Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In January 1919, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Started the wood scene of the State-Lake Theatre job, which was a good beginning, rather hard to do in the Peltz and Carson Studio on account of the low ceilings, being obliged to paint one part on the upper floor and the balance on the lower floor. The studio was always warm and dry; in fact, too warm at times, which was almost as bad as not being warm enough. I was quite successful in my work at the State-Lake Theatre Everything came out quite good.”
The State-Lake Theatre opened on March 17, 1919, as part of the Orpheum Circuit. The venue was described as “Chicago’s two and one-half million dollar vaudeville playhouse” (“The Standard Union,” 20 Aug. 1919, page 8). Part of a 12-story office building located “in the loop,” it was on the corner of N. State Street and W. Lake Street. There was an enormous electric marquee on the building, measuring 96’-0” tall by 14’-6” wide; at the time, one of the largest electric signs in the world.
The auditorium boasted a seating capacity of 2,800, hosting 70,000 patrons each week during its heyday. Newspaper advertisements promised “Continuous Double Value Vaudeville and Photoplays at Single Prices,” with 4 shows daily: 11:00-2:45, 2:45-5:00, 5:00-8:00 and 8:00-11:00 (Chicago Tribune, 29 March 1919, page 19).
The theater later became part of the of the Keith-Albee-Orpheum Circuit and then the Balaban & Katz chain. Lake many other theaters, it eventually dropped all live performances and only featured movies by 1941. In 1984, the theater officially closed, with the interior being transformed into studio and office spaces for WLS-TV, a Chicago affiliate of ABC. Here is a lovely article about the theatre:
To be continued…
