The short video below is about a road off Route 66 in the western suburbs of Chicago where the Marx Brothers comedy team once owned a chicken farm. Minnie Marx , the matriarch of the family, bought the farm in April 1917 to avoid her sons being drafted during World War I, as farmers were exempt from the draft. Before becoming successful in Hollywood, the Marx family raised chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs on this farm.

Shot on location in Chicago, Ferris Bueller's Day Off breaks the fourth wall, but it's not the first film to do so Many filmgoers think Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is the first movie to break the fourth wall, i.e., when a character looks at the camera and interacts with the viewer. But narrative films as early as 1903, like The Great Train Robbery , use this device to engage with audiences, albeit not quite the same way. For example, the medium close-up in The Great Train Robbery of the outlaw pointing his gun at the audience is not a part of the story. (Fast-forward to the end of the video below to see what we mean. Or watch the whole film; it's worth a look!) Unlike Ferris Bueller's ongoing conversations that guide us throughout his day off, the outlaw's gunfire in The Great Train Robbery has no bearing on the rest of the 12-minute silent movie. Instead, it serves as a warning of sorts. Here's film historian Pamela Hutchinson on what The GreatTrain Robbery 's final shot could mean: "It's an especially violent act, both in real terms, and cinematic ones. [...] Placed at the opening of the film, it might act as a trailer for the shoot-'em-up action to come. As a coda, it’s a warning to the audience that it's a wild world out there, and the violence continues even after the train robber case has been closed." Life comes at you fast. You've been warned. More Fun with Ferris Bueller's Day Off

A suburban Chicago movie theater takes movie marketing to a realistic and unnerving level Picture it. It's 1930, and you have just purchased your 25-cent ticket to MGM’s prison drama The Big House , now playing at Aurora’s brand-new Tivoli Theatre . You walk into the clean, lavish lobby and are greeted with ⁣⁣ two sawed-off shotguns⁣ two riot guns⁣ a convict suit⁣ a straight jacket⁣ a warden’s uniform ⁣ But wait, there’s more! ⁣ ⁣ Behind these terrifying items sit images from the movie you’re about to see, all of which are surrounded by makeshift prison bars and highlighted with an eerie green spotlight. Yikes.⁣ ⁣ In its September 1930 issue, Exhibitors Herald World reports that the Tivoli’s manager, Edwin Lewis, asked the warden of Old Joliet Prison if he could borrow the above equipment “to exploit in an effective way” MGM’s new moving picture The Big House . ⁣ The warden obliged, and in return for “the courtesy,” he and some buddies scored free tickets to the movie. ⁣

Compare a suburban Chicago prison today to what it looked like in 1886, before movies filmed on location there Before embarking with Chicago Movie Tours on your walking tour of Old Joliet Prison , take a look at this map from 1886. Then, let’s see what we can learn from it. ​What Is the Map's Purpose? Created by the Sanborn Map Company , this is a fire insurance map of Old Joliet Prison, then called Illinois State Penitentiary. Its purpose was to help fire insurance agents determine the total risk associated with the property. Since 1867, the Sanborn Map Company has published maps and atlases of more than 12,000 cities and towns in the U.S. Now, thousands of those drawings live online via the Library of Congress for anyone, including you, to peruse. How Do We Read the Map? One of the first things we might notice about this map of Old Joliet Prison—as well as the Sanborn Map collection in full—is how colorful it is. Sanborn Maps use symbols—in the forms of colors, line styles, and abbreviations—so fire insurance agents can quickly and easily interpret complex information. For example, building construction types are represented by colors (see image below): Reddish/pink = brick and tile Yellow = frame or wood Olive green = fire resistive Gray = adobe Blue = stone, limestone, and concrete ​​Likewise, walls, doors, and roofs are designated by line types: Solid line = solid wall Breaks in lines = doorways and passageways Dashed lines = wall construction or a mansard roof What Can We Learn from the Map? Now that we know the map's origin and purpose, what can we learn from it about Old Joliet Prison? ​ First, we can tell that Old Joliet Prison is constructed almost overwhelmingly of stone —limestone to be exact. ​Second, any brick used during construction was apparently relegated to places where coal and fire were necessary: the bakery, annealing ovens , and coal storage, for example. Third, we can conclude that—other than the warden's offices and family dwelling (yes, the warden's family would have lived onsite)—most buildings, as one might expect from a prison, contained few open passageways and interior doors. In fact, if you look closely at the map, you'll find the words No Openings written atop some of the structures. That said, several windows adorn Old Joliet Prison. ​Let's Visit! On Chicago Movie Tours' two-hour walking tour of this abandoned suburban Chicago prison , you’ll learn more about the architecture of the correctional center as well as those who built and lived within it. You will also hear about Hollywood's century-long relationship with Old Joliet Prison. ​In the meantime, take another look at this map along with the locations and descriptions of the buildings. You’ll be surprised how different the facility looks today, once you pass through its barbed-wire fence and imposing limestone walls.

The all-white horse breed made its Hollywood debut in 1940 I met new friends at The Tempel Lipizzans stables about an hour outside Chicago. ⁣ The all-white Lipizzan breed apparently made its Hollywood debut in MGM's movie Florian (1940). Based on newspapers of the time, the care and maintenance alone of Florian 's five Lippizan stars—including hay, oats, bran, straw, horseshoeing, vet medicine, a private bungalow, and tail/mane braiding—cost MGM studios $6,745. That translates to roughly $127,000 today.

The "founding father of gay Chicago" documents a one-time sexual encounter with movie star Rock Hudson In the 1940s, Chicago department store Marshall Field & Co. was known as a gay cruising ground. At least that's how author Justin Spring describes it in his book on Chicago cult artist and writer Samuel Steward: Secret Historian: The Life and Times of Samuel Steward, Professor, Tattoo Artist, and Sexual Renegade (2011). As Spring's book title suggests, Samuel Steward was, first, a popular professor. He taught English at DePaul University and Loyola University. He also wrote and published literary fiction and gay pulp fiction. Second, Steward moonlighted as a tattoo artist under the name Phil Sparrow. That's how he was known to the Hell's Angels who befriended him. Finally, Steward was a relatively open gay man during an era when homosexuality could mean jail time. He documented all of his intimate encounters, including those with Thornton Wilder , Rudolph Valentino , and Rock Hudson . Hence, Spring's nickname for him: the " founding father of gay Chicago . " During the 1946 Christmas season, Samuel Steward worked in the bookstore at Marshall Field's, which he describes as "a howling madhouse, a lunatic Sabbath, and a frenzied nightmare of females and squalling brats." (Yikes.) While working at Field's, one day, Steward took interest in a handsome, young male employee wrapping presents. After confirming from his (gay) boss that the handsome fellow was indeed "a club member," Steward approached. A conversation ensued. Shortly thereafter, the two men nonchalantly boarded the store's freight elevator, stopped it between floors, and engaged in a quick sexual encounter. That is, of course, according to Steward's "stud file," a metal box containing index cards that recount in detail all of his sexual relationships. In any event, the Marshall Field's gift-wrapper was named Roy Fitzgerald. Within a few months, Fitzgerald would leave his department store post—and his hometown of Winnetka, IL—for a remarkable career in Hollywood as Rock Hudson.

Thank you for supporting Chicago Movie Tours. Here’s to many more! Two years ago today — on April 1, 2020 — I sat on my back porch with my dog Oliver. I made this 2-minute video introducing myself and Chicago Movie Tours . Then, I uploaded that video to YouTube and hoped for the best. Little did I know the COVID-19 pandemic would last nearly 2 years and that it would keep me from running the in-person tours I had so carefully researched and planned for you. But we pulled through — with the help of virtual tours , Zoom programs , and even in-depth online courses ! And I'm happy to say that as of this writing, more than 21,000 movie fans follow my small Chicago-based tour business across social media. What follows is a quick video that recaps the day I introduced myself and Chicago Movie Tours. The video also thanks you for following, engaging with, and supporting Chicago Movie Tours over the last 2 years! Here’s to many more. 🥂 Kelli

Explore 4 reasons the Art Institute scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off is so memorable In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off , three suburban teenagers skip school, drive into Chicago, and explore well-known sites like the Sears Tower , Wrigley Field , and the Art Institute of Chicago . The scene inside the Art Institute lasts only 2 minutes, but it is arguably one of the most memorable from the 1986 American teen comedy. Here are at least 4 reasons this museum scene is so unforgettable: Showcases a whopping 40 pieces of art Distinguishes the movie from other hedonistic teen comedies of the time Speaks volumes about the film's characters and its director, John Hughes, even though it contains no dialogue Represents a beautiful tribute to the power of art If you want to experience firsthand the artwork and hear behind-the-scenes stories that inspired one of the most famous scenes in Chicago-based cinema, join our guided walking tour The Art of Ferris Bueller . Also, be sure to look for our appearance in The Washington Post alongside three Chicagoans who recreate Ferris, Cameron, and Sloane's famous day off!

Try your hand at 1 question about Chicago's movie history In this series, Bite-Sized Chicago Movie Trivia , we locate a building, an object, or another type of structure in Chicago. Then, with our trusty HD video camera, we zoom in on one section of the item until it is separate from the whole. Next, we create a trivia question about the structure and its links to Chicago and movies. Clues are embedded in the question. Finally, we'll give you the answer to the trivia question — with a fun visual explanation. All of this happens in 60 seconds or less! Ready to play? Now that you know how to play Bite-Sized Chicago Movie Trivia , can you identify the above engraving, the object on which it's etched, and perhaps also its link to a movie filmed on location in Chicago in the 1980s? Click on the video below to play!

Try your hand at 1 question about Chicago's movie history In this series, Bite-Sized Chicago Movie Trivia , we locate a building, an object, or another type of structure in Chicago. Then, with our trusty HD video camera, we zoom in on one section of the item until it is separate from the whole. Next, we create a trivia question about the structure and its links to Chicago and movies. Clues are embedded in the question. Finally, we'll give you the answer to the trivia question — with a fun visual explanation. All of this happens in 60 seconds or less! Ready to play? Now that you know how to play Bite-Sized Chicago Movie Trivia , can you identify the above architectural element in Chicago? And its connection to classic Hollywood (c. 1930-1955)? Click on the video below to play, and at the same time, take a quick virtual walking tour in Chicago!

Try your hand at 1 question about Chicago's movie history In this series, Bite-Sized Chicago Movie Trivia , we locate a building, an object, or another type of structure in Chicago. Then, with our trusty HD video camera, we zoom in on one section of the item until it is separate from the whole. Next, we create a trivia question about the structure and its links to Chicago and movies. Clues are embedded in the question. Finally, we'll give you the answer to the trivia question — with a fun visual explanation. All of this happens in 60 seconds or less! Ready to play? Now that you know how to play Bite-Sized Chicago Movie Trivia , can you identify the marquee in the video below as well as a "fox" associated with it? Click on the video below to play!

Before dominating children's television in Chicago, Bozo the clown performed for Hollywood's kids Bozo the Clown’s Chicago franchise on WGN (1960-2001) is one of the most popular children's programs in television history. Less widely known is that Bozo, before starring on TV, was hired by Hollywood stars to entertain at their children’s birthday parties. ⁣ ⁣ In the images below, you can see Bozo at the 5th birthday of Ann Rutherford’s daughter, Gloria. You might know Rutherford as one of Scarlett O'Hara's sisters in Gone with the Wind or as Polly in the Andy Hardy teen comedies, costarring Mickey Rooney. ⁣ ⁣ Note the Bozo placemats, balloons, and party hats among the 67 (!!!) tiny attendees. Pictured with Bozo is Joannie Fink, the photographer’s daughter. — Photoplay , February 1950