Candlelight Dinner Playhouse


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Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: December 10, 2014 06:52PM

Does anyone remember the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse at 5508 S. Archer Avenue on the Southwest Side; it opened in 1961? I don't recall seeing the Playhouse at this location.

http://www.chipublib.org/fa-candlelight-dinner-playhouse/

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: b.a.hoarder ()
Date: December 11, 2014 02:15AM

I do not particularly remember the playhouse at that location but I can recall a frame house that stood one door north. The house had a very large cottonwood tree in front of it, and it must have been when the State Route 171 extension went in that they tore it and likely the old Candlelight down.
The Arcadia book "Summit" tells us that William Pullinsi and Anthony D'Angelo pioneered the dinner playhouse concept with the Candlelight, originally opened in a former tavern owned by William Altier.

Here is a link to a view of the intersection circa 1972-

http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=2000&lon=-87.809879779816&lat=41.791259944439&year=2007

Zoom in and you will see the change to the intersection for SR 171, and then compare the aerial photo from 1962. The tavern and other buildings were raised for the new roadway.

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: December 11, 2014 08:16AM

The first Playhouse, opened in 61, "had 112 seats and was housed in a roadside building owned by Pullinsi’s grandfather" at 5508 S. Archer Avenue, was located between Laporte (4932W) and Lavergne (5000W) Avenues; see Google Map Satellite View

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=5508+South+Archer+Avenue,+Chicago,+IL&hl=en&ll=41.797792,-87.746623&spn=0.004671,0.010858&sll=39.739318,-89.266507&sspn=9.863297,22.236328&oq=+5508+S.+Archer+Avenue&hnear=5508+S+Archer+Ave,+Chicago,+Illinois+60638&t=h&z=17

where today the KAYJAY Auto & Body Repair, with the address 5500 South Archer, is now located.

William Pullinsi

http://www.theatreatthecenter.com/AB_director.asp



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2014 12:00PM by nordsider.

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: b.a.hoarder ()
Date: December 11, 2014 12:02PM

It is a bit odd, in that Archer Ave. becomes Archer Rd. in Summit and Archer Rd. makes a turn southwesterly right where the old house and the original Candlelight stood. Consider Archer in the city, the old Brighton Theater was at 4223 S. Archer yet looking at a map one can see that it is just past Sacramento placing it in the 3000 W. block. Because the street is on an angle the addresses follow an odd pattern coinciding with the E-W streets and not the N-S. At some point, I think near Austin Ave., the buildings numbers are on the N-S pattern of the street grid. It is at that SW turn of Archer Rd. that the numbers go back S again.

Looking at the 1962 aerial photo one can see a triangle right where you could turn SW to continue on Archer Rd. or make a right turn and go N on Center St. and then make a left at Lawndale to cross the old Illinois & Michigan, Sanitary & Ship canals and the Des Plaines River. Once the Rt.171 extension was completed the state condemned the old bridge and removed it. The triangle mentioned was the site of the house with Candlelight being a bit south of it.

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: December 11, 2014 01:35PM

The 2nd Playhouse - according to the CPL Forum Theatre Collection 1961-1997 - moved in 1964, to 5620 S. Harlem Avenue in Summit. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=5620+Harlem+Avenue,+Summit,+IL&hl=en&ll=41.791105,-87.807777&spn=0.009343,0.021715&sll=39.739318,-89.266507&sspn=9.863297,22.236328&oq=5620+S.+Harlem+Avenue,+Summit&t=h&hnear=5620+Harlem+Ave,+Summit,+Illinois+60501&z=16


After 25 Years, Pullinsi Still Lights The Way To Fine Theater

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-07-06/entertainment/8602170944_1_fine-theater-room-theater-celebratory-dinner



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2014 04:45PM by nordsider.

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: Dunning1 ()
Date: December 11, 2014 03:02PM

Not really part of the Candlelight Theater saga, but I believe Long John Wentworth's farmhouse stood on the southwest corner of Harlem and Archer. He evidently was involved in some real estate venture out that way and had a farmhouse right on the corner. I believe it was still standing up until the 1960's

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: December 11, 2014 03:23PM

Dunning1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not really part of the Candlelight Theater saga,
> but I believe Long John Wentworth's farmhouse
> stood on the southwest corner of Harlem and
> Archer. He evidently was involved in some real
> estate venture out that way and had a farmhouse
> right on the corner. I believe it was still
> standing up until the 1960's

Wentworth's farm house was located near the NE corner of Harlem and Archer; where the Walgreen's store is, today. He did own much of the land surrounding it.

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: b.a.hoarder ()
Date: December 11, 2014 05:02PM

David, just to clarify, the information from the CPL link is not correct and there are many other references online giving the same bad information. The birthplace of the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse was in Summit, IL and there is a photo of it in the Summit book I had mentioned. Bob Kott is the author and in addition to being a long time historian of Argo-Summit he is also the most prolific photographer of the area.

As a side note giving an address to someone unfamiliar with Archer Ave/Archer Rd can be frustrating, maybe that is how the location reference sources give got muddied up.

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: December 11, 2014 06:20PM

Larry,
Another question. Wasn't there also a Playhouse of sorts, also located on the north side of Archer, near Meade or McVicker street; I vaguely recall, from back in the early or mid 60s?

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: b.a.hoarder ()
Date: December 11, 2014 09:11PM

That was In The Round Dinner Playhouse, which occupied a former Jewel store. After ITR closed it became The Mayfield banquet facility which is still in operation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2014 01:49AM by b.a.hoarder.

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Date: December 12, 2014 11:15PM

[b]The Wentworth farm house stood at the 5400 block of Neva about the middle of the block. See it on historic aerials.[/b]

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: December 13, 2014 09:37AM

Photos of Wentworth's farmhouse - 5441 South Harlem - ("Said to have been visited by Prince of Wales and other distinguished, persons." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_VII)

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Photograph:%20il0496&fi=number&op=PHRASE&va=exact&co%20=hh&st=gallery&sg%20=%20true

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/hhh.il0496.sheet.00000a/

Wentworth lived in the Sherman House Hotel.

http://interactive.wttw.com/loop/lost-loop/sherman-house-hotel



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2014 12:36PM by nordsider.

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: tomcat630 ()
Date: December 15, 2014 02:58AM

There was a Playhouse where the current Portillo's is at now on Harlem, just past 5500 s.

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Re: Candlelight Dinner Playhouse
Posted by: bowler ()
Date: December 15, 2014 05:48PM

According to a Tribune Ad from 1961 the address was 5505 S. Archer Road in Summit. As explained above Archer addresses can be confusing because west of Harlem Archer Avenue turns South and becomes Archer Road. This would put the original location just after the "turn" near the Summit Park District.

Looks like that was the original location and it then moved to 5620 S. Harlem.

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