Yes, it is still a church. They must have a large crew that does clean up and repair. Hopefully Iggy’s fans will respect the building. Actually, the three times I saw Iggy the crowds were well behaved. He doesn’t draw as many neanderthals as you might think, myself excluded of course.
Iggy Pop? I wonder if God has somehow tricked Iggy into going to church. On the other hand, the United Palace will definitely hear language it’s not used to hearing!
I never would have believed anyone would contemplate renovating this theatre. It has been run down for so many years. There doesn’t appear to be much more than a shell left, and even that is in rough shape (e.g., the roof). Hopefully this project can get off the ground in spite of all the tough challenges facing it.
Lost Memory – thanks for researching this. If the Paramount’s address is 519 16th Street, then the Denver Theatre would also had to have been on 16th Street, not Glenarm Place. Something’s not right here. Either there were two Denver Theatres in Denver, or it was located in some other city. Or I suppose the Denver Library’s website could be wrong and the correct address is really 510 16th Street as listed here. All I know is that the two photos cited here don’t match.
At the rist of throwing more gas on the fire, could someone explain why a union projectionist can work a projector and handle film properly and a non-union projectionist cannot? Seems like that is a skill that could be passed to someone regardless of whether they belong to a union.
It doesn’t appear to me that the two photos of the Denver Theatre, one posted on 3/15/06, and the other on 9/13/06, are of the same building. Maybe there was an extensive remodeling done between 1930 and 1938, but the building that the vertical sign is attached to definitely doesn’t match up in the two photos. Maybe the 1930 view is showing signage connected to an exit lobby, similar to the Chicago Uptown Theater’s exit lobby on Lawrence Avenue (same architect), and the main entrance is on another street. The marquees seem to be diffent too, but that could have been changed between the time the photos were taken. That was certainly a common practice. We know the photo from 1938 is correct because it shows the Denver Paramount across the street, so I’m wondering if the first one from 1930 shows a Denver Theatre from another Colorado city?
Paul – I remember the grocery store, but it doesn’t seem to me that it belonged to any of the chains you listed. If you could find a 1960s Chicago phone book you could figure it out. And you’re right, they used the basement and some of the outer walls of the Paradise lobby in the construction of the grocery store. It’s amazing that no photos seem to exist of the demolition (aside from a couple of grainy newspaper clippings of the auditorium), or of the grocery store. At least I’ve never seen any.
No, this theatre is not twinned. It was for a time back in the 60’s and 70’s, but it was subsequently restored to a single auditorium. Looking at it now, you’d never know that it was once twinned. It is really impressive.
The press release regarding the restoration of this theatre isn’t very specific. They plan to have six digital projection screens – does that mean the auditorium will be carved up? If not, where will the six screens be located? Can anyone shed some light on this?
There have been a few recordings of the organ released on CD. One I have is by Clark Wilson. I have heard the organ in person a number of times and it sounds great. It’s usually played before the movies they show during the summer.
But with this theatre, the auditorium is the big deal. It is truly eye-popping. I love to stand at the rear of the balcony and look out over the entire room. It’s just incredible.
I thought Pasadena would side with the Raymond’s preservation, given the advanced sensitivity toward the arts that liberals in that state seem to be blessed with. Maybe the left isn’t so high-minded when money comes knocking.
Does anyone seriously believe at this point that the Uptown will ever be restored or renovated? I don’t see it happening. I’ll wager that 5 years from now it will still be shuttered and waiting for someone to save it. Or, if the miraculous does occur and it gets renovated, it will fail. How can a 4300 seat movie palace survive in a neighborhood 10 miles from the Loop? Consider how the Chicago Theatre has struggled at times since it reopened in 1986.
The only way I see it surviving is through a radical renovation. The lobby and most of the foyers can be saved and restored. Then, gut the auditorium and make 6 or 8 smaller auditoriums (or is it auditoria?) The only significant problem remaining would be parking, which I assume could be built to the west. Even then, this would be an incredibly risky and expensive venture. No developer wants to touch a mammoth project like the Uptown, with its doubtful business prospects, and be forced to adhere to strick preservation guidelines. I just don’t see it making money with a single auditorium. Not in Uptown.
I echo BeltwayBrian’s thoughts on this theatre. I’ve attended some of the summer movie shows here and it is a spectacular work by Eberson. The main lobby and foyer leading from it are especially impressive. The auditorium is a little less flamboyant than those wonderful lobby spaces, but it’s still beautiful. And this theatre really needs to be seen in person because, as with most Eberson houses, the color scheme is breathtaking.
We honor humans, not corporations? Ok. Should I bother to list all the well-known names of theatres back in the 1910s and 1920s that were named after corporations? How about Fox, Paramount, RKO, Loew’s, Orpheum, United Artists, Warners, etc. These were all corporations whose names were featured on many a marquee. So that argument doesn’t work. How about the fact you just don’t like corporations getting some sort of benefit? Maybe that’s it. It’s that, or you just don’t like tradition being messed with. Which is fine. I like to keep the original name too if possible. But don’t give bogus reasons for it. And even though I agree with your taxpayer point, let me know how far you get with your Tapayer’s Stadium idea.
Brian – If you had been around in 1926 when it became Wrigley Field would you have complained? Changing the name now to Tribune Field would be an identical act to that. It appears it’s tradition you don’t want changed. I share your preference that the historic name of the building be maintained. Although, the Palace and Oriental names were pretty much obliterated when those theatres were renovated. “The Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre.” Yeah, that really rolls off the tongue. But at least they were renovated. I like what they did at the Coronado in Rockford, IL. It’s still called the Coronado, but there’s a plaque inside designating the auditorium as “The Howard Monk Auditorium”, in honor of the contribution given to the theatre’s renovation. Also, your assumption that demolition wasn’t in the cards is questionable. Do you think the Palace, Oriental, Chicago, Auditorium, and Shubert theatres would all have survived without generous corporate sponsorship? The answer is no, of course. It’s not naming rights, it’s funding of renovation that stirs the drink here as far as I’m concerned. After all, they might get the name, but we get to enjoy the theatres.
By the way, my socialism/liberalism reference, while maybe a stretch, was intended simply to point out how anti-corporate a society we’ve become during the last generation or two. Lots of people complain about them, sometimes legitimately, but they also do a lot of good things. And many of us seem to have no problem working for them.
I don’t understand why people get upset over the naming of a theatre. While I would certainly prefer the Majestic, or the Shubert, you can’t expect companies to give millions of dollars to a project like this without receiving something in return. LaSalle Bank isn’t obligated to contribute anything, so they deserve to have their name on it if they like. It’s a small price for us to pay to have the theatre brought back to life. Funny, the name Wrigley Field never seemed to bother anybody. I suppose this sort of contempt for corporate naming should be expected with the domination of liberalism/socialism in our culture.
I live in Cincinnati, and we used to have a Shubert Theatre too. It was torn down in 1976. I wish it was still here. And I wish it was called Procter & Gamble Theatre.
I understand your concern regarding use of taxpayer funds. However, it takes a lot of nerve to come on a web site devoted to the study of historic theaters and gloat about the potential demolition of a nice old theater. The sad part of the story is that there apparently is no “deep pocketed white knight” (as you call it) to save the theatre. Shame on the town of Lombard, of which you are apparently a member. In case you’re not aware, many other towns have used the renovation of an old theater as an economic anchor to bring life back to their downtown. So this is a case where taxpayer funds might actually provide impetus for increased economic investment from the private sector.
I can understand why you still dream about the Capitol (or Fox, really). It was an incredibly beautiful theatre. In my view, it’s the most underappreciated Rapp and Rapp theatre. I don’t know why it isn’t more well known.
Jim – I agree with your opinion of the Warner in Milwaukee. I had forgotten about that one. And the same could be said for the Paramount in Aurora, IL and the Warner in Erie, PA, both from 1931. They did get creative with their use of art deco. Though Rapp & Rapp were trailblazers in the teens and early 1920s, they became a little predictable in the late 20’s when they were still using traditional styles, usually French in origin. But what they did they did well. They definitely became more creative in the early 1930s until the depression took hold.
Yes, it is still a church. They must have a large crew that does clean up and repair. Hopefully Iggy’s fans will respect the building. Actually, the three times I saw Iggy the crowds were well behaved. He doesn’t draw as many neanderthals as you might think, myself excluded of course.
Iggy Pop? I wonder if God has somehow tricked Iggy into going to church. On the other hand, the United Palace will definitely hear language it’s not used to hearing!
I never would have believed anyone would contemplate renovating this theatre. It has been run down for so many years. There doesn’t appear to be much more than a shell left, and even that is in rough shape (e.g., the roof). Hopefully this project can get off the ground in spite of all the tough challenges facing it.
Lost Memory – thanks for researching this. If the Paramount’s address is 519 16th Street, then the Denver Theatre would also had to have been on 16th Street, not Glenarm Place. Something’s not right here. Either there were two Denver Theatres in Denver, or it was located in some other city. Or I suppose the Denver Library’s website could be wrong and the correct address is really 510 16th Street as listed here. All I know is that the two photos cited here don’t match.
At the rist of throwing more gas on the fire, could someone explain why a union projectionist can work a projector and handle film properly and a non-union projectionist cannot? Seems like that is a skill that could be passed to someone regardless of whether they belong to a union.
It doesn’t appear to me that the two photos of the Denver Theatre, one posted on 3/15/06, and the other on 9/13/06, are of the same building. Maybe there was an extensive remodeling done between 1930 and 1938, but the building that the vertical sign is attached to definitely doesn’t match up in the two photos. Maybe the 1930 view is showing signage connected to an exit lobby, similar to the Chicago Uptown Theater’s exit lobby on Lawrence Avenue (same architect), and the main entrance is on another street. The marquees seem to be diffent too, but that could have been changed between the time the photos were taken. That was certainly a common practice. We know the photo from 1938 is correct because it shows the Denver Paramount across the street, so I’m wondering if the first one from 1930 shows a Denver Theatre from another Colorado city?
So much for restoration. That’s a shame. I didn’t think they would restore this theatre. Hopefully the exterior will be restored at least.
Paul – I remember the grocery store, but it doesn’t seem to me that it belonged to any of the chains you listed. If you could find a 1960s Chicago phone book you could figure it out. And you’re right, they used the basement and some of the outer walls of the Paradise lobby in the construction of the grocery store. It’s amazing that no photos seem to exist of the demolition (aside from a couple of grainy newspaper clippings of the auditorium), or of the grocery store. At least I’ve never seen any.
Patsy –
No, this theatre is not twinned. It was for a time back in the 60’s and 70’s, but it was subsequently restored to a single auditorium. Looking at it now, you’d never know that it was once twinned. It is really impressive.
The press release regarding the restoration of this theatre isn’t very specific. They plan to have six digital projection screens – does that mean the auditorium will be carved up? If not, where will the six screens be located? Can anyone shed some light on this?
This will require quite a few trips to Home Depot.
There have been a few recordings of the organ released on CD. One I have is by Clark Wilson. I have heard the organ in person a number of times and it sounds great. It’s usually played before the movies they show during the summer.
But with this theatre, the auditorium is the big deal. It is truly eye-popping. I love to stand at the rear of the balcony and look out over the entire room. It’s just incredible.
I thought Pasadena would side with the Raymond’s preservation, given the advanced sensitivity toward the arts that liberals in that state seem to be blessed with. Maybe the left isn’t so high-minded when money comes knocking.
Does anyone seriously believe at this point that the Uptown will ever be restored or renovated? I don’t see it happening. I’ll wager that 5 years from now it will still be shuttered and waiting for someone to save it. Or, if the miraculous does occur and it gets renovated, it will fail. How can a 4300 seat movie palace survive in a neighborhood 10 miles from the Loop? Consider how the Chicago Theatre has struggled at times since it reopened in 1986.
The only way I see it surviving is through a radical renovation. The lobby and most of the foyers can be saved and restored. Then, gut the auditorium and make 6 or 8 smaller auditoriums (or is it auditoria?) The only significant problem remaining would be parking, which I assume could be built to the west. Even then, this would be an incredibly risky and expensive venture. No developer wants to touch a mammoth project like the Uptown, with its doubtful business prospects, and be forced to adhere to strick preservation guidelines. I just don’t see it making money with a single auditorium. Not in Uptown.
It appears that this theatre didn’t have an organ, since I don’t see organ screens. Is that the case? If so, that seems odd for a theatre like this.
I echo BeltwayBrian’s thoughts on this theatre. I’ve attended some of the summer movie shows here and it is a spectacular work by Eberson. The main lobby and foyer leading from it are especially impressive. The auditorium is a little less flamboyant than those wonderful lobby spaces, but it’s still beautiful. And this theatre really needs to be seen in person because, as with most Eberson houses, the color scheme is breathtaking.
Ok. I give up. Sorry I took up your time.
We honor humans, not corporations? Ok. Should I bother to list all the well-known names of theatres back in the 1910s and 1920s that were named after corporations? How about Fox, Paramount, RKO, Loew’s, Orpheum, United Artists, Warners, etc. These were all corporations whose names were featured on many a marquee. So that argument doesn’t work. How about the fact you just don’t like corporations getting some sort of benefit? Maybe that’s it. It’s that, or you just don’t like tradition being messed with. Which is fine. I like to keep the original name too if possible. But don’t give bogus reasons for it. And even though I agree with your taxpayer point, let me know how far you get with your Tapayer’s Stadium idea.
Brian – If you had been around in 1926 when it became Wrigley Field would you have complained? Changing the name now to Tribune Field would be an identical act to that. It appears it’s tradition you don’t want changed. I share your preference that the historic name of the building be maintained. Although, the Palace and Oriental names were pretty much obliterated when those theatres were renovated. “The Ford Center for the Performing Arts Oriental Theatre.” Yeah, that really rolls off the tongue. But at least they were renovated. I like what they did at the Coronado in Rockford, IL. It’s still called the Coronado, but there’s a plaque inside designating the auditorium as “The Howard Monk Auditorium”, in honor of the contribution given to the theatre’s renovation. Also, your assumption that demolition wasn’t in the cards is questionable. Do you think the Palace, Oriental, Chicago, Auditorium, and Shubert theatres would all have survived without generous corporate sponsorship? The answer is no, of course. It’s not naming rights, it’s funding of renovation that stirs the drink here as far as I’m concerned. After all, they might get the name, but we get to enjoy the theatres.
By the way, my socialism/liberalism reference, while maybe a stretch, was intended simply to point out how anti-corporate a society we’ve become during the last generation or two. Lots of people complain about them, sometimes legitimately, but they also do a lot of good things. And many of us seem to have no problem working for them.
I don’t understand why people get upset over the naming of a theatre. While I would certainly prefer the Majestic, or the Shubert, you can’t expect companies to give millions of dollars to a project like this without receiving something in return. LaSalle Bank isn’t obligated to contribute anything, so they deserve to have their name on it if they like. It’s a small price for us to pay to have the theatre brought back to life. Funny, the name Wrigley Field never seemed to bother anybody. I suppose this sort of contempt for corporate naming should be expected with the domination of liberalism/socialism in our culture.
I live in Cincinnati, and we used to have a Shubert Theatre too. It was torn down in 1976. I wish it was still here. And I wish it was called Procter & Gamble Theatre.
To Mr. Concerned Taxpayer:
I understand your concern regarding use of taxpayer funds. However, it takes a lot of nerve to come on a web site devoted to the study of historic theaters and gloat about the potential demolition of a nice old theater. The sad part of the story is that there apparently is no “deep pocketed white knight” (as you call it) to save the theatre. Shame on the town of Lombard, of which you are apparently a member. In case you’re not aware, many other towns have used the renovation of an old theater as an economic anchor to bring life back to their downtown. So this is a case where taxpayer funds might actually provide impetus for increased economic investment from the private sector.
rlvjr-
I can understand why you still dream about the Capitol (or Fox, really). It was an incredibly beautiful theatre. In my view, it’s the most underappreciated Rapp and Rapp theatre. I don’t know why it isn’t more well known.
Brian – I think you have it wrong.
Jim – I agree with your opinion of the Warner in Milwaukee. I had forgotten about that one. And the same could be said for the Paramount in Aurora, IL and the Warner in Erie, PA, both from 1931. They did get creative with their use of art deco. Though Rapp & Rapp were trailblazers in the teens and early 1920s, they became a little predictable in the late 20’s when they were still using traditional styles, usually French in origin. But what they did they did well. They definitely became more creative in the early 1930s until the depression took hold.
Do any of you know exactly where the Capitol was located? I live in Cincinnati and work downtown and am curious where it actually sat. Thanks.