Tiffin Theatre
4045 W. North Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60639
4045 W. North Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60639
12 people
favorited this theater
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(Community Publications, January 17, 1973)
Tiffin launches 60th anniversary fete
In 1913 when most neighborhood movie houses were simply converted stores with folding chairs to accommodate patrons and the price of admission was five cents, the newly opened 800-seat Tiffin theater on North avenue just east of Karlov, was regarded as one of the finest outlying movie theaters in the entire city. This week, beginning Friday, Jan. 19, the Tiffin theater is celebrating its 60th anniversary and is turning the clock back many, many years by offering moviegoers a rare bargain, an admission price of just 60 cents for a double feature. Two excellent films, “Butterflies are Free” and “The Burglar,” will be shown during the anniversary week beginning Friday and continuing through Thursday, Jan. 25. Partners in the building of the Tiffin theater 60 years ago were William J. Clark, realtor and attorney; George Kappus, a Northwest Side druggist and Vincent T. Lynch, who served as manager of the theater. Right from the start business boomed and movie goers flocked by the hundreds to the “showplace of the Northwest Side.” It was soon apparent that the building was too small to adequately serve the growing numbers of movie fans, so owners Clark, Kappus and Lynch made plans for a bigger theater. A new partner, Joseph joined the group and they acquired property at the corner of North Karlov, just west of the original theater building. Taking their cue from the grandiose movie palaces then being constructed in the Loop, the partners built the present Tiffin theater with seating for more than 2,200 patrons. It was a beautiful building, tastefully decorated and furnished and from the day it was opened in 1923, business flourished. This was in the heyday of the movie industry. Radio was in its infancy and television was yet far in the future. No one had heard of x-rated movies and all theaters offered film fare for the entire family. Looking back over the years, owner Jack Clark, son of William J., one of the original partners in the enterprise, said “The Tiffin, since the day it opened in 1913 has continued to operate through wars, the big depression, recessions, inflation, the advent of radio and television and lastly, x-rated movies and has survived it all. The reason the Tiffin survived when many others went down the drain has been our policy of offering the best in family movie entertainment at the lowest possible prices. Also, we never gave in to the current fad of showing pornographic, x-rated movies. Our patrons feel they can come to the Tiffin and not be offended by the movies on our screen.” Asked why the preponderance of films made in the past few years have been x-rated movies, Clark, who has served as president of the Motion Picture Theater Owners association of Illinois in the entire city, said “If people said the lives of the saints should be filmed, that’s what the movie producers would film – if that’s where the money was.” Since that isn’t likely, that part of the movie-going public with no desire to see pornographic films will continue to attend the Tiffin theater where Clark is doing his best to maintain the 60-year-old policy of showing the best available movie films suited to family entertainment.
Yes I was there, I must have been about 10. My sister was a rabid fan of the Dave Clark Five. They showed up about Half way through the movie. They were trotted out like prized cattle on stage by a WLS Radio Disc Jockey Named Clark Weber. They didn’t preform, they just stood there while the audience threw candy at them. As soon as they left my sister made me run up on stage and try to get some candy they may have stepped on. Do know how hard it is to get a smashed Spearmint leaf off a stage floor?
Does anybody remember the Dave clark Five making an appearence at there movie?
The jobs were shipped overseas by the rich…yet Americans continue to vote them into office, mainly because they promise to hate the gays and save the guns and impose theocracy.
Does anyone remember the wall of shampoo bubbles on Kostner Ave when Helene Curtis cleaned equipment. I lived across the street, when it exploded our roof was pushed back two inches and all windows with storms broke out—glass everywhere. That was a very busy factory area. Zenith had three shifts and 1:30 am was as busy as 3:30pm with people walking four abreast to get to the buses. Where did all the jobs go? What a shame…
Thanks for all of the neighborhood photos of the Tiffin Theater — brings great memories.
(July 24, 1947) LICENSE DRIVE HITS 7 LOCAL MOVIE HOUSES
When the city’s drive on license violators hit theaters last week, seven West Side movie houses made quick amends in their admission prices. In view of speedy corrections of the violations, Judge Cecil Smith discharged the cases.
Theaters affected and their maximum prices were: Tiffin, 4045 North, 40 cents; West End, 121 N. Cicero, 40 cents; Byrd, 4730 Madison, 40 cents; Symphony, 4921 Chicago, 40 cents; Crawford, 19 S. Crawford, 40 cents; K and C, 306 S, Cicero, 25 cents; and the Plaisance, 466 N. Parkside, 40 cents.
I remember moldenhauser, he was my family dentist when I was little. I remember the movie with Tom Selleck & Dom Amichi being filmed by the old shoe store there.
I remember the public library. I got my first library card there in 2nd grade when I went to Brian Piccolo.
I have such fond memories of the Tiffin and I absolutely loved the popcorn and the cherry coke. My Mom used to take us there every Friday night, and wow what a treat that was. I used to have my hair done every Friday night at Christine’s Beauty Shop one door east of the Tiffin. Anyone remember Dr. A. Moldenhauer (Dentist) and I believe he was on the same block, same side of the street as the Tiffin. Also there was a medical office near the SW corner of North and Karlov and there was an MD who would actually come to our home in the 1950’s and I believe his name was Dr. Rhia (maybe spelled incorrectly). Lots of fond memories, for sure.
I grew up in the neighborhood in the 80’s. Hanging out at Donald Duks, where my brother Tommy worked, and Ferndell’s and Beer City, where my sister April worked. The Tiffins last movies were Breakin 2 and and MIA2, they shut it down, January 5,1986. I remember Vito’s and Guy’s. Football Pizzas, and 2 litres of RC. I remember the guy who sold papers, and lived in the news shack. Its sad to know, most of my childhood is gone. Great memories. And yes, Tiffin had burgundy velvet seats and drapes, tied with Gold Rope. Popcorn and real Cherry Coke!
Btw Sab, I remember the bubbles well, and how awesome it smelt walking past there in the summer
Found memories of the Tiffin almost every Saturday afternoon in 1955 to 1960. Luv’d most Green River drop a paper cup-ice and watched the green goodness flow; that, box of popcorn good to go toons,and two movies—great. Did get to even sit in the balconey 2-3 times too. In the 1950 saw live shows and the organ always played. Still remember that. Mom took us to sit in Air Conditioning. Anyone remember Pic N Chicken—gave diners finger bowls and warm linen hand towels after eating—NICE! Sal’s Grocery store was close also. There was a funeral home/then, dance studio on Grand and Kostner and a Baby Only furniture store on North and Grand,had a stork with a baby bundle (Stork’s??). Just went back—sad but fun. Strange with HelenCurtis gone. I lived across from it and my house was badly damaged by the blast; pushed our roof back 2 inches and blew out all the windows. That was some day. Oh does anyone remember the wall of bubbles across Kostner when they would wash off their equipment. It was funny seeing cars drive thru the bubbles.
I lived at 1548 N. Keeler off North Ave in 1969. My friend Shano and I went to the Tiffin every weekend. I remember seeing “The Last House on the Left” and it scared the &$#@ out of me! My Mom gave me 75 cents for the movie and candy! We would go to the “Patio Diner” on Grand and Keeler after the movie.
Bob S
I remember the Tiffin. I lived on the 1500 block of north Keeler Ave. back in the 50’s. I saw “The Ten Commandments” there when I was 7 or 8 yrs old. I believe we were encouraged to see it by the nuns at St. Philomena school. I went there from Kindergarten thru 3rd grade.
I do have very fond memories of seeing movies at the Tiffin and I thought they had such good popcorn — wow, what a treat!
wow Scrabble a memory that can never fade away..That building is long gone now.
My Mother took my two sisters and I (we were just young children) to the Marlboro Theatre on Madison Street (located a couple of blocks west of Pulaski) to see the Movie with Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason about pool and we had a most awful experience. We left the Theatre after the movie and we stopped in a small restaurant near the SW corner of Pulaski and Madison called “Good Food”. We were sitting in the restaurant waiting to be served and there were a couple of fellows standing outside the glass windows making faces at patrons inside. We paid no attention but all of the sudden a terrible fight broke out and glass was flying all over and it was like a total riot. We got out of the restaurant and my Mom hailed a cab, and we were all actually shaking. We learned later that one of the employees of the restaurant had his ear sliced off. It was one of the most horrible experiences of my life.
Vito’s was on North ave. about a block east of the Tiffin.
Hi Scrabble
I don’t remember Vito’s. I remember coming home from downtown, waiting for a bus at Lake and Pulaski and there were fires and many emergency vehicles driving south on Pulaski. When I got home I found out it was the day Dr. Martin Luther King died and they were setting fires and looting stores on Madison and PUlaski.
Where was Vito’s Pizzeria? The name sounds so familiar but I cannot place it. I remember Al’s Pizzeria on about the 4100 block of Armitage Avenue. We lived in the 4000 W. Kamerling block for so so many years and the neighborhood was great when we first moved there in the early 1950’s but I sure was glad to get my Dad out of there in the mid 1980’s as there were numerous attempts to break into our house, garages being burned down, rocks being thrown at our windows, and I had my purse snatched at the corner of Lake & Pulaski while waiting for the CTA bus on my way home from work and had my bus pass grabbed from my hands — all very upsetting and extremely frightening.
anyone remember vito’s pizzeria……I miss them………..I still live in the area!
My brother Dan remembers everyone. He is the best when it comes to nostalgic trivia. He would know you for sure!
i looked Greg up in our old grad pics.i remember him. I believe that both guys were just acquaintances of mine. I dont think they would have remembered me at all.
Dan is my son. You probably know Gregory Thompson also, Dan and Greg are still good friends. I’ll tell him hi if you tell me your name.
I knew about the historic society on facebook but didn’t know about the school. I’ll look it up. Thanks
Hi there Deliza, I graduated in 1972 with a Dan Gianotti @ Alfred Nobel school. I bet your related. Tell him i said hi. You should go to FaceBook, there are 2 sites you’d like to join~ “North ave Pulaski historic” and “Alfred Nobel elementary” see you around the neighborhood..
We moved in 1959 to Keeler between North and Grand. Children went to St. Philomena, Nobel and Orr High. I worked at First Distributors, and in the early 1960’s went to the Mystic Lounge across the street from F.D. there was a magic/hypnotist act and I remember him being Marshall Brodein who later became “Wizzo” on Bozo’s show. Does anyone remember that? Do you remember the Gianotti’s? we moved in 1973.