It did indeed become a billiard hall after closing as a theater in the early 20s. I also have the clip from “The Color of Money” in which this was featured.
If you were looking out the front door of the station, it would be across the street to the right. There was a cleaners on the corner and the theater itself was a cabinet shop.
The building was built in 1872, by the Hamlin family, originally snake-oil salesmen. The site had been a theater since 1860, called Beyan’s Hall, renamed Hooley’s Opera House in 1870 and then the Coliseum before falling in the Grat Chicago Fire. In 1873 the theater was added, originally a 30-table billiard hall. 1874 the billiard hall was enlarged and altered into an amusement hall with fountains, waterfalls, and refreshments; in 1878 it was converted into a theater proper, called Hamlin’s; following further renovations in 1880 by Adler and Sullivan, completely redecorating and partially rebuilding, it became the Grand Opera House; it was leased by the famed George M. Cohan in 1912; in 1926 following extensive modernizations by architect A.N. Rebori it was to become “The Four Cohans”, but a covenant in the lease said that whatever name it would tak had to include “Grand Opera House” and so for six months it was “The Four Cohans Grand Opera House” before being named back as Cohan’s Grand Opera House, later passing to the Shuberts; it became the RKO Grand in 1942, closed in March 1958 and was demolished the next month.
Here are my photos of the Biograph.
Here are photos of this theater.
Here are photos of this theater.
Here are photos of this theater.
It did indeed become a billiard hall after closing as a theater in the early 20s. I also have the clip from “The Color of Money” in which this was featured.
Here are photos of this theater.
Here are photos of this theater.
Here are photos of this theater.
Here are photos of this theater.
Here are photos of this theater.
Here are photos of this theater.
Oh, shoot. I forgot to edit that before linking.
Here are photos of this theater.
Here are photos of this theater.
Here are my photos of this theater.
Here are my photos of this theater.
Here are my photos of this theater.
If you were looking out the front door of the station, it would be across the street to the right. There was a cleaners on the corner and the theater itself was a cabinet shop.
Good catch, Warren. It was indeed the Grand Theatre in its first year as a movie house, 1942-1943.
Wow, that just really… doesn’t work.
I don’t know, that story doesn’t look like there’s actually any NEWS reported. It sounds more like someone in the newsroom used Google.
Well… still better than any of those look now, at any rate!
The building was built in 1872, by the Hamlin family, originally snake-oil salesmen. The site had been a theater since 1860, called Beyan’s Hall, renamed Hooley’s Opera House in 1870 and then the Coliseum before falling in the Grat Chicago Fire. In 1873 the theater was added, originally a 30-table billiard hall. 1874 the billiard hall was enlarged and altered into an amusement hall with fountains, waterfalls, and refreshments; in 1878 it was converted into a theater proper, called Hamlin’s; following further renovations in 1880 by Adler and Sullivan, completely redecorating and partially rebuilding, it became the Grand Opera House; it was leased by the famed George M. Cohan in 1912; in 1926 following extensive modernizations by architect A.N. Rebori it was to become “The Four Cohans”, but a covenant in the lease said that whatever name it would tak had to include “Grand Opera House” and so for six months it was “The Four Cohans Grand Opera House” before being named back as Cohan’s Grand Opera House, later passing to the Shuberts; it became the RKO Grand in 1942, closed in March 1958 and was demolished the next month.
There is a picture on Corbis. Search http://pro.corbis.com/default.aspx for U204954INP
Unfortunately linking to corbis doesn’t seem to work. You’d have to search for VV7531
So did the Paradise go through three marquees?
Yes, it was at the Amphitheatre.