Southtown Theatre
610 W. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60621
610 W. 63rd Street,
Chicago,
IL
60621
15 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 124 comments
The Three Stooges performed there for 1 week starting February 14, 1936.
1946 exterior picture added to Photos.
It pains me to learn that theaters as beautiful as this, were demolished. Makes me hope even more that south side theaters such as the New Regal(aka Avalon), do reopen. At least that theater was in decent condition, when I visited it a few years ago during Open House Chicago.
I Believe thet the Southtown was the only one of the great movie palaces that stood free of surounding buildngs in its parking lot which may also have been unique. You could also see the immense size of the building and not just a facade.
It was walking distance from Englewood High in the 30'’s and we sometine passed it at a fast pace on our way to Wimpy hamburgers a little to the west. The problem was that Wimpy was walking distance from the school but lunch period was too short to stay there and eat. So we walked fast on our way there and back — but had to eat as we walked.
The sleek lies of the lobby were a contrast to the sometimes over ornate lobbies of other theaters. The swans in the lobby wwere probably the most elegant touch
Years later I wnet to the Carr Store in the theater but the sight was so despressing that I never went there again.
Click on “Photos” at the top. 3rd photo in is of the auditorium.
Any pics of the auditorium? Great art deco tower and signage.
Original Southtown fountain found in a North Side salvage shop in 1999. Photo courtesy of John P. Keating Jr., added to Photos Section.
My father, Joe talked about this Theatre, and The Capital. He loved them, and lived in Englewood as a little boy in the 30’s and 40’s, near 71st and Lowe. Thank you so much for posting this. I also loved reading the comments. I had tried to remember the names of the theatres, but then found them in a school report I wrote on my dad about 25 years ago. I recorded his description of the fountains and statues that the pictures show, and the comments describe. Thank you again, this means a lot to me.
I was taken there as a child in the mid 1950’s to see Disney films. We lived at 59th and Lowe so we just walked there.
I recall the ponds inside with ducks swimming in them.
My husband and I salvaged a few chunks of cast terra cotta from the demolition site. I think I was going to a co-worker’s shower out on the South side – must have been the same summer as the demo – and DH (bin diver that he is) drove by and scrounged whatever he could. My mom and dad used to go there; she always told me how beautiful it was. I hope this site stays alive – I found it through a search for the Peoples theater (47th & Ashland) where we went as kids in the ‘50s. My girlfriend and I would walk from 55th and Hermitage to the movies on Saturday – 25c for under twelve.
This opened on Christmas day of 1931. Grand opening ad uploaded in the photo section.
I myself am 78, they don’t build theatres and anything with such grandeur any more. Englewood itself was a special place, as well as the Southtown and other theatres in that area. The days are long fone, but the memories will be around forever, as long as we oldsters are living.
Well here I am Again!I will be 75 in March so the Southtown was only 6 years old when I was born Like a new baby.To Think that they could build a theater like that in those times right after the depression.Such craftsmen.The buildings downtown and in Englewood were also fabulous and at this Christmas time of the year there was nothing like it.Marshall Fields especially.Nothing tinny and cheap in those days and it made the holiday season fantastic for all the children.Money was tight but things always seemed to work Out. CharlesZirino
there may have been more than two dioramas, i do recall the 1871 Chicago Fire was one, also there was one of the Union Stockyards, there may even have been 4 of them.They were probably razed with the rest of the building, i was never in it after it became a store.
I remember this one well….I wonder what ever happened to the dioramas outside the balcony. Besides the ducks and the swans, I think there were two of them, the dioramas were my favorite thing at the Southtown.
Thank you all for the hard work finding information, and the pic of this beautiful old and lovely theatre. It was a joy to attend movies there. No one ever attended this theatre in the evening in jeans, all wore there Sunday best, and took their best girl there.
(Southtown Economist, November 11, 1930)
BREAK GROUND FOR THEATER
1,500 PEOPLE SEE BALABAN BREAK LAND
Clubs Join in Ceremonies for $2,500,000 Movie
While a throng of more than 1,500 persons looked on, ground was broken yesterday noon at 63rd st. and Lowe Ave. for Southtown’s new $2,500,000 Balaban and Katz motion picture theater.
The beginning of construction for the new enterprise is regarded as an impetus for building operations throughout Southtown. Approximately 100 men will be employed for 240 days in the erection of the new theater. This group of workers will be made up, as far as possible, from residents of Southtown.
The event yesterday noon was marked by a community celebration in which representatives of more than a score of civic organizations throughout Southtown co-operated with the Englewood Business Men’s association, sponsor of the ceremonies for the ground breaking.
McDonnell Gives Talk
William McDonnell, publisher of the SOUTHTOWN ECONOMIST, gave the address of welcome at the celebration.
“The Balaban and Katz organization is to be congratulated for launching its building program at this time.” he said. “By actually starting construction work within four months after the site was acquired, the theatrical concern is furnishing a stimulus for a greater amount of building work in Southtown."
Barney Balaban, vice-president and general manager of the Balaban and Katz organization, explained to the gathering that his concern is doing everything possible to be of constructive worth to the Southtown district.
"Within the past 10 years our concern has spent approximately $10,000,000 in building operations in Chicago,” he said. “We believe that the Southtown area has been one of the greatest sources of patronage for our organization and we, at this time, are doing what we can to aid this territory by erecting this theater.”
Fish, Himmel Talk
Other speakers at the ceremonies were Leonard Fish, president of the Englewood Business Men’s association, Harry S. Himmel, president of the Englewood Commercial and Civic association, William D. Saltiel, city attorney representing Mayor Thompson, Alderman Walter W. Morris (18th), and Alderman James O. Coyle (17th).
Music for the ceremony was furnished by Frankie Masters, Balaban and Katz orchestra leader and his players, and the Tilden, Parker and Englewood high school bands.
Acme In Achievement
With a sum of approximately $2,500,000 involved in the huge undertaking, the new movie palace will hold the distinction of being the acme of the Balaban and Katz concern’s achievements in theater construction. The new building will have the reputation of occupying the largest theater site in the world. The ground, purchased last June for approximately $1,000,000, comprises approximately 154,000 square feet and is said to be four times larger than any other theater site.
The new theater, according to Balaban and Katz officials, was planned several months before the site was selected. It represents the ideal in theater construction of that concern, particularly in respect to sound, comfort, acoustics and stage accommodations.
To Seat 3,500
Special acoustic plastering, which has been proven effective, will be used for the walls and ceiling of the auditorium which will have a seating capacity of 3,500 persons.
The front of the new building will be featured with a grand entrance that will face 63rd st. and be designed in the effect of a great portal. It will be 70 feet wide and will extend as a wing away from the main structure to a distance of 60 feet.
Immediately adjacent to this and to the right will be a tower which is to be brilliantly lighted. The lobby or foyer of the structure will be one of the largest to be found anywhere in theater buildings. It will be known as the grand rotunda and will be 81 by 223 feet in size. This immense hall will be decorated with waterfalls, fountains, pools, garden features and retiring alcoves.
It will contain an indoor playground for children, which will be connected with an outdoor children’s playground 41 by 45 feet in size.
The new theater will contain every latest improvement of modern science for making perfect sound reception. To this end a special sounding board, said to be the latest development of the Western Electric company’s sound engineers, will be installed. No other theater in the country will boast of this newest feature.
My great uncle, Bill Studdert, was the manager of the Chicago Southtown Theater. He was a great guy — and really loved “showbiz” and the great theater palaces. (He was also manager of the Tivoli…) When the Southtown Theater swan pool display was removed he gave the wrought iron furniture — 2 chairs and 2 settees — that were displayed near the pool to his sister. I have the set now. Does anyone have a photograph of the swan pool that shows the wrought iron furniture? The set is now black but my aunt recalls that they were originally white. They are very heavy, ornate and have beautiful heart-shaped backs. Thanks!
Well there it seems like everyone is abandoning this site. the postings are getting fewer.But,not me. I so loved this theater and the memories of the neighborhood that I took a photo I had of the Southtown enlarged it and with a little camera work put myself and my old 29 Ford into the parking lot entrance. Now in my home it will never be forgoten!
Chuckie Z.
Here is a photo circa 1935:
http://tinyurl.com/ylnhas7
Ah the30s,40s and 50s when a guy looked forward on the weekend to putting on his freshly starched shirt his suit and tie shined shoes and fedora Picked up his lady and went out for dinner at one of the many great restaurants and then off to the magical world of the cinema of which Chicago had many. But none surpassed the splendor and elegance of the Southtown theater made up of italian tile,plush carpets a well stocked pool of ducks swans fish and water falls in the lobby.Fabulous stairways plush seats well uniformed ushers and even a staffed nursery for the kiddies so you could enjoy the movies and live stage shows with a full orchestra in the pit all for a mere 25 cent admission.Shame on the city of Chicago for letting these fabulous places fall into disrepair and vanish to be replaced by no class cement structures they now call theaters where you are hearded like cattle and fleeced of your funds and expelled from them after the movie.To bad for the generation of today that does'nt know better!
In the spring of 1960, I helped pay tuition at the University of Illinois in Chicago by working for an inventory company. We would inventory stores prior to the accountants coming in to do their own inventory. It was sort of a security measure. We usually worked from around 10 p.m. on a Friday night until 8 a.m. on Saturday morning. When our crew chief drove us down to the Southtown Theatre, I thought we were going to have to inventory popcorn. What a surprise when I saw that this art-deco theatre was now a department store. The stoves and refrigerators were in the balcony, and I spent the entire night sitting on the floor of the orchestra counting boxes of paper clips and ball point pens. That’s the only time I was ever in the theatre, but as I sat on the floor, I kept staring at the ceiling and thought what a beautiful theatre it must have been at one time.
Hay to all of you who lived on normal blvd and went to lewis chaplain school.I went to that grade school to 1952 then moved out here to phx az when i was 11 yrs old.I lived across from the hiram kelly library at 504 w 62nd st.I went and hung out at every movie theater in the neighbor hood and used to go down town on the el,or streetcar with only 50cents.AND still brought home change to my grandmother HOWS THAT.I used two build snow tunnels in the SOUTHTOWN parking lot.IM 69 yrs old my how time flys when ur having fun.thedoberman
Involved in the installation for a community mural. 300 years of History, to depict one of the most oldest prominent communities in Chicago. Near the Historical Theater previous site along W 63rd.
In case possible, let’s establish collaboration.
Efforts in having the envisionment of the Historical Theater, incorporated into the mural.
Here are some 1982 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/dzoq5d
http://tinyurl.com/dzcxtr