Kedzie Theatre
3204 W. Madison Street,
Chicago,
IL
60624
3204 W. Madison Street,
Chicago,
IL
60624
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Firms: Rapp & Rapp
Previous Names: Kedzie Avenue Theatre
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News About This Theater
- Jul 23, 2007 — Chicago Theatre information help
The Kedzie Avenue Theatre opened in 1909, located in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on W. Madison Street near N. Kedzie Avenue. It was the second theatre to be designed by the Chicago based architectural firm Rapp & Rapp and the first to be totally designed by them. Their first was the auditorium of the Majestic Theatre, Cedar Rapids, IA which was attached to an already existing building.
Not long after the Kedzie Avenue Theatre opened, due to its apparent popularity, a smaller Annex Theatre, seating 750, was built just down W. Madison Street from the original theatre, called the Kedzie Annex Theatre (it has its own page on Cinema Treasures). The Kedzie Avenue Theatre was also called simply the Kedzie Theatre, and the Kedzie Annex Theatre, the Annex Theatre.
Both theaters closed by the 1950’s, and have long since been razed.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
The Kedzie Avenue was a 1909 Rapp & Rapp design.
As was the Kedzie Annex, with the Kedzie built in January and the Annex in August. I suppose you might just consider this the very first Twin!
Actually, this archtect question is getting confusing. Here are the permits issued:
01-06-1909 – 3204 W Madison – Rapp & Rapp – W.B. Malcomb
08-21-1909 – 3202 W Madison – Rapp & Rapp – Kedzie Amusement Co.
07-23-1910 – 3202-3206 W Madison – Sidney Lovell – Kedzie Amusement
12-10-1910 – 3202-3208 W Madison – Sidney Lovell – Kedzie Amusement
03-12-1912 – 3212-3218 W Madison – Sidney Lovell – Kedzie Amusement
So, make of that what you will. I don’t know quite how to interpret it.
The Kedzie Annex Sidney Lovell Architect Construction News Vol XXXIV No 13 September 28 1912 Chicago Ill One column of text Three half tone illustrations 725.8 Quarterly Bulletin Containing an Index of Literature from the Publications of Architectural Societies and Periodicals on Architecture and Allied Subjects V. 1-12, V. 13, No. 1-3; Jan. 1, 1900-Oct. 1, 1912 By American Institute of Architects
I recall the smaller theatre being known as the Cinema Annex.
(May 17, 1954)
Claims Legion Attempt to Suppress Film
CHICAGO <U.E>â€" A motion picture theater manager has accused the Illinois American Legion of using “confidential smears” and “intimidation” concerning the controversial picture “Salt of the
Earth."
M. A. Terman, manager of the Cinema Annex theater, said the state Legion’s antisubversive commission sent him a "letter of warning” about the picture, even though he has not booked it.
“I take exception to your letter even though I have no contract for ‘Salt of the Earth’,” he said in a letter to the commission. “It is McCarthyism in the world of art, and is the death of art.‘
The Legion has opposed the showing of "Salt of the Earth” on the grounds “that it was an endeavor on the part of the Communistic elements to produce the greatest Communist propaganda picture ever developed in the United States of America."
The committee’s letter to Terman said "the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, writers, producers, actors and actresses, connected with the production of the film, are all identified with the Communistic movement and later attempting to sell totalitarianism”.
As the Cinema Annex was a separate theater it should have its own Cinema Treasures page.
I just added a 1933 photo of the side of the Kedzie Theatre. Poster boxes indicate theatre is spelled with an “e” at the end, and not as theater. Should be changed accordingly on the Overview. Photo source unknown.