Downtown Chicago's Historic Movie TheatresThe story of downtown Chicago--its early development, later struggles, and current restoration--is mirrored in the history of the theatres that occupied its streets. This vivid chronicle tells the tale of the Windy City's theatres, from mid-nineteenth century vaudeville houses to the urban decline and renewal of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Discussed are the rebuilding efforts after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the first nickel theaters showing "moving pictures," the ornate silent movie palaces, the move to "talkies," the challenges of the Great Depression and the introduction of television, and urban decline. Today, Chicago has preserved some of its most historic movie palaces, landmarks of cultural vibrancy in its reawakened downtown. With nearly 200 photographs from the Theatre Historical Society of America, this work brings to life all of the theatres that have enlivened Chicago's entertainment district, reflecting the transformation of downtown Chicago itself. |
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advertised Amusement Apollo atre Auditorium August Balaban and Katz balcony block boxes built burlesque Casino Center Chicago Daily Tribune Chicago Theatre Chicago Tribune Cinerama Cinestage circuit Clark Street Company Dankmar Adler Dearborn December designed downtown Chicago drama entrance Erlanger facade feature films feet fire Garrick Theatre Gene Siskel Grand Opera House Harris Hotel January Jones June leased legitimate theatre Linick and Schaefer lobby Loop main floor Majestic manager marquee McVickers Michael Todd movie house movie palaces movie theatres moving pictures nickel theatres North November October Olympic orchestra Oriental Theatre Orpheum Orpheum Circuit penny arcades performance play popular premier presented projectors proscenium Rapp remodeled renamed reopened screen seating capacity Selwyn September Shubert South State Street stage starring State-Lake Studebaker studios theatre became theatre chain theatre closed Theatre opened theatre’s Todd-AO Trib ture United Artists vaudeville West Madison Street West Randolph Street Woods Theatre Ziegfeld