9/29/2010

The Will Rogers Theater in Chicago

Chicago used to have many neighborhood theaters like the one shown in the photo below, the Will Rogers Theater on the North-west side of the city, near where I grew up. All my favorite memories of going to see movies as a kid were here at this theater. They showed all of the Disney re-releases and new releases in the early 1980s. I remember going to see The Fox and the Hound, The Jungle Book, Pinocchio, and more.

There was only one screen. Weekend showings of a popular film always drew a huge crowd, and I remember waiting in lines that went literally "around the block".  Because of modern multi-plexes, rarely do I ever have that experience anymore of waiting in a long line outside a neighborhood theater, but when I do, I always think back to those days.  

The Will Rogers Theater went out of business in 1987 and was demolished in 1988

3 comments:

  1. One of my favorite movies growing up was, Wizard of OZ. Another movie that I also loved growing up was the film, The Red Balloon. I saw it again, not too long ago.

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  2. In Search of the Castaways. I stood in line for an hour with my two younger sisters, and even though it was SRO, we loved it!

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  3. I also loved The Red Balloon - haven't seen it for many years, but remember it vividly.

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