CHICAGO THEATERS - THE BIOGRAPH
Chicago was hopping in the 20's and 30's. Speakeasy's. Gin Joint's, Safehouses and Movie Theaters. Movies and crime has always gone together like popcorn and JuJuBe's. And the Biograph was no exception.
When John Dillinger, public enemy #1 stopped over in Chicago to spoon with some moll with gams that didn't quit, his theater of choice was The Biograph. In hindsight he should've gone to the Marbro.
The now infamous "Lady in Red" (actually she was wearing a tan dress that appeared red to reporters afterwards under the Biograph's yellow marquee lights) told Special Agent's Cowley and Melvin Purvis of untouchables fame, that Dillenger and she would be going to either The Biograph or the Marbro Theaters that night. Both were staked out.
Unfortunately The Chicago Police also staked out the Biograph which nearly got Purvis killed that evening. For some unexplicable reason, Purvis was dressed in a light blue cotton suit with a straw hat. It was a near match for what Dillenger had on. And at the alley next to the theater it was Purvis, not Dillenger who was first targeted by some of the boys in blue.
The Biograph was built in 1914 and as a single-screen theater, sat about 1000. Its architect was Samuel N. Crowen, who would later go on to design the Art Deco-meets neo-Gothic gem, the Willoughby Tower at 8 S. Michigan Avenue, in 1928.
The seat that Dillinger sat in is painted a different color than the rest and is easy to spot. Lefthand side about 2/3 the way down.
Dillenger was killed
in 1934.
Onlookers from that
fateful night.
Although boarded over and falling apart, you can still see reminants of that food store sign today.
On a side note:
I saw "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" upstairs at the Biograph. I wish
someone had shot me.
