Marbro Theatre
4110 W. Madison Street,
Chicago,
IL
60624
4110 W. Madison Street,
Chicago,
IL
60624
22 people
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Showing 1 - 25 of 274 comments
The decline of the neighborhood didn’t help.
I wrote about the Marbro and other B&K theaters in my book, West Side Girl. The chapter is called, “Saturday at the Movies.” These theaters were magnificent, absolute palaces of dreams. Sadly, very expensive to maintain. With the introduction of television, theater attendance dropped off and the theaters were prohibitively expensive to maintain and operate. Eventually, most of the theaters I attended as a kid, and my parents loved to patronize through their childhood and adulthood were demolished. They are gone but will never be forgotten.
Anybody have a good picture of the proscenium? The one scanned looks poor. It’s always the most beautiful theaters that get torn down. The few remaining are nice but not this breathtaking. And the Paradise looks like it had been the greatest of them all.
1932 photo & copy added courtesy of Bill White. Coincides with the first photo in the Marbro’s Photo Section. Both films were released in March & April of 1932.
Armed guards loading a case of money(?) onto an International A-3 armor plated truck owned by the Brinks Express Company.
It was reported in the July 29, 1927 issue of Motion Picture News magazine that the Marbro did well with its first Vitaphone presentation – a musical short featuring Benny Meroff and his band and the feature “Colleen”
1940’s photo added courtesy of Preservation Chicago.
@ TerryBarbarato: “Little Jack’s” was a locally-famous restaurant on Madison just east of Kedzie, and as you noted, they were famous for their ricotta-and-raisins cheesecake. The restaurant closed around 1962, but the cheesecake recipe (or one close to it) can be found on the internet with some searching.
Here are true movie Palaces…. Went many times in the 1950s, also the Paradise theater was another favorite.
Was there any fanfare for the last day of operation? I can’t remember. I know there were rumors in the neighborhood but nothing official.
My mother was a big bands singer back in the 30’s, and sang at the Marbro. Her maiden name was Mamie Menolascino. She started singing at the age of 14, appeared on television and the radio. After marriage to my dad, her name was Mae Tellone. She used to go to Jack’s for cheesecake after her performance, along with her family that came to see her. Does anyone recognize this name? Perhaps the band leaders out there? Thanks!
As a youngster in the 50’s Mom would take us to the Marbro on a Saturday afternoon…That was a real treat for us….
February 26 1964. The Marbro had a closed circuit tv event of the Sonny Liston Cassius Clay fight. The Tribune article claims 5000 in attendance.
Anybody have a picture of the last writing on the marquee which said “THEATER CLOSED, PLEASE VISIT THE B&K STATE”? Wasn’t lit up of course, but sure looked sad on that giant marquee.
October 17, 1963 appears to have been the Marbro’s last day of operation; the features were “The Caretakers” and “Johnny Cool.”
I remember the Marbro and the nice shopping area near it pretty well. I have a question for anyone who lived near that area in the 1960s:
Back then there was a small pizzeria on the 4400 block of W. Madison St. named Sorrento’s (on the north & even side of the street). They had GREAT pizza. The gentleman who ran it (presumably his last name was “Sorrento”) also had a brother who ran another Sorrento’s, also on the north & even side of Madison St., east of Austin Blvd. (maybe the 5800 block?).
Does anyone know what happened to their pizza restaurants? When the neighborhood crime rose dramatically, they moved out, and I’m pretty sure the one on the 4400 block of Madison St. was gone by 1968 or 1969. I was curious if they relocated (as opposed to just going out of business), and if they are maybe in business in some form today.
I have uploaded a Marbro picture. Almost identical to the postcard view I uploaded previously. No doubt was taken at the same time using the same camera set up.
Thanks – lots more stories where that one came from.
Anita really made me smile! reading of ol Madison street!
wow ted most of that was before my time I came along in 64 but I grew up at off the street club and I just saw ralph last week! he is still same just older!
My Grandfather Jean Anthony Greif was an Organist at Marbro. He also performed at other theatres. He was a composer, organist, inventor and business Man. http://www.pstos.org/organists/wa/greif.htm
Anita, What wonderful stories you tell! I hated to finish. I can feel your passion because I was there too. Your stories are excellent and I can hardly wait for more. Many many thanks…….
All covered in my stories
AND COLUMBUS PARK WAS THE ONLY PLACE WE WENT TO FOR SWIMMING.DO I HAVE REAL STORIES ABOUT THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD.WE STILL HAVE THE HOUSE AND MY SISTER LIVES THEIR ON CONGRESS AND KEELER. WE HAD TO TAKE TAP DANCING LESSONS ON MADISON JUST BEFORE PULASKI ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET. BUT OFF THE STREET CLUB WAS THE BEST
Im just going crazy right now. My mom used to take us out for a dinner night to Walgreens on madison and Pulaski or the expensive one on keeler and madison on the SE corner. Man going trick or treating on Halloween on madison with my brothers . Went to the ALEX , Byrd , and another one on Austin and MADISON. wow . THE MEMORIES TED
Ted – check out my stories for some memories.
Links to West Side Girl essays:
Saturday at the Movies http://thewriteplaceatthewritetime.org/ourstoriesnonfiction.html If I Were 21 I’d Vote for Kennedy http://fairclothreview.com/if-i-were-21-id-vote-for-kennedy-by-anita-oswald/ Aidan’s Road Trip http://fatcityreview.com/beta/aidans-road-trip-anita-solick-oswald/ Some Assembly Required http://fatcityreview.com/some-assembly-required-anita-solick-oswald/ Bethlehem on Madison Street http://fairclothreview.com/bethlehem-on-madison-street-by-anita-solick-oswald/ Hot Diggity Dog and Interview http://www.thewriteplaceatthewritetime.org/firstannualcontest.html Leaves http://www.thewriteplaceatthewritetime.org/fiction.html