When I was stationed at nearby Ft. Lewis in 1963-64, I used to go to this theater for the latest Ingmar Bergman films like “Winter Light” and “The Silence”. At that time, it was called the Proctor. Great little moviehouse, and a nice place to take a date as well.
I attended a very large high school in Chicago that had a beautiful auditorium with a balcony and projection booth, and yes, movies were shown on occasion. I don’t think that qualifies it to be on CT any more than this one should be. The LaSalle Bank Cinema in Chicago showed movies every Saturday night in its bank auditorium. A cinema treasure? I think not.
Maybe it has the name because Minnesota is known far and wide as “The Gopher State.” Additionally, there are three other Gopher theaters in Minnesota listed on this website.
Even a multi-use format will be up against serious competition for venues. The Copernicus Center/Gateway is just a short distance away and has a large stage and auditorium and off-street parking next door. The Portage is also in the local area, and has more off-street parking in the neighborhood compared to the Patio. Maybe a multi-screen setup would be helpful, utilizing space in adjacent buildings to create additional auditoriums, such as was done at the Pickwick in Park Ridge and the Lake in Oak Park. This way, the main auditorium with its beautiful ceiling and details could be spared.
Sure you be nice to see the Patio reopened, in any incarnation.
Well, that map is completely in error. Laramie Avenue is 5200 West, and Austin Blvd is 6000 West. Therefore, 5962 would be at Austin, not Laramie. Check a street guide if you have any questions about this.
That picture from kenmc was taken at Lake and Austin, the end of the Lake streetcar line. That streetcar would be abandoned the following year. And that is the Park theater that I went to in my youth. So that 1953 picture is accurate for this particular theater.
The Lake Street L (Green Line currently) runs one block to the south on the same embankment that also carries Metra and Union Pacific trains. The L tracks move over from Lake street to the embankment at Laramie. Prior to this, the L trains descended a long ramp at Laramie to operate at street level to Harlem Ave in Forest Park.
Status should be changed to closed/demolished. This theater has been completely gutted between the outside walls and converted to retail space on the first floor, with apartments above. Compare the picture below to the black and white one posted above and look at the buildings flanking the center one, which is the former Uptown Theater. The parapets and roof lines are relatively unchanged, as well as the window configuration.
Marcus Theaters have announced that they are looking at a different location for this theater complex in Sun Prairie, WI, about 2 miles northeast of the previous site announced.
The trend seems to be toward multi-venue entertainment destinations. This new proposal is similar to Marcus' Majestic recently opened in Brookfield, WI.
Quentin Tarantino was interviewed on a recent CBS Sunday Morning show, and he confirmed that he had indeed purchased this theater. He and the reporter did some shots outside under the marquee, then went inside to continue the interview in the auditorium.
I worked at Madison and Pulaski (which my generation always referred to as Crawford) for many years in the 50’s and 60’s. The Cascade was on the south side of Madison near Hamlin. It was a great place to go bowling after work.
The Alex was on the north side of the street.
His choices of the two theaters might have had something to do with the fact that both were air conditioned in an era when most neighborhood theaters weren’t. My parents would often choose the Marbro to attend for this very reason.
I just saw the movie, and to my untrained ear, it seems that the theater is pronounced both Marbro and Marlboro at different points by different characters.
The website link given above takes you to the website for the High Places Church at the Grove, at the same address. The function should be changed to church.
When I was stationed at nearby Ft. Lewis in 1963-64, I used to go to this theater for the latest Ingmar Bergman films like “Winter Light” and “The Silence”. At that time, it was called the Proctor. Great little moviehouse, and a nice place to take a date as well.
On Google Maps, it looks like it’s a church now.
According to this website, it’s still a high school. http://reuther.kusd.edu/index.html
I attended a very large high school in Chicago that had a beautiful auditorium with a balcony and projection booth, and yes, movies were shown on occasion. I don’t think that qualifies it to be on CT any more than this one should be. The LaSalle Bank Cinema in Chicago showed movies every Saturday night in its bank auditorium. A cinema treasure? I think not.
Maybe it has the name because Minnesota is known far and wide as “The Gopher State.” Additionally, there are three other Gopher theaters in Minnesota listed on this website.
On the Chicagoland Watch List. http://www.landmarks.org/chicago_watch_2004_6.htm
Along with the Uptown, New Regal, Gateway, and Central Park.
Even a multi-use format will be up against serious competition for venues. The Copernicus Center/Gateway is just a short distance away and has a large stage and auditorium and off-street parking next door. The Portage is also in the local area, and has more off-street parking in the neighborhood compared to the Patio. Maybe a multi-screen setup would be helpful, utilizing space in adjacent buildings to create additional auditoriums, such as was done at the Pickwick in Park Ridge and the Lake in Oak Park. This way, the main auditorium with its beautiful ceiling and details could be spared.
Sure you be nice to see the Patio reopened, in any incarnation.
Here’s the website for the Don Gibson Theater. http://www.dgshelby.com/index.htm
The correct name for the city is Hibbing.
Here’s a recent article about the renovation with some pictures.
View link
No, it doesn’t have a balcony. Instead, it has several rows of seats that are arranged at the back of the auditorium in rising tiers, stadium-style.
These seats were roped-off for years and unavailable to patrons.
Well, that map is completely in error. Laramie Avenue is 5200 West, and Austin Blvd is 6000 West. Therefore, 5962 would be at Austin, not Laramie. Check a street guide if you have any questions about this.
View link
Trust me, I lived in the area for over 40 years.
That picture from kenmc was taken at Lake and Austin, the end of the Lake streetcar line. That streetcar would be abandoned the following year. And that is the Park theater that I went to in my youth. So that 1953 picture is accurate for this particular theater.
The Lake Street L (Green Line currently) runs one block to the south on the same embankment that also carries Metra and Union Pacific trains. The L tracks move over from Lake street to the embankment at Laramie. Prior to this, the L trains descended a long ramp at Laramie to operate at street level to Harlem Ave in Forest Park.
Hope this helps.
Sounds just like a high school auditorium rather than a theater. Was/is there a projection booth, for example?
Reactivate notification status.
You had to walk up the ramp from the lobby between the stadium style seating areas at the rear. The bathrooms were in the basement, though.
Some pictures can be seen here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/90624162@N00/
The building at this address is a restaurant which shows no signs of ever being a theater.
Status should be changed to closed/demolished. This theater has been completely gutted between the outside walls and converted to retail space on the first floor, with apartments above. Compare the picture below to the black and white one posted above and look at the buildings flanking the center one, which is the former Uptown Theater. The parapets and roof lines are relatively unchanged, as well as the window configuration.
View link
The address is 116-118 North Main St.
Marcus Theaters have announced that they are looking at a different location for this theater complex in Sun Prairie, WI, about 2 miles northeast of the previous site announced.
http://tiny.cc/marcus7
The trend seems to be toward multi-venue entertainment destinations. This new proposal is similar to Marcus' Majestic recently opened in Brookfield, WI.
/theaters/22070/
Quentin Tarantino was interviewed on a recent CBS Sunday Morning show, and he confirmed that he had indeed purchased this theater. He and the reporter did some shots outside under the marquee, then went inside to continue the interview in the auditorium.
Status should be changed to open, Indian movies.
Here’s what it looks like now.
http://tinyurl.com/klzlb2
Very flashy and certainly more attractive than the plain exterior the theater used to have.
Shoeshoe, if you read the above posts from July 6-9, you’ll see that this has been discussed already.
I worked at Madison and Pulaski (which my generation always referred to as Crawford) for many years in the 50’s and 60’s. The Cascade was on the south side of Madison near Hamlin. It was a great place to go bowling after work.
The Alex was on the north side of the street.
His choices of the two theaters might have had something to do with the fact that both were air conditioned in an era when most neighborhood theaters weren’t. My parents would often choose the Marbro to attend for this very reason.
I just saw the movie, and to my untrained ear, it seems that the theater is pronounced both Marbro and Marlboro at different points by different characters.
The website link given above takes you to the website for the High Places Church at the Grove, at the same address. The function should be changed to church.