Mars Theatre

4824 Alexander Avenue,
East Chicago, IN 46312

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Denverpalace
Denverpalace on July 14, 2024 at 4:42 pm

The theater at 4824 Alexander Avenue in the Indiana Harbor side of East Chicago, IN, had several names. It was listed in the phone directory as the Twin City Theatre from March 1926 through February 1934. In September 1934 it was advertising as the Midtown Theatre. From March 1936 until November 1946 it was the Midway Theatre. In December 1946 it became the Mars Theatre. I didn’t find any ads placed after May 1951.

rivest266
rivest266 on July 24, 2017 at 5:49 am

This opened on December 10th, 1946 (or at least the first ad bought). Ad in the photo section.

Spurts
Spurts on May 10, 2017 at 11:32 pm

John (Spirovich) Alex

I was born and raised in East Chicago, Indiana in 1932. As a young boy I grew up in my Grandmother’s house at 4920 Alexander…………about a half a block from the Midway Theater. I spent many hours going to the movies there while growing up…… The owner’s mane was Mr. Whitehead……….I remember that he wold always stand in front of the theater, he always had one of his hands in his trouser pocket shaking the coins in his pocket…During those late 1930’s and early 1940’s the Midway Theater gave dinner wear to patrons who bought admission into the theater………

Seating was segregated in the theater with Negros’s seating on the left side seating and the white’s seating in the middle and right side seating of the theater…

There were ushers directing patrons to their seats and kept order in the theater during showing of the movie….

I did have a job working for the Midway Theater…I handed out ‘Handbills" around the neighborhood informing them what movies were to be playing…….. my pay was free admission into the theater and a box of popcorn…………

If any members of your website has any photo’s of the Midway, and once called the Mars Theater I would appreciate getting copies of them

This is a really special Website..thanks for all you do for movie buffs like me………

I enlisted in the military in 1953……Visited back in 1958………..Things had really changed but my memories of the old days there have never changed…

John in Montana

Donald L.Morton
Donald L.Morton on February 28, 2012 at 5:56 pm

I WAS IN THIS THEATER ONE TIME,IN ABOUT 1954, AFTER IT WAS CLOSED. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG IT HAD BEEN CLOSED. TED MYJEWSKI, WHO OWNED THE CALUMET THEATER IN HAMMOND, INDIANA HAD PURCHASED THE SEATS AND I WAS THERE TO HELP REMOVE THEM FROM THE MARS THEATER AND INSTALL THEM IN THE CALUMET. AS I RECALL WE MUST HAVE ARRIVED THERE AROUND NINE AM ON A WEEK DAY AND FINISHED REMOVING THEM AND LOADING THEM INTO A RENTED CARGO VAN AROUND FOUR AM THE NEXT DAY. THERE WERE ABOUT FIVE OF US NOT COUNTING MR. MYJEWSKI. MR. M BOUGHT US LUNCH AND DINNER. AS I RECALL BURGERS, FRIES, AND FOUNTAIN POP. THREE PEOPLE RODE IN THE CAB AND THREE OF US RODE IN THE BACK ALONG WITH THE SEATS. IT’S A WONDER THE LOAD DIDN’T SHIFT AND INJURED ONE IF NOT ALL OF US.

LouisRugani
LouisRugani on March 17, 2011 at 6:38 pm

On this day in 1939, the theatre was listed as the MIDWAY in the Hammond Times (playing “Prison Break” and “Carnival Queen”.)