Marquette Theatre
3157 W. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60632
3157 W. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60632
9 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 37 comments
February 12, 1982 ticket image added credit Daniel Linehan. Live concert scheduled but never happened, a year and a month after the Marquette’s closing.
http://cinematreasures.org/photos/411331
August 1987 demolition photo credit Edward Kwiatkowski via Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eddie-chicago-railfan/3090736896/in/album-72157632051630805/
The Marquette Theatre was actually on 63rd Street; however, the building did wrap around on Kedzie Avenue. We all said the Marquette Theatre was at 63rd & Kedzie.
Does anyone know why old newspaper ads show the address as 3155 63rd.??? Were the newspapers giving the wrong address? You can see one of the ads That I posted in the “Photos” section here.
The 1923 exterior architectural sketch of Henry L. Newhouse and F.M. Bernham, architects of the 1,200-seat -at opening in 1924 – Marquette Theatre – can be found in photos. Fitpatrick & McElroy owned the theatre but leased it to competitor Balaban & Katz for the first ten years. Ten stores including the Oriental Café on the second floor of the theatre adjoined the building.
Sad when a movie theater dies
Here is a nice photo prior to demolition
Thank you VintageBob. Yes, you’re right in that it is a sad photo, but it’s good to know that there are still some of us around who recall the Marquette in fond memory. We loved it! Thanks again – Danny.
Here are some newly discovered although sad photos of the demolition of the Marquette Theater in Aug. 1987.
http://eddiesrailroad.blogspot.com/2012/02/demolition-of-marquette-theatre.html
The Marquette Theate closed on this date in 1981 with its final movie being THE ARISTOCATS.
Hey, Jim. Type in “Marquette Theater 63rd Street and South Kedzie Avenue.”
i can’t find it
The Marquette Theatre now has a Facebook page. Check it out.
Thank you for the photos. Hopefully, somebody can post photos of the theatre when it was open. One thing I would like to point out:
Up above in the history section, it claims that the theatre opened in 1917. I don’t think that’s accurate. I’ve seen a lot of movie ads from that period and the Marquette is never listed. According to THS the Marquette opened in 1925, that might be more accurate. The theatre did close after the first weekend of January, 1981 with it’s last movie being THE ARISTOCATS. The first movie I saw there was in the summer of 1971 and that was THE MILLION DOLLAR DUCK; the last movie I saw there was FADE TO BLACK in November , 1980.
View link
Pretty cool shot.
i found a picture of the marquette theatre!!!!!!!!!
thanks danny, so much. anyone want it, let me know.
Jim & Tim, there is at least one picture of the Marquette taken in 1986, a year before the demolition and also 3 or 4 pix of the actual demolition. Go to www.flickr.com and search for “Marquette Theater Chicago.” I know these are not the type of photos that we, as friends of the old Marquette in it’s heyday would like to see, but, as sad as they are; they are something at least. Also, if you look at the photo presentation on the right side of the page you can arrow right or left and find some more photos taken around that area of 63rd & Kedzie from the mid-80’s. – Happy Trails, Danny
thanks tim, i’ll try. i did go to the southwest news herald last summer, and they were in the middle of putting all of their old newspapers on disc, or fiche, or something. they never got back to me. i’d love some pics of the area.
Jim, try to contact the Southwest News-Herald. I remember back in September, 1976 there was a picture on the front page with these senior citizens protesting something or another as they were marching down 63rd Street. A photographer snapped a picture of them as they marched past the Marquette Theatre. Also, in July or August, 1978, there were Polish-American protesters who were demonstrating out in front of the Marquette Theatre. They were protesting the Burt Reynolds movie entitled THE END. Maybe the Southwest News-Herald has some pictures of that situation. Also, try contacting some local tv news outlet. They might still have video tape of the Polish protest. Good Luck from Tim O'Neill
i have many memories of marquette theatre.i grew up down the block from cerny brothers. my 1st movie: cool hand luke,one of my 1st ‘R’ movies: blazing saddles. my 1st boob shot: death race i remember sneaking in through the back doors, while people yelled “close the door”!or my mom buyin 1 ticket, getting me in, and go shopping as i watch the godfather. and at the age of 10! so no wonder i’m messed up. i’m 46, and would love to hear from other people about the old neighborhood. i’d also love to share pictures. you can’t find any of the marquette theatre online. so please respond.i’ll dig some up myself.
As a child in the 50’s I lived near the southeast corner of Midway airport at 64th Place & Central ave. A quick walk down to 63rd St. to catch the Stoney Island bound CTA bus transported me and my brother to 63rd & Kedzie and the Marquette Theatre. – – What wonderful memories I still have today of the old Marquette. One in particular was from around 1959 when we saw House on Haunted Hill, a William Castle production presented in “Shock-O-Rama” I believe it was called. It was heavily advertised outside the theatre. They had lighted skeletons on wires to “float” overhead in conjunction with the skeleton scene from the movie. Also, some of the seats had a low level electric shock or buzz which scared the daylights out of those lucky kids who happened to be in one of the seats. With the girls screaming (and some of us boys) it made quite an impression on this 10 year old at the time. I believe it was the only time I was ever actually scared in a theatre. They also occasionally had Saturday afternoon matinee, live horror shows. Folks in monster costume would run up and down the aisles trying to scare the kids, especially between features at intermission. As I think back, I pity the poor folks who had to clean up after these events. The popcorn and candy that were thrown surely made quite a mess. – – Ah, the old Marquette … I loved it! You could get a ticket for a quarter, popcorn for a dime, and memories enough to last a lifetime. Farewell old friend, you may be gone now but you live forever in my heart.
we lived right up the street in the 3200 block of west 63rd st——we had a number of theater with walking distance——of course the marquette—-the lawn about 2 blocks up 63rd st——the colony at 59th and kedzie———and a mile east the hiway between 63rd and 62d on western ave—-we would walk up 63rd only on nice days ——to cold in the winter and to hot in the summer to i sold newspapers on the sw corner of 63rd and kedize for a preety demanding boss—we sol the trib,sun-times, hearald-american,and the daily news——-we had no air conditioning in our flat(apartment)——the marquette had a 1st rate system——you didn’t have to wait to long to get the 1st run movies from downtown—-the thing i remember most about the marquette was the ticket taker—-i believe his name was mr tierney-a very trim gentlemen with a beautiful head of white hair——he would ocasionally let us in for free——-on hot summer afternoons—-the whole staff was super nice ticket sales ladioes -refreshment stand server——ushures-funny a saw many movies at the marquette-but the thing i remember most was the theater stff—-1st rate —-the very best
The front marquee, which faced 63rd Street, was made up of large capital letters that spelled out MARQUETTE. I can imagine it was impressive when lit-up.
The front of the theatre was nothing special, but how ‘bout his double feature…Planet of The Apes and Soylent Green. The later Edward G. Robinson’s last movie.
As for location, the theater took up the entire southeast corner of 63rd and Kedzie. There were store fronts that fronted the sidewalk but the theater for the most part had the entire corner to the alley.