Music Box Theatre
3733 N. Southport Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60613
3733 N. Southport Avenue,
Chicago,
IL
60613
64 people
favorited this theater
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Flickr link with a 1970’s black marquee photo.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lowellbeyer/2660219769/
The new marquee was created by Landmark Sign Group of Chesterton, Indiana. Art director was Jerry Lefere. Senior Technical Engineer was Terry Ambrosini. Many of the zinc castings were supplied by W. F. Norman Corp. of Nevada, Missouri and were identical to the originals. The center urn and scrolls were salvaged from the original marquee and reinstalled on the new structure.
Still works for me. You have to left click to highlight, and right click to Open Link in New Tab or New Window.
Link to news story about the new marquee with video.
http://abc7chicago.com/entertainment/music-box-theater-restores-marquee/3024849/?sf181172480=1
Yes, and many other films in 70mm in this year’s festival. Hook. Sleeping Beauty. Top Gun. The Agony and the Ecstasy. Spartacus. Interstellar. Lord Jim. West Side Story. Short Cuts. Kong: Skull Island. Top Gun. West Side Story. https://musicboxtheatre.com/events/the-music-box-70mm-film-festival
The Music Box will be showing “2001:A Space Odyssey” in 70mm June 30-July 6.
This opened on August 5th, 1983. Its grand opening ad can be found in the photo section. No ad found on August 22nd, 1929.
Haven’t been here in years. But my memory is that the concession stand was designed to blend with the lobby design. Hopefully whatever they put in during this renovation fits just as well.
It also looks like Louis I. Simon was really more of a structural engineer so Edward Steinborn may deserve more credit as design architect.
Must have been a typo, it was actually August 21. It’s not in that archive – not a complete archive – but I’ve posted it in the photos section.
Broan: I found the August 30, 1928 article in the tribune archives http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1928/08/30/page/19 but I cant locate the October 28 article, do you have a link to it?
http://archive.org/stream/exhibitorsherald97unse#page/n727/mode/2up Very interesting article and original blueprints
MCHarper: In this comment from 2005, Cinema Treasures contributor Broan cites two 1928 Tribune items naming Louis I. Simon as the architect.
Yes, the concession area is now on the opposite side of the lobby than before and is now more of a counter
I just read the article about the renovations. I can’t tell from the photos if the concession area has been redesigned, etc…
Can someone help me clear up the confusion over Louis I. Simon (not A) being the architect of the Music Box? and where can I go to get documentation?
This article outlines the expansion plans for the Music Box.
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140430/lakeview/music-box-add-lounge-tear-down-concession-stand-featured-curly-sue
got some more info via facebook from the theater – Eastman ‘25’ projector for 16mm playback. Kinoton FP-20 for 35mm projection in the second auditorium. The NEC projector is not 3D capable. No word on if a 7.1 movie could be played back as such though.
can the NEC do 3D projection? obviously there are five speakers (plus subwoofer) for 70mm features, but can they playback newer 7.1 discrete mixed films?
Main auditorium: 2 Century JJs (35mm/70mm). NEC digital projector. 16mm Eastman projector. Small auditorium (Theatre 2): Barco digital projector. Two 35mm projectors recently installed. I don’t know what kind; I will try to find that out and post info later.
so the Music Box can show 35mm, 70mm and DCP on the main screen – right? what type of projector do they have?
MB bulletin: crystal ball foresees screen #3
humor aside there’s news the theatre is expanding by purchasing the north adjacent property, ostensibly for the purpose of building a third auditorium in the existing building there. the sale just closed i think
The second screening room will be closed for nearly a month for renovations. Add: a much larger screen and digital capability. Subtract: 28 seats, reducing the seating capacity to 70. Story at DNAinfo.
Saw Vertigo here in 2005; auditorium is lovely. And took a peek at the mini-cinema, which is wildy decorated like an outdoor garden (I think). It was great to a see a 100 seat “atmospheric.”
excellent i will visit the theater,,it sounds very interesting,,and nostalgic