The beautiful old Uptown Theatre needs help! That was the message delivered at the Cliff Dwellers the evening of November 5 by Robert Loerzel, and James (Andy) Pierce, authors of a new book, “THE UPTOWN: Chicago’s Endangered Movie Palace.” Supported by 46th Ward Alderwoman Angela Clay, they made the case for why this amazingly beautiful old venue deserves financial support for a desperately needed renovation.
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the historic Uptown Theatre in Chicago, a new book, The UPTOWN, was released in August of 2025. The presentation took guests back to the theater’s ballyhooed opening in 1920. It was a magical place created by Chicago architects Rapp & Rapp for Balaban & Katz, one of the nation’s leading theater chains of the time. The book follows the building through its five decades as a theater, and its four decades of darkness.
