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Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
Susan
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 16, 2014 01:04AM
Who knew Charlie Chaplin made 14 movies here in Chicago's very own Essanay Studio on Argyle in 1915. Not to mention lived in the penthouse at the Brewster building on Diversey (check out the lobby!).
I don't know how to post photos of either the remaining facade of Essanay Studios or the interior of the brewster budding but both are definitely worth checking out.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2014 01:06AM by Susan.
I don't know how to post photos of either the remaining facade of Essanay Studios or the interior of the brewster budding but both are definitely worth checking out.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2014 01:06AM by Susan.
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
davey7
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: July 16, 2014 01:43PM
The Brewster was sad inside when I was there for Open House Chicago, not the cleanest and a touch run down. One would have thought that they would have spruced it up a bit for their close up.
Friends got married in what may have been one of the sound stages at Essanay, now, what is it, St. Francis' College? That doesn't sound right.
Friends got married in what may have been one of the sound stages at Essanay, now, what is it, St. Francis' College? That doesn't sound right.
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
Susan
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 16, 2014 05:40PM
Essanay is now part of St. Augustine College. The old doorway fronts on Argyle but if you walk around back you can find the old doors and stairway.
I saw the Brewster place ale at open house (although two years ago) and thought the interior was pretty amazing. While not bright, it really had an old world feel. Loved the original elevator.
If you walk a block west on Diversey and then look back at the building, I believe you can see the penthouse or at least the massive skylight.
I saw the Brewster place ale at open house (although two years ago) and thought the interior was pretty amazing. While not bright, it really had an old world feel. Loved the original elevator.
If you walk a block west on Diversey and then look back at the building, I believe you can see the penthouse or at least the massive skylight.
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
davey7
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: July 16, 2014 07:39PM
Yes, that's the name....
I thought the interior was cool, but needed a thorough cleaning, especially the elevator cab roof (hint to anyone from the Brewster reading this).
I thought the interior was cool, but needed a thorough cleaning, especially the elevator cab roof (hint to anyone from the Brewster reading this).
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 16, 2014 11:20PM
[b]From what I read most of the movies were made there at that studio before hollywood took over. I saw a Chaplin movie on TV and looking close it was filmed in Pilsen. Western movies were filmed in Niles by the river. Look carefully at the silent movies and see most were made here in Chicago at ESSENAY studios.[/b]
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
gman
(---.sfltd.com)
Date: July 17, 2014 10:54AM
Someone has compiled a list of films shot there:
http://essanaystudios.org/about-us/filmography/#
http://essanaystudios.org/about-us/filmography/#
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
Susan
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 17, 2014 11:52AM
The site indicates there is a restoration campaign but I can't tell if it's inactive as they haven't had an event in a while and no future events are listed.
Also, the last time I called the number the message redirects you to the school.
Also, the last time I called the number the message redirects you to the school.
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
QlassiQue
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: July 17, 2014 08:49PM
FC did a presentation on Chicago's lesser-known movie theater history for nearly 200 people on July 15, and discussed a 1906 Nickelodeon in the 1200 block of North Milwaukee owned and operated by Carl Laemmle, who less than 10 years later would build Universal Studios in California.
Several buildings on the block were purchased last year, and their future may be in doubt - there is also some disagreement on which building actually housed the former White Front Theater:
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140123/wicker-park/developer-buys-stretch-of-old-buildings-wicker-parks-southern-gateway.
FC will visit this site during our Noble Street walking tour next month:
http://forgottenchicago.com/events/2014-tour-schedule/
Several buildings on the block were purchased last year, and their future may be in doubt - there is also some disagreement on which building actually housed the former White Front Theater:
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140123/wicker-park/developer-buys-stretch-of-old-buildings-wicker-parks-southern-gateway.
FC will visit this site during our Noble Street walking tour next month:
http://forgottenchicago.com/events/2014-tour-schedule/
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
PKDickman
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: July 17, 2014 10:19PM
QlassiQue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> FC did a presentation on Chicago's lesser-known
> movie theater history for nearly 200 people on
> July 15, and discussed a 1906 Nickelodeon in the
> 1200 block of North Milwaukee owned and operated
> by Carl Laemmle, who less than 10 years later
> would build Universal Studios in California.
>
> Several buildings on the block were purchased last
> year, and their future may be in doubt - there is
> also some disagreement on which building actually
> housed the former White Front Theater:
>
Their future is not really in doubt, I think they already have a demo permit.
Freed, who used to own them,treated them like a slumlord.
They are not protected by any landmarking so demo is pretty much as of right.
I remember looking into this when the developer first came before my neighborhood group looking for a zoning change.
From the 1914 Sanborn maps there was no evidence of a theater in those storefronts. Although there was one right across the street at 1252 and another at 1606 Division.
-------------------------------------------------------
> FC did a presentation on Chicago's lesser-known
> movie theater history for nearly 200 people on
> July 15, and discussed a 1906 Nickelodeon in the
> 1200 block of North Milwaukee owned and operated
> by Carl Laemmle, who less than 10 years later
> would build Universal Studios in California.
>
> Several buildings on the block were purchased last
> year, and their future may be in doubt - there is
> also some disagreement on which building actually
> housed the former White Front Theater:
>
Their future is not really in doubt, I think they already have a demo permit.
Freed, who used to own them,treated them like a slumlord.
They are not protected by any landmarking so demo is pretty much as of right.
I remember looking into this when the developer first came before my neighborhood group looking for a zoning change.
From the 1914 Sanborn maps there was no evidence of a theater in those storefronts. Although there was one right across the street at 1252 and another at 1606 Division.
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
QlassiQue
(---.uvs.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: July 17, 2014 11:49PM
Interesting - thanks for sharing. I did see a mention that Laemmle also opened a theater somewhere on Halsted, but information has been elusive on that location.
It's possible that the White Front theater on Milwaukee could have been sold, changed its name, or closed by 1914 - Laemmle moved east in 1912, where Universal started with a studio in Fort Lee, NJ.
The area around Milwaukee / Division / Ashland is likely to drastically change in the next few years - check it out, and photograph it, while you can.
It's possible that the White Front theater on Milwaukee could have been sold, changed its name, or closed by 1914 - Laemmle moved east in 1912, where Universal started with a studio in Fort Lee, NJ.
The area around Milwaukee / Division / Ashland is likely to drastically change in the next few years - check it out, and photograph it, while you can.
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
PKDickman
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: July 18, 2014 12:02AM
QlassiQue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting - thanks for sharing. I did see a
> mention that Laemmle also opened a theater
> somewhere on Halsted, but information has been
> elusive on that location.
>
> It's possible that the White Front theater on
> Milwaukee could have been sold, changed its name,
> or closed by 1914 - Laemmle moved east in 1912,
> where Universal started with a studio in Fort Lee,
> NJ.
>
> The area around Milwaukee / Division / Ashland is
> likely to drastically change in the next few years
> - check it out, and photograph it, while you can.
If the theater was in that stretch, it could have been any af the buildings. That was the real lesson from the sanborn map.
All the motion picture houses out there were just standard storefronts with a bunch of chairs.
In any event, with little actual proof, any attempt at preemptive landmarking would have been a fools errand.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting - thanks for sharing. I did see a
> mention that Laemmle also opened a theater
> somewhere on Halsted, but information has been
> elusive on that location.
>
> It's possible that the White Front theater on
> Milwaukee could have been sold, changed its name,
> or closed by 1914 - Laemmle moved east in 1912,
> where Universal started with a studio in Fort Lee,
> NJ.
>
> The area around Milwaukee / Division / Ashland is
> likely to drastically change in the next few years
> - check it out, and photograph it, while you can.
If the theater was in that stretch, it could have been any af the buildings. That was the real lesson from the sanborn map.
All the motion picture houses out there were just standard storefronts with a bunch of chairs.
In any event, with little actual proof, any attempt at preemptive landmarking would have been a fools errand.
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 18, 2014 12:13AM
[bThanks for that information I did save it. Chaplins penthouse is still there according to Google aeriel view.][/b]
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
PKDickman
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: July 18, 2014 12:37AM
Ya, but his water tower isn't there any more.
It is an extremely cool atrium apartment building, though.
It is an extremely cool atrium apartment building, though.
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 18, 2014 12:40AM
[b]Ther was two white front theaters around the Polonia Triangle( Milwaukee & Division) 1605 w Division the Crown and Chopin on Division four doors east of Ashland ave. I ran a TV service call at the copin building in the 50's when it was a tavern.[/b]
Re: Charlie Chaplin -Essanay Studio & Brewster Place
Posted by:
davey7
(---.dsl.chcgil.ameritech.net)
Date: July 23, 2014 04:47PM
There's still a theater there, the Chopin in fact, iirc. Went to see a play in the basement a couple of years ago, what was it, oh yeah, Trog, the Musical.
Richard Stachowski Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ther was two white front theaters around the
> Polonia Triangle( Milwaukee & Division) 1605 w
> Division the Crown and Chopin on Division four
> doors east of Ashland ave. I ran a TV service call
> at the copin building in the 50's when it was a
> tavern.
Richard Stachowski Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ther was two white front theaters around the
> Polonia Triangle( Milwaukee & Division) 1605 w
> Division the Crown and Chopin on Division four
> doors east of Ashland ave. I ran a TV service call
> at the copin building in the 50's when it was a
> tavern.
