Terminal Theatre

3315 W. Lawrence Avenue,
Chicago, IL 60625

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Ascher Brothers Inc., Balaban & Katz Corp.

Architects: John Edmund Oldaker Pridmore

Previous Names: New Terminal Theatre

Nearby Theaters

TERMINAL Theatre; Chicago, Illinois.

The New Terminal Theatre was one of the largest movie houses built in Chicago’s Albany Park neighborhood. It was opened by the Ascher Bros. on January 7, 1926 with Alma Rubens in “The Gilded Butterfly”. It boasted 4,000 seats, but in reality it had 2,456 seats. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer 4 manual, 17 ranks organ which was opened by organist ‘Larry’ Ambrose Larson. It replaced the Ascher Brother’s earlier (1915) Terminal Theatre at 3308 W. Lawrence Avenue, which became the Metro Theatre after the New Terminal Theatre opened.

The New Terminal Theatre was acquired from the Aschers not long after by the always-expanding Balaban & Katz chain, which ran this popular movie house into the 1960’s. It was closed on April 18, 1963 with Bette Davis & Joan Crawford in “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” & Paul Newman in “Sweet Bird of Youth”. The Terminal Theatre was demolished in the early-1970’s.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 68 comments)

Mikey
Mikey on March 25, 2011 at 5:12 pm

Hi, all. Been a while.

85 years since the Terminal opened? Wow, does that make me feel ancient.

Next month will mark 48 years since it closed. Last movie they showed was “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?”

The book store next to Cooper’s was Terminal Books, an apt name for ANY store in that area. ;–)

Mike

rivest266
rivest266 on June 27, 2012 at 6:47 pm

This reopened on January 7th, 1926. I uploaded the grand opening ad here.

Broan
Broan on October 10, 2015 at 9:06 am

Here is a nice view of the front.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 10, 2015 at 9:26 am

For some reason the highlighted “Here” link erases the cursor arrow, so it can’t be clicked on.
Even when Logged In to CT.
The highlighted links in the other comments still work.

RickB
RickB on October 10, 2015 at 4:59 pm

Another try for a link to the nice view of the front.

RickB
RickB on October 10, 2015 at 5:03 pm

For some reason that link goes to the page just before the targeted page. Scroll down, folks, I’m not messing with it any more.

Broan
Broan on January 17, 2016 at 6:08 pm

Here is a nice interior view from THSA. Several more are searchable there.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on February 18, 2021 at 10:10 am

1963 photo with Terminal in the background.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/dpirmann/48876598102?fbclid=IwAR1r2H5bhZovlsqnICRMOadFpPXbRlh_KgK_BBaUGDmD43M6EEzaSee2KqM

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on February 18, 2021 at 2:47 pm

Update: Closed in April 1963 with “Sweet Bird of Youth” and “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane”. Last Tribune clipping for the Terminal Theatre.

https://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/clip/71394366/chicago-tribune/?fbclid=IwAR31xTktO1ujm1p0sKvd2BK2HvELs9YOCz7ITCXQH6pn8Llx8wpwAfnpBPc

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