Regal Theater

April 1941 photo credit Russell Lee, Library of Cogress Collection link. Click on image within link to enlarge for greater detail.

https://www.loc.gov/item/2017788764/

You may be on to something. Below is a 1947 Wayne Miller photo, that reads “Looking North on South Parkway at 47th. And pictured is a theater that is clearly not the Regal. Looking North would put the even numbers on the left/West side of the street in that photo.

However all other sources claim the Regal address as 4710, including books referencing the architects Levy & Klein. And the original Lou Rawls theater project that fell through mentioned in the Overview at the top, was only referred to as being “close to the site of the Regal Theater”. Not necessarily on it. The Harold Washington Cultural Center Wikipedia page, seems to be the only source that claims it is in the same site as the Regal stood. And Wikipedia should never be trusted to be accurate. (They list the Century/Diversey Theatre at the 4710 address too. On Levy & Klein’s page.)

Below is the Wayne Miller photo I referenced.

http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&ALID=2K7O3RBDRROO

Crisper version of the Easter Sunday 1941 photo, photo credit Russell Lee via the Farm Service Collection.

This comment affects to entries (THE MET & THE REGAL). Chicago has an address scheme that causes EVEN numbers to appear on the WEST and NORTH, while ODD numbers appear on the EAST and SOUTH.. The Regal is on the EAST side of King Drive, therefore 4719. The MET was across the street therefore it would have been something like 4744 …

Who would have thought the fabulous Regal Theater would be closed. There needs to be a move to reopen the theater, showing old black and white movies, with talent shows every saturday and sunday. Lets get this thing started call it the Regal Theater Ressurection.

Auditorium picture here:

http://cinewiki.wikispaces.com/Regal+Theater+and+African-American+Exhibition+in+Chicago,+The+

Many of the handbills, show posters and tinted photograps (including those of Al Hibbler, Sarah Vaughan and Dizzy Gillespie) that were in the offices at the Regal were given to Gerri Oliver, who ran the Palm Tavern, where the stars would go after their performances. They remained on the walls until 2001 when she closed up shop. She still has them in her posession.

At the risk of nitpicking, the South Side sister of the Aragon Ballroom would have been the Trianon at 62nd and Cottage Grove; aside from similar size, general layout and richness of furnishings, both were developed and run by the Karzas Brothers, sharing the same entertainers and under the same race-restrictive admission policy.

Here is a 1973 photo from the archives of the Chicago Tribune:
http://tinyurl.com/dkxtth

That photo was taken in 1940. Note the Savoy Ballroom just down the street.

If anyone has good-quality photos of the Regal Theater â€" especially of the interior and/or of theater staff, please link to them from here or e-mail me (via my profile)! They would be GREATLY appreciated; I am hoping to draw a comic strip partially set in the Regal Theater.

Photos from the 1940s and later would be most helpful.

Here is a photo from the Library of Congress:
http://tinyurl.com/2mkgl5

My Great Uncle was Joeseph Trinz, originally from Vienna Austria, who owned and started the Lubliner and Trinz movie chain in Chicago in the early teens. He was an early investor in Nickelodeans that later became moving pictures. He was bought out by Baliban and Katz in the late 1930’s. As a child, my father would go out from New York to Chicago with is mother to visit in the summer and could walk into any movie house for free because of his Uncle Joe!

Here is another link:
http://tinyurl.com/occm4