Uptown Theatre
4816 N. Broadway,
Chicago,
IL
60640
4816 N. Broadway,
Chicago,
IL
60640
88 people
favorited this theater
Showing 251 - 275 of 520 comments
jayne, we’d love to “hear” any stories that you have from your uncle if you have a chance to type them up.
Nortown, send me a message at
I’m going to trust everyone here not to abuse my address. Anyone who worked at these theatres got very involved with them and has fun reminiscing. I hope everyone here will understand that.
My uncle is 96 and worked at the Uptown. I showed him some of the pictures from here and it brought out a flood of great stories.
Just catching up on these Uptown posts…it would break my heart to see the Uptown end up in rubble like the Nortown. As a side note, Jayne1955, you and I worked together at the Nortown for several years. Not sure if there is a way to say hi to you off line and catch up.
Great post, Scott! You nailed it! That is the most fair resume of the situation I’ve seen in awhile.
I don’t care who saves it or for what purpose. The important thing is that it is saved. If we get an owner that doesn’t thrill us, well, owners come and go, as we all know well. That the building remains is what matters.
*one more thing: i don’t want to come across as painting jam to be bad. i hope if anyone does anything with the uptown, it will be local. jam has done a great job with a lot of other venues in the city…i just hope they can do the same with the uptown!
carry on…
let’s hope jam isn’t trying to be greedy, and, in the meantime, draw away any other interest to the theater.
i will keep optimistic as ever…it’s the only way to be. today, when my fiance and i came to the broadway/lawrence intersection, we were so entranced by its beauty (again!)that we missed our opportunity to walk! even in her current state, she sure is lovely! a week ago, we saw a theatre caretaker out front. the ugly boards that cover the entry doors were open, and we got a look inside. while it was dark (so nothing inside could be seen from where we stood) the facade hiding just underneath is lovely, just waiting for the outside world to marvel in her beauty again someday!
this showed up today online concerning the uptown’s fate:
View link
here’s an excerpt:
The arrival of Chicago newcomers MSG Entertainment and C3 led the longtime Chicago-based promoter Jam to move to hold the mortgage to the troubled Uptown Theatre, 4814 N. Broadway, if only as a defensive position. But if the City of Chicago were to acquire the Uptown under eminent domain â€" as many of the theater’s boosters desire â€" that could open the way for a different entity to take over the venue, possibly the concert promoter Live Nation, which could use its own mid-size indoor venue. According to sources familiar with the current rearrangement of the Chicago live-entertainment business, a restored and reopened Uptown is looking more likely now than in recent history.
According to a recent report in Billboard, midsize venues such as the Chicago, Congress and Uptown have been showing particular strength of late. Billboard said that Radio City Music Hall rung up $87.6 million in concert grosses during 2007.
New venues in choice spots such as downtown Chicago are very difficult to find and massively expensive to build from the ground up.
this from the latest on the theatre’s fate from the uptown chicago commission, as reported on uptownupdate.com (a great community information website!)last week:
Alderman Smith reports that two parties remain interested in purchasing and renovating the Uptown Theatre for use as a concert venue. A related court case is proceeding – as many parties (including the City) have liens on the property related to prior repairs. She remains optimistic that good things are to come.
I think jam may make it work. they did good with the Riv.My only thought is what would stop a conserv. group for throwing a road block up in front of Jam. Telling them how they want to restore or save the uptown. Something like that may kill the dream from making it become a reality.
also, here’s a recent interview from chicagoist, a chicago-related blog, with bob balaban, son of one of the balaban and katz founders. B & K, of course, were the original owners/operators of the uptown and many other chicago theatres, including the recently-closed esquire and uptown’s nearby neighbor, the riviera.
View link
speaking of my favorite theatre, here’s some pictures that i just came across. sorry if they have been mentioned earlier in previous posts:
View link
here’s Jam Productions, Inc.’s info:
207 W Goethe St Fl 5
Chicago, IL , 60610-1809
Phone: 312-266-6262
FAX: 312-266-9568
Website: www.jamusa.com
let’s make this happen, people!
To Charles…
Amundsen High School, Mundelein College- now part of Loyola University. All through HS and College I worked at the Nortown, but I helped out at other places.
Sorry to all the people I just spammed with that.
Back on topic…Has anyone actually tried to contact JAM to encourage them to get involved? I would if I could find an address. This winter has been brutal and I fear it’s taking a further toll on the old girl on Broadway.
Hi Jayne1955! What school did you go to? I have a feeling we were calssmates! Did you go see the American International BEACH PARTY films at the Uptown too?
had a bit of a panic moment today when i heard that fire trucks showed up at the theatre this morning when smoke was seen coming out of the west side of the building.
turns out they had the old boilers fired up…something with keeping the place heated so pipes don’t burst…my heart has restarted.
If there are legitimate people interested in it, How do we encourage such people?
I worked at the JAM concert that they held at the Uptown with the Bay City Rollers. I know I’m showing my age, but I am more familiar with them than with Live Nation.
i received the following update last night, which, to me, sounded like more good news. i am going to stay positive about this for now, even though i know failed attempts have been made in the past. it’s still better than thinking the ‘ol girl is in limbo with no interested parties.
Today’s Uptown Advisor further clarifies today’s Sun Times article. The Uptown Advisor is a volunteer service of Friends of the Uptown, an outreach activity of Landmark Uptown Theatre Corp., an Illinois not-for-profit corporation. Visit http://www.uptowntheatre.com for more information and to sign up for their newsletter.
Uptown Update January 9, 2008
Editor’s note: Chicago-based JAM Productions, which made some of its first fortunes booking rock shows onto the UPTOWN’s long-forgotten stage from 1977 to 1981 (?), has long been named as one of the recent and active contenders for ownership or control of the UPTOWN THEATRE, Chicago.
The second prominent contender, Live Nation, which is a major entertainment corporation, was not too public until today.
Sources have suggested that each company is interested in renovating and reusing the UPTOWN for entertainment. At this time, that’s good news for the landmark and its large community of fans, supporters, neighbors and volunteers.
I hope they can work out a deal to save it.
good news for the uptown’s possible future in today’s chicago sun-times:
Live Nation has eyes on Uptown
REAL ESTATE | Northerly Island promoter seeks to restore theater’s glory
January 9, 2008
BY DAVID ROEDER Sun-Times Columnist
Live Nation Inc., the concert promoter that manages the outdoor performance stage at Northerly Island, is negotiating with city officials to take over the landmark Uptown Theatre, 4816 N. Broadway.
The 1925 building has been mostly unused for 25 years. But Live Nation is said to be interested in restoring it to its former glory and using its 4,300-seat auditorium for concerts and other events.
» Click to enlarge image
It’s been about a quarter of a century since the Uptown Theatre has been used regularly. If it can deal with all the potential roadblocks, Live Nation Inc. would like to change that.
(Al Podgorski/Sun-Times file)
Possible hitches — and there are many — include a city subsidy for what could be a $40 million restoration. Also, the city has a lien of at least $1 million on the property because of emergency repairs it had to order on the building. The City Council has given Mayor Daley’s administration authority to acquire the Uptown via condemnation.
City Hall and Live Nation had no immediate comment. Ownership of the Uptown is a matter of litigation.
What can I say? I’m old. I remember all of that useless old stuff. Just do not ask me where my keys are this morning.
A good point indeed, Jayne!
Someone should remind Oprah that “Queen for a Day” was broadcast from there. First show that focused on women. It was cheesy, but it was there. Maybe a reunion for people involved with that show could get the old place some attention?
Oprah could surely make it happen too, if she wanted to. She’s good at making dreams come true, right?
Here is an idea. If the city does want to be involved. Maybe Sam Zell might be interested?