Opening of Chicago Theatre

Date: October 26, 1921 • Location: Chicago Loop, United States

The Chicago Theatre (pictured), the oldest surviving grand movie palace, opened.

The Chicago Theatre, originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a theater on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built in 1921, the Chicago Theatre was the flagship for the Balaban and Katz (B&K) group of theaters run by A. J. Balaban, his brother Barney Balaban and partner Sam Katz. Along with the other B&K theaters, from 1925 to 1945 the Chicago Theatre was a dominant movie theater enterprise. Currently, Madison Square Garden, Inc. owns and operates the Chicago Theatre as a 3600 seat performing arts venue for stage plays, magic shows, comedy, speeches, sporting events and popular music concerts.