AMC Chicago Ridge 6
500 Chicago Ridge Mall,
Chicago Ridge,
IL
60415
500 Chicago Ridge Mall,
Chicago Ridge,
IL
60415
10 people
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The entire mall including the Chicago Ridge 1-2-3 did replace Oak Lawn’s Starlite Drive-In, which closed at the end of the 1979 season.
First Opened As A Triplex As “Chicago Ridge 1-2-3”. It Became A 6-Screener And A Cineplex Odeon Operated Theater On July 1, 1988.
Yes, I Checked. It Opened On July 31, 1981. Please Update.
I found something in the newspapers suggesting it opened 7/31/1981.
It seems a lot of folks think this theater opened July 1, 1988. This is not correct. That date is the opening for the Commons Cinema across the street (99th St.) from the main Mall. The Chicago Ridge Mall Theatre was in business earlier in the 80’s. I have added in the photo section a ad showing what was playing at the theater in 1986. The theater was open earlier. I believe some of the confusion is because it became a AMC Theatre in ‘88. Same theater, different name.
From the photos, wow, the C-O logo lasted until at least 2009 (based upon “17 Again’s” release date! Is that logo stil there?
July 1st, 1988 grand opening in photo section. They also had trouble with construction
I would love to see pics of the interior of the theater. Even it’s entrance in the mall.
Last Friday, I attended a screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” at the new and improved AMC Chicago Ridge Theatres. The complex has done extensive renovations to the lobby and theatres. Each theater is equipped with new screens and seats (recliners for each moviegoer!). In the re-designed lobby, a full bar and lounge area has been added for patrons who wish to “brew & view”. Praises to AMC for finally upgrading this 31 year-old complex and providing a great theater experience located in one of the best malls in the Chicagoland area.
Photo of the sign for the theatre as well as the grand opening ad posted in the photo section. Will someone get in that mall and get the theatre entrance? An phone picture will be OK.
The theatre was opened by F&F Enterprises (Golf Mill 1-2-3), who later merged their operations with Essaness. Cineplex Odeon took over the theatre when they acquired the Chicago-area Essaness locations in 1986.
Question the STARLIGHT was on the spot whare the mall is now i was told that the STARTLIGHT was on the cor of 95th and ridgland whare the candy store is at now . Can some one help me with this thanks
Paul,
No, this is one of the rare locations that didn’t get remodeled into that style. The carpeting has the same style that the Esquire had (sea green/blue). The auditoriums now have blue drapes on the walls. Before 2003, it had red/gold drapes. Wild guess here, that style may have dated back to Essaness. The two sets of concession stands and lobby colors are pink/light red (the lighting scheme makes it pink). And this also has the honor of being one of those rare 80’s cinemas with multiple bathrooms. There’s a set of bathrooms right after you buy your tickets, one right near the entrance to auditorium #4 (or is it #3?), and one by #1. Nice theater, but my only problem is the screens. #5 is the largest, with nearly 500 seats. Yet you can tell that #5 and #6 used to be one large and wide screen, Possibly the one that ran 70MM. My guess is CO split it in ‘94.
On another note, Kerasotes is opening the Showplace 14 nearby at 71st & Harlem. I hope CR will still hold it’s own.
Cinemark Fan,
Did Cineplex-Odeon remodel it into their “classic” C-O scheme like at the Lincoln Village or Burnham Plaza?
Was just at the mall a few days ago this theatre is in a good spot with 2 entrances right off of the food court.
Paul, it opened July 31st 1981 (was supposed to open on the 24th, but didn’t because of a union strike) as a three screener under Essaness Theaters. Sometime in 1982 or 83 for reasons unkown, it became an independent theater. Not very long after, they added a fourth screen. It remained an indie until about 1987, when Cineplex Odeon took over. In 1994, CO remodeled it, and cut up the large screen and another screen to create screens 5 & 6.
And of course, it became a Loews Cineplex in June 98, then AMC in January 2006. To my knowledge, it still does great business. For a place that turns 26 in a few weeks, it looks good too.
How did this theatre end up in the AMC Chain? Was it orginally a Plitt, General Cinema, M&R, or Essaness? I found some movie listings for 1985 on microfilm and this place was not shown under any of those chains.
I worked weekends at the Starlite Drive-In (min. wage $1.25hr) in 68-70. My uncle was assistant manager for Starlite and Jack Trobe was the manager for both, Studio and Starlite. I remember the screen being blown down by the tornado of 67, Terry’s Discount Store, then sold and called “Community”, the “Slide” which was made out of fiberglass and you sat on a burlap bag to slide down the humps on (much better in the rain), the go-cart track and for a couple years they rented snowmobiles in the winter (real dogs, but then back then they all were). My uncle around Holloween or when a blood and guts movie was playing would put up a freak show in the concession stand and would dangle neon colored skeletons off the top of the screen the whole time screaming scary sounds. Ahh the good old days. He also owned a cleaning service and we would clean the Studio after it closed. About 2-3am back to Starlite to wake up the drunks and chase the cars out, then lock up and back to the Studio to finish cleaning. My uncle would lock us inside to clean and he would return about 8am to help finish up, then back to Starlite to clean the lot of all the crap thrown out from the cars. Made for a long night-day. I got a million memories and a lot of good time at the Old Starlite Drive-In.
I was an usher at the old “Studio Theater” during the late summer and thru the fall of 1963. As such, I also filled in at the “Starlite Drive-In”, which was right behind the “Studio”. It was a cush job and helped me meet lots of teenaged girls. The movie “Bye Bye Birdie” came out that summer and it seems like I must have seen it at least a thousand times! Behind the drive-in was the local garbage dump and it has often been reported that scenes from the granddaddy of all slasher films: “Blood Feast”, was filmed there. But, I am fairly certain that those scenes were filmed at a different dump… most garbage dumps looked pretty much the same, in those days. Just east of the “Studio” there was a discount store, but it’s name actually was “Terry’s Discount…” (“Center” or “Store”; I’m not certain on that last word, any longer.) The manager of the “Studio”, in those days, was Frank McCrindle; the girl in charge of the concessions was named Carol; the assistant manager was Bob Goldberg and he drove a cherry, blue, 1960 Chevy convertible; his girlfriend’s name was Donna. There was also another usher, whose name was Bill, but I don’t remember his last name. Bob and I wound up getting fired from our jobs, because Bob had keys to the theater and decided to throw an after-hours party there one night; I was dumb enough to go along with the idea…. :–) So much for the “Summer of ‘63”… and the fall….
Now known as AMC Loews Chicago Ridge 6. I wonder if AMC will remodel it.
now probably will be called Westfield Shoppingtown Chicago Ridge Cinemas.
Westfield Group completes buy of Chicago Ridge Mall.
Westfield puts “Westfield Shoppingtown” in front of the name of each mall it owns, so Chicago Ridge has now become Westfield Shoppingtown Chicago Ridge.
The Studio closed in April 1979.
Community, yeah, that was the store. I don’t remember the tobaggan slides. I think the strip mall amd theatre were torn down in the late 70s (1976? 1977?) but the drive-thru Starlite survived a few more years.
Yep—The Studio and the * Starlite *! I remember them well! Also, I think there was a Community store in that strip mall, as well as a huge tobbaggan slide west of the theaters. Sad day when they tore those theaters down! CR Mall opened in 1980 or 81.
This theatre has six screens, not four.