AMC Ford City 14
7601 S. Cicero Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60629
7601 S. Cicero Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60629
8 people favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 35 of 35 comments
Ford City opened on May 27, 1966. It was originally a twin, then became a triple, and eventually a five-plex. Ford City East 6-8 opened 7/17/81. The 14 plex opened on 8/1/90. The blue lights described by Bob Hanson, illuminated the white shadow box, which was common of GCC theatres of the 1960’s and into the ‘70. They were eliminated when auditoriums were split.
The old ones were on the east side of Cicero Avenue, set back maybe half a block. I’m pretty sure the Best Buy is on the west side of Cicero. Sorry, I don’t remember the seats – I guess it was too dark! I’m not sure I understand about the shadow box. I do remember that they were the first theaters I’d been to that didn’t have a curtain over the screen. Before the movie started, they just had blue lights illuminating the screens.
The location you guys speak of wouldn’t happen to be where Best Buy is now? Because that’s what my brother says. Also, he said something about the theatres having plaid color seats, and one of the theatres being set up in a shadow box, is that true? I’ve only been to the new one which needs an extreme makeover.
When the theaters were on the North side of the mall parking lot, these were a premiere place to see movies. I saw Posiedon Adventure and The Rose in 70mm here. I hate to admit that I also saw the musical version of Lost Horizon here. The auditoriums were nice and large…carbon copies of other General Cinema screens that dotted the Chicago area. The theater is now located in the South Parking Lot and is like any other mega plex.
The original theaters weren’t exactly inside the mall. There were two parts to the mall – one like a normal enclosed mall, and behind it and across a large parking lot was another large structure (or structures) which was more like a large strip mall. Each business in this second, northernmost structure had to be entered from the outside. There was a bowling alley, some stores, a restaurant, and the theaters, plus some other things I can’t remember.
I also wanted to emphasize that there were originally only two screens (auditoriums) making up the original theaters. A third screen was added later, and then I lost track of how much the original theaters expanded. Ford City East theaters were opened much later, and of course they are now gone too.
Was there a theater inside the mall before this one opened?
The multiplex is actually separate from the mall (just south of it), and 4440 W. 77th sounds just right for the actual theater location. The old, original theaters were very close to 76th St. and Cicero Avenue, but this newer structure is actually a few blocks' distance from the old one.
Yeah, it is strange. I’ve never been there, maybe you have to enter through the mall lot entrance? But anyway, the Cicero address on google brings up all sorts of listings for stores in the mall, but the 77th address only shows the theater, so I would imagine it’s correct. Unless it’s somehow carried over from one of the predecessor theaters, but I doubt that.
I understand that, and it is indeed the listed address, and included in newspaper listings, but the street address is 4440 W 77th. The distinction becomes apparent if you run a search on either address.
Theatre address is 4440 W 77th St. 7601 S Cicero is the given address of the entire mall.