Pickwick Theatre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pickwick Theater Building
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Pickwick Theatre
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5 S. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge, Illinois |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1928 |
| Architect | Roscoe Harold Zook, William F. McCaughey, Alfonso Iannelli |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000657 |
| Added to NRHP | February 24, 1975 |
The Pickwick Theatre is a famous old movie theater in Park Ridge, Illinois. It's a suburb near Chicago. This special building is known for its unique Art Deco style. It opened in 1928 and still shows movies and live shows today!
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A Historic Movie Palace
The Pickwick Theatre first opened its doors in 1928. It was designed by architects Roscoe Harold Zook, William F. McCaughey, and Alfonso Iannelli. When it first opened, the Pickwick was a place for both vaudeville stage shows and movies.
The theater is very famous for its tall, eye-catching marquee and its 100-foot tower. You might have even seen them before! They appeared in the opening credits of the TV show At the Movies.
Inside the Theater
The main movie room, called the auditorium, was built to look like an ancient Aztec or Mayan temple. It's a really cool design! When it first opened, about 1,400 people could sit in the main auditorium.
Over the years, the theater has been updated. In 1968, the seating was reduced by 200 seats. Then, in 2012, another 400 seats were removed. This big renovation project in 2012 cost $1.2 million. It also included a new roof, better heating and cooling systems, and fixes to the outside of the building, including the famous marquee.
How the Pickwick Got Its Name
The theater got its name in 1928 from William H. Malone I. He was the mayor of Park Ridge at the time. He named it after the main character, Samuel Pickwick, from the famous book The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens.
A Landmark Building
The Pickwick Theatre is a very important building. In 1975, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a special place that should be protected because of its history and design.
The theater still shows movies and hosts live stage shows. In 1990, the theater added three new screens behind the original auditorium. This allowed them to show more movies at once. In 2017, the owner, Dino Vlahakis, added another small theater with 39 seats on the second floor.
The Pickwick Theatre has also received special recognition. In 2018, it was chosen as one of the "Illinois 200 Great Places." This was part of the Illinois Bicentennial celebration. The American Institute of Architects Illinois group selected it. In 2022, the Pickwick Theatre was even featured in an episode of the TV show NBC's Chicago Fire (TV series).
