A 1922 article further explains that William G. Krieg was connected with the Ahlschlager firm. Krieg was previously president of Midland Terra Cotta. Midland also did the terra cotta for the Portage Park, which bears a resemblance to the Stratford.
https://lantern.mediahist.org/catalog/movpicwor441movi_0848 Here’s another of the original Ahlschlager rendering, which is different from what was built.
The building permit lists W. Alschuler - this is probably an error (Alschuler’s first name was Alfred and he did not work on theaters) and the actual architect was W.W. Ahlschlager, early in his career.
Notice that the rendering in the opening ad does not match the theater in photographs. I think this was originally to be designed by Ahlschlager but ultimately built to another plan. This report (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924055819043&seq=77&q1=ahlschlager) gives William G. Krieg as the architect, though that could have been supervising construction.
Henry L. Newhouse was not the architect for the Portage. Lindley Phelps Rowe for Fridstein & Co. are the architect of record while other primary sources suggest that the theater itself was subcontracted to Walter W. Ahlschlager. (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433057658795&seq=960)
The Portage used a Kimball console to control a Hauptwerk virtual organ. The Kimball was at the Des Plaines for a short time after the Portage was closed. That console is now refurbished and at the Music Box. The Silent Film Society now uses a portable setup.
Looks like it will be demolished soon. https://www.shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/2024/01/05/fox-river-grove-aims-to-start-demolition-on-downtown-block-in-april/
Also, the Ramova was not built on the site of the Monogram, but next to it. So, it was in the unusual position of having three theater buildings in a row, with the Casino at the other end.
It was never run by Lasker & Sons. The building was built for local lithuanian businessman Jacob Maskolinuas while the theater was leased to Harry A. Reckas, a Greek real estate investor and theater man. Rackas later purchased the building out of foreclosure in 1934 and with his business partners John Semedalas and John Manta, the theater remained in the same independent ownership through at least 1962 if not beyond. This group also owned the Milda, Milo, Linden, and Wallace at different times.
While the Ramova is often called the twin or sister to the Music Box, it’s really more correct to call it a classmate. It had different ownership, a different architect, and a different capacity. It had similar exterior architecture and opened in the same week, also folllowing a sound films only policy.
The architect’s name is correctly spelled as “Myer O. Nathan”. He usually did business as M.O. Nathan. While he is not credited with any other theaters, he was chief draughtsman for Alexander Levy for several years prior to 1918.
The theater held its grand opening at 7:30 pm on August 18, 1929 with a community show featuring Lithuanian entertainment, the Chicago Little Symphony Orchestra, and the Vitaphone film “Desert Song”. The general grand opening followed on August 21. It appears that like other theaters opened in 1929, an organ was never installed, though chambers were built.
The Marshfield opened April 10, 1911 was the first theater for Marks & Goodman, the predecessor firm to Marks Brothers and Goodman & Harrison. Officially known as Marshfield Amusement Company, Marks & Goodman later became Marks, Goodman, & Marks and Marks, Goodman, Marks & Harrison. This company opened the Marshfield, Orpheus, Illington, Broadway Strand, and Marshall Square, and briefly operated the Shakespeare.
The firm broke apart in 1923 while the Granada was in planning, with Marks Brothers keeping the 12th Street/Roosevelt Road theaters (Broadway-Strand, Marshfield, and Orpheus) and Goodman & Harrison keeping the 22nd Street/Cermak Road theaters (Illington and Marshall Square).
Marks Brothers would soon focus on bigger projects. They would build the Granada and Marbro, as well as the Embassy on Fullerton (a project taken over from Lubliner & Trinz). The Genesee in Waukegan was originally intended for Marks (note that the marquee matches the Granada), and built the Admiral, but pulled out just before opening probably due to financial problems of that building’s owner. There was an additional unbuilt project, the 3000 seat Araby, for 1365 N Milwaukee Ave. in 1927 and proposals for a 5100 seat theatre near 63rd & Cottage Grove, and what would have been the city’s largest theater at State & Adams in the Loop. However, Marks Brothers found themselves shut out of supply of pictures from Balaban & Katz’s anticompetitive policies, and could only reliably get Fox and Warner pictures. While Marks Brothers was perhaps the greatest rival to Balaban & Katz’s palaces at its height, and paid dearly to do so, they were scooped up by B&K just days after the 1929 stock market crash.
Goodman & Harrison, meanwhile, remained in business with a handful of small theatres into the mid-1960s.
Appears here misidentified as Giles Theatre. Interesting architecture by W.W. Clay. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Architectural_Terra_Cotta_Brochure_Serie/sqOlRC-qEpQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA1-PA10&printsec=frontcover
I always assumed that this theater had been gutted, but now that I’m seeing pictures, it’s obviously largely intact. I hope this survives the renovation - the Lakeside did not have a working stage so I’m not sure where the audience will go as a performance space. Will be interesting to see.
Rendering https://www.newspapers.com/article/dziennik-chicagoski/145495366/
A 1922 article further explains that William G. Krieg was connected with the Ahlschlager firm. Krieg was previously president of Midland Terra Cotta. Midland also did the terra cotta for the Portage Park, which bears a resemblance to the Stratford.
https://lantern.mediahist.org/catalog/movpicwor441movi_0848 Here’s another of the original Ahlschlager rendering, which is different from what was built.
The building permit lists W. Alschuler - this is probably an error (Alschuler’s first name was Alfred and he did not work on theaters) and the actual architect was W.W. Ahlschlager, early in his career.
Notice that the rendering in the opening ad does not match the theater in photographs. I think this was originally to be designed by Ahlschlager but ultimately built to another plan. This report (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924055819043&seq=77&q1=ahlschlager) gives William G. Krieg as the architect, though that could have been supervising construction.
Henry L. Newhouse was not the architect for the Portage. Lindley Phelps Rowe for Fridstein & Co. are the architect of record while other primary sources suggest that the theater itself was subcontracted to Walter W. Ahlschlager. (https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433057658795&seq=960)
The theater has completed their phase 1 restoration and is now known as Center Theatre again.
It’s closed again. https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/01/31/cinema-chatham-one-of-the-south-sides-few-movie-theaters-closes-permanently/
The Portage used a Kimball console to control a Hauptwerk virtual organ. The Kimball was at the Des Plaines for a short time after the Portage was closed. That console is now refurbished and at the Music Box. The Silent Film Society now uses a portable setup.
Looks like it will be demolished soon. https://www.shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/2024/01/05/fox-river-grove-aims-to-start-demolition-on-downtown-block-in-april/
Also, the Ramova was not built on the site of the Monogram, but next to it. So, it was in the unusual position of having three theater buildings in a row, with the Casino at the other end.
It was never run by Lasker & Sons. The building was built for local lithuanian businessman Jacob Maskolinuas while the theater was leased to Harry A. Reckas, a Greek real estate investor and theater man. Rackas later purchased the building out of foreclosure in 1934 and with his business partners John Semedalas and John Manta, the theater remained in the same independent ownership through at least 1962 if not beyond. This group also owned the Milda, Milo, Linden, and Wallace at different times.
While the Ramova is often called the twin or sister to the Music Box, it’s really more correct to call it a classmate. It had different ownership, a different architect, and a different capacity. It had similar exterior architecture and opened in the same week, also folllowing a sound films only policy.
The Monogram was actually in the lot next to the Ramova and was not demolished until well after the Ramova was built.
I agree with CBA, this was the former Bridgeport News building and is now part of the Ramova project.
The architect’s name is correctly spelled as “Myer O. Nathan”. He usually did business as M.O. Nathan. While he is not credited with any other theaters, he was chief draughtsman for Alexander Levy for several years prior to 1918.
The theater held its grand opening at 7:30 pm on August 18, 1929 with a community show featuring Lithuanian entertainment, the Chicago Little Symphony Orchestra, and the Vitaphone film “Desert Song”. The general grand opening followed on August 21. It appears that like other theaters opened in 1929, an organ was never installed, though chambers were built.
https://archive.org/details/motionpictureher128unse/page/n306/mode/1up?view=theater
The Marshfield opened April 10, 1911 was the first theater for Marks & Goodman, the predecessor firm to Marks Brothers and Goodman & Harrison. Officially known as Marshfield Amusement Company, Marks & Goodman later became Marks, Goodman, & Marks and Marks, Goodman, Marks & Harrison. This company opened the Marshfield, Orpheus, Illington, Broadway Strand, and Marshall Square, and briefly operated the Shakespeare.
The firm broke apart in 1923 while the Granada was in planning, with Marks Brothers keeping the 12th Street/Roosevelt Road theaters (Broadway-Strand, Marshfield, and Orpheus) and Goodman & Harrison keeping the 22nd Street/Cermak Road theaters (Illington and Marshall Square).
Marks Brothers would soon focus on bigger projects. They would build the Granada and Marbro, as well as the Embassy on Fullerton (a project taken over from Lubliner & Trinz). The Genesee in Waukegan was originally intended for Marks (note that the marquee matches the Granada), and built the Admiral, but pulled out just before opening probably due to financial problems of that building’s owner. There was an additional unbuilt project, the 3000 seat Araby, for 1365 N Milwaukee Ave. in 1927 and proposals for a 5100 seat theatre near 63rd & Cottage Grove, and what would have been the city’s largest theater at State & Adams in the Loop. However, Marks Brothers found themselves shut out of supply of pictures from Balaban & Katz’s anticompetitive policies, and could only reliably get Fox and Warner pictures. While Marks Brothers was perhaps the greatest rival to Balaban & Katz’s palaces at its height, and paid dearly to do so, they were scooped up by B&K just days after the 1929 stock market crash.
Goodman & Harrison, meanwhile, remained in business with a handful of small theatres into the mid-1960s.
https://archive.org/details/exhibitorsherald21unse/page/n1381/mode/1up?view=theater
Appears here misidentified as Giles Theatre. Interesting architecture by W.W. Clay. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Architectural_Terra_Cotta_Brochure_Serie/sqOlRC-qEpQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=RA1-PA10&printsec=frontcover
Looks like the logo was updated, looking at the Broadway in Chicago site.
I always assumed that this theater had been gutted, but now that I’m seeing pictures, it’s obviously largely intact. I hope this survives the renovation - the Lakeside did not have a working stage so I’m not sure where the audience will go as a performance space. Will be interesting to see.
Typically still considered demolished when it’s a facadectomy
Not “Bollywood movies only”, they’re showing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Strange World this week
https://evanstonroundtable.com/2022/11/07/is-amc-really-open/
An early remodeling by Rapp & Rapp https://hdl.handle.net/2027/iau.31858020077685?urlappend=%3Bseq=62%3Bownerid=13510798903480392-66
Early remodeling by Rapp & Rapp, before 1912. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/iau.31858020077685?urlappend=%3Bseq=62%3Bownerid=13510798903480392-66