James M. Nederlander Theatre

24 W. Randolph Street,
Chicago, IL 60601

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Showing 1 - 25 of 205 comments

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on February 13, 2023 at 3:02 pm

Oriental marquee near head end, shot between 03/19/70-04/23/70.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41GPxxC0Mq0

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on November 4, 2022 at 11:55 pm

The last movie screened here as a movie theatre was “The Female Bunch”.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 27, 2022 at 5:20 pm

July 27, 1968 photo credit David Wilson via Flickr. On the marquee in the background is “5 Card Stud” which held it’s World Premiere at the Oriental Theatre on July 10, 1968. Enlargeable version below.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32693718@N07/5857747381

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 1, 2020 at 7:55 pm

Full width 8/31/66-9/22/66 photo credit Zeus Of Hollywood via Flickr.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zeusofhollywood/3375169478?fbclid=IwAR3Uf9dwCjyg0kxhLk7zdJ9gOVXVWjIPPxAMLnziTE_qTYP1kFfxQI5H9Dc

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 1, 2020 at 6:44 pm

Additional photo, 5/12/67-6/15/67 photo credit ZeusMeister, Zeus of Hollywood.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zeusofhollywood/3375156744/in/photostream/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 1, 2020 at 6:37 pm

5/12/67-6/15/67 photo credit ZeusMeister, Zeus of Hollywood.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zeusofhollywood/3375157316/in/photostream/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 21, 2020 at 7:25 am

I thought this was in the gallery but it wasn’t. 1/17/64-2/20/64 photo credit Jeanette Williams via Flickr link below.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jarchie/3553050290/in/album-72157618596556846/

rivest266
rivest266 on August 15, 2020 at 2:24 pm

This reopened by Jones, Linick & Schaefer on November 18th, 1938 with “World’s lowest prices”. Grand opening ad posted.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on January 6, 2020 at 12:45 pm

YouTube link with November-December 1978 footage of the Oriental & United Artists beginning at the 2:46 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrNmKfhTPhY&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR12qM12hfzp99fRKy7NgngEwZ7QgmW266XP04zQPkqyBchzzuTQZWrhnxo

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on June 21, 2019 at 8:11 am

Another 9/30/77-10/06/77 Saul Smaizys photo.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceebop/24204725545/in/album-72157662523920010/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on June 21, 2019 at 8:08 am

9/30/77-10/06/77 Saul Smaizys photo.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceebop/23909140160/in/album-72157662523920010/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on June 21, 2019 at 8:05 am

3/28/75-4/10/75 Saul Smaizys photo. Will enlarge.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceebop/24161857161/in/album-72157662523920010/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on June 21, 2019 at 7:44 am

02/06/76-02/19/76 Saul Smaizys photo in Flickr link below. Image will enlarge.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceebop/24183655681/in/album-72157662523920010/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on June 21, 2019 at 6:29 am

Saul Smaizys 01/23/76-02/05/76 photo via Flickr. Image will enlarge in link.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceebop/24244407425/in/album-72157662523920010/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on February 11, 2019 at 7:17 am

The change is complete. Sun-Times link with photos of officially lit.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/?fbclid=IwAR3O0CKe4-_uoQ1aRC4c8S2f2hEAILVfQn4FsOxm5f4B2Pg6BAoJeJdkfZ0&p=1700766&post_type=cst_article

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on January 24, 2019 at 9:00 pm

3 photos added of the name being changed.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on January 19, 2019 at 9:02 am

Former Masonic meeting hall on the 14th floor being converted into Teatro ZinZanni circus and dinner cabaret.

https://www.wbez.org/shows/morning-shift/whats-that-building-oriental-theatre-is-dead-long-live-the-nederlander/00e2aed4-91cf-4885-b4e9-e21694a53b71?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Web-Share&fbclid=IwAR3jSwKpHvyU1jcSyktI4hyz6R377oF6E1KG0mjtNSyx1Oq3MwZLtSriVJo

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on January 11, 2019 at 8:49 pm

I am a direct relative of the Rapps. They had no intention of being racist when naming the theater. They named it Oriental because of the decor. They respected very much the sources in the east they tapped to make the design a success. People in the United States at that time had not seen anything like that, and it was exciting for them. Getting people excited to go to the show was the whole point at that time.

I know plenty of Asian people in Chicago and nobody has ever expressed offense over the name of the Oriental. The Nederlanders simply want to put their name on the theater, and it is pathetic. When an organization wants to get rid of something or someone it is the strategy du jour to cry racism.

Traditions in New York City, like the Empire State and the Chrysler Buiding have been respected. But traditions in Chicago are not. Willis Tower is a big example.

Macy’s also came in her some years ago and erased the legacy of Marshall Fields, and in the end it has not served their purposes terribly well. The whole idea was to save money on marketing various brands. But now the Internet is challenging them, and if they had several generations of old brand loyalty for Fields it might be serving them a lot better than what they are looking at right now.

I can understand the Nederlandars' desire for self-promotion. But I’m not sure their efforts are going to land them any better than Macy’s has.

Eric Mason Ellis

Ron Newman
Ron Newman on January 8, 2019 at 2:34 am

Nederlander has every right to name the theatre after himself, but I don’t see what was inherently wrong with Oriental. There are well-known Chinese and Egyptian theatres in Hollywood.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on December 5, 2018 at 12:14 pm

Link to Norman Rockwell’s 1945 painting “The Clock Mender” at the Chicago History Museum. Has a glimpse of the Oriental blade sign on the right.

http://digitalcollection.chicagohistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16029coll3/id/2832

Mister_Comics
Mister_Comics on November 14, 2018 at 5:38 pm

Now if Cracker Barrel would just change their name.

Scott
Scott on November 14, 2018 at 10:33 am

Thank goodness the “patronizing, objectifying and offensive” name of “Oriental” is being replaced. That has bothered me for decades. I recall that in the early years B&K called it the Oriental because they claimed that going to the theater was like taking a trip to the Orient. How insensitive they were. Really, I don’t care what they call it. I’m just glad it still exists.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 13, 2018 at 9:22 am

Name change coming….

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/ct-ent-oriental-nederlander-change-1114-story.html?fbclid=IwAR2FaAVdxLg0Gd2lZpBXcbc67XB34JNmnl-WKqQ-zpL9v0uLAMl73TM7faM

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 20, 2017 at 4:49 pm

02/06/76-02/19/76 photo in Flickr link below.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ceebop/27809876491/in/dateposted-public/

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on June 7, 2017 at 5:38 pm

5/15/64 -6/04/64 photo added credit Saul Smaizys.