Many famous jazz orchestras played in vaudeville and movie theaters in the 'teens and twenties; two of the most famous Chicago bandleaders were Erskine Tate at the Vendome and Clarence Williams at the Owl. Below are links to pages celebrating the heyday of the old theaters and their music.
- Bibliographies and research tools
- Balaban and Katz Theater Orchestra Collection at Chicago Public Library
- Movie Palace Reference Page
- American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment from the Library of Congress
- Film History Bibliography from the University of San Diego
- Theatre Historical Society of America Publications
- Silent Film Era Projection Speeds from
The
Silent Film Bookshelf
Pages with lists of theaters
- The Movie Palace Locator
- Jazz Age Chicago: Movie Theaters
- Jazz
Age Chicago: Movie Theater Index (Uses Frames)
Theater Music and Bands
- American Theatre Organ Society
- The Theatre Organ Home Page
- From
The
Silent Film Bookshelf: First hand accounts from bandleaders in the
20's:
Managing
a Film Theater and
Music
for Your Theater by Ermo Rapee and
Music
and Motion Pictures by Hugo Riesenfeld.
Acts, Actresses and Actors
- Chicago's
Ethiopian Art Theatre (1922-24)
Pages about individual theaters
- Paradise Theater, 231 North Pulaski Rd.
- Roosevelt Theater, State Street between Randolph & Washington.
- Tivoli Theater, 63d & Cottage Grove.
- Uptown Theater, Lawrence & Broadway.