Princess Theatre

319 S. Clark Street,
Chicago, IL 60604

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Additional Info

Architects: Charles Kirchoff, Thomas Rose

Firms: Kirchoff & Rose

Styles: Beaux-Arts, Neo-Classical

Nearby Theaters

PRINCESS Theatre; Chicago, Illinois.

The Princess Theatre was designed by the Milwaukee-based firm of Kirchoff & Rose (who would later design the famed Palace Theatre in New York City), and opened in 1906 on S. Clark Street.

The Beaux-Arts style facade was elegantly Neo-Classical, faced in brilliant white terra cotta with a red Spanish tile roof. Four two-story Corinthian-style columns supported a pediment. The theatre could originally seat 900.

The Princess Theatre was one of the premier legitimate houses in Chicago when it opened, and for its first decade or so continued on as a legitimate theatre, before turning to vaudeville and movies. By the end of the 1920’s, it was solely a movie theatre, and remained so until closing in 1937.

This gem of early-20th century theatre architecture in Chicago was, sadly, razed in 1941 to make way for a parking lot. Since 1991, the Metcalfe Federal Building has stood on this site.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 12 comments)

Broan
Broan on March 20, 2005 at 1:58 am

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A pair of postcard views of the princess

teecee
teecee on April 11, 2005 at 1:24 pm

Another old postcard:
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teecee
teecee on April 11, 2005 at 2:27 pm

sorry, corrected link:
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HOUDINI1974
HOUDINI1974 on December 7, 2005 at 11:50 am

HOUDINI last shows in Chicago. Play March 8 until May 1st 1926.

CHICTH74
CHICTH74 on June 19, 2006 at 8:32 pm

Their was a show on PBS (the history det) talking a bout the Houdini Show. Was this the last of the shows that he played in Chicago?

Broan
Broan on November 1, 2006 at 3:03 pm

Here is another postcard view

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on December 1, 2008 at 11:56 am

The Princess was razed in July 1941, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Chicago Loses Another Theater

July 16-From Chicago comes word that any day now wreckers will start razing the Princess Theatre, on South Clark Street.

Broan
Broan on August 6, 2011 at 5:11 pm

Here is an interior view

Broan
Broan on February 9, 2013 at 10:35 pm

A group waiting to see Houdini

Tordini
Tordini on February 12, 2013 at 5:25 am

Page 122 of the book HOUDINI ON MAGIC has a photograph of the exterior with Houdini’s advertising.

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