Roosevelt Theater

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Roosevelt Theater
Life Span: 1919-1989 (Block 37)
Location: 110-122 N. State Street
Architects: Henry L. Newhouse

Chicago Tribune, October 5, 1919

Chicago’s newest loop movie, to be erected directly opposite Marshall Field & Co., at 110 to 122 North State street, will be the most ornate playhouse so far erected in the downtown district. Henry L. Newhouse is the architect. It will seat about 2,000. It will be named “The Ascher”-the first time the operators of the house, the Ascher brothers, have named a theater after themselves. They operate eighteen movies in outlying neighborhoods and several in other cities.

Ascher brothers purchased the fee from the Marshall Field estate for a reported consideration of $1,133,000. B. W. Eisendrath and David S. Simon represented the purchasers and Dibble & Manierre the Field estate.

Chicago Tribune, October 27, 1919

“The Roosevelt” Movie Theater.
“The Roosevelt” Is what the new Ascher brothers’ theater will be called. This picture house Is to be located at 110 to 122 North State street, the property recently purchased from the Field estate..

Moving Picture World, April 9, 1921

Three New Ascher Houses.
Ascher Brothers to open three new houses this spring. The Roosevelt, their finest, will be ready about the first of May, the Capitol in Manitowoc, Wisc., about the middle of May and the Capitol in Cincinnati, soon after.

Chicago Tribune, April 23, 1921

Roosevelt Theater to Be Opened Today.
Ascher Bros.’ new theater, the Roosevelt, in State street, just north of Washington street, will be opened at 2 o’clock this afternoon, showing Constance Talmadge in “Lessons In Love.” It is the twenty-eighth theater of the firm.

President Harding, who had been invited to be present, congratulated the owners “on the dedication of this beautiful structure as a memorial to Theodore Roosevelt. No name in our country’s annals deserves better to be commemorated in the hearts and works of the people.”

Moving Picture World, May 7, 1921

Ascher Bros. Roosevelt Theatre Opens to Throng in Chicago’s Loop District
For some time Chicago has profited by the reputation of having the finest picture theatres in its outlying districts of any city in the country, but a new and greater prestige has been attained with the opening of a beautiful, costly house in the Loop—the Roosevelt—the first of its kind in the downtown district, which the Ascher brothers, Nate, Max and Harry, unlocked to the public on Saturday afternoon, April 23. State street, always a blockade to the Saturday afternoon shopper, gave even the traffic officers something to worry about as 2 o’clock approached on this important day, and thousands of would-be spectators lined up almost from Randolph to Washington streets. For many months the progress of this structure has attracted the attention of busy men and women, and the culmination of long, careful efforts on the part of the craftsmen was naturally a sight that many did not want to miss.

The show started with the ceremony of the golden key, which was placed in the hands of the mayor’s representative for unlocking the doors to the Roosevelt. Ten minutes after the doors opened the theatre was filled to capacity.

Not for its size, but for the perfection of its form, the substantiality of its construction, the richness of design, the fine “uncommercial” atmosphere created by the management and staff, is the Roosevelt remarkable. In these respects it is truly extraordinary. The name of Ascher Brothers, to any one who is familiar with their theatres, has come to signify a standardized quality, a rare combination of dignity and showmanship, conservatism and style, richness and simplicity, and the new theatre is eloquently expressive of these ideals.

The lustrous interior, heavily embossed in gold with little or no contrast except that afforded by the ceiling lights of azure, like so many eyes, is a rich display and establishes the impression that the Roosevelt. is “costly by the inch.” No glaring lights nor over-emphasis of color mars the appearance. A certain effect of elusiveness has been obtained in the distribution of color, which is in patches rather than splashes and sheds its reflection rather than itself here and there. Each lift of the curtain brought a stir of anticipation, as the unusual beauty of each drop and stage setting had that oft-coveted, seldom realized charm—the lure of the work of make-believe.

A Sample Show
As a member of the staff remarked before the show, the entertainment on opening day offered “nothing special,” only the precedented quality of all Ascher programs—class À pictures, music and stage effects, a first sample, but an average sample, of what this firm has in store for its downtown patrons. A prologue, planned to suggest the theme of the feature, which was “Lessons in Love,” with Constance Talmadge, consisted of a heart of flame set in blue as a background for two lovers who sang “The Sweetest Story Ever Told.” Harry Rogers and his orchestra of thirty finished musicians, and Edward Fitch at the splendid-toned organ, played an accompaniment and additional numbers that for appropriateness and beauty defied criticism.

The following message from President Harding was the crowning touch on this day of success: “It gives me much pleasure to congratulate the owner of the new Roosevelt Theatre and the city of Chicago as well, on the dedication of this beautiful structure as a memorial to Theodore Roosevelt. No name in our country’s annals deserves better to be commemorated in the hearts and works of the people. It is and ever will be an inspiration to the best citizenship, the highest patriotism, the truest civic service.’

“Lcss than 1 per cent. of those who patronize picture theatres are children, according to a recent investigation of box office records in Chicago, and this will be our foremost argument in fighting the censorship bills now up in the state legislature.” said Peter J. Schaefer, president of the Allied Amusements Association. This organization is planning an anti-censorship crusade to Springfield, upon which Mr. Schaefer, in company with a special committee of nine, will embark within a few days.

Would Dwarf Entertainment
“The proposal of the reformers to make the moving picture safe for children,” he said, “would mean regulating our shows so that they could be enjoyed by an almost negligible percentage of those who frequent movies. Grown-ups would soon become disgusted with such dwarfed entertainment and the most popular amusement of today would not be longer available for the 99 per cent. who demand something more than child’s fare.

“This average of less than 1 per cent. for child attendance applies only to the outlying houses. In the Loop theatres it is very unusual, almost never, that we see a child unaccompanied by parent or guardian.

“Pictures made exclusively for children have never been a success. That is why they are no longer being produced. The records of both exhibitors and producers show that the patronage of children has been of no financial value to the industry, and we do not intend that the time-worn cry of ‘saving the children’s morals’ shall imperil the motion picture business at large-at least not without a protest on our par.”

Mr. Schaefer intimated that, rather than submit to such regulations, the Allied would urge the passing of a bill prohibiting anyone under sixteen from attending picture shows. The committee which will represent this organization at Springfield is comprised of Robert R. Levy, Dr. Sam Atkinson, Sam Abrahams, George Hopkinson. Andrew Karzas, Edward L. Bloom, Nathan Ascher, Joseph Trinz. and Barney Balaban.

Moving Picture Weekly, March 4, 1922

Chicago Tribune, May 23, 1922

Balaban & Katz Lease Big Roosevelt Theater
Through a participating lease signed yesterday Ascher Brothers have leased their Roosevelt theater, on State street near Washington, to the Balaban & Katz corporation, for a period of five years. This is considered one of the most important theater deals in years in Chicago’s loop. Ascher Brothers retain complete ownership of the Roosevelt ground and building. Roosevelt theater is reputed one of America’s finest, playhouses and seats approximately 1,600 people. It will be operated under the personal supervision of A. J. Balaban.

Chicago Tribune, July 31, 1979

THE ROOSEVELT THEATER WILL CLOSE SEPT. 1
The Roosevelt theater, 110 N. State St., built In 1921 once was one of Chicago’s grandest, will close its doors Sept. 1, the Tribune learned. Plitt Theaters, Inc., operators of the Roosevelt, has agreed with the building owners, Chicago Federal Savings and Loan Association, to terminate Its lease as part of a deal in which the building is scheduled to be sold in October to a private buyer, whose name was not disclosed. The Plitt lease had five years to run, according to Harold Klein, executive vice president of the nationwide theater chain.

The theater had been turning a profit this year, according to a Plitt executive. It could not be determined what the new owner of the Roosevelt building and land will do with the property, but maintaining a movie house is not believed to be part of the plans. The Roosevelt is one of several movie houses scheduled to be razed as part of the proposed billion-dollar North Loop renewal project. Awaiting financing, the project would overhaul six downtown blocks with a combination of private and public money. In the last eight years, six other Loop theaters have either closed their doors or been demolished.

Gone since the days when Chicago’s downtown was the capital of Midwest moviegoing are the Bismarck, Michael Todd, Monroe, Clark, Loop, and Today theaters.

“This sort of thing is happening all over the country, and it always touches you,” said Ken Blewett, 69, the Roosevelt’s manager since 1968, who was informed of the closing Monday morning.

Named for President Theodore Roosevelt, the theater once was one of Chicago’s principal movie houses, competing with the neighboring Chicago for the best films. It opened on April 23, 1921, with Constance Talmadge in “Lessons of Love.” In addition to the movie, then called a “photo-play,” the theater also offered “an orchestral prelude, vocal specialties, and a prologue stage showl.”

The following year the Roosevelt became part of the distinguished Balaban & Katz chain of luxury theaters. In the last decade, the Roosevelt has presented mostly action fare to a largely black audience. Last month the theater was one of many downtown theaters cited for building code violations.

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