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New Owl Theater

Source: Chicago Defender 27 January 1917, pg. 5.

The new $100,000 Owl theater, which is located on State, near Forty-seventh street, will throw open its doors to the public on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 28, promptly at 2 o'clock. The writer made a personal inspection of the beautiful new playhouse and after it was convinced that the claim of the owners that this is the finest movie house on the south side is justified. Indeed, it would take a long time to locate a handsomer and better equipped theater on any side and when everything is taken into consideration, many of the large houses in the loop will have to take a back seat when compared with the Owl. It contains 1,200 big, roomy, regular theater seats; not the kind that doubles you up in a knot and spoils your enjoyment, but wide, comfortable seats, such as are found only in the theaters of the better class. There is also a specially built Kimball pipe organ, installed at a cost of $10,000, and for the playing of which one of Chicago's leading organists has been engaged. This is only one of the musical features, however, as Clarence Jones, the celebrated musician and composer, with a picked orchestra, will be a permanent fixture, furnishing music during every performance. The management assured the writer that corteous treatment and the glad smile of welcome will be extended to everybody and that no expense will be spared to give the patrons of the beautiful place of amusement the very best features released by the best of the releasing companies. Mr. Solomon, the genial gentleman who has the mangement of the theater, has had years of experience and there are no angles of the business with which he is not thoroughly conversant. He has promised that he will employ as many members of the Race at this house as it is possible for him to use and it looks to us as if the success of the New Owl is already assured.




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Page authored: 18 February 2000 -
Copyright 2000 by Scott A. Newman
Source: Chicago Defender, 27 Jan 1917, 5.