Central Park Theatre

3531 W. Roosevelt Road,
Chicago, IL 60624

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gregger59
gregger59 on October 14, 2024 at 11:44 am

The Central Park will once again be open to visitors during Open House Chicago, one day only – Saturday, October 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, see the site listing:

https://www.architecture.org/open-house-chicago/sites/recLxcP6wZXHx8VNi

Broan
Broan on June 17, 2024 at 8:48 am

The stage end of the auditorium ahead of the balcony was entirely remodeled, with the original walls, murals, and proscenium removed, the roof raised, and a full vaudeville stage with fly space installed as well as new organ chambers and a new orchestra pit. The seat count was reduced to 1746. The stage opened in April, 1924.

baraboowolter
baraboowolter on June 16, 2024 at 10:50 pm

Does anyone have any information on when the auditorium was remodeled to make for a larger proscenium? There is such a disconnect from the historic photo and the current photos. The National Register nomination for the theater just has a footnote that sometime in the 1920s the front of the house was drastically altered.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 12, 2023 at 11:40 am

Central Park Theatre is part of Open House Chicago, Saturday October 14 10am-5pm. No cameras per the link below.

https://openhousechicago.org/sites/site/central-park-theater/?fbclid=IwAR2nXciaH3UX445ZXjm-2v4_ToyY6ShEdrXbgZYI1UoW6vlHBHUwXpsYMc4#controls

0123456789
0123456789 on March 8, 2022 at 6:01 pm

The theatre is going to be restored. https://www.chicagobusiness.com/arts-entertainment/chicago-movie-house-central-park-theater-restoration-gets-new-push

LouRugani
LouRugani on February 11, 2022 at 6:44 pm

Harry Silverstein, about 25, was shot and killed at the rear of the Central Park Theatre on January 4, 1931. An ex-employee named Rappaport, 20, was on the back of the stage that night with electrician Herbert Imlach, Irving Riffkind and Robert Ross. About 8:30 P. M. a Bob Lewis approached Rappaport to say that Silverstein was outside and that Rappaport went to the stage door and that two shots were heard. Witnesses rushed down to see Silverstein grappling with Rappaport, who ran away to be apprehended at Mansfield, Ohio in February, 1935. He claimed self-defense, great fear of Silverstein, and a history of attacks by Silverstein from high school on combined with death threats without justification. Silverstein was 5'10" tall and weighed 180 pounds, while Rappaport was 5'5" and weighed but 115 pounds.

On the night of the homicide, Rappaport testified that he and some others played cards in the theatre for awhile and he later played solitaire. When made aware that Silverstein was present, he ran to the stage door, opened it and stepped into the alley where he was felled with a powerful blow and that they grappled; that the gun was in the pocket of his coat; that Troubles tore the pocket and the gun fell on the ground; that they both reached for it and in the struggle the gun was discharged; that he believed he was in danger of great bodily harm from Silverstein; that he did not see Ross, Riffkind or Imlach there at that time; that he left the gun on the ramp where it dropped after the shooting; that he immediately ran away, went to New York, assumed the name of Milton Stein, and traveled with a New York salesman through five or six states until he was arrested at Mansfield, Ohio. Riffkind testified that the noise of shots was a part of the picture then playing in the theatre.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on January 18, 2021 at 9:45 pm

Central Park Theatre marquee in 1966 at 0:55 in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4PVmYUCD0E

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on December 8, 2020 at 7:48 pm

Three links, a Go Fund Me page, restoration committee website and official Facebook page.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/central-park-theatre-restoration?fbclid=IwAR3GHRN_iNKjTM2GwM7ubCO876bFchwBhuaS_V_FdtUWOoeMBWx1l3xUMiM

https://centralparktheater.org/

https://www.facebook.com/The-Central-Park-Theater-101889271740886/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 10, 2020 at 11:24 am

Current Block Club Chicago article lists that address as 3531 W. Roosevelt.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/11/09/west-sides-historic-central-park-theater-being-restored-to-former-glory-and-getting-new-life-as-a-community-hub/?mc_cid=511791b417&mc_eid=ac428cb0ec&fbclid=IwAR0NSRp-X8WGGDfp_uydm31u9R1x2VXmPpPuf1aoYw2jxER1At6c43MhmPc

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 15, 2020 at 10:51 am

A 2013 video found by Tim O'Neill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SetJ4B-Z8X0&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR14zmIodyKYoxf4ieQ8xS0QXv7ex_XF72P1EHvPWXtiwJQOEDmP4i-JI7w

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on December 26, 2017 at 12:02 am

https://youtu.be/_R2yt1NiMWU

Broan
Broan on October 19, 2017 at 10:41 am

Contrary to the popular narrative, the Central Park did not open with air conditioning and was not the first in Chicago with air conditioning. Its sister, the Riviera, announced its “freezing plant” June 12, 1919. The Central Park’s was announced June 21, 1919. Ad is posted in Photos section.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 4, 2015 at 3:23 pm

Understood.
Thanks.

Broan
Broan on October 4, 2015 at 3:21 pm

It’s a hassle to write in the link HTML for everything when it can be copy-pasted just the same.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 4, 2015 at 3:16 pm

Thank you. Can you do the same with the Randolph?

Broan
Broan on October 4, 2015 at 3:13 pm

Try clicking this again. I have no idea why this isn’t working for you, but it’s an April 1918 issue, page 734

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 4, 2015 at 3:07 pm

OK, I got it to open up on Bing, not Google. It brings up a magazine from 1931. Is there a certain page that references the central Park?

Broan
Broan on October 4, 2015 at 3:00 pm

Just copy and pasted it in three different browsers and it worked fine.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 4, 2015 at 2:54 pm

Above link doesn’t work either.

throne3333
throne3333 on September 26, 2015 at 5:08 pm

Thank you DavidZornig for honoring my legendary uncle Dr. Lincoln Scott in your blog. He will moat definitely be missed. However, his passion to restore the amazing Central Park Theater lives. A not for profit Alternative Village is prepared to take to helm on Dr. Scotts behalf.The Central Park Theater has such an historical value to the North Lawndale community, we feel that yhe message muat be continued to be uttered throigh this restorative process.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 2, 2015 at 11:44 pm

Reverend Lincoln Scott who saved the building has died. Copy & paste to view.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/obituaries/ct-met-lincoln-scott-obit-0902-20150902-story.html

Broan
Broan on February 1, 2015 at 10:12 am

Probably was remodeled early on to provide a larger stage and screen.

baraboowolter
baraboowolter on January 31, 2015 at 11:03 pm

Upon comparing the historic interior photo with photos and videos of the church that is currently in the building, I have noticed that they don’t match. Clearly the historic photo has a “CP” on the valance of the proscenium opening so I take it that is for Central Park. Photos of the proscenium in the church don’t match nor does the ceiling. Can anyone help?

Broan
Broan on April 11, 2013 at 3:56 pm

On the West Side, maybe. There are some nice ones on the South Side.