Additional history and photo added credit The Windsor Star.
“A fire believed to have started from faulty wiring in the switch room destroyed the drive-in theatre. Estimate loss of $50,000 (about $515,000 in 2023 dollars).
The image shows the living quarters on fire below the theatres screen (back of) which also burned down. Three children and 2 adult parents (father was the projectionist) lived in the dwelling but were all safe. It was owned by John Dydzak for 11 years at that time. He lived next door to the drive-in.
It took 3 hours to extinguish the fire as Firefighters were hampered by water problems, experiencing freezing fire hose lines with minus -4 Celsius (28.4 Fahrenheit) weather that morning.
The theatre was covered by insurance and re-opened that spring.”
No announcement or schedule as of yet on their official website or Facebook page below.
I have reached out to them for confirmation.
Nothing in the news since a grant they received in mid June.
All links below.
This is the last paragraph.
Do they have the time line wrong?
I now remember seeing “Xanadu” the stage play there in 2007.
In the round, or half round maybe…
“In May of 2005, the former 5-7 screens of the movie house on Chestnut Street were reopened after a conversion into a single auditorium seating 549 as the Drury Lane Water Tower Theatre. Like the other Drury Lane Theatre in suburban Oakbrook Terrace, the theatre will present live musical theatre. In September 2010 it was renamed Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and is operated by Broadway in Chicago.”
Thank you.
Your updates help the Admins fix the Overviews with ownership changes.
I just chimed in so that the opening date gets reviewed by them before making changes if needed.
In this case I’d say it does not.
Thank you for all your posts.
Although the link I posted in 2022 has the May 22, 1947 date listed below the article and not on it, and “A Night in Casablanca” was released May 10, 1946, May 22, 1947 is confirmed as a Thursday as the article states. I tend to believe the Boone County Register.
There was a preview that Wednesday night.
We might have to search other local newspapers for those dates to confirm 1947 over 1946.
But my guess is someone at Boxoffice at the time looked up what year that film was released, and went with it as the opening year.
1937 Bijou calendar image added to gallery with interior photos, credit John Kehler.
Also additional history in Heritage Winnipeg link below.
It opened January 1906.
Comic actor Bill Hader worked there in 1998. He tells a story in this Facebook reels link below. Highlighting and opening in a new tab works if you are already logged into Facebook.
The photo added on 5/25/24 is not from May 25, 1977. The photo is from Waukegan’s Scoop The Loop car cruise, the night that footage was shot for a teaser trailer for the film “5-25-77” per the film’s writer and director Patrick Read Johnson. That marquee pictured was replaced for it’s 2004 reopening, and the Mustang pictured is an `89. “Star Wars” did not open there on that date either. It opened at the Genesee Theatre on June 15, 1977.
It is also a crisper version of the below duplicate 2017 posting which should be removed.
This photo is not from May 25, 1977.
That photo is from Waukegan’s Scoop The Loop car cruise, the night that footage was shot for a teaser trailer for the film “5-25-77” per the film’s writer and director Patrick Read Johnson.
That marquee was replaced for it’s 2004 reopening, and that Mustang is an `89.
“Star Wars” did not open there on that date either.
It opened at the Genesee Theatre on June 15, 1977.
You can highlight them then click Open In New Tab.
Or copy and paste them into your browser.
Unfortunately I do not know how to paste them as clickable links.
I just copy and paste them here.
Though an enlarged version of this image is in the gallery, Retro Quad Cities indicates the Showcase Cinemas announcement sign was erected in March 1989.
It appears one of the marquees lives on inside Gate 2 of the Illinois State Fairgrounds on the corner of Route 66 and Sangamon Avenue.
Photo added credit American Road magazine.
Facebook link below.
Photo taken January 3, 1978.
The Follies burned down the next day.
Additional history and photo added credit The Windsor Star.
“A fire believed to have started from faulty wiring in the switch room destroyed the drive-in theatre. Estimate loss of $50,000 (about $515,000 in 2023 dollars). The image shows the living quarters on fire below the theatres screen (back of) which also burned down. Three children and 2 adult parents (father was the projectionist) lived in the dwelling but were all safe. It was owned by John Dydzak for 11 years at that time. He lived next door to the drive-in. It took 3 hours to extinguish the fire as Firefighters were hampered by water problems, experiencing freezing fire hose lines with minus -4 Celsius (28.4 Fahrenheit) weather that morning. The theatre was covered by insurance and re-opened that spring.”
No announcement or schedule as of yet on their official website or Facebook page below. I have reached out to them for confirmation. Nothing in the news since a grant they received in mid June. All links below.
https://www.doubledoor.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0f31MMKG75VrgQm8Tyea3938h95GXZohe0VNa6XfCwNVDmFRuX-_kf4SA_aem_B-mMnyL-Mv4PCnIrfCZ0iw
https://www.facebook.com/DoubleDoorChi
https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/06/17/double-door-theater-restoration-in-uptown-gets-5-million-city-grant/
This is the last paragraph. Do they have the time line wrong? I now remember seeing “Xanadu” the stage play there in 2007. In the round, or half round maybe…
“In May of 2005, the former 5-7 screens of the movie house on Chestnut Street were reopened after a conversion into a single auditorium seating 549 as the Drury Lane Water Tower Theatre. Like the other Drury Lane Theatre in suburban Oakbrook Terrace, the theatre will present live musical theatre. In September 2010 it was renamed Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and is operated by Broadway in Chicago.”
It is mentioned in the Overview and Previous Names in the right hand column. I believe I saw “Vanities” there among others circa `81.
Thank you. Your updates help the Admins fix the Overviews with ownership changes. I just chimed in so that the opening date gets reviewed by them before making changes if needed. In this case I’d say it does not. Thank you for all your posts.
Although the link I posted in 2022 has the May 22, 1947 date listed below the article and not on it, and “A Night in Casablanca” was released May 10, 1946, May 22, 1947 is confirmed as a Thursday as the article states. I tend to believe the Boone County Register. There was a preview that Wednesday night. We might have to search other local newspapers for those dates to confirm 1947 over 1946. But my guess is someone at Boxoffice at the time looked up what year that film was released, and went with it as the opening year.
Appears to have been Demolished based on Street View.
Update: Photo credit George Krambles.
July 1954 35mm slide credit Vintage Roadside added via their Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=905036128090999&set=a.538211384773477
Demolition is imminent per this May 27, 2024 KSL.com article.
https://www.ksl.com/article/51023660/end-of-an-era-motor-vu-drive-in-will-soon-be-demolished-to-make-way-for-housing?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=news&utm_content=weber&utm_id=120208308405220784&utm_term=120208308405300784&fbclid=IwAR2wNgUApsXVGNmt-vnR95Pbu5_-Ol-FX_Kfo_81woVEmw8xYkrQZduKe4g_aem_AU4582yfGQdwFQdr7lyncwCVUVrnLHUcL1_xVtmOtRCBc4LLoH8rTHM6XFRyCjAFqOn1g5AN_LxB20Yca_rAeBtn
1960s photo added credit John Kehler.
1937 Bijou calendar image added to gallery with interior photos, credit John Kehler. Also additional history in Heritage Winnipeg link below. It opened January 1906.
https://heritagewinnipeg.com/blogs/bijou-theatre-burning-down-the-house/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0qx7Xc75V5u-tXtfMjzdGTXV8Lh3EAYm1ow5GoNpVhbT3WiGWnpF7HxGs_aem_AfqFJFvB_Dhef24yRjOS4QJ6goj4VlyrvdcEnYFhanV1atjLVFH8ccU7kQH9lkkUl-42MFDVajZoh1UeWdOFEdyk
Comic actor Bill Hader worked there in 1998. He tells a story in this Facebook reels link below. Highlighting and opening in a new tab works if you are already logged into Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1126734285331074
The photo added on 5/25/24 is not from May 25, 1977. The photo is from Waukegan’s Scoop The Loop car cruise, the night that footage was shot for a teaser trailer for the film “5-25-77” per the film’s writer and director Patrick Read Johnson. That marquee pictured was replaced for it’s 2004 reopening, and the Mustang pictured is an `89. “Star Wars” did not open there on that date either. It opened at the Genesee Theatre on June 15, 1977. It is also a crisper version of the below duplicate 2017 posting which should be removed.
https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/299/photos/196617
This photo is not from May 25, 1977. That photo is from Waukegan’s Scoop The Loop car cruise, the night that footage was shot for a teaser trailer for the film “5-25-77” per the film’s writer and director Patrick Read Johnson. That marquee was replaced for it’s 2004 reopening, and that Mustang is an `89. “Star Wars” did not open there on that date either. It opened at the Genesee Theatre on June 15, 1977.
You can highlight them then click Open In New Tab. Or copy and paste them into your browser. Unfortunately I do not know how to paste them as clickable links. I just copy and paste them here.
Reopened in May 2023 for films, music and live events. Official website and Facebook page below.
https://www.thepioneertheater.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2ilgrtbkAMM-tF7iobqADm58iLXNW_oeCgcWXA4cjbHjxNFVCHaqRWhI0_aem_AdZGHsDYLBmhdWwdFZ7bM7Ie2NWDnATzI0YqXhsv7oySnwWiGVRnreI38BBFHIOluO5I93tc0opKMGHzIlKhSHcV
https://www.facebook.com/PioneerManteo/?show_switched_toast=0&show_invite_to_follow=0&show_switched_tooltip=0&show_podcast_settings=0&show_community_review_changes=0&show_community_rollback=0&show_follower_visibility_disclosure=0
Closing for technical improvements in January 2025, scheduled to re-open April 2025.
https://www.news-gazette.com/arts-entertainment/going-dark-virginia-to-shut-down-in-early-2025/article_72e51071-fbf0-5a4f-9338-adc45b072dee.html?utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1ut4YDlF7TtcwL4gNu4BSJ4-RHa-MuI9tif-ybggZeq6Gk8u5M1JxY0Gg_aem_AT-EcGbWeEHymxIVNd3Nr1Ct7aLfolkawsv-oNY17jP-0udUjbPmQB_jhTwb_zYFmiYQifKmaA83Ns16mWg55e1j
Though an enlarged version of this image is in the gallery, Retro Quad Cities indicates the Showcase Cinemas announcement sign was erected in March 1989.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155004139064835&type=3
Retro Quad Cities Facebook page indicates this sign was erected in March 1989.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10155004139064835&type=3
Block Club Chicago article:
Portage Theater Named One Of Illinois’ Most Endangered Sites: ‘We’re Losing Time’
https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/05/07/portage-theater-named-one-of-illinois-most-endangered-sites-were-losing-time/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3dBb1TO8sL-X8WZOILqLzOkn2q0ZMQSruPqOO9tf5gtQsKz4IokEQLX-Y_aem_ATGubJMIEf9mo48Maok-L9_pKPwz7kPgsbmTYJzSZ9pRPjmEjagdIxCvFu0MgvPzpLAnFu3MMaPA4IM6XFHthoMK
Update: Photo credit Explore Chicago Collection.
Update courtesy Michael Coate: HOW THE WEST WAS WON, February 27, 1963, 37 Weeks, 3-Strip CINERAMA.
It appears one of the marquees lives on inside Gate 2 of the Illinois State Fairgrounds on the corner of Route 66 and Sangamon Avenue. Photo added credit American Road magazine. Facebook link below.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=913596854109678&set=a.507497111386323