A clever and unique way to advertise a new film: from the Chicago Sun Times movie listings on Sunday, June 21, 1959. The world premiere all America wanted… (and Chicago has it for the United Artists Theatre July 1) “We’ll never tell what happens to Cary Grant, but we’ll not keep your secret, Mr. Hitchcock! We know every city in the country beseiged M-G-M Studios for the world premiere of your motion picture, ‘North By Northwest.’ We know that making ‘North By Northwest’ has been your secret ambition for many years. We know that you actually filmed many of its scenes right here in Chicago. And we know that this not only is your best picture, but Hollywood’s biggest; a multi-million dollar suspense-drama that has never been rivalled in screen excitement. So you see, we have special right to be proud that Chicago was your choice- that you chose our city and our United Artists Theatre for the world premiere July 1. Most of all, we want everyone to know that you personally will be here with Miss Eva Marie Saint to appear at our world premiere celebration opening night.” – Balaban & Katz
CinemarkFan- I have never been to Chicago Ridge Mall; it’s unlikely I’ll get there. Haven’t been to the Lake in some time. Will try to get there in early June…it’s a great theatre.
The admission price is now $4.00. Still a good deal; I’m surprised the $3.00 tickets lasted as long as it did. My only complaint about the Logan- not enough leg room(stadium seating has spoiled me).
The Michigan was open at least through early Oct. of 1967. However, it must have been struggling to get more people inside. From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings on Sunday, Oct. 1, 1967: MICHIGAN THEATRE 110 E. Garfield Ave. Tele. 546-9607. FREE POPCORN TO 1st 50 CHILDREN James Coburn in “IN LIKE FLINT” “RETURN OF THE SEVEN” “PREHISTORIC WOMEN”.
In the book “DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IN TRANSITION” by Eric Bronsky and Neal Samors, there are many pics of the State-Lake. On page 13, there is a nice shot from Sept. 14, 1953. “THE ROBE” is playing;a long line of ticket buyers and the entrance to the subway can be seen. Page 14- two views of the theatre, one from the 1920s, and one from the 1960s(Walt Disney’s “SON OF FLUBBER” is playing). On page 94- great shot from March 2, 1950- “BATTLEGROUND” with Van Johnson is showing; on the street-fire trucks-there is a fire on the 11th floor of the building!(Smoke can be seen coming out a window). A few more pics can be seen- page 177 from Sept. 22, 1965"ONCE A THIEF" is showing, and page 193- “FADE TO BLACK” is on the marquee on a Sunday in 1980.
In the book “DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IN TRANSITION” by Eric Bronsky and Neal Samors, there is a great shot of the Woods theatre in 1962 on page 161. “CAPE FEAR” is playing; you can also see the Greyhound Bus Depot and the Sherman House Hotel.
In the book “DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IN TRANSITION” by Eric Bronsky and Neal Samors, there’s a nice photo of the Gem theatre-in 1941- on page 107. On the marquee: BURLESQUE ON STAGE ON SCREEN “I’LL SELL MY LIFE”.
A correction: The employee who gave me the seating capacity for each auditorium was selling tickets and working the concession stand for theatres 1,2,3 and 4. This section is the one nearest to Harlem Ave. A little west is another section of the theatre, which houses auditoriums 5 through 10. This is where an employee is IN the boxoffice, and two more are working the concession…facing south. Across from the popcorn and candy is the managers stand- facing north. Even though the Norridge lacks stadium seating, it’s still a very comfortable place. Lots of leg room, very high ceilings, and pretty wide auditoriums will make me come back. One negative- the marquee on Harlem is NOT inviting; one might think the theatre is closed or has only 5 screens. A very minor complaint- a few water stains on the ceiling of a few auditoriums. But, generally speaking, I give this decades old theatre a thumbs up. Hope it lasts!
The Norridge has a grand total of 3,952 seats. Auditorium #1-600 seats, #2-581, #3-304, #4-286, #5- 500, #6-524, #7-363, #8-365, #9-210, and #10- 219. The seating capacity is NOT posted outside each auditorium ;therefore, many thanks to the employee working the concession stand for screens 7 to 10 for the information.
The seating capacity for each auditorium : on the main floor-#1, 256, #2- 253, #3- 206. On the second level- auditoriums 4 and 5 each have 161 seats. On the top level, #6- 206, #7- 201, #8 was not posted, but I suspect 206 seats, and #9- 206. Approximately 1,856 seats.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie directory on Wednesday, April 22, 1970 :NEWBERRY CINEMA Open 1:30 854 No. CLARK DE7-8200 X Adults 18 And Over “GIRLS FOR MEN ONLY” Plus “OVER 18 and Ready”. In the ad, to the right of the titles, is- I swear- Raquel Welch hugging Dudley Moore. Ripped off from the bedroom scene in “BEDAZZLED” when Lust serves Stanley Moon breakfast and tries to confuse and seduce him. AMAZING.
The Monroe played many horror/monster movies from 1957 to sometime in 1960. It must have been a success- here is more proof: From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings, Thursday June 6, 1957- HELD OVER! 2nd SCARY WEEK! NIGHTMARE THRILLS BEYOND BELIEF! “HALF HUMAN” plus “MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL”. 2 NEW FIRST RUN HITS MONROE NEVER OVER 87c. The Monroe almost always changed their program weekly… on Thursdays in the late 50s;Fridays from the early 60s through the 1970s. The wild and unusual titles, the cheap admission, and the posters and MANY stills that adorned the outside of the theatre undoubtedly helped the box office!
Here is a little memory test for SPearce, David, and anyone else who wishes to play.My memories of the DeLuxe: the theatre had a very boxy marquee-facing east and west was four lines showing the titles of the triple feature;facing north was the name DE LUXE in light yellow letters against a light green background.People riding the L train south at Wilson could easily see what was playing.Above the 4 line marquee, again facing east and west, was the name DELUXE in orange or green neon(can’t quite remember the color). The boxoffice faced north(overlooking Wilson Ave.),square and rather small, but somewhat larger than the Mode’s.Inside the boxoffice,taped to the window, was a small white paper titled: USE THE SUN-TIMES CHICAGO’S MOST COMPLETE MOVIE DIRECTORY. Under that heading were lines and boxes, with the movie titles, running time, and showtimes for each film. The boxoffice was not connected to the front doors;perhaps 5 to 8 feet separated the two. On both sides of the boxoffice- facing north -were two rather large display cases -under glass- showing the films playing that day. On top was a square 28 by 22 poster;under that and slightly to the sides were two “inserts” (14 by 36 posters).Just beyond the boxoffice, and before entering one of the doors, if you looked to your left or right(east or west)you would see another rather large display case -again under glass-with posters of films coming in a few days FRI-SAT on one side, SUN-MON in the other display case, for example. Same size posters, too. So -outside the theatre- a total of 12 posters could be viewed. After entering, you had to walk perhaps 10 feet to the ticket taker(who faced north). Just beyond the ticket taker, and to the right, was the concession stand(facing east). On either side of the concession were 2 pretty large cases;each one held one poster. Underneath the poster was either COMING SOON or COMING. The wall across from the stand -facing west-had two more cases. So , there were usually a grand total of 4 posters displayed in the lobby. After passing the concession stand(walking south)you had to make a slight right turn, then turn south again to reach the auditorium(no doors, as I recall) then make a sharp left to get to the seats.In spite of this design,I don’t recall being disturbed by noises or light from the lobby. Patrons watching movies at the DeLuxe faced east(toward the L tracks and Broadway).One last comment on the 4 line marquee:usually on the top line was a stars name-BORIS KARLOFF ON (then line 2,the first title)-VOODOO ISLAND (on line 3 another feature)THE BROKEN STAR(then the bottom line )G.I. BLUES. Westerns and Elvis movies were very popular at the DeLuxe! These are my memories of the theatre, most of which I stand by. Any of this ring a bell?
If you ride the CTA Red Line-heading south from Lawrence Ave.-you can see VERY faded lettering on the side of a wall: WILSON CLUB HOTEL FOR MEN-as your train is pulling into the L station. That’s probably the welfare hotel LTS mentions above. It’s been there for decades; I remember seeing it in the late 50s-early 60s while riding the CTA. At the time, next to the FOR MEN, was DAILY RATES 75c to $1.00. The hotel is at 1120(1124?) Wilson, just west of the L tracks. In the 1960s, a little further west , was a notorious bar called The Wooden Nickel (1140 W. Wilson?)which would place it directly across from the DeLuxe. From what I’ve heard over the years, the place was rowdy…fights, police called on a regular basis, etc. I think some of the bar patrons made it to the triple features at the DeLuxe.Finally, back in the 1980s, a guy told me his brother worked at the firehouse on Wilson and Racine. Supposedly a man came staggering out of the DeLuxe theatre in the late 60s with a knife in his chest- and collapsed on the sidewalk near the boxoffice .Yes, the area was wild and crazy at times-and is considerably better today.
Thanks for your post, popcorn girl. The Jewish couple you mentioned-by any chance was their last name Fisher? (Fischer)? Did they have a son? At any rate, in the early to mid 60s I passed by the Lex on foot and by CTA(the Jackson Park ‘B’ train). My memories are few- I think the boxoffice of the Lex faced West on a slight angle and was connected to the front doors. Am I correct? Since you mentioned working at the Lex at times, could you go to the Lex page and share some of your memories of the theatre…the display ads,the auditorium, the lobby-whatever comes to mind. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated! THANKS. ~Ken
Yes, the Plaza Playmates were more like Playboy bunnies -without the bunny ears and tail- than real strippers. Good looking, although the one who sold me the popcorn had lots of makeup and bright red lipstick. The Plaza must have had huge AC and heating bills; the place was that big. That was probably a factor in its closing-and, of course, the competition.
David- I’m sure the Plaza was gone by 1974. You couldn’t miss the place- it had a huge vertical sign ;each of the letters were quite large in block form and orange neon. It faced east; I’m guessing the other side -facing west- had the same block letters.I have no memory of the marquee or boxoffice. Inside was wide with a very high ceiling and stairs winding down to the basement where the washroom was located. Dawn- the Plaza Playmates served two functions- selling popcorn and candy behind the concession stand(my experience) and, from what I’ve heard, they were sometimes on stage dancing (evenings and/or weekends). The policy must have been a hit- clear across town-on Friday, May 20, 1966- the Kim theatre at 6219 S. Halsted was advertised as KIM ART. At the bottom of the ad :Bring Your Camera-Snap The Art Beautiful IN PERSON- KIM Playmates. Looks like both theatres had the same owners/operators at the time.
From the Sun Times movie directory on Friday, May 17, 1957: LOUIS 108 E. 35th St. -Open 1 P.M. – 3 Hits! “JACK McCALL,DESPERADO” “Ma & Pa Kettle at Waikiki” “Fort Afrique”.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings-Friday May 17, 1957: 20th CENTURY 3530 W. Roosevelt Road CHA-CHA-CHA vs. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL “Cha-Cha-Cha Boom!” ALSO IN C'SCOPE! “Gun for a Coward”.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings- Friday, May 17, 1957: AMERICAN 3 FEATURES! Virginia Mayo-Joel McCrea “Colorado Territory” Colleen Miller “Hot Summer Night” plus “Prehistoric Women”.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings on Friday,May 17, 1957: KEN 1225 E. 47th- Open 6- .50 All Times 3 -FEATURES- 3 “ATTACK of the CRAB MONSTERS” “NOT OF THIS EARTH” “TENSION AT TABLE ROCK”.
Re: the photos ken mc posted- in “Second floor at Lincoln Avenue”,look closely at the wall in the background. You will see a big square which looks like a mirror (it is, in fact, a 2 way mirror). It looks like two blue kicking shields are hanging on either side of the mirror. On the other side of this mirror is Mr. Degerberg’s office- aka the projection room of the Bertha theatre. A few feet to the left you will see some steps- up the steps to the right is the office door; to the left is a very narrow staircase leading to the first floor (the auditorium). Patrons watching movies at the Bertha faced north-toward Lawrence Ave.
From the late 50s through the 1960s, I’ve seen a few wild and unusual triple features listed in the Chicago newspapers. But this has to take the cake: From the Chicago Sun Times movie directory,Friday, February 9, 1968: ALEX -DOORS OPEN DAILY AT 10:30 A.M. “REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE” “JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN’S DAUGHTER” “BILLY the KID vs. DRACULA”. Has there ever been a more bizarre triple feature?
David- the two fims per day policy ended, to be exact, on Thursday, June 25, 1970. From the Chicago Sun Times movie directory dated Friday,June 26, 1970: THE CLARK GOES 1st RUN MIDWEST PREMIERE starts TODAY CHARLTON HESTON “THE HAWAIIANS” Open 9 A.M. Midnite Show Tonite. Just to the left of the ad display, Roger Ebert wrote a few paragraphs re: the theatre: “The lament over the passing of the Clark theatre’s rerun policy is louder than anyone expected.”…….“But support for the policy dropped off gradually during the last couple of years, expenses rose quickly….” The first run policy did not seem to be very successful: it didn’t last very long, and in between first run films the Clark did indeed experiment:On Wednesday, Sept. 2,1970 the Clark was showing 4 Clint Eastwood Westerns- fistful of dollars(9am-5:25pm) for a few $ more(10:30am-7pm) hang ‘em high(12:45pm-9:15pm) the good,the bad, & the ugly(at 2:45pm- 11:10pm)in Color on 1 Program! SPEND A DAY (OR NIGHT) WITH CLINT EASTWOOD.(from the Sun Times movie listings).By early May, 1971(and perhaps sooner) the Clark was showing soft core adult movies. Monday, May 3, 1971: “PATTERN OF EVIL” Isabel Sarli “HEAT”. If you decided to drive to the Clark, you could park your car 1 door south for 4 hours for 95 cents!
A clever and unique way to advertise a new film: from the Chicago Sun Times movie listings on Sunday, June 21, 1959. The world premiere all America wanted… (and Chicago has it for the United Artists Theatre July 1) “We’ll never tell what happens to Cary Grant, but we’ll not keep your secret, Mr. Hitchcock! We know every city in the country beseiged M-G-M Studios for the world premiere of your motion picture, ‘North By Northwest.’ We know that making ‘North By Northwest’ has been your secret ambition for many years. We know that you actually filmed many of its scenes right here in Chicago. And we know that this not only is your best picture, but Hollywood’s biggest; a multi-million dollar suspense-drama that has never been rivalled in screen excitement. So you see, we have special right to be proud that Chicago was your choice- that you chose our city and our United Artists Theatre for the world premiere July 1. Most of all, we want everyone to know that you personally will be here with Miss Eva Marie Saint to appear at our world premiere celebration opening night.” – Balaban & Katz
CinemarkFan- I have never been to Chicago Ridge Mall; it’s unlikely I’ll get there. Haven’t been to the Lake in some time. Will try to get there in early June…it’s a great theatre.
The admission price is now $4.00. Still a good deal; I’m surprised the $3.00 tickets lasted as long as it did. My only complaint about the Logan- not enough leg room(stadium seating has spoiled me).
The Michigan was open at least through early Oct. of 1967. However, it must have been struggling to get more people inside. From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings on Sunday, Oct. 1, 1967: MICHIGAN THEATRE 110 E. Garfield Ave. Tele. 546-9607. FREE POPCORN TO 1st 50 CHILDREN James Coburn in “IN LIKE FLINT” “RETURN OF THE SEVEN” “PREHISTORIC WOMEN”.
In the book “DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IN TRANSITION” by Eric Bronsky and Neal Samors, there are many pics of the State-Lake. On page 13, there is a nice shot from Sept. 14, 1953. “THE ROBE” is playing;a long line of ticket buyers and the entrance to the subway can be seen. Page 14- two views of the theatre, one from the 1920s, and one from the 1960s(Walt Disney’s “SON OF FLUBBER” is playing). On page 94- great shot from March 2, 1950- “BATTLEGROUND” with Van Johnson is showing; on the street-fire trucks-there is a fire on the 11th floor of the building!(Smoke can be seen coming out a window). A few more pics can be seen- page 177 from Sept. 22, 1965"ONCE A THIEF" is showing, and page 193- “FADE TO BLACK” is on the marquee on a Sunday in 1980.
In the book “DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IN TRANSITION” by Eric Bronsky and Neal Samors, there is a great shot of the Woods theatre in 1962 on page 161. “CAPE FEAR” is playing; you can also see the Greyhound Bus Depot and the Sherman House Hotel.
In the book “DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IN TRANSITION” by Eric Bronsky and Neal Samors, there’s a nice photo of the Gem theatre-in 1941- on page 107. On the marquee: BURLESQUE ON STAGE ON SCREEN “I’LL SELL MY LIFE”.
A correction: The employee who gave me the seating capacity for each auditorium was selling tickets and working the concession stand for theatres 1,2,3 and 4. This section is the one nearest to Harlem Ave. A little west is another section of the theatre, which houses auditoriums 5 through 10. This is where an employee is IN the boxoffice, and two more are working the concession…facing south. Across from the popcorn and candy is the managers stand- facing north. Even though the Norridge lacks stadium seating, it’s still a very comfortable place. Lots of leg room, very high ceilings, and pretty wide auditoriums will make me come back. One negative- the marquee on Harlem is NOT inviting; one might think the theatre is closed or has only 5 screens. A very minor complaint- a few water stains on the ceiling of a few auditoriums. But, generally speaking, I give this decades old theatre a thumbs up. Hope it lasts!
The Logan has 903 seats. Cinema # 1 has 265 seats, # 2- 175, #3- 198, and #4- 265.
The Norridge has a grand total of 3,952 seats. Auditorium #1-600 seats, #2-581, #3-304, #4-286, #5- 500, #6-524, #7-363, #8-365, #9-210, and #10- 219. The seating capacity is NOT posted outside each auditorium ;therefore, many thanks to the employee working the concession stand for screens 7 to 10 for the information.
The seating capacity for each auditorium : on the main floor-#1, 256, #2- 253, #3- 206. On the second level- auditoriums 4 and 5 each have 161 seats. On the top level, #6- 206, #7- 201, #8 was not posted, but I suspect 206 seats, and #9- 206. Approximately 1,856 seats.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie directory on Wednesday, April 22, 1970 :NEWBERRY CINEMA Open 1:30 854 No. CLARK DE7-8200 X Adults 18 And Over “GIRLS FOR MEN ONLY” Plus “OVER 18 and Ready”. In the ad, to the right of the titles, is- I swear- Raquel Welch hugging Dudley Moore. Ripped off from the bedroom scene in “BEDAZZLED” when Lust serves Stanley Moon breakfast and tries to confuse and seduce him. AMAZING.
The Monroe played many horror/monster movies from 1957 to sometime in 1960. It must have been a success- here is more proof: From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings, Thursday June 6, 1957- HELD OVER! 2nd SCARY WEEK! NIGHTMARE THRILLS BEYOND BELIEF! “HALF HUMAN” plus “MONSTER FROM GREEN HELL”. 2 NEW FIRST RUN HITS MONROE NEVER OVER 87c. The Monroe almost always changed their program weekly… on Thursdays in the late 50s;Fridays from the early 60s through the 1970s. The wild and unusual titles, the cheap admission, and the posters and MANY stills that adorned the outside of the theatre undoubtedly helped the box office!
Here is a little memory test for SPearce, David, and anyone else who wishes to play.My memories of the DeLuxe: the theatre had a very boxy marquee-facing east and west was four lines showing the titles of the triple feature;facing north was the name DE LUXE in light yellow letters against a light green background.People riding the L train south at Wilson could easily see what was playing.Above the 4 line marquee, again facing east and west, was the name DELUXE in orange or green neon(can’t quite remember the color). The boxoffice faced north(overlooking Wilson Ave.),square and rather small, but somewhat larger than the Mode’s.Inside the boxoffice,taped to the window, was a small white paper titled: USE THE SUN-TIMES CHICAGO’S MOST COMPLETE MOVIE DIRECTORY. Under that heading were lines and boxes, with the movie titles, running time, and showtimes for each film. The boxoffice was not connected to the front doors;perhaps 5 to 8 feet separated the two. On both sides of the boxoffice- facing north -were two rather large display cases -under glass- showing the films playing that day. On top was a square 28 by 22 poster;under that and slightly to the sides were two “inserts” (14 by 36 posters).Just beyond the boxoffice, and before entering one of the doors, if you looked to your left or right(east or west)you would see another rather large display case -again under glass-with posters of films coming in a few days FRI-SAT on one side, SUN-MON in the other display case, for example. Same size posters, too. So -outside the theatre- a total of 12 posters could be viewed. After entering, you had to walk perhaps 10 feet to the ticket taker(who faced north). Just beyond the ticket taker, and to the right, was the concession stand(facing east). On either side of the concession were 2 pretty large cases;each one held one poster. Underneath the poster was either COMING SOON or COMING. The wall across from the stand -facing west-had two more cases. So , there were usually a grand total of 4 posters displayed in the lobby. After passing the concession stand(walking south)you had to make a slight right turn, then turn south again to reach the auditorium(no doors, as I recall) then make a sharp left to get to the seats.In spite of this design,I don’t recall being disturbed by noises or light from the lobby. Patrons watching movies at the DeLuxe faced east(toward the L tracks and Broadway).One last comment on the 4 line marquee:usually on the top line was a stars name-BORIS KARLOFF ON (then line 2,the first title)-VOODOO ISLAND (on line 3 another feature)THE BROKEN STAR(then the bottom line )G.I. BLUES. Westerns and Elvis movies were very popular at the DeLuxe! These are my memories of the theatre, most of which I stand by. Any of this ring a bell?
If you ride the CTA Red Line-heading south from Lawrence Ave.-you can see VERY faded lettering on the side of a wall: WILSON CLUB HOTEL FOR MEN-as your train is pulling into the L station. That’s probably the welfare hotel LTS mentions above. It’s been there for decades; I remember seeing it in the late 50s-early 60s while riding the CTA. At the time, next to the FOR MEN, was DAILY RATES 75c to $1.00. The hotel is at 1120(1124?) Wilson, just west of the L tracks. In the 1960s, a little further west , was a notorious bar called The Wooden Nickel (1140 W. Wilson?)which would place it directly across from the DeLuxe. From what I’ve heard over the years, the place was rowdy…fights, police called on a regular basis, etc. I think some of the bar patrons made it to the triple features at the DeLuxe.Finally, back in the 1980s, a guy told me his brother worked at the firehouse on Wilson and Racine. Supposedly a man came staggering out of the DeLuxe theatre in the late 60s with a knife in his chest- and collapsed on the sidewalk near the boxoffice .Yes, the area was wild and crazy at times-and is considerably better today.
Thanks for your post, popcorn girl. The Jewish couple you mentioned-by any chance was their last name Fisher? (Fischer)? Did they have a son? At any rate, in the early to mid 60s I passed by the Lex on foot and by CTA(the Jackson Park ‘B’ train). My memories are few- I think the boxoffice of the Lex faced West on a slight angle and was connected to the front doors. Am I correct? Since you mentioned working at the Lex at times, could you go to the Lex page and share some of your memories of the theatre…the display ads,the auditorium, the lobby-whatever comes to mind. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated! THANKS. ~Ken
Yes, the Plaza Playmates were more like Playboy bunnies -without the bunny ears and tail- than real strippers. Good looking, although the one who sold me the popcorn had lots of makeup and bright red lipstick. The Plaza must have had huge AC and heating bills; the place was that big. That was probably a factor in its closing-and, of course, the competition.
David- I’m sure the Plaza was gone by 1974. You couldn’t miss the place- it had a huge vertical sign ;each of the letters were quite large in block form and orange neon. It faced east; I’m guessing the other side -facing west- had the same block letters.I have no memory of the marquee or boxoffice. Inside was wide with a very high ceiling and stairs winding down to the basement where the washroom was located. Dawn- the Plaza Playmates served two functions- selling popcorn and candy behind the concession stand(my experience) and, from what I’ve heard, they were sometimes on stage dancing (evenings and/or weekends). The policy must have been a hit- clear across town-on Friday, May 20, 1966- the Kim theatre at 6219 S. Halsted was advertised as KIM ART. At the bottom of the ad :Bring Your Camera-Snap The Art Beautiful IN PERSON- KIM Playmates. Looks like both theatres had the same owners/operators at the time.
From the Sun Times movie directory on Friday, May 17, 1957: LOUIS 108 E. 35th St. -Open 1 P.M. – 3 Hits! “JACK McCALL,DESPERADO” “Ma & Pa Kettle at Waikiki” “Fort Afrique”.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings-Friday May 17, 1957: 20th CENTURY 3530 W. Roosevelt Road CHA-CHA-CHA vs. ROCK ‘N’ ROLL “Cha-Cha-Cha Boom!” ALSO IN C'SCOPE! “Gun for a Coward”.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings- Friday, May 17, 1957: AMERICAN 3 FEATURES! Virginia Mayo-Joel McCrea “Colorado Territory” Colleen Miller “Hot Summer Night” plus “Prehistoric Women”.
From the Chicago Sun Times movie listings on Friday,May 17, 1957: KEN 1225 E. 47th- Open 6- .50 All Times 3 -FEATURES- 3 “ATTACK of the CRAB MONSTERS” “NOT OF THIS EARTH” “TENSION AT TABLE ROCK”.
Re: the photos ken mc posted- in “Second floor at Lincoln Avenue”,look closely at the wall in the background. You will see a big square which looks like a mirror (it is, in fact, a 2 way mirror). It looks like two blue kicking shields are hanging on either side of the mirror. On the other side of this mirror is Mr. Degerberg’s office- aka the projection room of the Bertha theatre. A few feet to the left you will see some steps- up the steps to the right is the office door; to the left is a very narrow staircase leading to the first floor (the auditorium). Patrons watching movies at the Bertha faced north-toward Lawrence Ave.
From the late 50s through the 1960s, I’ve seen a few wild and unusual triple features listed in the Chicago newspapers. But this has to take the cake: From the Chicago Sun Times movie directory,Friday, February 9, 1968: ALEX -DOORS OPEN DAILY AT 10:30 A.M. “REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE” “JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN’S DAUGHTER” “BILLY the KID vs. DRACULA”. Has there ever been a more bizarre triple feature?
David- the two fims per day policy ended, to be exact, on Thursday, June 25, 1970. From the Chicago Sun Times movie directory dated Friday,June 26, 1970: THE CLARK GOES 1st RUN MIDWEST PREMIERE starts TODAY CHARLTON HESTON “THE HAWAIIANS” Open 9 A.M. Midnite Show Tonite. Just to the left of the ad display, Roger Ebert wrote a few paragraphs re: the theatre: “The lament over the passing of the Clark theatre’s rerun policy is louder than anyone expected.”…….“But support for the policy dropped off gradually during the last couple of years, expenses rose quickly….” The first run policy did not seem to be very successful: it didn’t last very long, and in between first run films the Clark did indeed experiment:On Wednesday, Sept. 2,1970 the Clark was showing 4 Clint Eastwood Westerns- fistful of dollars(9am-5:25pm) for a few $ more(10:30am-7pm) hang ‘em high(12:45pm-9:15pm) the good,the bad, & the ugly(at 2:45pm- 11:10pm)in Color on 1 Program! SPEND A DAY (OR NIGHT) WITH CLINT EASTWOOD.(from the Sun Times movie listings).By early May, 1971(and perhaps sooner) the Clark was showing soft core adult movies. Monday, May 3, 1971: “PATTERN OF EVIL” Isabel Sarli “HEAT”. If you decided to drive to the Clark, you could park your car 1 door south for 4 hours for 95 cents!