did have a concave screen. The theater building itself was a round-ish shape.
On second thought, pehaps I saw the “The Best of CINERAMA” in Milwaukee. Did that come out in 70mm?
“I thought I made a mistake once, and then I found out I was wrong!”
Michael-
I use to be up in the EDENS area all the time and went to movies at those theaters. I think I saw the first “STAR WARS” at the EDENS. From what I can remember the screens might have had slight curve, but nothing like a CINERAMA, D-150 or even the curve of the first TODD-AO screens.
I was not aware that “This Is CINERAMA” played at the EDENS, darn I missed that. I did see it on the south side of Milwaukee probably at the SOUTHTOWN or perhaps the SOUTHGATE. Hal T. says the SOUTHGATE had a CINERAMA screen and I don’t recall a CINERAMA screen being installed though I could be wrong, after all this was 35 years ago!
“Ladies and Getlemen, This is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas, September 30, 1952
While doing some research on Cinerama presentations in Chicago, I was surprised to learn that the EDENS had a seven-week 70mm run of “This Is Cinerama” during the summer of 1973. I was aware that the film was re-issued in ‘73, but was surprised that of all the venues in the Chicago area where it could have been booked, it played the EDENS…and on screen #2 no less.
Did either screen at EDENS have a curved screen, or does anyone know/recall if a temporary curved screen was installed (as was done in many other venues across the country) just for the “This Is Cinerama” engagement?
baslanides: I’m glad there’s someone else who remembers (and appreciates) Daniello’s restaurant you mentioned above. Their delicious, unique pizza was rectangular, and they gave out free wine samples to customers. A tiny place, that when it closed and re-opened the new name literally was ‘Hole-In-The-Wall’.
My father was a projectionist at the Edens for almost 25 years. I also was one there in the late 80’s and early 90’s. My grandfather worked as a ticket taker for a while. I grew up there, had many a birthday party and sat in the front row for most of the late 70’s and early 80’s. I vividly remember the Star Wars days and being inside the theatre while lines cicling the theatre were outside. I used to see kids outside wondering what I was doing inside, all the while making faces at them. The first place I ever played Asteroids was in the Edens 1 lounge. I used to have a 16 mm film of the construction of Edens 1, I will have to see if it is still in my posession. At my fathers gravesite, there is a brick from the demolition of Edens 1. There was an Italin restaurant across the street, a family owned place called Daniello’s. It was the best. I have a lifetime of memeories tied up in those two theatres.
I went on quite a few dates there back in high school. I remember also going to the bowling alley next door for birthday parties and then to Barnaby’s for pizza! Does anyone remember the restaurant that used to be across the street from there that was in an old train car? Victoria’s Station? There was also a Holiday Inn a few buildings down as well. (My older brother used to go there for prom parties!)
Were both auditoriums equippped to handle all of the various widescreen and multichannel sound formats?
Yeah, the second theater broke ground for construction in August 1968 and was known as “Edens II.” If you’re interested in the Tribune blurb on this (which includes artist’s rendering of theater), feel free to let me know.
During the time when this was a twin, how were the screens numbered? Was the big original house #1 and the smaller, new auditorium considered #2?
Me not attending the first matinee screening of “Star Wars” is meaningless to our debate. And just because you were there is not a guarantee that you are correctly recalling all of the details of the event.
1) You claimed the 1:00-something matinee on its first day (May 27, 1977) was not advertised. I have a photocopy of that opening-day ad from the Chicago Tribune and after double and triple checking the ad copy, I can state that the early afternoon afternoon was advertised.
2) You claimed the EDENS ran “Star Wars” for about one year and that it was the last Chicago area theater to be playing it. Again, not correct. It ran there half a year, and the OAKBROOK was the last theater to play the film.
3) You claim the EDENS ran the film in 70mm. Maybe…but (a) your claim is based on a thirty-year-old memory, and (b) contradicts how the film was promoted throughout its seven-month run.
M. Coate, continuing the discussion about STAR WARS at the Edens, transplanted from the Esquire Theatre page:
remember I w/ my buddies were at those early unattended SW screenings there. Apparently you yourself weren’t.
Russell Phillips Photos
Edens I
Edens II Lobby
There are some fantastic pictures posted here. Should bring back plenty of memories!
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=3471
By the way, I mentioned above that it had red carpeting & drapery. Although these pics are in black & white, I was totally wrong about that. It was all gold. Not sure why I rememebered it as red. Could this have been the interior of the Edens II (built later & next door) that I was thinking of?
Shame, it was a great place. I remember seeing Batman and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade there. It’s now an ugly mall.