According to the 1918-1919 City Directory, the Lyric Theatre was at 1132 Broadway, and Matthew McBride was the proprietor. The 1922 City Directory shows the Plaza Theatre at 1134 Broadway. William Seegirt is the manager.
City directories from 1926 and 1927 show that the Lincoln Theatre was operating at 2169 Broadway. So this was the Lincoln Theatre, then the Rex Theatre, then the Paris Theatre.
According to the 1918-1919 City Directory, the theater at 1238 Broadway was the Gem Theatre. Its proprietor was Aristides Vaichis. It was still listed as the Gem Theatre in the 1922 City Directory.
There were other Gem theaters at 622 and 722 Broadway that have their own CT entry.
The Glen Park Theatre was at 3833 Broadway – on the east side of Broadway south of Ridge Road. The 1915 Sanborn showed no buildings in this area. In the 1945 Sanborn 3833 Broadway is a 25-foot by 125-foot restaurant.
Local builder/developer Ingwald Moe, who constructed the first Broadway Theatre and would later erect the new Gary Theater building, incorporated the Gary Amusement Company. Directors were Moe, Gambetto Heydorn, and Charles Schaible.
Local builder/developer Ingwald Moe, who constructed the first Broadway Theatre and would later erect the new Gary Theater building, incorporated the Gary Amusement Company. Directors were Moe, Gambetto Heydorn, and Charles Schaible.
A January 31, 1910, Times article reported that the Princess Theatre, “the notorious ten-cent playhouse of Gary is to go out of business.” The January 30, 1910, show was its last. “Manager Jo Nieman is about to have the place remodeled and start a shoe store there.”
The Gem Theatre’s first opening date was December 12, 1908. It featured both afternoon and evening performances, and promised a Sunday afternoon performance – “a new feature of the Gem.”
Gary Amusement Company was operating the first Gary Theatre in 1909 at a five-cent price point. On October 30, 1909, the company opened the Derby Theatre, a ten-cent theater located twenty-five feet to the north. Both were storefront showplaces.
After doing some further research, here’s a correction: The Oddfellows hall was at 177/179 State Street. That building still stands at 469 State Street today. The Pastime Theatre was 125-feet west of the Oddfellows, putting it across the street from the First Baptist Church’s portico at what Google maps shows as 467 State Street. The area is now a parking lot. To further confuse matters, the two buildings directly west of the Oddfellows are numbered out of sequence. Their address is 475 State Street.
A January 25, 1912, article noted that the Simon brothers had leased the Paine building at Eighth Avenue and Broadway for ten years for consideration of $50,000. This space would become the Grand Theater.
The 1908 Sanborn shows a restaurant in the building at 620/622 Broadway. But in December 1908 and January 1909 the Gem Theatre was advertising at 622 Broadway. The Gem Theatre moved to the Beehive building at 722 Broadway by January 21, 1909. (A May 1909 article said that the theater had been in existence for over a year.) Sanborn again showed a restaurant at 620/622 in 1911. By 1914, the building was home to the Art Theatre.
The first Gem Theatre in Gary was at 622 Broadway, advertising in December 1908 and January 1909. (A May 1909 article said that it had been in existence for over a year.) By January 21, 1909, the Gem Theatre relocated to the Beehive building at 722 Broadway. A January 25, 1912, article noted that a Gary businessman had leased the Beehive building for twelve years and two months. Upon expiration of the Gem lease on December 31, 1913, the space was to be converted into a clothing store.
Before Warner Brothers, the Orpheum Theatre was operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company, and Gumbiner Brothers.
Before Brotman & Sherman and Warner Brothers, the Parthenon Theatre was operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, and before that by the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company.
Lou Rugani’s photo shows the extent to which the Parthenon building interfered with long-discussed plans to widen Hohman Avenue south of the railroad tracks. In 1950-51 the Parthenon received a severe, $100,000 facelift – the front fifteen feet of the building was cleaved off after which an entirely new façade was erected.
A 1915 Sanborn map shows the 1000-seat Orpheum on the south side of State Street just east of the railroad crossing. The address was 156 State Street, changed to 448 State Street during Hammond’s 1930 city-wide street-renumbering project. The location is a First Baptist Church parking lot in 2024.
Sanborn maps in 1915 shows that the auditorium of the 1150-seat “De Luxe Theatre” sat parallel to Hohman Avenue but well behind the front portion of a building that contained several stores facing Hohman. Access to the theater was through a long corridor at 589 Hohman. The drawing depicts an auditorium with a shallow, wrap-around balcony.
After several delays, the Hartley Theatre in East Chicago, IN, reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe.
July 10, 1925, advertisement for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company stated “that the Parthenon was planned and built by the famous Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp, who also designed the Chicago Theatre.”
The Parthenon was designed by Rapp & Rapp, not R. Levine & Co.
The February 10, 1920, Hammond Times reported that “Hammond’s newest and most modern theater [was under construction in the block on the west side of Hohman Avenue.] The architects for the new building are Rapp & Rapp of Chicago.” Not yet called Parthenon, it was referred to as the Gregory Theater – the showplace was being erected for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company. Rufus Danner, Hammond, served as general contractor. Reuben Levine, who later formed R. Levine & Company, was general superintendent supervising construction for the architects from the time ground was broken.
A July 10, 1925, advertisement for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company stated “that the Parthenon was planned and built by the famous Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp, who also designed the Chicago Theatre.” Marquee noted on page 31 of the first-quarter 1991 issue that Rapp & Rapp designed the Parthenon theater. A photo of the Parthenon’s lobby carries a watermark with the names “C.W. & Geo. L. Rapp.” The accompanying caption points out that early Rapp & Rapp lobbies had “almost identical designs.”
The S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company on October 1, 1923, acquired the Lyric and Hartley theaters in East Chicago, from Joseph Hartley Sr. Both briefly closed while they were remodeled, redecorated and fitted with large electric street signs. The Lyric Theatre reopened on October 6, 1923. The Hartley Theatre reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe. The local newspaper reported on July 15, 1925, that the Lyric shut down for remodeling. After that it reopened from time to time for events. Both playhouses eventually reverted to the Hartley family, which formed the Hartley Theater Corporation in January 1930. Incorporators were the children of Joseph Hartley Sr. The firm continued to operate the Forsythe theater and in 1936 completely remodeled and modernized the long-shuttered Lyric, which had been closed since the advent of sound pictures. The venue reopened on March 18, 1936, as the Voge theater.
According to the 1918-1919 City Directory, the Lyric Theatre was at 1132 Broadway, and Matthew McBride was the proprietor. The 1922 City Directory shows the Plaza Theatre at 1134 Broadway. William Seegirt is the manager.
According to the 1918-1919 city directory, the Royal Theatre was at 1631 Broadway. It was one of several theaters operated by Andrew Obreshk.
City directories from 1926 and 1927 show that the Lincoln Theatre was operating at 2169 Broadway. So this was the Lincoln Theatre, then the Rex Theatre, then the Paris Theatre.
According to the 1918-1919 City Directory, the theater at 1238 Broadway was the Gem Theatre. Its proprietor was Aristides Vaichis. It was still listed as the Gem Theatre in the 1922 City Directory.
There were other Gem theaters at 622 and 722 Broadway that have their own CT entry.
The Venus Theatre was at 1070 Broadway. It was one of several theaters operated by Andrew Obreshk.
The Glen Park Theatre was at 3833 Broadway – on the east side of Broadway south of Ridge Road. The 1915 Sanborn showed no buildings in this area. In the 1945 Sanborn 3833 Broadway is a 25-foot by 125-foot restaurant.
Local builder/developer Ingwald Moe, who constructed the first Broadway Theatre and would later erect the new Gary Theater building, incorporated the Gary Amusement Company. Directors were Moe, Gambetto Heydorn, and Charles Schaible.
Local builder/developer Ingwald Moe, who constructed the first Broadway Theatre and would later erect the new Gary Theater building, incorporated the Gary Amusement Company. Directors were Moe, Gambetto Heydorn, and Charles Schaible.
A January 31, 1910, Times article reported that the Princess Theatre, “the notorious ten-cent playhouse of Gary is to go out of business.” The January 30, 1910, show was its last. “Manager Jo Nieman is about to have the place remodeled and start a shoe store there.”
The Gem Theatre’s first opening date was December 12, 1908. It featured both afternoon and evening performances, and promised a Sunday afternoon performance – “a new feature of the Gem.”
Gary Amusement Company was operating the first Gary Theatre in 1909 at a five-cent price point. On October 30, 1909, the company opened the Derby Theatre, a ten-cent theater located twenty-five feet to the north. Both were storefront showplaces.
After doing some further research, here’s a correction: The Oddfellows hall was at 177/179 State Street. That building still stands at 469 State Street today. The Pastime Theatre was 125-feet west of the Oddfellows, putting it across the street from the First Baptist Church’s portico at what Google maps shows as 467 State Street. The area is now a parking lot. To further confuse matters, the two buildings directly west of the Oddfellows are numbered out of sequence. Their address is 475 State Street.
A January 25, 1912, article noted that the Simon brothers had leased the Paine building at Eighth Avenue and Broadway for ten years for consideration of $50,000. This space would become the Grand Theater.
The 1908 Sanborn shows a restaurant in the building at 620/622 Broadway. But in December 1908 and January 1909 the Gem Theatre was advertising at 622 Broadway. The Gem Theatre moved to the Beehive building at 722 Broadway by January 21, 1909. (A May 1909 article said that the theater had been in existence for over a year.) Sanborn again showed a restaurant at 620/622 in 1911. By 1914, the building was home to the Art Theatre.
The first Gem Theatre in Gary was at 622 Broadway, advertising in December 1908 and January 1909. (A May 1909 article said that it had been in existence for over a year.) By January 21, 1909, the Gem Theatre relocated to the Beehive building at 722 Broadway. A January 25, 1912, article noted that a Gary businessman had leased the Beehive building for twelve years and two months. Upon expiration of the Gem lease on December 31, 1913, the space was to be converted into a clothing store.
Before Warner Brothers, the Orpheum Theatre was operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company, and Gumbiner Brothers.
The DeLuxe Theater was previously operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company, and Gumbiner Brothers.
Before Brotman & Sherman and Warner Brothers, the Parthenon Theatre was operated by the Hammond Theatrical Company, and before that by the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company.
Lou Rugani’s photo shows the extent to which the Parthenon building interfered with long-discussed plans to widen Hohman Avenue south of the railroad tracks. In 1950-51 the Parthenon received a severe, $100,000 facelift – the front fifteen feet of the building was cleaved off after which an entirely new façade was erected.
A 1915 Sanborn map shows the 1000-seat Orpheum on the south side of State Street just east of the railroad crossing. The address was 156 State Street, changed to 448 State Street during Hammond’s 1930 city-wide street-renumbering project. The location is a First Baptist Church parking lot in 2024.
Sanborn maps in 1915 shows that the auditorium of the 1150-seat “De Luxe Theatre” sat parallel to Hohman Avenue but well behind the front portion of a building that contained several stores facing Hohman. Access to the theater was through a long corridor at 589 Hohman. The drawing depicts an auditorium with a shallow, wrap-around balcony.
After several delays, the Hartley Theatre in East Chicago, IN, reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe.
July 10, 1925, advertisement for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company stated “that the Parthenon was planned and built by the famous Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp, who also designed the Chicago Theatre.”
The Parthenon was designed by Rapp & Rapp, not R. Levine & Co.
The February 10, 1920, Hammond Times reported that “Hammond’s newest and most modern theater [was under construction in the block on the west side of Hohman Avenue.] The architects for the new building are Rapp & Rapp of Chicago.” Not yet called Parthenon, it was referred to as the Gregory Theater – the showplace was being erected for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company. Rufus Danner, Hammond, served as general contractor. Reuben Levine, who later formed R. Levine & Company, was general superintendent supervising construction for the architects from the time ground was broken.
A July 10, 1925, advertisement for the S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company stated “that the Parthenon was planned and built by the famous Chicago firm of Rapp & Rapp, who also designed the Chicago Theatre.” Marquee noted on page 31 of the first-quarter 1991 issue that Rapp & Rapp designed the Parthenon theater. A photo of the Parthenon’s lobby carries a watermark with the names “C.W. & Geo. L. Rapp.” The accompanying caption points out that early Rapp & Rapp lobbies had “almost identical designs.”
More to come…
The S.J. Gregory Theatrical Company on October 1, 1923, acquired the Lyric and Hartley theaters in East Chicago, from Joseph Hartley Sr. Both briefly closed while they were remodeled, redecorated and fitted with large electric street signs. The Lyric Theatre reopened on October 6, 1923. The Hartley Theatre reopened as the Forsyth Theatre on October 27, 1923. On December 5, 1923, the spelling changed to Forsythe. The local newspaper reported on July 15, 1925, that the Lyric shut down for remodeling. After that it reopened from time to time for events. Both playhouses eventually reverted to the Hartley family, which formed the Hartley Theater Corporation in January 1930. Incorporators were the children of Joseph Hartley Sr. The firm continued to operate the Forsythe theater and in 1936 completely remodeled and modernized the long-shuttered Lyric, which had been closed since the advent of sound pictures. The venue reopened on March 18, 1936, as the Voge theater.