Chicago in Color (2024 Preservation Print)
Identifier
F.MS-1003
Date Of Production
1940
Abstract
Color footage shot by Helen Morrison that provides an overview of vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns in downtown Chicago, with notable landmarks often visible. Roadways, cars, taxis, buses, trains, trucks, elevated trains, trolleys, horse-drawn vehicles, airplanes and baby buggies are seen in constant motion, people hurry on and off buses, walk with purpose, stroll with less intensity, and in some cases, window-shop or loiter around storefronts. The film captures pedestrian interactions with entertainment venues and current attractions, as well as signage documenting the cost of goods and services.
The Chicago Theatre marquee's advertisement for a live performance by Benny Goodman indicates portions of the film were shot on and around February 23, 1940. Footage of spectators comfortably donning short-sleeved clothing at Midway Airport suggests that later portions of the film were shot in the spring.
The Chicago Theatre marquee's advertisement for a live performance by Benny Goodman indicates portions of the film were shot on and around February 23, 1940. Footage of spectators comfortably donning short-sleeved clothing at Midway Airport suggests that later portions of the film were shot in the spring.
Log
[00:00] Opening footage taken from inside an automobile while it travels south on Lake Shore Dr., frames the Palmolive Building, as well as the Drake Hotel and the Drake Tower apartments.
[00:03] Automobile and pedestrian traffic flow along N. Michigan Ave, and a “Call for Calvert Whiskies” sign points south from its perch on top of the Allerton Hotel (701 N. Michigan Ave).
[00:14] Views of the Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station (806 and 821 N. Michigan Ave), a passing streetcar and then a double-decker model 270 coach belonging to the Chicago Motor Coach Company as it drives along N. Michigan Ave, just seven years before real estate developer Arthur Rubloff nicknamed the road, “The Magnificent Mile.”
[01:01] Panning shots across the Illinois Central Railroad yards, with background views of the Wrigley Building and large advertisements for “Baby Ruth” and “Butterfinger” glimmer in the distance at the Curtiss Candy Company factories (311 and 337 E. Illinois St).
[01:31] Footage of traffic and pedestrian activity along N. Michigan Ave include several shots directed toward the 333 N. Michigan Building, and a large Four Roses Bourbon sign sits on the left.
[02:50] Pedestrians bustle along the sidewalk while some stop to gaze underneath the neon glow of a “Kroch’s for books” sign suspended in the window of Kroch’s Bookstores which once advertised “dollar books for the rainy day” (206 N. Michigan Ave).
[03:15] Pedestrians pass alongside the F.W. Woolworth Co. storefront (possibly 674 N. Michigan Ave), [03:39] Cook’s Travel Service (16 N. Michigan Ave) and the adjoining Argus Books, which occupied a space that shop owner Ben Abramson sublet from Cook’s Travel Service beginning in 1940, and [03:43] classic clothes retailer Peck & Peck (28 N. Michigan Ave).
[04:01] A woman walks by the Callard of London antique dealership (likely at 526 S. Michigan Ave).
[04:24] The Wolverine Tavern advertises for Keeley beer (1130 S. Michigan Ave) and a lunch room next door advertises Coca-Cola, Lasser’s beverages and hamburgers.
[04:28] A cab pulls into a taxi station.
[04:49] An “L” train passes by Alexander Revell’s Furniture Store (180 N. Wabash Ave).
[04:55] A shot frames Lee Vary’s Restaurant (209 N. Wabash Ave)
[05:01] A panning shot of Central Chicago Garages, Inc. (357 N. State St), a business that offered washing and lubrication in addition to parking services, and of automobile traffic passing over the Wabash Avenue Bridge.
[05:16] The Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. Building (211 E. North Water St) partially visible behind one of the Wabash Avenue Bridge’s tender houses.
[05:20] The United Artists Theatre (45 W. Randolph St), the Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St) and an advertisement for Herrmann’s Grill (likely a part of William Herrmann’s Tap Room at 26 E. Randolph St).
[05:23] Neon advertisements for Marks Bros. Jewelers, Inc. (146 N. State St), DeMet’s Candies (5 W. Randolph St) and the bottom of a sign alternately flashing “Billiards” and “Bowling” on behalf of Bensinger’s Bowling Alleys (29 W. Randolph St).
[05:30] The Woods and Oriental Theaters (54 and 24 W. Randolph St) both screen Gone with the Wind, the United Artists Theater (45 W. Randolph St) plays Northwest Passage, the Harris and Selwyn Theaters (180-190 N. Dearborn St) advertise for stage productions of "The Man Who Came to Dinner" and "Thanks for my Wife," and the Chicago Theatre (175 N. State St) hosts Benny Goodman & His Orchestra.
[05:52] An illuminated entrance to the Dog House Cocktail Lounge (183 N. State St), and neon signage above the entrance names the proprietor, Lew Shutan.
[06:16] “Call for Calvert Whiskies” sign on top of the Allerton Hotel, and the Chicago Water Tower in the background.
[06:24] A man rides in the bed of a truck along S. Michigan and shovels cinders onto the road.
[06:36] Signage for Solomon Drugs, Inc. (1121 N. State St) and Agostino’s Italian Restaurant (1121 N. State St), an establishment first opened by brothers Andy and Gus Sciacqua in 1931 when they served eight-course dinners with a cocktail for one dollar.
[07:04] Footage of a Checker Cleaners and the Pershing Hotel’s Ballroom (6400 S. Cottage Grove).
[07:27] A couple of men exchange a laugh outside of the Old Home Lunch Room (6307 S. Cottage Grove).
[07:44] A woman pushing a baby stroller stops outside an unknown storefront advertising a furniture clearance sale.
[08:04] A man wearing an “ON STRIKE” sign paces outside of one of the J.A. Lavery Ford Dealership locations (6529 or 6127 S. Cottage Grove).
[08:20] Children run, rollerblade, jump rope and play pick-up sports on the sidewalk near the Candee Apartments (7 W. Pearson St).
[09:06] Spectators at Midway Airport watch airplanes take off from a fenced viewing area that advertises "airplane rides," and a queue of passengers board an American Airlines plane.
[10:27] Several shots taken from the vantage point of the Art Institute pan along S. Michigan Ave and document the Symphony Center, the Walgreens next door (200 S. Michigan Ave) and a blurred red neon sign at the streetcorner, possibly belonging to Bennett's Restaurant (73 E. Adams St).
[11:51] Panning footage shows marshland and suburban housing, likely near Winnetka, IL.
[12:50] A dog crosses North Ave in front of the Winnetka Water Tower.
[12:54] Scenic panning footage taken from a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan and then from a beach vantage point.
[13:35] A woman examines a mail drop box across the street from Lewis Motor Sales, 552 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka, IL.
[13:44] Two women smile for the camera and walk along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, likely at Winnetka's lakefront.
[14:34] The woman on the camera’s left removes her bandana and poses for the camera with Lake Michigan in the background.
[00:03] Automobile and pedestrian traffic flow along N. Michigan Ave, and a “Call for Calvert Whiskies” sign points south from its perch on top of the Allerton Hotel (701 N. Michigan Ave).
[00:14] Views of the Chicago Water Tower and Pumping Station (806 and 821 N. Michigan Ave), a passing streetcar and then a double-decker model 270 coach belonging to the Chicago Motor Coach Company as it drives along N. Michigan Ave, just seven years before real estate developer Arthur Rubloff nicknamed the road, “The Magnificent Mile.”
[01:01] Panning shots across the Illinois Central Railroad yards, with background views of the Wrigley Building and large advertisements for “Baby Ruth” and “Butterfinger” glimmer in the distance at the Curtiss Candy Company factories (311 and 337 E. Illinois St).
[01:31] Footage of traffic and pedestrian activity along N. Michigan Ave include several shots directed toward the 333 N. Michigan Building, and a large Four Roses Bourbon sign sits on the left.
[02:50] Pedestrians bustle along the sidewalk while some stop to gaze underneath the neon glow of a “Kroch’s for books” sign suspended in the window of Kroch’s Bookstores which once advertised “dollar books for the rainy day” (206 N. Michigan Ave).
[03:15] Pedestrians pass alongside the F.W. Woolworth Co. storefront (possibly 674 N. Michigan Ave), [03:39] Cook’s Travel Service (16 N. Michigan Ave) and the adjoining Argus Books, which occupied a space that shop owner Ben Abramson sublet from Cook’s Travel Service beginning in 1940, and [03:43] classic clothes retailer Peck & Peck (28 N. Michigan Ave).
[04:01] A woman walks by the Callard of London antique dealership (likely at 526 S. Michigan Ave).
[04:24] The Wolverine Tavern advertises for Keeley beer (1130 S. Michigan Ave) and a lunch room next door advertises Coca-Cola, Lasser’s beverages and hamburgers.
[04:28] A cab pulls into a taxi station.
[04:49] An “L” train passes by Alexander Revell’s Furniture Store (180 N. Wabash Ave).
[04:55] A shot frames Lee Vary’s Restaurant (209 N. Wabash Ave)
[05:01] A panning shot of Central Chicago Garages, Inc. (357 N. State St), a business that offered washing and lubrication in addition to parking services, and of automobile traffic passing over the Wabash Avenue Bridge.
[05:16] The Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. Building (211 E. North Water St) partially visible behind one of the Wabash Avenue Bridge’s tender houses.
[05:20] The United Artists Theatre (45 W. Randolph St), the Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph St) and an advertisement for Herrmann’s Grill (likely a part of William Herrmann’s Tap Room at 26 E. Randolph St).
[05:23] Neon advertisements for Marks Bros. Jewelers, Inc. (146 N. State St), DeMet’s Candies (5 W. Randolph St) and the bottom of a sign alternately flashing “Billiards” and “Bowling” on behalf of Bensinger’s Bowling Alleys (29 W. Randolph St).
[05:30] The Woods and Oriental Theaters (54 and 24 W. Randolph St) both screen Gone with the Wind, the United Artists Theater (45 W. Randolph St) plays Northwest Passage, the Harris and Selwyn Theaters (180-190 N. Dearborn St) advertise for stage productions of "The Man Who Came to Dinner" and "Thanks for my Wife," and the Chicago Theatre (175 N. State St) hosts Benny Goodman & His Orchestra.
[05:52] An illuminated entrance to the Dog House Cocktail Lounge (183 N. State St), and neon signage above the entrance names the proprietor, Lew Shutan.
[06:16] “Call for Calvert Whiskies” sign on top of the Allerton Hotel, and the Chicago Water Tower in the background.
[06:24] A man rides in the bed of a truck along S. Michigan and shovels cinders onto the road.
[06:36] Signage for Solomon Drugs, Inc. (1121 N. State St) and Agostino’s Italian Restaurant (1121 N. State St), an establishment first opened by brothers Andy and Gus Sciacqua in 1931 when they served eight-course dinners with a cocktail for one dollar.
[07:04] Footage of a Checker Cleaners and the Pershing Hotel’s Ballroom (6400 S. Cottage Grove).
[07:27] A couple of men exchange a laugh outside of the Old Home Lunch Room (6307 S. Cottage Grove).
[07:44] A woman pushing a baby stroller stops outside an unknown storefront advertising a furniture clearance sale.
[08:04] A man wearing an “ON STRIKE” sign paces outside of one of the J.A. Lavery Ford Dealership locations (6529 or 6127 S. Cottage Grove).
[08:20] Children run, rollerblade, jump rope and play pick-up sports on the sidewalk near the Candee Apartments (7 W. Pearson St).
[09:06] Spectators at Midway Airport watch airplanes take off from a fenced viewing area that advertises "airplane rides," and a queue of passengers board an American Airlines plane.
[10:27] Several shots taken from the vantage point of the Art Institute pan along S. Michigan Ave and document the Symphony Center, the Walgreens next door (200 S. Michigan Ave) and a blurred red neon sign at the streetcorner, possibly belonging to Bennett's Restaurant (73 E. Adams St).
[11:51] Panning footage shows marshland and suburban housing, likely near Winnetka, IL.
[12:50] A dog crosses North Ave in front of the Winnetka Water Tower.
[12:54] Scenic panning footage taken from a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan and then from a beach vantage point.
[13:35] A woman examines a mail drop box across the street from Lewis Motor Sales, 552 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka, IL.
[13:44] Two women smile for the camera and walk along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, likely at Winnetka's lakefront.
[14:34] The woman on the camera’s left removes her bandana and poses for the camera with Lake Michigan in the background.
Format
16mm
Extent
423 feet
Color
Color
Sound
Silent
Reel/Tape Number
1/1
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Element
Preservation print
Form
Subject
City and town life
Cityscapes
Chicago (Ill.)
Bodies of water
Streets
Transportation
Commuting
Lake Michigan
Local transit
Cityscapes
Chicago (Ill.)
Bodies of water
Streets
Transportation
Commuting
Lake Michigan
Local transit
Related Collections
Related Places
Main Credits
Morrison, Helen Balfour (is filmmaker)
Do you know more about this item?
If you have more information about this item please contact us at info@chicagofilmarchives.com.
