This is supposed to be a Varsity Theater in Chicago in 1951. I don’t know where to put this theater as I don’t see any Chicago Varsities. Any help would be appreciated. http://tinyurl.com/5t7a2z
Here is part of an LA Times article dated 8/28/43:
Man Confesses Taking $1306 in Fake Robbery
Asst. District Atty. Melvin Gibbs today announced Norris W. Ott, manager of a Fresno theater, has confessed to stealing $1306 in theater funds Monday morning and then striking himself on the head with a length of pipe to simulate a robbery.
Approximately $600 of the money has been recovered by Gerald Hardy, owner of the theater, from hiding places where it had been secreted by Ott.
Ott told Gibbs and Hardy he stole the money to replace $500 which he had taken from theater receipts to replace another $500, which Ott said he lost in a bookie establishment.
When he struck himself with the pipe, Ott inflicted a brain concussion which necessitated him remaining in a hospital for two days.
Here is part of an article dated 7/13/75 from the Fresno Bee Republican:
Her Glory Days Gone, Tulare Theater Hangs By X-Rated String
TULARE â€" Over the years the Tulare Theater has frequently been called the “white castle” and the “magic white towers.” It looks like a castle, an old one now. When constructed in 1927 it was one of the most elegant movie houses between Los Angeles and San Francisco. “A monument to the silver screen,” people said. “Getting Gertie’s Garter'‘ was its first silent movie offering.
Alas, the once proud and splendorous baroque castle with her ornate rococo grandeur, is today a brooding landmark to the old days of downtown Tulare. She sits at the fringe of a vast redevelopment project, her future uncertain.
The other day as I looked upon her, imagining lines of people down the block waiting to see the newest Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald spectacular, I could not help but think of fallen honor. Alas, she was now playing a lascivious “adults only” double feature. Remember how we thought “The Outlaw” was rotten because Jane Russell wore her blouse unbuttoned? “You will go to hell for sure if you go to see that rotten movie,” my mother said.
You can access more photos if you narrow down the categories. For instance, “1940s main street” gets you a couple dozen photos that you wouldn’t get by searching for “main street” by itself.
This is supposed to be a Varsity Theater in Chicago in 1951. I don’t know where to put this theater as I don’t see any Chicago Varsities. Any help would be appreciated.
http://tinyurl.com/5t7a2z
Here is part of an LA Times article dated 8/28/43:
Man Confesses Taking $1306 in Fake Robbery
Asst. District Atty. Melvin Gibbs today announced Norris W. Ott, manager of a Fresno theater, has confessed to stealing $1306 in theater funds Monday morning and then striking himself on the head with a length of pipe to simulate a robbery.
Approximately $600 of the money has been recovered by Gerald Hardy, owner of the theater, from hiding places where it had been secreted by Ott.
Ott told Gibbs and Hardy he stole the money to replace $500 which he had taken from theater receipts to replace another $500, which Ott said he lost in a bookie establishment.
When he struck himself with the pipe, Ott inflicted a brain concussion which necessitated him remaining in a hospital for two days.
Here is a 1951 photo from Life:
http://tinyurl.com/5mqnqy
Here is another 1951 photo from Life:
http://tinyurl.com/5t85ow
Here is a 1945 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/6g63zm
Here is a 1945 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/5vb2e8
It’s a Polish flower shop.
http://tinyurl.com/6zhydg
Listed as the Rena in the 1953 Chicago yellow pages.
Listed in the 1953 yellow pages but gone by 1960.
OK, thanks. It looks like South Park, but I guess that was an abbreviation. No longer listed in the 1960 directory.
The current occupant is Lenscrafters. Function should be retail.
http://tinyurl.com/5ak7tx
There was a Park Theater listed at 3955 S. South Park Avenue in the 1953 Chicago yellow pages. Was Grand Avenue called South Park at one time?
The building is still there. It looks like the two businesses on the ground floor are a print shop and a Social Security office.
Here are some recent photos:
http://tinyurl.com/64vlzn
Here is part of an article dated 7/13/75 from the Fresno Bee Republican:
Her Glory Days Gone, Tulare Theater Hangs By X-Rated String
TULARE â€" Over the years the Tulare Theater has frequently been called the “white castle” and the “magic white towers.” It looks like a castle, an old one now. When constructed in 1927 it was one of the most elegant movie houses between Los Angeles and San Francisco. “A monument to the silver screen,” people said. “Getting Gertie’s Garter'‘ was its first silent movie offering.
Alas, the once proud and splendorous baroque castle with her ornate rococo grandeur, is today a brooding landmark to the old days of downtown Tulare. She sits at the fringe of a vast redevelopment project, her future uncertain.
The other day as I looked upon her, imagining lines of people down the block waiting to see the newest Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald spectacular, I could not help but think of fallen honor. Alas, she was now playing a lascivious “adults only” double feature. Remember how we thought “The Outlaw” was rotten because Jane Russell wore her blouse unbuttoned? “You will go to hell for sure if you go to see that rotten movie,” my mother said.
Per the preceding post, status should be changed to closed, and function to office space. Thanks for the information on the status.
Function should be changed to live performances.
Here is a 1941 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/5bhxoe
You can access more photos if you narrow down the categories. For instance, “1940s main street” gets you a couple dozen photos that you wouldn’t get by searching for “main street” by itself.
Correction, 1947, not 1942.
Here is a 1942 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/6jxw68
Here is a 1942 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/6pjwky
Here is a 1942 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/6mwr3d
I could have just said the theater was on Main, but this confirms it. I don’t think it’s a great photo either. Address should be updated.
You can’t see the theater very well, but the caption puts it on Main Street. The photo is dated 1942 from Life:
http://tinyurl.com/57hg8z