Apollo's 2000
2875 W. Cermak Road,
Chicago,
IL
60623
2875 W. Cermak Road,
Chicago,
IL
60623
8 people
favorited this theater
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https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435022587802?urlappend=%3Bseq=30%3Bownerid=13510798903008798-34
There was a Theatre Historical Society tour through the MARSHALL SQUARE in about 1984 as it still operated as a cinema.
This opened on December 22nd, 1917. Its grand opening ad can be found in the photo section.
So many memories, movies and several hour long all-cartoon afternoons !
Cinema Treasures policy is to list it under the current name if it’s open.
Why is this listed as Apollo 2000. That is the club name and it never showed movies under that name. It should be listed as Marshall Square theater. It started showing movies in Spanish in either 1967 or 1968.
Broan The Apollos 2000 is more similar to the Brighton Park and The Metro Theatre. (Now demolished) The Howard is more similar to interior design. The Metro was almost identical except that the arch and in the back of the Theatre had bleacher type seats. The Brighton Park had a balcony and looked nothing like the Apollos 2000 Theatre on the inside but on the outside were extremely similar.
Did this theater show Spanish language movies in the late 1970’s early 80’s?
Mike Royko worked as an usher here.
Curiously, the Marshall Square had a very similar design to the Howard Theatre, down to the domes (removed at the Howard). But they had different architects.
They were actually Brenkert projectors with Simplex lamphouses and RCA soundheads. I’ll post a couple pictures later, but they are not too good. Watch Flickr, I’m sure a lot of photos will pop up there.
Went to Open House Chicago. The interior of the theater is in very nice shape. The projection booth is still fully equipped, with three Simplex projectors with carbon arc lamps. I wish I had brought my camera—I wasn’t expecting the booth to be so complete. If anyone has pictures, please post!
A rare opportunity to visit this weekend during Open House Chicago http://myitinerary.openhousechicago.org/site/85/
Lifes too Shorts post and photo shows up what defacing a theatre really is.
There are rats in that theatre.
Complete with an AMC Hornet moved twice, into a fire lane. Enough said.
Here are some 1982 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/c8e3pf
http://tinyurl.com/dyfyhu
http://tinyurl.com/dc5rf5
I think the title, “Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!” is a little harsh. But this guy does have a point:
Caption:
There are few crimes for which I would prescribe a spear through the face as a just punishment… but this is one of them! Really, what idiot decided to put the sign support pole directly through the face of the lovely goddess on this old theatre on Cermak? Probably a misogynist…
Web Address:
View link
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture.
The theater sign boldly reading “Marshall Square Theater” can be seen briefly but full screen in the 1983 Sean Penn movie Bad Boys, a good part of which was fiilmed within a few blocks of the theater.
(Marshall Square resident)
In the book UNEXPECTED CHICAGOLAND by Carmilio Jose Vergara and Timothy Samuelson (ISBN: 1565847016, December 2001, New Press, The)
the signpost rammed thru the face of the goddess is described as
“Chicago’s Pinnochio”. If you look closely at the photo above, you can see it. It is the bottom post at the bottom “0”.
Yeah, that’s pretty much my thought process as well. I am not nearly as up on the status of Chicago’s remaining theatres as I was fifteen years ago. But there may be some others still kicking around in various neighborhoods, being used different ways (or not used at all).
By the way Brian, I’ve been meaning to mention that your research is impressive. Keep it up. You’ll be running a redevelopment agency one day.
Well, there’s the Central Park (but that’s in pretty iffy shape) Riviera (poorly painted), the Fine Arts (built as legit), and if we expand to 1920, the Portage. Not having seen it in person, it’s hard to judge, but it may well be the best-kept example.