photo - Cinema Treasures
The Chateau Theater entrance was located on Broadway north of Grace Street. The Flora Building (theater space within) was designed by August C. Willmanns and property owned by Russian born Albert Fuchs and was operated by Ascher Brothers theater circuit. The building had several offices, a upstairs ballroom,
22 lanes of bowling, and 22 billiards tables that was next to Fuchs luxury apartment
building of the same name. In order to highlight this theater I must mention that the owner of the building also owned most of the property from Broadway to Rokeby (Fremont), Sheridan Road to Grace Street - see map above. Before converting his property to a series of buildings Mr. Albert Fuch owned a greenhouse on Broadway near the Grace according to a 1894 Sanborn Fire Map. Mr. Fuch was a horticulturist by trade owning another greenhouse on the west-side of Halsted Street north of Addison.
The Plans for a Building Complex
with a theater within
in 1915
Largest Off-Loop Theater
in 1916
A Program Booklet
via Cinema Treasures for the entire block 1922
(the plan was not completely realized)

If you look closely you will see the half-moon roof of the theater along Grace Street. Broadway Avenue is to the left of image and Sheridan Road in the forefront. Across the street on Grace on the southwest corner of Halsted and Grace is the famous
Bismarck-Marigold Gardens. The planned development of the entire area did not happened due the Fuch's family desire to move to California by 1920's. The property would remain in the family name.
The Vogue Theater by
Diane Wasserman-Drell
'When I was young, (early 1950's) it cost 25 cents to go to
the Vogue Theatre and see a movie plus the cartoons in the beginning. Sometimes
they had double features. My brother always took me with him per my parents
request. It was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. That should be Grace
Street on the right where that reddish/brownish building is. Edwards restaurant
was right near there, too on the east side of the street. My mother and I
walked everywhere up and down Broadway. We lived on Patterson Avenue, one block
north of Addison -- in-between Waveland and Addison. It was a great
neighborhood way back when. I've often regretted that my parents moved to
suburbia when I was about to turn 10 yrs. old. I loved Le Moyne School then,
too and it was amazing that Le Moyne was far ahead of the north suburban
schools back then. There was a large Woolworths store at the corner of Irving
Park and Broadway SE side of the street, and Edward's (great food) was in the
next block (east side of the street past Grace) to the north.'
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
1950
as the Vogue
one of the shops in the building on Broadway
1946 photo below
Jeffrey Lindmark/Memories of Chicago Past
The Flora Building
that Housed the Theater
in 1946
A Tavern inside the Building
images - Ebay
The Initial Owners of the Block:
The Fuch Family Presence
The family who owned theater had a residence in the apartment complex now part of the Chicago Park District
on Sheridan Road west of Broadway
postcard - Chuckman Collection
The actual location was on Sheridan Road just west of Broadway where Clarendon routes north and Broadway routes northwest
a 1909 advertisement - Chicago Public Library The Fuch Family owned Landscape
by 1923
all buildings east of the private alley
postcard - Chuckman Collection
Mr. Fuchs & family left the floral business
and planned to lease his holdings including the
Flora Building along with the theater in 1921
The Man, Family, Property, $$
- Albert Fuchs
This segment about the owner of the Flora Building, hence the Chateau Theater was interesting to me due to the timing of
anti-German sentimentaliy in a city
dominated by German-American population of the north-side
Wife Files Suit
in 1898
His Property by 1894
He would reuse this property to build an empire of structures
Loyality Questionedin 1917 - WWI
that year
His Son Wants a Spelling
Change in 1918
Even the Royal House of Great Britian needed to
change the name during WWI
Fuchs to Fox
Fuch to Move
West in 1921
Mr. Fuchs Leases
but not sells his properties in 1927
Upon his Death to Cancer Research
in 1928
More Drama Follows Albert Fuchs
in 1930
Fuchs
Sheridan-Broadway Hotel
aka
Renting Space
in 1929
photos - Ebay
Movie Theater
The Vitagraph Theater was established by 1914 and sat
1000 patrons. In 1925 the theater was managed by Lubliner & Trinz circuit
of theaters according the Cinema Treasure.
In the 1930's The old Belmont-Lincoln-Ashland shopping district of Lake
View had a new retailer located at 3149-53 N Lincoln Avenue called the Goldblatts Department Store. Goldblatts converted the old theater during in 1929 (first year of the Great Depression) and expanded their presence south into the old theater space to 3133-41.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
1923
zoomed below
1950 zoomed view Goldblatts Department Store
further zoomed view below
1914 Chicago Daily Tribune ad
artwork - Imperial Realty Company
Goldblatts Department Store
converted into
lofts
The Lincoln - Hippodrome was built in 1912 with an entrance address of 3162 N Lincoln Avenue. The theater was designed by a local architect named Robert C. Berlin. The theater's seating capacity was 1590 patrons by 1923. At the time it was one of the largest theaters in Chicago’s north-side. 'The Lincoln' (apparent original name)was built for W. A. Wieboldt, founder of the department store chain bearing his name that were once scattered all over Chicagoland area including the old Lake View Belmont-Lincoln District. This building originally cost $3000,000. The word 'hippodrome' is sometimes used as a extravagant name for a modern circus; a theater used for various staged entertainments. The interior of this building must have seem enormous!
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
1923
no significant change to the theater in the 1950 map
The Wieboldt Connection
text image - Lake View Saga
A Playbill of 1916
via Chicago Public Library
3033 N Lincoln Avenue
photo - Cinema Treasures
building still exists
According to Cinema Treasures, The Strand opened in 1914 and was located on 3033 N Lincoln Avenue near Wellington. The theater seated 699 patrons. By the 1940’s the theater had been renamed the City Theater, which apparently operated into the 1960’s
1923 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
no signifcant change to the theater in the 1950 map
zoomed belowGoogle Earth View
stores in front, former theater space in the back
A Playbill
"the best photo plays in the world"
unknown date - Ebay
initialy called
The Glenwood Theater
currently commerical space
'Chicago Before We Were Born' /Facebook
postcard - Ebay
Moving Picture World
Oct-Dec 1911 pages 125-6
photo - Theatre Historical of America via Explore Chicago
1923 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
no significant changes to the theater in the 1950 map
2021 Google Maps
stores in front the former theater in back
a matchbook below
part of my collection
photos - Cinema Treasures
Community Theatres
move in
2016 Google Map Views
the entrance to the building was on Clark Street while the main theater space has been replaced with apartments
a zoomed view below of the name of the theater
above the garage door below
3175 N Broadway
currently called
a 1916 view - Cinema Treasures
a 1928 interior - Cinema Treasures
1915 Chicago Daily Tribune ads
via Susan Reibman Groff, LakeView Historical-Facebook
Jeff Nichols/Forgotten Chicago/Facebook
original entranceway photo below - Cinema Treasures
photo - Louis Henry Agreda photo below - unknown source
1923 Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
1923
with the main theater space faced towards an alley
1950 a garage was added south of the theater in 1926
The address of this theater was 3175 Broadway per map above with a seating capacity of 514 patrons and built in 1914 according to Cinema Treasures. Cineplex-Odeon theater company gave the old Lake Shore
Theater a renovation in the 1980 and named it Broadway Cinema until the year
2000. Due to high running costs on the aging theater, the theater was closed on April 10, 2010, but was re-opened in November
2011 as The Laugh Factory - a venue for live comedic performances. - Cinema Treasures
Saul Smaizys via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
A testimonial
Jim Huffman on December 2, 2016
"I lived & grew up, in this neighborhood near Belmont
& Broadway from 1945 to 1970. [I] attended Nettelhorst grade school. I saw
many movies at the Lake Shore [theater] throughout that time period. Although small, it
was a very neat, well-kept theater, but without the ginger-bread, exterior had
an exterior art-deco motif back then. Curved smoothed metal siding, colors were
yellow & red. The front had a small independent 1-person ticket booth, now
removed. A small door in the rear of the booth provided access and to the front
theater doors behind. People could walk all the way around the booth, although
narrow about 3-foot wide passage with movie posters along the sides. Originally had
greater seating, but I understand some seats were removed for more stage."
unknown source & date
1991 photo - Mekong.net
and renamed once again
sources & dates unknown
the latest venue below
In 2011 an Los Angeles based comedy club called the
Laugh Factory moved in the existing space converting the interior with a five million dollar renovation
that included a half million marquee
photo below - Open House Chicago
renamed
Century Theater
converted to
Levy & Klein architectural 1925 sketching
via Cinema Treasures
image - Art Institute of Chicago
via Joe Jakubik, Pictures of Chicago-Facebook
a Edward Frank,Jr photograph via Trolley Dodge.com
1928 Chicago Daily Tribune ad
1925 photo - Uraiwan Dutkiewicz via Cinema Treasures
1928 Chicago Daily Tribune ad
1934 photo - Theatre Historical Society of America
via Explore Chicago Collection This theater opened in 1924 designed in Spanish Baroque style by architect Edward Eichenbaum of the firm of Levy & Klein with a seating capacity of 3,800. The theater was renamed the The Century, in honor of the Century of Progress World’s Fair that was held in Chicago in 1933.
Old Chicago
Neighborhood: Remembering Life in the 1940’s by Neil Samors and Michael
Williams
both postcards - Ebay
photo - Cinema Treasures
1950 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1966 negative - Chicago History Muesum1970's photo below - Saul Smaizys via Flickr
Theater to be Renovated
for Shopping in 1973
by 1976
h
1975 negatives - Chicago History Museum
photo - Urainwan Dutkiewics,
Forgotten Chicago-Facebookphoto - Ken Vosburgh, Forgotten Chicago-Facebookphoto - Urainwan Dutkiewics, Forgotten Chicago-Facebookphoto - Urainwan Dutkiewics, Forgotten Chicago-Facebookphoto - Cinema Treasures
photos - C. William Brubaker Collection via UIC 1978
1982 photo - Thomas White via David Zonig New Owners, New Look
in 2013
*its still pending in 2022?*
2017 photo above - Uraiwan Dutkiewicz
2016 photo below - Garry Albrecht
north of the former Diversey Arms Hotel
converted to
from the Chicago Daily Newspaper in 1924
via Chicago Public Library
text below- Historic Movie Theater of Illinois

photos - Chicago History Museum in 1927
1929 image - Lake View Saga
The Lincoln-Belmont Theater was one of the more popular north-side Chicago movie houses for it was surrounded by a bustling retail hub and was located close to public transportation near the intersection of Belmont/ Ashland, and Lincoln avenues. The theater opened in 1925 for the Lubliner & Trinz theater circuit and was taken over by the Balaban & Katz chain in 1930. The theater was designed by
W.W. Ahlschlager, who was also the architect of the Roxy and Beacon Theatres in New York City. This 3200-plus seat palace was originally a venue for both live entertainment and movies, but later turned to movies only. It had a brief history as a bowling alley and later renovated into condos.- Cineman Treasures
According to Jazz Age Chicago, 'aside from its pretentiousness, the Lincoln-Belmont was also a
state-of-the-art theater. Its most admired features included 1,800 cushioned
seats, technically superior acoustics, ample fire exits, and indirect lighting
effects to reduce glare in the main auditorium. Also of note was the theater’s
massive air-cooling system. It was capable of pumping 2.5 million cubic feet of
fresh air into the theater every hour and, according to reports, greatly
enhanced the theater-going experience. “After seeing a performance,” observed
one visitor, “one arises from his seat not enervated, sleepy and tired, but
refreshed, intellectually awake and reinvigorated.”'
photos - Cinema Treasures
an article section - Steven Huber
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map 1950
photos below - Theatre Historical Society of America
via Explore Chicago Collection
via Motion Picture News June 24, 1927

In the mid 1960's the movie house
was converted into a bowling alley
text image - Hidden History of Ravenswood & Lake View
by Patrick Butler
Dr. Jake's Bowling History Blog
matchbook - Chuckman Collection
1963 advertisement
Dr. Jake's Bowling History Blog
The 1973 Fire Only the facade could have been saved -
per seller of Ebay
From Bowling Alley
to Lofts by 2012
Ivanhoe Playhouse
Theater
Dinning + Live Theater
currently
postcard image - EbayIt apparently began as a tavern-speakeasy and then to a respected restaurant and then again to a nationally recognized playhouse theatre by the 1966. This nationally recognized establishment to blend a live theater performance with a meal, hence called a 'playhouse'. While this venue was considered part of the Off-Loop Movement having performers from Hollywood and New York.
photo - Craig's Lost Chicago via Pinterest photo below via Sue Sacharski via LakeView Historical-Facebook
The Catacombs
was in the Restaurant
Sanborn Insurance Fire Map
1923
labeled as a 'store'
Sanborn Insurance Fire Map
1950
presence expanded toward Halsted Street by this time
zoomed below it would appear it expanded into a dwelling/house by this time
with flats/apartments along Halsted Street
1975 photos - Chicago Museumthe parking lot east on Clark
photo via Lance Grey
the parking lot sign from across the street on Clark Street
photo - part of my collection
photo - Calumet 412
1956 photo - Chuckman Collection
photo - Calumet 412
1955 photo below - Chuckman Collection
The Various Interior Views
of the Building
photos - Ebay
The Cropped Views
of Above Image
a postcard view - Chuckman Collection
A plate with brief history in back - Ebay
A Mailer Another mailer
with text
A Dinner Menus Ebay photos
front cover image - an advertisement mailer

a 1966 playbill - Ebay
Performiong in 1967
Zsa Zsa Gabor
photos - Chicago History Museum
Performing
in 1969
1968 image - Chicago Daily Tribune
Originally designed in an 'In-The-Round' configuration, the theater was opened as a commercial dinner/theater operation in 1966 that served as a showcase for director George Keathley that established a new type of theater called a playhouse. His string of successes included the world premiere of Tennessee William's Out Cry, which ran for more than a year before transferring to Broadway District in New York with its young and unknown Chicago star, Bruce Boxleitner. Jason Roth, contributor to ForgottenChicago/Facebook, mentioned that “Lots of shows performed there in the 70's such as Ronnie Spector, Southside Johnny, Tom Waits, Mink DeVille, Herbie Hancock & Jaco Pastorius, Meatloaf, Crystal Gayle, Link Wray, Kiki Dee, Ramsay Lewis, Rita Moreno, Elvin Bishop, and Dolly Parton. employee patch
photo - Ebay
Number 1 Loop Venue
in 1970
for this special type of theater
in 1971
Financial Troubles
begin in 1974

Time to Strategize
for the Future
in 1975
Apparenlty the restaurant was the financial problem
an ashtray - Ebay
Original Owners Sell
the Playhouse (theater & restaurant)
but Venue Remains
in 1975
On the Block
to be Sold Again in 1976
1976 photo - Chicago History Museum
Struggling to Survive
in 1976
Performing Photos of that Evening
Comedian David Steinberg
photos - Chicago History Museum
leading off with Peter Allen dining before the show in 1976
An Album Recorded
at the Theater
in 1976
The song list:Virginia Avenue Album
Side 1 - Track 1. Invitation To The Blues
Side 1 - Track 2. Virginia Avenue
Side 1 - Track 3. Jitterbug Boy
Side 1 - Track 4. I Can't Wait To Get Off Work
Side 1 - Track 5. Fumblin' With The Blues
Side 2 - Track 1. Small Change
Side 2 - Track 2. Eggs & Sausage
Side 2 - Track 3. The Piano Has Been Drinking
Side 2 - Track 4. Tom Traubert's Blues
a matchbook Chuckman Collection - unknown date
tokens - Chuckman Collection & Ebay
Some Tickets
‘
Remembrances of Performances Past’- Blogspot
Earl Scruggs ticket 1977- Ebay
Bill Quateman ticket 1977
Ruled not Arson
By October of the same year theater looking a bit chard from the outside but was back in business according to the Chicago Tribune via Chicago Public Library online section
Southside Johnny with Ronnie Spector - May 1977
photo - Jerome Hughs via Pinterest Dee Dee Ramone of the Ramones - July 1977
photo via Robert Duncan/Pinterest
A Good Summary of the End
in Oct 1977
The Final Death Knell
The New Owner?? in 1979
Once known as the 'Seventh Wonder of Chicago'
An Account
in 2000
2007 photo - Mark Susina via Flickr
with an entrance view to the former catacombs
2013 photo below - Garry Albrecht

The Catacombs
then and now
reinforced the basement and kept the basis floor design
of the old catacombs
Before Binny's
Ivanhoe Playhouse Theater
Commentary
from Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
John Olson
Saw some shows there in the mid to late 70's. Martin Mull
and Flo and Eddie (aka the Turtles).
Bernie Biernacki
My parents went there on the 40’s and my wife and I ate
there twice, and even saw a play there in the 70’s. I think Bruce Boxlitner
(sp) was in it. My dad always talked about "riding down into the
catacombs."
Bob Mucci
I remember the fake elevator that made it seem you went
down a hundred feet. But the building is a Binny's booze emporium now.Yes, and there was a little window and they had a scroll of a brick wall that kept running real fast behind the window to make you think you were descending far and fast.
Bernie Biernacki
Bob, I remember the elevator well. You stepped into it
and when the door closed it started shaking and shuddering. When it stopped
another door open you were in the catacombs - just next to where you entered
the "elevator".
Stan Barker
Bernie, the fake elevator gimmick goes back to a
"Subterranean Theater" that was proposed, never built, during the
1893 World's Fair. In the mid-1960s, when I was a kid, that gimmick was used at
a "Gold Mine" attraction at Fort Dells amusement park in Wisconsin
Dells. I never went to the Ivanhoe... closest I got was buying rickets to the
Sex Pistols who were supposed to play there, New Year's Eve 1977. They broke up
and cancelled their tour before they got to Chicago. I cashed my ticket back
in. My old girlfriend hung on to hers, still has it - Worth some money now.
Sue M Paula
"Please, please let me out"! Remember the
spooky trip down the fake elevator and the woman screaming?
Ivanhoe was a fabulous place!!
Jan Zweerts
As a kid we went there. When a certain paving stone was
stepped on a air driven dummy would rear up to scare you. Spooky, but fun.
Paul Igasaki
Yes. Went with my parents to see a play there in the
seventies. Remember the seats around the stage and a bedroom scene that my
parents didn't expect me to see.
Ken Dietz
Went there several times in the 70's to see music
acts---The Four Seasons being one of them. The Sex Pistols were scheduled to
play there but they broke up before the scheduled date. The Ivanhoe was going
to remove all the seats just for that show. Two Ton also had a puppet on his show by the name of 'Bubbles'. Two Ton would sing "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" and the puppet would appear. I think the set of his show had a pirates theme.
Marcey Wadas Crylen
Went to the Ivanhoe for dinner after a Christmas dance at
DePaul and met Two Ton Baker!
Nancy Kesseler Adams
Our favorite as children was Two Ton Baker. We saw him in
person once - a charming man who truly loved children. There is a link
somewhere (I'll check) with the songs he sang. It's a nice site. Brings back
memories!
Angie Naron via Flickr in 2010
The Owners Inspiration
photos - Ebay
Just South and North of the Community of
Lake View
commerical space
photo above - Cinema Treasures
1915 Chicago Daily Tribune ads
photo below via John Swiatek Chicagopedia-Facebook
to the left of the photo
1950's? photo - Cinema Treasures
A New Beginning in 1980
Closed in 1984
due to second rate movies
currently the location of a
Ruth Shriman House
affordable housing for seniors

Theatre History of America via Explore Chicago
Across the street and yards away from Irving Park Road on
Sheridan Road in the neighborhood of Buena Park and the Community of Uptown their was this theater that was built in 1927. The seating capacity of this theater was 2540. 1928 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
photos below - Frank's Place blog
Theatre History of America via Explore Chicago
Photos








matchbook - Ebay
1936 image - IDOT Collection
with St. Mary of the Lake steeple in the background
photo - Calumet 412
1947 photo - Chuckman Collection
along Sheridan Road at Irving Park Road
an artist view - Ebay
The grand buildings of Chicago's theaters that once sparkled throughout the city are credited by the insight and influence of A.J. Balaban, Barney Balaban, Sam Katz, and Morris Katz who formed the Balaban & Katz Theatre Corporation in 1925. This group planned theaters like the Uptown, Diversey, Pantheon, Belmont, Rivera, among others.
Theater to Synagogue
in 1951
What to do With it
in 1991
The Demo in 1994
photos - Scott Vermillion
via Living History of Illinois and Chicago-Facebook

The Other Theaters
that were in our local areaMy thanks to Brian Wolf via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook
Behind the Curtain
by Urban Remains
Atmospheric theaters gained popularity in the 1920's, and
are distinguished as an architectural style that used theater design to extend
the cinematic experience, to imaginatively transport the audience with the
decor. a plain dome gave space for projections of clouds, simulating the night
sky with twinkling "star lights," and walls were decorated to appear
as an exotic locale or an outdoor space.- Urban Remains
Post Notes:
in 2018
photo by Dean Ogren via Greg Harris
According to Uptown Update via the Chicago Tribune another attempt to save the Uptown Theater from the wrecking ball was announced in 2018. Will this time work?? While this theater is not located in Lake View I thought a honorable mention was due to its civic significance and former beauty.
in 2006
photos - Theatre Historical Society of America
photo - Chicago Public Library 1987
photos below - UIC Library via Explore Chicago Collection
1823 W Montrose Avenue
Community of North Central
photos - Cinema TreasuresCurrent view of the space - 2023
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These posts are exclusively used for educational
purposes. I do not wish to gain monetary profit from this blog nor should
anyone else without permission for the original source - thanks!
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