Do you have a list of the theaters he designed? I have a feeling the list here is incomplete. Do you know what work he did during his time with Rapp and Rapp (1917-1923)? Also, do you have anything on the Echo in Des Plaines?
The Gem opened around 1910. By 1929 it had gone burlesque, along with many of the theaters in the immediate area, when a patron disgruntled with the inability to locate a seat on the floor shot and killed a doorman and wounded another patron. This also indicates that there was a balcony, so the original seating was probably greater. The marquee burned down in October 1946. The name change to Follies, in reference to Zeigfeld’s famed burlesque, came in the early 50s. In 1972 the Follies closed, saying they refused to show hardcore pornography but that soft-core would not sustain them, and dismissed its last strippers; it reopened soon, however, and in 1974 even a legitimate stage production appeared there, a 1920s show called “Shanghai Gesture”, an exotic production from an eccentric Lincoln Avenue producer named Eleven. The show only lasted one act, victim of a bomb scare. Its demise came in 1978, as it burned.
The cinematreasures page for that theater is /theaters/12033/ . I have submitted further information on its history that should be added shortly; I also have added a picture.
A 1954 Tribune article stated that the Rialto closed December 31, 1953 and was demolished shortly thereafter to make way for a one-story “taxpayer” shops complex. This had been the big burlesque center of chicago for many years, save 1944-1950. The Rialto remembered as a XXX film house was a smaller one two blocks down; I am currently adding an entry for it. Among the ladies who appeared onstage here were Gypsy Rose Lee, Margie Hart, Tempest Storm, Ada Leonard and Ann Corio. Abbott and Costello also reportedly first met there, and Phil Silvers also performed. The final sign on the marquee? “Speedway Wrecking Company – The Greatest Stripper of Them All”!
I think the writer meant to indicate (by saying “as they always can”) that Chicago being the way it is, inspectors could cite pretty much anything to justify closing it if they so desired, regardless of whether it was a real issue or not.
Now here’s a neat fact for fans of the musical and film “Chicago”. Although the film’s big theatre scene is depicted as being at the Chicago, the real-life counterpart happened at the other end of the loop – at the Rialto. Found in a 1980 Trib article: “The only trouble with [1920 state’s attorney Robert E.] Crowe was that he kept losing cases. For some reason there was a rash of murders about that time — four or five of them — in which wives or girlfriends were indicted for killing their companions. They were all acquitted and with each acquittal the Rialto Theater, at State and Van Buren, would book as part of their show the freed and notorious woman. It was embarrassing to Crowe; his failures went up in lights. [Mayor William Hale] Thompson handled the situation. He sent a platoon of city inspectors to the Rialto; and they found, as they always can, more violations of city ordinances than were ever imagined at the Iroquois Theater. Thompson said he would have the place closed if they didn’t stop booking the women who had beaten the rap against Crowe.”
Now here’s a neat fact for fans of the musical and film “Chicago”. Found in a 1980 Trib article: “The only trouble with [1920 state’s attorney Robert E.] Crowe was that he kept losing cases. For some reason there was a rash of murders about that time — four or five of them — in which wives or girlfriends were indicted for killing their companions. They were all acquitted and with each acquittal the Rialto Theater, at State and Van Buren, would book as part of their show the freed and notorious woman. It was embarrassing to Crowe; his failures went up in lights. [Mayor William Hale] Thompson handled the situation. He sent a platoon of city inspectors to the Rialto; and they found, as they always can, more violations of city ordinances than were ever imagined at the Iroquois Theater. Thompson said he would have the place closed if they didn’t stop booking the women who had beaten the rap against Crowe.”
The official website of the National Register of Historic Places is http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/ . There also exists what appears to be a privately-run website at http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/ , which I assume from your format is what you’re using. The latter website does not have any information or links to government websites, nor does it contain any contact information of its own. A WHOIS search on the latter site reveals that it is registered to “American Dreams, Inc.”; I have no idea what their objective is, but their data is unofficial and in cases like this, inaccurate. Also their page title is “National Register of HistoricaL Places”, which is somewhat suspect.
It wasn’t added; it was deemed eligible. The owner refuses to sign the form to add it. However, National Register eligibility carries with it all the same protections; the addition is a formality.
This is such a loss; experts with such detailed knowledge and insight are hard to come by and utterly irreplaceable. Jim’s posts were a crux of this community. I only wish I could have met him. At least his contributions here will go on teaching. Rest in peace.
They may have assessed a similar plate before. There is a 1978 Chicago Tribune antiques article about a similar plate. The columnist did not know about the item, but referred the writer to a Sharon Darling, curator of decorative arts at the society. This being nearly 30 years ago I’m sure she’s no longer with the society but after this and perhaps others like it there is more information on file.
And in answer to the question, the Pioneer Arcade (as it was known) across the way was built for its purpose in 1923. This, and not the New Apollo, was the building designed by Jens Jensen,. The architect information for the theater listed above is therefore invalid, unless he designed both- I assume this information is an artifact from when the address was previously misidentified. Of course it’s conceivable that Jensen was the architect, but unlikely. The Pioneer Arcade was designed as “one of the most elaborate recreation buildings in the city”, with a 35-table billiard room, 20-lane bowling alley with platforms for 600 spectators, and locker rooms.
The theater was already closed in 1930 when it was leased for 20 years, to be redecorated and acoustically treated for talkies; by 1938 it was closed again when two 14 year old boys tried climbing in through the ventilator shaft, resulting a 14-foot fall, breaking one boy’s arm and the other’s leg. The article was complete with an illustration of how they fell. Also, the 1946 skeleton find was discovered to be a hoax the next day.
Some tidbits from the Tribune archives….
Ann-Margret apparently had her professional singing debut here, in a Radio broadcast.
The article marking the theater’s next-day closure printed September 9, 1965 notes that in addition to Hudson and Ann-Margret, former Senator Charles H. Percy served as an usher. English music hall star Gracie Fields also performed there in war bond drives. The article also claims that Meyers built some 22 theaters in Chicagoland, though his name is scarcely mentioned elsewhere. This must be in reference to the fact that he was director of Allied Theaters of Illinois, a syndicate of independent theaters.
A 1962 article claims, “Meyers had traveled to Paris in 1926 to meet with Claude Neon, an inventor. Neon explained the principles of neon lighting. Meyers arranged for the inventor to create the first neon theater sign for the proposed moving picture theater which would be built fronting Lake Michigan between Wilmette and Kenilworth.” It also identifies Spanish Court as one of the first shopping centers in America (along with Market Square in Lake Forest). It further states that in 1925 Meyers hired the young Vincente Minelli to design and decorate the theater, and that Meyers also intoduced a ‘first’ of special concert programs in the 1940s featuring the likes of Marlo Lanza, Rise Stevens, and Madame Shuman-Heink to the stage. Meyers was still further credited with starting the first Cub Scout pack in America, the Del Lago Cubs, in 1927.
The Glencoe was done in a colonial style, seating near 1000, and opened October 16, 1940 by Sam Meyers of the Teatro Del Lago and Wilmette theaters. Opening feature was “The Return of Frank James.”
It was renamed the Rio after a 1934 remodeling, and the Mars in 1949. Interestingly the mars name was the original one announced in 1934, but apparently not adopted for 15 years.
Very cool! Did they take the balustrade along the top down during the “restoration”? What did their work consist of?
Meridian, yes, from 1998-2000.
Do you have a list of the theaters he designed? I have a feeling the list here is incomplete. Do you know what work he did during his time with Rapp and Rapp (1917-1923)? Also, do you have anything on the Echo in Des Plaines?
CinemarkFan wins this round: http://cinematreasures.org/news/15779_0_1_0_C/
The Gem opened around 1910. By 1929 it had gone burlesque, along with many of the theaters in the immediate area, when a patron disgruntled with the inability to locate a seat on the floor shot and killed a doorman and wounded another patron. This also indicates that there was a balcony, so the original seating was probably greater. The marquee burned down in October 1946. The name change to Follies, in reference to Zeigfeld’s famed burlesque, came in the early 50s. In 1972 the Follies closed, saying they refused to show hardcore pornography but that soft-core would not sustain them, and dismissed its last strippers; it reopened soon, however, and in 1974 even a legitimate stage production appeared there, a 1920s show called “Shanghai Gesture”, an exotic production from an eccentric Lincoln Avenue producer named Eleven. The show only lasted one act, victim of a bomb scare. Its demise came in 1978, as it burned.
The cinematreasures page for that theater is /theaters/12033/ . I have submitted further information on its history that should be added shortly; I also have added a picture.
A picture of the Rialto from after its closing can be seen on HAARGIS Here
A 1954 Tribune article stated that the Rialto closed December 31, 1953 and was demolished shortly thereafter to make way for a one-story “taxpayer” shops complex. This had been the big burlesque center of chicago for many years, save 1944-1950. The Rialto remembered as a XXX film house was a smaller one two blocks down; I am currently adding an entry for it. Among the ladies who appeared onstage here were Gypsy Rose Lee, Margie Hart, Tempest Storm, Ada Leonard and Ann Corio. Abbott and Costello also reportedly first met there, and Phil Silvers also performed. The final sign on the marquee? “Speedway Wrecking Company – The Greatest Stripper of Them All”!
I think the writer meant to indicate (by saying “as they always can”) that Chicago being the way it is, inspectors could cite pretty much anything to justify closing it if they so desired, regardless of whether it was a real issue or not.
Now here’s a neat fact for fans of the musical and film “Chicago”. Although the film’s big theatre scene is depicted as being at the Chicago, the real-life counterpart happened at the other end of the loop – at the Rialto. Found in a 1980 Trib article: “The only trouble with [1920 state’s attorney Robert E.] Crowe was that he kept losing cases. For some reason there was a rash of murders about that time — four or five of them — in which wives or girlfriends were indicted for killing their companions. They were all acquitted and with each acquittal the Rialto Theater, at State and Van Buren, would book as part of their show the freed and notorious woman. It was embarrassing to Crowe; his failures went up in lights. [Mayor William Hale] Thompson handled the situation. He sent a platoon of city inspectors to the Rialto; and they found, as they always can, more violations of city ordinances than were ever imagined at the Iroquois Theater. Thompson said he would have the place closed if they didn’t stop booking the women who had beaten the rap against Crowe.”
Now here’s a neat fact for fans of the musical and film “Chicago”. Found in a 1980 Trib article: “The only trouble with [1920 state’s attorney Robert E.] Crowe was that he kept losing cases. For some reason there was a rash of murders about that time — four or five of them — in which wives or girlfriends were indicted for killing their companions. They were all acquitted and with each acquittal the Rialto Theater, at State and Van Buren, would book as part of their show the freed and notorious woman. It was embarrassing to Crowe; his failures went up in lights. [Mayor William Hale] Thompson handled the situation. He sent a platoon of city inspectors to the Rialto; and they found, as they always can, more violations of city ordinances than were ever imagined at the Iroquois Theater. Thompson said he would have the place closed if they didn’t stop booking the women who had beaten the rap against Crowe.”
The official website of the National Register of Historic Places is http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/ . There also exists what appears to be a privately-run website at http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/ , which I assume from your format is what you’re using. The latter website does not have any information or links to government websites, nor does it contain any contact information of its own. A WHOIS search on the latter site reveals that it is registered to “American Dreams, Inc.”; I have no idea what their objective is, but their data is unofficial and in cases like this, inaccurate. Also their page title is “National Register of HistoricaL Places”, which is somewhat suspect.
It wasn’t added; it was deemed eligible. The owner refuses to sign the form to add it. However, National Register eligibility carries with it all the same protections; the addition is a formality.
And the Ridge Plaza, too. All three are XSport Fitness locations. Interesting.
This is such a loss; experts with such detailed knowledge and insight are hard to come by and utterly irreplaceable. Jim’s posts were a crux of this community. I only wish I could have met him. At least his contributions here will go on teaching. Rest in peace.
They may have assessed a similar plate before. There is a 1978 Chicago Tribune antiques article about a similar plate. The columnist did not know about the item, but referred the writer to a Sharon Darling, curator of decorative arts at the society. This being nearly 30 years ago I’m sure she’s no longer with the society but after this and perhaps others like it there is more information on file.
It’s pretty clean, crowds, I think depends on the show.
And in answer to the question, the Pioneer Arcade (as it was known) across the way was built for its purpose in 1923. This, and not the New Apollo, was the building designed by Jens Jensen,. The architect information for the theater listed above is therefore invalid, unless he designed both- I assume this information is an artifact from when the address was previously misidentified. Of course it’s conceivable that Jensen was the architect, but unlikely. The Pioneer Arcade was designed as “one of the most elaborate recreation buildings in the city”, with a 35-table billiard room, 20-lane bowling alley with platforms for 600 spectators, and locker rooms.
Here is a recent photo of the building (eek.)
The theater was already closed in 1930 when it was leased for 20 years, to be redecorated and acoustically treated for talkies; by 1938 it was closed again when two 14 year old boys tried climbing in through the ventilator shaft, resulting a 14-foot fall, breaking one boy’s arm and the other’s leg. The article was complete with an illustration of how they fell. Also, the 1946 skeleton find was discovered to be a hoax the next day.
Plitt ran the Todd, but i’m not sure if they did the Cinestage.
Some tidbits from the Tribune archives….
Ann-Margret apparently had her professional singing debut here, in a Radio broadcast.
The article marking the theater’s next-day closure printed September 9, 1965 notes that in addition to Hudson and Ann-Margret, former Senator Charles H. Percy served as an usher. English music hall star Gracie Fields also performed there in war bond drives. The article also claims that Meyers built some 22 theaters in Chicagoland, though his name is scarcely mentioned elsewhere. This must be in reference to the fact that he was director of Allied Theaters of Illinois, a syndicate of independent theaters.
A 1962 article claims, “Meyers had traveled to Paris in 1926 to meet with Claude Neon, an inventor. Neon explained the principles of neon lighting. Meyers arranged for the inventor to create the first neon theater sign for the proposed moving picture theater which would be built fronting Lake Michigan between Wilmette and Kenilworth.” It also identifies Spanish Court as one of the first shopping centers in America (along with Market Square in Lake Forest). It further states that in 1925 Meyers hired the young Vincente Minelli to design and decorate the theater, and that Meyers also intoduced a ‘first’ of special concert programs in the 1940s featuring the likes of Marlo Lanza, Rise Stevens, and Madame Shuman-Heink to the stage. Meyers was still further credited with starting the first Cub Scout pack in America, the Del Lago Cubs, in 1927.
The Glencoe was done in a colonial style, seating near 1000, and opened October 16, 1940 by Sam Meyers of the Teatro Del Lago and Wilmette theaters. Opening feature was “The Return of Frank James.”
There’s the Orbit in Palatine
It was renamed the Rio after a 1934 remodeling, and the Mars in 1949. Interestingly the mars name was the original one announced in 1934, but apparently not adopted for 15 years.