Follies Theater

Follies Theater

450 S. State Street

Chicago, IL 60605

Status: Closed/Demolished

Screens: Single Screen

Seats: 434

Chain: Unknown

Architect: Unknown

Firm: Unknown

The London Dime Museum opened in 1905. It was renamed the Gem Theater from 1908 through to 1949. By 1929, it had changed from showing movies to burlesque. It stood directly across the street from the landmark Second Leiter Building, later the first Loop home of the flagship Sears, Roebuck, & Co. department store (now located at Madison and State Streets).

In early 1950, the name of the theater was changed to the Follies Theater, staging burlesque. It lasted until 1972, when the management refused to start showing hard-core pornography in order to keep in operation. It reopened in 1974 for legitimate theatrical use, but after one performance, the theater was closed again. The Follies Theater was destroyed in a fire in 1978.

Today, the enormous Harold Washington Library, Chicago's main library building, is located on the site of the theater.