Further suggesting that this was a design by Ronald F. Perry and Helmut Bartsch is this description of a photo set of the Beverly from the Chicago History Museum:
“Includes exterior and interior views of the Beverly Theater, located at 95th and Ashland Avenue in Chicago (Ill.), and designed by Holabird & Root. Exteriors show the front elevation which includes a confectionery. Interiors show the lobby, with zebra-stripped upholstery and photographs of movie stars, and the auditorium, showing main floor seating, stage, and balcony seating. Also include one view of the University of Chicago field house, a group of musicians, Hotel LaSalle lobby in Chicago, and the fourth-floor lobby of the Palmer House hotel, also in Chicago. Photographed for architect Helmut Bartsch of Holabird & Root and for R. Perry by Hedrich-Blessing studio.”
You may want to contact the Theater Historical Society of America, or the Chicago History Museum. Otherwise, I have drawings of it I can share if you email me.
Originally opened May 25, 1893 as an addition to an existing building with a hall on the second floor, and seating 1600, with fourteen boxes, a circle, and a balcony. Stage was 38' wide at proscenium by 42' deep. Colors were ivory and gold with terra cotta decorations and murals. There was a major fire in March, 1895. It was sold in 1906 and again remodeled. Jazz Age Chicago and Sanborn maps give a later capacity of 1273. American Contractor index says this was a 1911 Rapp & Rapp remodeling. It was in operation at least into the 40s. Going with the current trend here, here is a May 17, 1915 Tribune article on someone getting shot:
“STAND BACK, MEN! BANG! SOME THRILLER IN MOVIES.
Then Joe Digatno Limps Out of Theater with Discharged Revolver in Hip Pocket.
Out flashed Piute Pete’s shooting iron. Pete’s lips moved in a soundless imprecation as he pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The Saturday night audience in the Empire theater at 673 Madison street gave the management proper credit for the thrill. They were too wise in the ways of moviedom to be fooled into believing the shot wasn’t part of the show.
But shortly thereafter Joseph Digatno of 729 Madison street quietly limped out of the theater, followed by his wife. He told Dr. John P. O'Connell, who has an office at Halsted and Madison streets—-and subsequently the police—-that an unidentified party had shot him from behind.
Young Mrs. Digatno hadn’t been properly coached. She said the revolver from which the bullet had come had been in her husband’s own hip pocket. Surgeons who examined Digatno’s wound in the Robert Burns hospital said Mrs. Dignato probably was right."
The Thunderbird opened October 21, 1966, with 1200 seats, at a cost of $750,000. It featured a 60-foot screen, 6-track sound, and a courtyard lounge with decor varying with the seasons. It also said it had parking for 2000 cars, but why you would need that many spots for a 1200 seat theater was not explained. Operator was Duncan Kennedy, a former Publix-Great States (Balaban & Katz) Vice President, who also operated the Starview drive-in near Elgin and later the Hi-lite in Aurora.
No, they’re still showing Bollywood, and those definitely aren’t playing. Online listings have been like that for a while, I have no idea where they’re coming from.
Further adding to confusion over the architect (Rapp & Rapp, Holabird & Root), contemporary Tribune articles name the architect as Ronald F. Perry with Helmuth Bartsch associated.
The majority of the original ornamentation did survive behind all that junk and rockwool on the walls. Some of it was water-damaged or partly destroyed, but it was there.
[url=http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?article_id=27166&bt=barneys&arc=n&searchType=]Here[/ur;] is an article with information on other Oak street development that includes some info on the esquire.
This theater is still standing; Google Maps tends to have issues with diagonal streets in particular. The building is about 3 stories with a picture window on the second floor and a round bay on the third.
Sure; a page on MoMo is here, with renderings. The building is not yet complete.
I took a look at the CHS in the Lawrence Avenue file and didn’t see anything. Maybe in their theaters file.
View link
Further suggesting that this was a design by Ronald F. Perry and Helmut Bartsch is this description of a photo set of the Beverly from the Chicago History Museum:
“Includes exterior and interior views of the Beverly Theater, located at 95th and Ashland Avenue in Chicago (Ill.), and designed by Holabird & Root. Exteriors show the front elevation which includes a confectionery. Interiors show the lobby, with zebra-stripped upholstery and photographs of movie stars, and the auditorium, showing main floor seating, stage, and balcony seating. Also include one view of the University of Chicago field house, a group of musicians, Hotel LaSalle lobby in Chicago, and the fourth-floor lobby of the Palmer House hotel, also in Chicago. Photographed for architect Helmut Bartsch of Holabird & Root and for R. Perry by Hedrich-Blessing studio.”
You may want to contact the Theater Historical Society of America, or the Chicago History Museum. Otherwise, I have drawings of it I can share if you email me.
Scratch that- the Rapp & Rapp work was actually a building at 665 Madison, not the theater.
Oh, and the Kennedy expressway is on the site now.
Originally opened May 25, 1893 as an addition to an existing building with a hall on the second floor, and seating 1600, with fourteen boxes, a circle, and a balcony. Stage was 38' wide at proscenium by 42' deep. Colors were ivory and gold with terra cotta decorations and murals. There was a major fire in March, 1895. It was sold in 1906 and again remodeled. Jazz Age Chicago and Sanborn maps give a later capacity of 1273. American Contractor index says this was a 1911 Rapp & Rapp remodeling. It was in operation at least into the 40s. Going with the current trend here, here is a May 17, 1915 Tribune article on someone getting shot:
“STAND BACK, MEN! BANG! SOME THRILLER IN MOVIES.
Then Joe Digatno Limps Out of Theater with Discharged Revolver in Hip Pocket.
Out flashed Piute Pete’s shooting iron. Pete’s lips moved in a soundless imprecation as he pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The Saturday night audience in the Empire theater at 673 Madison street gave the management proper credit for the thrill. They were too wise in the ways of moviedom to be fooled into believing the shot wasn’t part of the show.
But shortly thereafter Joseph Digatno of 729 Madison street quietly limped out of the theater, followed by his wife. He told Dr. John P. O'Connell, who has an office at Halsted and Madison streets—-and subsequently the police—-that an unidentified party had shot him from behind.
Young Mrs. Digatno hadn’t been properly coached. She said the revolver from which the bullet had come had been in her husband’s own hip pocket. Surgeons who examined Digatno’s wound in the Robert Burns hospital said Mrs. Dignato probably was right."
Cohan, the page for it is here.. Incidentally, Ziegfeld’s father also had a theater, whose page is here.
Cohan used to have a theater here, too. Cohan’s Grand Opera House. Listed here as the RKO Grand.
Really this should be considered two seperate theaters. They weren’t really the same building or anything.
It was initially a 299 seat theater that was partially demolished and replaced in 1927 by a larger theater.
The M&R/Loews merger occurred while the Esquire was being opened; technically it was an M&R/Loews theater.
The Thunderbird opened October 21, 1966, with 1200 seats, at a cost of $750,000. It featured a 60-foot screen, 6-track sound, and a courtyard lounge with decor varying with the seasons. It also said it had parking for 2000 cars, but why you would need that many spots for a 1200 seat theater was not explained. Operator was Duncan Kennedy, a former Publix-Great States (Balaban & Katz) Vice President, who also operated the Starview drive-in near Elgin and later the Hi-lite in Aurora.
That theatre’s listing is here.
Hoffman Estates is a suburb built in that era by a developer. Golf-Rose would be at the intersection of Golf and Roselle Roads.
Ridge Plaza was in Arlington Heights.
Known as the Winchester as of 1914
No, they’re still showing Bollywood, and those definitely aren’t playing. Online listings have been like that for a while, I have no idea where they’re coming from.
Further adding to confusion over the architect (Rapp & Rapp, Holabird & Root), contemporary Tribune articles name the architect as Ronald F. Perry with Helmuth Bartsch associated.
The majority of the original ornamentation did survive behind all that junk and rockwool on the walls. Some of it was water-damaged or partly destroyed, but it was there.
The Balaban & Katz part of the sign is now displayed in the Theatre Historical Society of America research library.
This building still retains its original, operational stud lighting on the facade, which makes it somewhat unique.
[url=http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/article.pl?article_id=27166&bt=barneys&arc=n&searchType=]Here[/ur;] is an article with information on other Oak street development that includes some info on the esquire.
This theater is still standing; Google Maps tends to have issues with diagonal streets in particular. The building is about 3 stories with a picture window on the second floor and a round bay on the third.