Sorry folks. I had to post this in order to deactivate my notification status for this particular theater.
My inbox has been overflowing with all the otherwise welcome activity this theater is receiving as of late.
Just caught an old matchbook cover of the Bismarck on Craigslist. The Swiss Chalet was the restaurant just East & connected to the lobby of the the theater/building. It appeared their own sign was mounted on the East end of the Bismarck overhang.
This theater just hosted the Hot San Jose Nights Car Show & Event. They ran the movie “American Graffiti”, and Candy Clark who played Debbie in the film made a personal appearance.
Yes, the taxes. That unfortunately was first & foremost in the destruction of many Near North side buildings of significance. Multiple individual units upwards, meant far more money in the city & county’s pocket.
Even 1920’s low rises built by historic architects were sacrificed.
The real gall was when such demolitions were questioned or exposed by preservationists, public officials arrogantly claimed “they weren’t that significant”. The S/W corner of Superior & Wabash comes to mind. Where Zuverink was the anchor tenant.
Torn down around early 2000. Shameful.
If this place is indeed for sale, why don’t the sellers post a link with the sale information? Price, yearly taxes etc. Then anyone who may have other buyers who might be interested, would have some type of link to forward. Why all the mystery between this page, and the story on CT’s “For Sale” page?
By the way, the film on the Woods marquee in “Mickey One” was “The Cardinal”. Which is the first film on JRS40’s 05/04/07 list of movies.
“Mickey One” itself would later play at the Woods as well when it was first released. Starting 10/27/65, according to the same list above.
Another notable Chicago site in the film was the old Gate Of Horn nightclub on the S/E corner Dearborn & Chicago Ave. Which doubled as a place called Xanadu in the film.
A club where Lenny Bruce had played and I believe was later arrested in.
Just watched the 1965 Warren Beatty film “Mickey One” on TCM.
Filmed in Chicago, it showcased the seedy side of a nightclub comedian on the run from the mob.
The underside of Woods Theatre marquee & the Woods Building had a brief appearance. Also an interior shot looking outward from the Woods Building lobby. The plywood walls from the construction of the Daley Center across the street can be seen in the background.
I just saw the “American Pickers” episode as well. I hope when the current owners vacate, that it can be saved or put back to use as a theater.
It appeared that it hadn’t been altered that much. Just a lot of antiques spread throuhout. Even in the balcony. Kudos to the current owners for keeping it as is.
Foreign films on some days, art films on others. They are soon to start a Film Noir series in August I believe.
It’s always an eclectic line up of films at the Music Box.
No. The Riviera is off of Lawrence & Broadway.
If you check the address the Mode was on Sheridan Rd., just South of the Sheridan Red Line elevated stop & Irving Park Rd.
It later was the Festival Theater, which ran XXX films & some live performances.
Thanks LTS for posting those. I’d completely forgotten about Aphrodite’s, the restaurant in the foreground of the 1st pic. A girl I knew called there about a job. Whoever answered the phone told her to come in person. Unfortunately it was just a dishwasher who wanted to meet girls. Management was none too happy with him.
In the 2nd B/W photo it looks like there is a miniature version in the foreground, of the then Granada blade.
I wonder if that was some type of restaurant that was tied to the Granada. Like say the Artist’s Snack Shop down by the Studebaker Theatre.
There was a recent (early May) story in the Milwaukee Sentinel that the Modjeska is now closed. The youth group that had been operating it at a deficit had to close it’s doors. Maybe someone can post the link.
Took me a while to track this theater down. I attended a dance show here that a friend’s sister performed in around 1986.
They performed “Businessman’s Lunch”, which included a famous typewriter themed dance routine.
I asked the school about the theatre’s history then, but had completely forgotten about it until now. I recall the stage as being quite wide. And the seating was nothing like an old theater. I believe we sat on platorms that had been built at different levels. Like a theater in the round would be. But the stage was still along the back, West wall as I recall.
I do not recall anything else about the interior.
Greetings gtl. You surely remember Oliver’s Pub then too. It was just to the North of Lane Drugs on Dearborn, directly across from the Playboy Theater. My grade school Ogden actually had our graduation luncheon there. Only on the Near North side in the `70’s, would a school take a bunch of kids to a bar.
If you are ever down there, there is still an Oliver’s Pub advertisement painted on the brick wall, across the alley from Five Faces. It is up on the East elevation above Shennanigan’s, and is partially covered by exterior duct work from when Shennanigan’s had a grill inside.
I’m sure you also remember the China Doll on the S/E corner too. With their fleet of bashed up, red AMC Gremlin delivery vehicles. Driven by drivers who literally parked by ear.
Thank you for the corrections. I remember the neanderthal in the museum case. But the chimp in the tux was why I was taken there by my parents. Is it possible there was more than one night to the premiere? We’d known Jerry Dukor for many years. He may have gone back and just met us there. He later worked at a CD store on North Ave. And at a florist called The Bronx Zoo at 12 E. Division. Jerry died around 2000.
We were regulars at the All Night Shows. Your husband did a fantastic job booking the films. We’d grab a bite beforehand at Lane Drugs, then again afterwards. Same waitress sometimes.
Nice Chuck1231. We’re those some type of promotional pics at one time?
They seem a bit enhanced with photoshop or something.
The street surface is perfect in one. Plus the moon, shadows and interior details in the night shot look almost fabricated.
At least the mobile phone masts will apparently be history. Can’t imagine any developer would maintain a lease with the cell phone companies. When the result is so unsightly. Who would want to buy in a building with all that clumsy stuff attached to it?
A lot of condo boards are now forbidding the addition of even satellite dishes on balcony railings from the onset.
Thanks for posting that. In the Flicker comments section someone confirmed the name of the bar next door was “Bar RR Ranch”. That’s where Channel 7’s Joel Daly/Sundowners played regularly.
jhallock, Check out the 7/24/09 post by Sonny D.
That appears to be the most current organization involved in saving the Midway. There is a website link embedded in that post.
Apparently Marilyn Miglin closed her Oak St. retail store for good, some time back. So any say she had in what went on with the Esquire is now possibly gone too. (See BWChicago’s 9/29/08 post) Unless she owns her building and is still an active Oak Street Council member.
Another novel idea would be to have Second City take over the management of Pipers Alley.
They could have mini live shows before the start of each film, to test out main stage material. Similar to what the Marx Bros. would do. They ironed out the kinks in routines that ultimately appeared rewritten in films, in front of a live audience first.
It could be a regular entertainment mecca over there. Plus the Second City ownership surely has the right connections,and would benefit from an improved theater nearby.
Sorry folks. I had to post this in order to deactivate my notification status for this particular theater.
My inbox has been overflowing with all the otherwise welcome activity this theater is receiving as of late.
Just caught an old matchbook cover of the Bismarck on Craigslist. The Swiss Chalet was the restaurant just East & connected to the lobby of the the theater/building. It appeared their own sign was mounted on the East end of the Bismarck overhang.
This theater just hosted the Hot San Jose Nights Car Show & Event. They ran the movie “American Graffiti”, and Candy Clark who played Debbie in the film made a personal appearance.
Yes, the taxes. That unfortunately was first & foremost in the destruction of many Near North side buildings of significance. Multiple individual units upwards, meant far more money in the city & county’s pocket.
Even 1920’s low rises built by historic architects were sacrificed.
The real gall was when such demolitions were questioned or exposed by preservationists, public officials arrogantly claimed “they weren’t that significant”. The S/W corner of Superior & Wabash comes to mind. Where Zuverink was the anchor tenant.
Torn down around early 2000. Shameful.
If this place is indeed for sale, why don’t the sellers post a link with the sale information? Price, yearly taxes etc. Then anyone who may have other buyers who might be interested, would have some type of link to forward. Why all the mystery between this page, and the story on CT’s “For Sale” page?
By the way, the film on the Woods marquee in “Mickey One” was “The Cardinal”. Which is the first film on JRS40’s 05/04/07 list of movies.
“Mickey One” itself would later play at the Woods as well when it was first released. Starting 10/27/65, according to the same list above.
Another notable Chicago site in the film was the old Gate Of Horn nightclub on the S/E corner Dearborn & Chicago Ave. Which doubled as a place called Xanadu in the film.
A club where Lenny Bruce had played and I believe was later arrested in.
Just watched the 1965 Warren Beatty film “Mickey One” on TCM.
Filmed in Chicago, it showcased the seedy side of a nightclub comedian on the run from the mob.
The underside of Woods Theatre marquee & the Woods Building had a brief appearance. Also an interior shot looking outward from the Woods Building lobby. The plywood walls from the construction of the Daley Center across the street can be seen in the background.
Which means the original walls & ceiling may be encapsulated after all. That is good news.
I just saw the “American Pickers” episode as well. I hope when the current owners vacate, that it can be saved or put back to use as a theater.
It appeared that it hadn’t been altered that much. Just a lot of antiques spread throuhout. Even in the balcony. Kudos to the current owners for keeping it as is.
Strange coincidence. In ken mc’s 1966 photo posted on 4/25/09, the film playing at the Loop is “Dear John”.
Foreign films on some days, art films on others. They are soon to start a Film Noir series in August I believe.
It’s always an eclectic line up of films at the Music Box.
No. The Riviera is off of Lawrence & Broadway.
If you check the address the Mode was on Sheridan Rd., just South of the Sheridan Red Line elevated stop & Irving Park Rd.
It later was the Festival Theater, which ran XXX films & some live performances.
Thanks LTS for posting those. I’d completely forgotten about Aphrodite’s, the restaurant in the foreground of the 1st pic. A girl I knew called there about a job. Whoever answered the phone told her to come in person. Unfortunately it was just a dishwasher who wanted to meet girls. Management was none too happy with him.
In the 2nd B/W photo it looks like there is a miniature version in the foreground, of the then Granada blade.
I wonder if that was some type of restaurant that was tied to the Granada. Like say the Artist’s Snack Shop down by the Studebaker Theatre.
There was a recent (early May) story in the Milwaukee Sentinel that the Modjeska is now closed. The youth group that had been operating it at a deficit had to close it’s doors. Maybe someone can post the link.
Took me a while to track this theater down. I attended a dance show here that a friend’s sister performed in around 1986.
They performed “Businessman’s Lunch”, which included a famous typewriter themed dance routine.
I asked the school about the theatre’s history then, but had completely forgotten about it until now. I recall the stage as being quite wide. And the seating was nothing like an old theater. I believe we sat on platorms that had been built at different levels. Like a theater in the round would be. But the stage was still along the back, West wall as I recall.
I do not recall anything else about the interior.
Greetings gtl. You surely remember Oliver’s Pub then too. It was just to the North of Lane Drugs on Dearborn, directly across from the Playboy Theater. My grade school Ogden actually had our graduation luncheon there. Only on the Near North side in the `70’s, would a school take a bunch of kids to a bar.
If you are ever down there, there is still an Oliver’s Pub advertisement painted on the brick wall, across the alley from Five Faces. It is up on the East elevation above Shennanigan’s, and is partially covered by exterior duct work from when Shennanigan’s had a grill inside.
I’m sure you also remember the China Doll on the S/E corner too. With their fleet of bashed up, red AMC Gremlin delivery vehicles. Driven by drivers who literally parked by ear.
Thank you for the corrections. I remember the neanderthal in the museum case. But the chimp in the tux was why I was taken there by my parents. Is it possible there was more than one night to the premiere? We’d known Jerry Dukor for many years. He may have gone back and just met us there. He later worked at a CD store on North Ave. And at a florist called The Bronx Zoo at 12 E. Division. Jerry died around 2000.
We were regulars at the All Night Shows. Your husband did a fantastic job booking the films. We’d grab a bite beforehand at Lane Drugs, then again afterwards. Same waitress sometimes.
Nice Chuck1231. We’re those some type of promotional pics at one time?
They seem a bit enhanced with photoshop or something.
The street surface is perfect in one. Plus the moon, shadows and interior details in the night shot look almost fabricated.
At least the mobile phone masts will apparently be history. Can’t imagine any developer would maintain a lease with the cell phone companies. When the result is so unsightly. Who would want to buy in a building with all that clumsy stuff attached to it?
A lot of condo boards are now forbidding the addition of even satellite dishes on balcony railings from the onset.
Thanks for posting that. In the Flicker comments section someone confirmed the name of the bar next door was “Bar RR Ranch”. That’s where Channel 7’s Joel Daly/Sundowners played regularly.
Just came across a Reader from Nov. 20, 1981.
It list’s “FRANK ZAPPA BAND. Next Friday, Nov. 27, 8 and 11:30 pm, Uptown Theatre 561-4110.”
So it made it through to at least the end of `81.
Can anyone imagine 2 Zappa sets in one night? Or asking any artist of his stature today to do 2 shows?
jhallock, Check out the 7/24/09 post by Sonny D.
That appears to be the most current organization involved in saving the Midway. There is a website link embedded in that post.
Apparently Marilyn Miglin closed her Oak St. retail store for good, some time back. So any say she had in what went on with the Esquire is now possibly gone too. (See BWChicago’s 9/29/08 post) Unless she owns her building and is still an active Oak Street Council member.
Another novel idea would be to have Second City take over the management of Pipers Alley.
They could have mini live shows before the start of each film, to test out main stage material. Similar to what the Marx Bros. would do. They ironed out the kinks in routines that ultimately appeared rewritten in films, in front of a live audience first.
It could be a regular entertainment mecca over there. Plus the Second City ownership surely has the right connections,and would benefit from an improved theater nearby.
Hey Cinemark, there was an article posted on the Broadway/Lakeshore page yesterday that it is now closing too.
It had been live theatre most recently.