Arlington Park Theatre....

[peerrjb]

Posted: 6/28/10 at 2:31pm

Was wondering if any of you good folk in Chicago area recall the Arlington Park Theatre? It was adjacent to the Arlington Park Towers hotel in.... wait for it... Arlington Park. David Lonn was the owner-producer. As an actor, I did three shows there in the early 1970's with some serious talent: Richard Chamberlain, John Carradine, Barney Martin, Sarah Miles, Roy Dotrice, Bruce Davison... I believe it had been turned into another kind of venue at some point, and by now may've been torn down. But I just thought to ask if any of you "older" people might have a bit of information, to appease my curiosity. Thanks.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/2/10 at 1:40pm

It became a disco in the late '70's, and was torn down eventually.

[peerrjb]

Posted: 7/2/10 at 2:00pm

Thanks for the information. I'd thought that was the story.... It was actually a great place to work ... except for the fact that none of the dressing rooms had a shower....
!!!! Appreciate your response.

[kelliott44]

Posted: 5/19/11 at 8:37pm

Oh my goodness! This is a blast from the past for sure. I was in college and volunteered as an usher at Arlington Park theater in the mid 70s. I worked the shows with Richard Chamberlain and John Carradine.....also Zsa Zsa and Eva Gabor, Burt Reynolds, Don Knotts and Art Carney...there were so many very famous actors. I remember even meeting Neil Simon one evening when the Odd Couple was running. It was alot of fun and such a great experience. Nice to be reminded of a very pleasant time.

[ivanhoe2]

Posted: 2/24/16 at 7:05pm

I did props there in the mid 70's.   Richard Dreyfuss walked out of a production (before curtain, audience seated)  in Feb '76 ostensibly over a contract dispute with David Lonn, producer.  (Who does that?).  Dreyfuss held forth for hours in the green room--guilt and justification?  Since principle photography for Close Encounters was beginning in May, and Dreyfuss lobbied Spielberg heavily for the part, he may have felt he had better things to do than suburban Chicago "dinner" theater.  Thanks, Dick!  (He prefers "Rick"  Shortly afterward someone bombed the stage area and lighting booth.  Theater closed, FBI interviewed everyone.  Put us out of work for quite a while.  It reopened under new producers, but I left after one or two more shows.  These places really only make it with Neil Simon.  The producers lose money trying to do Chekov or Strindberg or even Tennessee Williams, then bring in a Don Knotts to recoup.  AP was perhaps too far from town, but the apres dinner circuit audience is much the same everywhere--well-lubricated crowds with sit-com tastes.

[ivanhoe2]

Posted: 2/24/16 at 7:07pm

I did props there in the mid 70's.   Richard Dreyfuss walked out of a production (before curtain, audience seated)  in Feb '76 ostensibly over a contract dispute with David Lonn, producer.  (Who does that?).  Dreyfuss held forth for hours in the green room--guilt and justification?  Since principle photography for Close Encounters was beginning in May, and Dreyfuss lobbied Spielberg heavily for the part, he may have felt he had better things to do than suburban Chicago "dinner" theater.  Thanks, Dick!  (He prefers "Rick"  Shortly afterward someone bombed the stage area and lighting booth.  Theater closed, FBI interviewed everyone.  Put us out of work for quite a while.  It reopened under new producers, but I left after one or two more shows.  These places really only make it with Neil Simon.  The producers lose money trying to do Chekov or Strindberg or even Tennessee Williams, then bring in a Don Knotts to recoup.  AP was perhaps too far from town, but the apres dinner circuit audience is much the same everywhere--well-lubricated crowds with sit-com tastes.