Jefferson Park to become outdoor silent movie theater on June 16

by BRIAN NADIG

Jefferson Memorial Park, 4822 N. Long Ave., will be turned into an outdoor silent movie theater with live organ music on Friday evening, June 16.

The 1921 classic silent comedy-drama “The Kid,” starring Charlie Chaplin and features Jackie Coogan as his adopted son, will be shown at dusk. Admission is free.

The movie marked Chaplin’s first full-length film as a director. The film was a financial success, and in 2011 it was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being culturally, historically and aesthetically significant.

The movie tells the story of a man who befriends an orphan but is left alone when the orphanage reclaims the child. Photoplay organist Jay Warren will be providing the accompaniment.

The event is sponsored by the Chicago Park District, the Silent Film Society of Chicago, the Jefferson Park Sunday Market, the Jefferson Memorial Park Advisory Council and the Jefferson Park Chamber of Commerce.