Author & Radio Humorist (& creator of the film Christmas Story) once told a story when he was 16 & he hitched to Chicago from Hammond. The teens then tried to enter the Rialto Theatre when it was a burlesque house.
Hammond Indiana native Jean Shepherd once told the story of the destruction of the State Theatre on his WOR radio program. It’s in the Jean Shepherd archives dated 11-15-1963. It’s a good listen!
Jean Shepherd is the creator of the film Christmas Story and was a radio personality/storyteller for a few decades on WOR out of New York.
I worked at Cubs park during the late 80’s & early 90’s & I used to park right across from this theater. It was painted all white on the outside & it no longer had a marquee to speak of. I don’t recall the theater being open, but it was not boarded up for a long time (meaning that the regular doors were the only thing keeping people out). I did enter the theater during when it was being torn down. The Roman columns were still intact & the balcony went up very high. I could clearly make out the Roman motif on the ceiling. The seats were also long gone. I believe the theater was still there until 1992 or 1993. The neighborhood is now yuppiefied with new condos on the same street.
Author & Radio Humorist (& creator of the film Christmas Story) once told a story when he was 16 & he hitched to Chicago from Hammond. The teens then tried to enter the Rialto Theatre when it was a burlesque house.
The broadcast can be found at the Shep Archives:
http://shep-archives.com/netjuke/
Do a search for the title – Chicago Rialto 1972
Hammond Indiana native Jean Shepherd once told the story of the destruction of the State Theatre on his WOR radio program. It’s in the Jean Shepherd archives dated 11-15-1963. It’s a good listen!
Jean Shepherd is the creator of the film Christmas Story and was a radio personality/storyteller for a few decades on WOR out of New York.
I worked at Cubs park during the late 80’s & early 90’s & I used to park right across from this theater. It was painted all white on the outside & it no longer had a marquee to speak of. I don’t recall the theater being open, but it was not boarded up for a long time (meaning that the regular doors were the only thing keeping people out). I did enter the theater during when it was being torn down. The Roman columns were still intact & the balcony went up very high. I could clearly make out the Roman motif on the ceiling. The seats were also long gone. I believe the theater was still there until 1992 or 1993. The neighborhood is now yuppiefied with new condos on the same street.