MICHAEL KUECKER & CHARLES DuPONT, are you sure the Ritz was at one time the Oakwyn? The Ritz was at Roosevelt Road (12th Street) and Ridgeland Avenue and the Oakwyn was at Roosevelt Road and Oak Park Avenue (about 4 “city blocks” apart).
I found another address of 6343, that it was built in 1926, had 1500 seats and closed in 1978.
CHARLES DuPONT, I found two pictures of the Ritz in the Arcidia Book, Images of America, BERWYN, by Douglas Deuchler.
Page 68 has a photo that shows the Ritz in about 1931. You can see streetcar tracks on Roosevelt Road. In the theatre building the top two floors are apartments and the first floor has about seven storefronts, plus the theatre entrance. To the left of the entrance is a storefront with a LUNCH sign hanging over the sidewalk. Painted on the windows: SODAS, ICE CREAM, GARCIA C (the rest is hidden, I would guess it was CIGARS). To the right of the theatre is: RITZ JEWLERS, DIAMONDS, WATCHES, SILVERWARE, JEWELRY.
Berwyn had a large Czecoslovakiian and Bohiemian population and the Ritz routinely screened Czech films.
In the photo the marquee reads:
PREMIER SHOWING OF FIDLOVACKA FIRST CZECHOSLOVAKIA PICT
ALSO VAUDEVILLE ON SAT
A LIVING SHOW ON OUR SCREEN
The vaudeville included jugglers. magicians, singers, comedians, and chorus girls. Charleston dance contests were held on stage during the height of that fad.
Page 122 shows the mostly gutted interior of the Ritz as it was being turned into condominiums. The architect that designed the condo conversion was Errol J. Kirsch. The storefronts are now entrances to different condos and the stores windows have been bricked up so only a high window has been made of each window. A Mobil Gas Station is next store. I understand the condos are very modern, but the outside the building looks very much as it did when it was a theatre, but without the marquee. It’s not great, but at least the building was saved and it’s better than nothing, which is what my wife says about me, I’m better than nothing!
About three photos of what the Ritz looks like now are at Cinema Tour.
The Ritz had a 3/9 Kilgen Pipe Organ in it, does anyone know what happened to it?
From a 1949 OakLeaves, the newspaper for the Village of Oak Park Illinois:
“—— in 1949, a controversial film about pregnancy and childbirth called "Mom and Dad” produced by Hygenic Productions was enjoying a long run at the OAKLYN THEATRE, 6817 Roosevelt Road in Berwyn much to the chagrin of Oak Park Trustees who agreed the film should be banned. But since it was being shown “on the southern outskirts” of Oak Park there was nothing they could do to stop it.
Audiences were strictly segregated by sex with women only allowed to view the film at the 7 p.m. showing and men admitted only at the 9 p.m. Trained nurses were on hand at all performances to answer questions.“
To the north of Roosevelt Road is the Village of Oak Park and to the south of Roosevelt Road is the City of Berwyn. Of course the OAKWYN THEATRE was in Berwyn so Oak Park coundn’t do anything about the movie!
It’s sorta interesting to look up "Mom and Dad” on IMDb.
CHARLES DuPONT, I found 2 photos of this theatre in
ARCADIA'S
IMAGES of AMERICA
BERWYN
by Douglas Deuchler
they are on page 67
The top one is of The Auditorium in about 1921, when it showed silent movies. On the modest marquee it states:
WED & THURS
D.W. GRIFFITH'S
“WAY DOWN EAST”
The theatre building had 3 stores to the left of the entrance. I can’t make out what the first store is. The middle store has a sign on the window and on the awning “AGNES BEAUTY SHOP”. The store to the left of the beauty shop (and the last store in the buiilding) has printed on the awning “AUDITORIUM BARBER SHOP”.
The bottom photo is of the now wired for sound ROXY. On a much grander marquee it shows:
DOROTHY LAMOUR IN
“MOON OVER BURMA” AND
“FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT"
Under the marquee and centered under the ticket booth is another smaller marquee that reads:
WEDNESDAY
JACKPOT
100 DOLLARS
It also offered:
a cartoon
a newsreel
a short subject
and they gave away dishes on Thursday nights!
All for 25 cents!
Stores had been added to the right of the theatre. I can sorta make out CENTRAL UTILITIES APPLIANCES.
I read somewhere that it had 800 seats and a 4/11 Robert Morton Pipe Organ. Anyone know what happened to the organ?
“Gee Dad, it was a WurliTzer, I mean a Robert Morton!”
CHUCK1231, I don’t know how the name Oakwyn had anything to do with the Ritz. The Oakwyn was located near Oak Park Avenue and the Ritz was near Ridgeland Avenue. About four blocks are between them.
I have a “Program” from about 1938. Interseting that the address is listed as 6817 Roosevelt Rd. Roosevet Rd. is also called 12th Street.
Phone # is BER.5691
Adults (to 6:30) 15c: after 20c
Children 10c Always
SATURDAY, OCT. 8 ONE DAY
DOUBLE FEATURE PROGRAM
An Artist in search of an Insprition and Romance!
A Desperate ADVENTURE
Ramon NOVARRO
Marian MARSH
Margaret Tallichet
A Republic Picture
I read that the Oakwyn in the early 1950’s, was the first of the 4 Berwyn movie theatres to close, because of television.
The building does survive as the union hall for Teamsters Local 714.
The Paramount—Kankakee, Illinois (also added 4 screens to the north of the original building). I went by last night and here are the movies showing (Aug 5, 2007).
Released:
June 1, 2007, Knocked Up
June 29, 2007, Ratatouille
July 11, 2007, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix
July 27, 2007, I Know Who Killed Me
August 3, 2007, Under-Dog
I don’t know for sure, but Lakehurst Cinema was next to Lakehurst Mall. The mall really became deserted. I think this was because the bigger, newer Gurnee Mills opened nearby. The mall closed and has been torn down for some years now. I seem to remember a bowling alley nearby, but that was it. I don’t think enough people came to the area. At least that’s my guess.
“Ladies and Gentelmen, This is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas
For your family tree research, how about Louis M. Gordon?
From the Ian M. Judge post, I looked up Gordon and Lockwood and found nothing, but found Lockwood and Gordon in:
The Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures 1967
Theatre Circuits In The United States And Canada Operating Four Or More Houses
Lockwood & Gordon Enterprises, Inc.
260 Tremont St.
Boston, Mass. 02116
Liberty 2-4480
President, Arthur H. Lockwood
Vice-Pres, Max I Mydans
Treasurer, Louis M. Gordon*******************************************
Asst. Treas, Max L. Yunik, Max I. Mydans, Roger A. Lockwood
Secy, Max L. Yunik
Asst. Secy, Roger A. Lockwood
BRIDGEPORT: Pix Drive-In
DANBURY: Danbury Drive-In
EAST WINDSOR: East Windsor Drive-In
HARTFORD: CINERAMA
NORWALK: Norwalk Drive-In
S. WINDSOR: E. Hartford Family Drive-In
TORRINGTON: Sky-Vue Drive-In, Torrington Drive-In
WETHERSFIELD: Webb
My guess is Louis M. Gordon has got to be connected to Nathan Gordon. Let me know if he is.
To everyone else:
If any of the above theatres ring a bell with you and they are not listed in Cinema Treasures you might want to add them. I’m in the Chicago area and know nothing about any of them.
If any of you want me to look up a certain Theatre Circuit for 1967 I would be glad to look it up for you.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, This is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas
Lost Memory, interesting ticket, do you have anymore from Norfolk?
If I remember right Granby Street was higher than Monticello Avenue. The old entrance was on Granby and the floor of the theatre pretty much was at the same slope as the ground it was built on. The stage would then be at about the same level as Monticello.
Loew’s State was the same way and in fact in about 1989 the entire front of the State was converted to retail and if I remember right, if you went down the hill to the back of the State on Monticello a GYM sign was at the stage door! That has all changed since the State has been restored, I would guess!
I think the NORVA has pretty much been gutted and I would guess the Granby side is now all retail (Granby is or was Norfolk’s “Main Street”) and the entrance to the theatre would now be at the stage door level. This all of course is only a guess. What would I know, I’m now in the Chicago area. I hope someone in NorVa can fill us in.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, This is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas
I purchased on eBay the 1967 edition of The Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures. It was the Forty-Ninth Edition which means it first came out in 1918. The edition I have has a section on Theatre Circuits In The United States And Canada Operating Four Or More Houses and it lists them alphabetically. I checked out Nathan, Gordon and Olympia and found no listing, which really didn’t surprise me. I don’t know where you could find earlier copies (perhaps someone here knows), you might have some luck if they listed the circuits back then. Let us know if you have any luck.
Catherine DiM, Many years ago I would wait for the 62 ARCHER HARLEM bus on the southwest corner of State and Wacker across the river from Marina City. Now that you mention it, that does seem to ring a bell. Seems to me the WLS logo was up by the antenna or transmitter. Anyone know where a picture is?
SEATS SHOULD BE 662 NOT 1700.
CATHERINE DiM, as BWChicago states above on April 2, 2006 WFLD-TV Channel 32 was in the theatre building. What is now WLS-TV Channel 7 started out as WBKB-TV, owned by Balaban and Katz (no doubt BK stood for B&K}. Hard to believe , but the station went on the air in 1941! It was located in the B&K State and Lake Theatre Building at 190 North State Street on the forth floor. ABC bought WLS 890 Radio from Prairie Farmer Magazine in about 1959. WLS Radio at one time had been owned by Sears and Roebuck, therefore the call letters WLS for Worlds Largest Store. At sometime ABC bought WBKB and changed the call letters to WLS. WLS-TV is still in the State and Lake Building, alas the theatre is now gone and is now their sidewalk studio.
DAVID BALABAN (or anyone else) please add or correct anything I have wrong.
See my comment under the Liberty. Nothing to do with either theatre, but if your ever on Interstate 40 going by Shamrock by all means get off and see the beautifully restored CONOCO Gas Station and Diner (now the Chamber of Comerce) restored to all it’s Art Deco glory. It’s located south of the Interstate at the Northeast corner of N Main St/Route 83 and Old Route 66/E 12th St/Tx 556 Spur. Looks great at night too with all the restored neon lite! To see a photo go to the first comment and click on Lost Memory’s “This” then click on the small photo to the right of the Texas Theatre.
“Ladies And Gentlemen, THIS IS CINERAMA” Lowell Thomas
I’m pretty good at finding former theatres and I’ve been in Shamrock twice and I’ve never noticed any hint of another theatre besides the Texas. I would guess the Liberty has been destroyed. Nothing to do with theatres but I would guess that anyone who likes old theatres and restored to all it’s Art Deco glory, would love the restored CONOCO Gas Station and Diner (now the Chamber of Comerce) in Shamrock. It’s worth getting off and is just south of Interstate 40. The station is on the northeast corner of N Main St/Route 83 and Old Route 66/E 12th St/TX 556 Spur. Looks great at night too with all the restored neon lite! (see a photo on the Texas Theatre/Shamrock site)
Ron Salters, As a retired US Navy Chief thanks for clearing the sailor from any hanky panky. As a matter of fact the sailor had spent that day with his mother, sister and girlfriend who had come down from Maine to see him. After they left for Maine and he was on his way back to the USS Macon he was knocked unconscious. When he woke up he had no pants or wallet and of course had trouble getting back to and on the ship with no ID card, liberty card or pants it was a dicey – and chilly – trip back to the ship!
Several years later after he got out of the navy he married the girlfriend and the story of that day became a family legend.
If you go to American Public Media’s The Story, you can read more about it and see photos and even hear the interview. It is at the end of Art Despite Oppression (about an artist from Baghdad that is interesting to listen to) or you can fast forward to hear the sailor story at about 31:22 (lasts about 18 minutes. View link
“Ladies And Gentlemen This Is CINERAMA” Lowell Thomas
Tonight on WBEZ Radio (NPR in Chicago) I heard that the Bank of Scotland is also interested in acquiring LaSalle Bank. What would the theatre be called then?
So I guess the question was what was the first theatre in a strip mall which dosen’t seem to me to be a shopping center. Of course we could have lots of fun with this, what was the first theatre in a,
shopping center/mall,
with parking lots all around it,
located in the parking lot,
as part of the shopping center,
the above in a enclosed mall,
the above that were multiplexed,
etc???
“Ladies and Gentelmen, This Is CINERAMA!” Lowell Tomas
I think the first theatre is the Eagle Park Forest Theater, in Park Forest, Illinois. “The Park Forest opened in 1950 as the Holiday Theatre and was part of the Park Forest Shopping Center”. It has been 5-plexed, but is still grinding away. I live in Manteno, about 20 miles south of Park Forest, I guess I should go up to Park Forest and check with the Historical Society and/or library and see if I can get the exact date and what was showing.
“Ladies and Gentlmen, This Is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas
Meredith Willson who wrote the musical plays and movies The Music Man and The Unsinkable Molly Brown was a native of Mason City. When the movie The Music Man, with Robert Preston, Shirley Jones and eight year old Ron (Ronnie) Howard had it’s world premier on June 19, 1962, it was in Mason City. Anyone know what theatre held the world premier?
CinemarkFan
dakotaben,
I’m disapointed, all this excitment about the opening of the Showplace 12 on the Golf Mill page and now that the Showplace 12 is open and has it’s own page, no info from this page or other info you might have, has been added to the new page. I live way down by Kankakee, Illinois a long drive from my old area around Glenview, please get as much info as you can on the Showplace 12 site, including it’s pre opening and first day movies. Sometime long into the future folks will find that very interesting. I think it’s important to get info about a new theatre on ASAP rather than trying to find out the info years from now. Thanks!
CinemarkFan
dakotaben
Brian Wolf,
In case you missed it, I just noticed that Jim Piscitelli has added Showplace 12, so you can now add all your info to that theatre’s page. The Golf Mill Theatre page can now go back to just being about the Golf Mill. May the Golf Mill R.I.P. even if it is sorta hard to do as a gym!
Brian Wolf, I wasn’t aware of that, to me a movie theatre is a movie theatre. Please go back to polls, see results, show all, older and go back 2 “pages” and August 8 05, “The Cinema Treasures website needs more information on..” Please read the coments of Ken Layton, Lost Memory, Ron Newman, Gerald A. DeLuca and William. Any thoughts on these comments?
MICHAEL KUECKER & CHARLES DuPONT, are you sure the Ritz was at one time the Oakwyn? The Ritz was at Roosevelt Road (12th Street) and Ridgeland Avenue and the Oakwyn was at Roosevelt Road and Oak Park Avenue (about 4 “city blocks” apart).
I found another address of 6343, that it was built in 1926, had 1500 seats and closed in 1978.
CHARLES DuPONT, I found two pictures of the Ritz in the Arcidia Book, Images of America, BERWYN, by Douglas Deuchler.
Page 68 has a photo that shows the Ritz in about 1931. You can see streetcar tracks on Roosevelt Road. In the theatre building the top two floors are apartments and the first floor has about seven storefronts, plus the theatre entrance. To the left of the entrance is a storefront with a LUNCH sign hanging over the sidewalk. Painted on the windows: SODAS, ICE CREAM, GARCIA C (the rest is hidden, I would guess it was CIGARS). To the right of the theatre is: RITZ JEWLERS, DIAMONDS, WATCHES, SILVERWARE, JEWELRY.
Berwyn had a large Czecoslovakiian and Bohiemian population and the Ritz routinely screened Czech films.
In the photo the marquee reads:
PREMIER SHOWING OF FIDLOVACKA FIRST CZECHOSLOVAKIA PICT
ALSO VAUDEVILLE ON SAT
A LIVING SHOW ON OUR SCREEN
The vaudeville included jugglers. magicians, singers, comedians, and chorus girls. Charleston dance contests were held on stage during the height of that fad.
Page 122 shows the mostly gutted interior of the Ritz as it was being turned into condominiums. The architect that designed the condo conversion was Errol J. Kirsch. The storefronts are now entrances to different condos and the stores windows have been bricked up so only a high window has been made of each window. A Mobil Gas Station is next store. I understand the condos are very modern, but the outside the building looks very much as it did when it was a theatre, but without the marquee. It’s not great, but at least the building was saved and it’s better than nothing, which is what my wife says about me, I’m better than nothing!
About three photos of what the Ritz looks like now are at Cinema Tour.
The Ritz had a 3/9 Kilgen Pipe Organ in it, does anyone know what happened to it?
“Gee Dad, it was a Kilgen!”
From a 1949 OakLeaves, the newspaper for the Village of Oak Park Illinois:
“—— in 1949, a controversial film about pregnancy and childbirth called "Mom and Dad” produced by Hygenic Productions was enjoying a long run at the OAKLYN THEATRE, 6817 Roosevelt Road in Berwyn much to the chagrin of Oak Park Trustees who agreed the film should be banned. But since it was being shown “on the southern outskirts” of Oak Park there was nothing they could do to stop it.
Audiences were strictly segregated by sex with women only allowed to view the film at the 7 p.m. showing and men admitted only at the 9 p.m. Trained nurses were on hand at all performances to answer questions.“
To the north of Roosevelt Road is the Village of Oak Park and to the south of Roosevelt Road is the City of Berwyn. Of course the OAKWYN THEATRE was in Berwyn so Oak Park coundn’t do anything about the movie!
It’s sorta interesting to look up "Mom and Dad” on IMDb.
“Gee "Mom and Dad, It was a WurliTzer!”
CHARLES DuPONT, I found 2 photos of this theatre in
ARCADIA'S
IMAGES of AMERICA
BERWYN
by Douglas Deuchler
they are on page 67
The top one is of The Auditorium in about 1921, when it showed silent movies. On the modest marquee it states:
WED & THURS
D.W. GRIFFITH'S
“WAY DOWN EAST”
The theatre building had 3 stores to the left of the entrance. I can’t make out what the first store is. The middle store has a sign on the window and on the awning “AGNES BEAUTY SHOP”. The store to the left of the beauty shop (and the last store in the buiilding) has printed on the awning “AUDITORIUM BARBER SHOP”.
The bottom photo is of the now wired for sound ROXY. On a much grander marquee it shows:
DOROTHY LAMOUR IN
“MOON OVER BURMA” AND
“FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT"
Under the marquee and centered under the ticket booth is another smaller marquee that reads:
WEDNESDAY
JACKPOT
100 DOLLARS
It also offered:
a cartoon
a newsreel
a short subject
and they gave away dishes on Thursday nights!
All for 25 cents!
Stores had been added to the right of the theatre. I can sorta make out CENTRAL UTILITIES APPLIANCES.
I read somewhere that it had 800 seats and a 4/11 Robert Morton Pipe Organ. Anyone know what happened to the organ?
“Gee Dad, it was a WurliTzer, I mean a Robert Morton!”
A photo of the theatre is at Cinema Tour. They say it’s a VFW, but I checked the address and it is a union hall.
“Gee Dad, I don’t think they had an organ!”
CHUCK1231, I don’t know how the name Oakwyn had anything to do with the Ritz. The Oakwyn was located near Oak Park Avenue and the Ritz was near Ridgeland Avenue. About four blocks are between them.
I have a “Program” from about 1938. Interseting that the address is listed as 6817 Roosevelt Rd. Roosevet Rd. is also called 12th Street.
Phone # is BER.5691
Adults (to 6:30) 15c: after 20c
Children 10c Always
SATURDAY, OCT. 8 ONE DAY
DOUBLE FEATURE PROGRAM
An Artist in search of an Insprition and Romance!
A Desperate ADVENTURE
Ramon NOVARRO
Marian MARSH
Margaret Tallichet
A Republic Picture
Feature No. 2
GEORGE O'BRIEN in
“Border G-Man”
CARTOON “EDUCATED FISH"
POPEYE CARTOON "FOOTBALL TOUCHERDOWNER"
CHAPTER 5 "FLAMING FRONTIERS” SERIAL
I read that the Oakwyn in the early 1950’s, was the first of the 4 Berwyn movie theatres to close, because of television.
The building does survive as the union hall for Teamsters Local 714.
“Gee Dad, it was a WurliTzer!”
The Paramount—Kankakee, Illinois (also added 4 screens to the north of the original building). I went by last night and here are the movies showing (Aug 5, 2007).
Released:
June 1, 2007, Knocked Up
June 29, 2007, Ratatouille
July 11, 2007, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix
July 27, 2007, I Know Who Killed Me
August 3, 2007, Under-Dog
“Gee Dad It Was A WurliTzer!”
I don’t know for sure, but Lakehurst Cinema was next to Lakehurst Mall. The mall really became deserted. I think this was because the bigger, newer Gurnee Mills opened nearby. The mall closed and has been torn down for some years now. I seem to remember a bowling alley nearby, but that was it. I don’t think enough people came to the area. At least that’s my guess.
“Ladies and Gentelmen, This is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas
For your family tree research, how about Louis M. Gordon?
From the Ian M. Judge post, I looked up Gordon and Lockwood and found nothing, but found Lockwood and Gordon in:
The Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures 1967
Theatre Circuits In The United States And Canada Operating Four Or More Houses
Lockwood & Gordon Enterprises, Inc.
260 Tremont St.
Boston, Mass. 02116
Liberty 2-4480
President, Arthur H. Lockwood
Vice-Pres, Max I Mydans
Treasurer, Louis M. Gordon*******************************************
Asst. Treas, Max L. Yunik, Max I. Mydans, Roger A. Lockwood
Secy, Max L. Yunik
Asst. Secy, Roger A. Lockwood
Theatres (30):
Listed in two groups
Maine
AUBURN: Auburn Drive-In
FARMINGTON: State
LEWISTON: Lewiston Drive-In
MADISON: State
SACO: Saco Drive-In
SCARBORO: Portland Drive-In
SKOWHEGAN: Skowhegan Drive-In, Strand
WATERVILLE: Haines, State, Winslow Drive-In
Masssachusetts
CHELMSFORD: Chelmsford Drive-In
NEWBURYPORT: Port Cinema
SCITUATE; Playhouse
SOUTH WEYMOUTH: Cameo
New Hampshire
BOSCAWEN: Sky-Hi Drive-In
CONCORD: Concord Drive-In
Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE: Art Cinema, Avon, Castle, CINERAMA
Lockwood & Gordon-Rosen Theatres:
Connecticut
BRIDGEPORT: Pix Drive-In
DANBURY: Danbury Drive-In
EAST WINDSOR: East Windsor Drive-In
HARTFORD: CINERAMA
NORWALK: Norwalk Drive-In
S. WINDSOR: E. Hartford Family Drive-In
TORRINGTON: Sky-Vue Drive-In, Torrington Drive-In
WETHERSFIELD: Webb
My guess is Louis M. Gordon has got to be connected to Nathan Gordon. Let me know if he is.
To everyone else:
If any of the above theatres ring a bell with you and they are not listed in Cinema Treasures you might want to add them. I’m in the Chicago area and know nothing about any of them.
If any of you want me to look up a certain Theatre Circuit for 1967 I would be glad to look it up for you.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, This is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas
Lost Memory, interesting ticket, do you have anymore from Norfolk?
If I remember right Granby Street was higher than Monticello Avenue. The old entrance was on Granby and the floor of the theatre pretty much was at the same slope as the ground it was built on. The stage would then be at about the same level as Monticello.
Loew’s State was the same way and in fact in about 1989 the entire front of the State was converted to retail and if I remember right, if you went down the hill to the back of the State on Monticello a GYM sign was at the stage door! That has all changed since the State has been restored, I would guess!
I think the NORVA has pretty much been gutted and I would guess the Granby side is now all retail (Granby is or was Norfolk’s “Main Street”) and the entrance to the theatre would now be at the stage door level. This all of course is only a guess. What would I know, I’m now in the Chicago area. I hope someone in NorVa can fill us in.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, This is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas
I purchased on eBay the 1967 edition of The Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures. It was the Forty-Ninth Edition which means it first came out in 1918. The edition I have has a section on Theatre Circuits In The United States And Canada Operating Four Or More Houses and it lists them alphabetically. I checked out Nathan, Gordon and Olympia and found no listing, which really didn’t surprise me. I don’t know where you could find earlier copies (perhaps someone here knows), you might have some luck if they listed the circuits back then. Let us know if you have any luck.
“Gee Dad it was a WurliTzer!”
Catherine DiM, Many years ago I would wait for the 62 ARCHER HARLEM bus on the southwest corner of State and Wacker across the river from Marina City. Now that you mention it, that does seem to ring a bell. Seems to me the WLS logo was up by the antenna or transmitter. Anyone know where a picture is?
DING DONG!
SEATS SHOULD BE 662 NOT 1700.
CATHERINE DiM, as BWChicago states above on April 2, 2006 WFLD-TV Channel 32 was in the theatre building. What is now WLS-TV Channel 7 started out as WBKB-TV, owned by Balaban and Katz (no doubt BK stood for B&K}. Hard to believe , but the station went on the air in 1941! It was located in the B&K State and Lake Theatre Building at 190 North State Street on the forth floor. ABC bought WLS 890 Radio from Prairie Farmer Magazine in about 1959. WLS Radio at one time had been owned by Sears and Roebuck, therefore the call letters WLS for Worlds Largest Store. At sometime ABC bought WBKB and changed the call letters to WLS. WLS-TV is still in the State and Lake Building, alas the theatre is now gone and is now their sidewalk studio.
DAVID BALABAN (or anyone else) please add or correct anything I have wrong.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS IS CINERAMA!”
See my comment under the Liberty. Nothing to do with either theatre, but if your ever on Interstate 40 going by Shamrock by all means get off and see the beautifully restored CONOCO Gas Station and Diner (now the Chamber of Comerce) restored to all it’s Art Deco glory. It’s located south of the Interstate at the Northeast corner of N Main St/Route 83 and Old Route 66/E 12th St/Tx 556 Spur. Looks great at night too with all the restored neon lite! To see a photo go to the first comment and click on Lost Memory’s “This” then click on the small photo to the right of the Texas Theatre.
“Ladies And Gentlemen, THIS IS CINERAMA” Lowell Thomas
I’m pretty good at finding former theatres and I’ve been in Shamrock twice and I’ve never noticed any hint of another theatre besides the Texas. I would guess the Liberty has been destroyed. Nothing to do with theatres but I would guess that anyone who likes old theatres and restored to all it’s Art Deco glory, would love the restored CONOCO Gas Station and Diner (now the Chamber of Comerce) in Shamrock. It’s worth getting off and is just south of Interstate 40. The station is on the northeast corner of N Main St/Route 83 and Old Route 66/E 12th St/TX 556 Spur. Looks great at night too with all the restored neon lite! (see a photo on the Texas Theatre/Shamrock site)
“Gee Dad It Was A WurliTzer”
Ron Salters, As a retired US Navy Chief thanks for clearing the sailor from any hanky panky. As a matter of fact the sailor had spent that day with his mother, sister and girlfriend who had come down from Maine to see him. After they left for Maine and he was on his way back to the USS Macon he was knocked unconscious. When he woke up he had no pants or wallet and of course had trouble getting back to and on the ship with no ID card, liberty card or pants it was a dicey – and chilly – trip back to the ship!
Several years later after he got out of the navy he married the girlfriend and the story of that day became a family legend.
If you go to American Public Media’s The Story, you can read more about it and see photos and even hear the interview. It is at the end of Art Despite Oppression (about an artist from Baghdad that is interesting to listen to) or you can fast forward to hear the sailor story at about 31:22 (lasts about 18 minutes.
View link
“Ladies And Gentlemen This Is CINERAMA” Lowell Thomas
Tonight on WBEZ Radio (NPR in Chicago) I heard that the Bank of Scotland is also interested in acquiring LaSalle Bank. What would the theatre be called then?
“Gee dad it was a WurliTzer!”
G. Feret, I don’t know how much help this is, but MY FAIR LADY was not released until October 21, 1964.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, This Is CINERAMA!”
So I guess the question was what was the first theatre in a strip mall which dosen’t seem to me to be a shopping center. Of course we could have lots of fun with this, what was the first theatre in a,
shopping center/mall,
with parking lots all around it,
located in the parking lot,
as part of the shopping center,
the above in a enclosed mall,
the above that were multiplexed,
etc???
“Ladies and Gentelmen, This Is CINERAMA!” Lowell Tomas
I think the first theatre is the Eagle Park Forest Theater, in Park Forest, Illinois. “The Park Forest opened in 1950 as the Holiday Theatre and was part of the Park Forest Shopping Center”. It has been 5-plexed, but is still grinding away. I live in Manteno, about 20 miles south of Park Forest, I guess I should go up to Park Forest and check with the Historical Society and/or library and see if I can get the exact date and what was showing.
“Ladies and Gentlmen, This Is CINERAMA!” Lowell Thomas
Meredith Willson who wrote the musical plays and movies The Music Man and The Unsinkable Molly Brown was a native of Mason City. When the movie The Music Man, with Robert Preston, Shirley Jones and eight year old Ron (Ronnie) Howard had it’s world premier on June 19, 1962, it was in Mason City. Anyone know what theatre held the world premier?
ClevelandSGS, nevertheless, it’s nice to see any CINERAMA ad, THANKS!
CinemarkFan, thanks for all that great info!
CinemarkFan
dakotaben,
I’m disapointed, all this excitment about the opening of the Showplace 12 on the Golf Mill page and now that the Showplace 12 is open and has it’s own page, no info from this page or other info you might have, has been added to the new page. I live way down by Kankakee, Illinois a long drive from my old area around Glenview, please get as much info as you can on the Showplace 12 site, including it’s pre opening and first day movies. Sometime long into the future folks will find that very interesting. I think it’s important to get info about a new theatre on ASAP rather than trying to find out the info years from now. Thanks!
CinemarkFan
dakotaben
Brian Wolf,
In case you missed it, I just noticed that Jim Piscitelli has added Showplace 12, so you can now add all your info to that theatre’s page. The Golf Mill Theatre page can now go back to just being about the Golf Mill. May the Golf Mill R.I.P. even if it is sorta hard to do as a gym!
Brian Wolf, I wasn’t aware of that, to me a movie theatre is a movie theatre. Please go back to polls, see results, show all, older and go back 2 “pages” and August 8 05, “The Cinema Treasures website needs more information on..” Please read the coments of Ken Layton, Lost Memory, Ron Newman, Gerald A. DeLuca and William. Any thoughts on these comments?