Sterling Theater
402 Locust Street,
Sterling,
IL
61081
402 Locust Street,
Sterling,
IL
61081
5 people
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The Illini Theatre opened on March 10, 1924. The Illini converted to sound. It was given a major renovation under its third operator in 1930 becoming the Sterling Theatre before burning down in July of 1943. A new-build Sterling Theatre on the same lot proved to be a winner staying in business into the 21st Century.
George L. Greenough and W.A. Weeks operated the Grand Theatre across the street in the venerable Galt & Tracy Block that housed the Academy of Music . The Grand had opened in 1914 and became undersized for its needs. Meanwhile, the Academy of Music was flagging as live event venues in small-sized towns and medium-sized cities had been under financial pressure since World War I. Additionally, second floor opera houses were in quick descent as their safety was often questionable at best. A ground floor option combining live events and film was decided upon.
In 1923, Greenough and Weeks built a mammoth 1,000 seat venue called the Illini Theatre launching March 10, 1924 right across the street from their baby Grand and behind the Greyhound Bus terminal. The Illini Theatre replaced John Hoppler and Son’s Oakland Automobile Agency (which scooted over to 414 Locust and, in 1926, added the GM lower-cost Pontiac to the Oakland line). The Illini would also share its entry with the Greyhound Bus depot. Local organist Mary Celeste Ward was at the console of the venue’s $12,000 Bartola pipe organ on the March 10, 1924 opening show. (The organ was said to have been produced for Barton by the Wangerin Organ Company in Milwaukee.)
Three months after launching the Illini, the Grand suffered a projection fire on June 16, 1924 and did not appear to reopen. Max and Herman Louis Gumbiner’s Gumbiner Bros. Enterprises, a Chicago-based theatre circuit, took on the Illini effective January 1, 1926. On October 30, 1929, Vitaphone was in and organist Nova Morehouse was let go.
In 1930, the Illini Theatre got a major refresh and was renamed the Sterling Theatre and was under the auspices of Lucas Circuit (Sterling Theatre Company) which also operated the Lincoln Theatre. The Sterling relaunch occurred on October 9, 1930 with “Follow Thru” supported by vaudeville. The Circuit decided to reinstitute live organ music and searched for a player. They hired Mary Celeste Ward, the original organist who - after a brief radio organist job in radio at Iowa City’s WSUI - returned on October 11, 1930 and played virtually every night at the Sterling Theatre thereafter including June 1, 1942’s film line-up before dying on her way home after that show. The original Sterling Theatre was destroyed a year later by fire on July 9, 1943 in what appears in photos to be a projection booth explosion.
The Sterling’s operators, J.C. Kantos and Franklin Ford, got permission from the War Production Board on December 15, 1943 to rebuild in the same spot. The pair signed Dixon-based architect John R. McClane and he delivered a new 1,020 seat New Sterling Theatre. The streamline moderne house launched on September 28, 1944 and had a very successful run into the 21st Century.
The earliest mention of the Sterling Theatre I’ve found in the trade journals is this item from the September 1, 1923 issue of Moving Picture World:
Another notice appears in the October 20 issue of the same publication:The November 3 issue of Motion Picture News also noted the project:Website: http://www.sterlingtheaters.com/
From saukvalley.com, April 19th, 2013:
“STERLING – It’s official: The Sterling Theater will open July 3, its new operator said.
Skip Huston, who owns The Theater Management Group, said Thursday that he plans to open the brew and view – which means wine and beer with your movie, if you like – with “a brand new, exclusive film. A big, big movie for the summer.”
Huston had hoped to open in May, as it says on the theater marquee, but much work has yet to be done."
Photo from December, 2010 of the former Sterling Theatre. Looks to be intact with what appears to be a For Lease sign in its window.
I understand this theatre has been successfully operated as a discount house but was closed in 2008 due to some management matters as well as some air conditioning problems. Those have been worked on and the owners plan to reopen the Sterling in early 2009. In the meantime, they are still offering the theatre FOR SALE. Contact Mark at 217-549-3000
Yes, this stylish venue IS for sale! Check out: http://www.21stcinemas.com/sterling.htm
I will post a contact number for the owners, shortly!
Here’s a 2008 view: http://www.boxsetgallery.com/stein/index4.html
Is this theater for sale?
This theater is now operated by 21st Century Cinemas, the same company operating the nearby Plaza 4 in Dixon. The site layout looks very similar to the Sensible Cinemas site, which makes me think the companies may be related. The SterlingTheater.com site linked above is now gone.
http://www.21stcinemas.com/sterling.htm
It is now known as the Sterling Cinemas and operated as a discount theatre by the Sensible Cinemas chain with a website http://www.sensiblecinemas.com/
Is it still part of Classic Cinemas? I dont see it anywhere on their website