Jessica Benser and Robert E. went from Wham to Jessica’s townhouse in Aspen Court to Jessica’s Home In Grayslake Illinois to the Biograph theater in Chicago, Illinois where John Dillinger was killed back to Jessica’s Home, to Jessica’s townhouse in Aspen Court and lastly to Wham. Total miles traveled in Jessica’s car were 833.86 miles.
One of the most famous haunted theaters in the history of Chicago is the Biograph Theater. It is located on North Lincoln Avenue in downtown Chicago. The Biograph theater has many characteristics including a storefront-width lobby, recessed entrance, free-standing ticket booth, and canopy marquee. The building is finished with a red brick and white-glazed terra cotta. It was originally a theater but now presents live productions. The theater is on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a Chicago Landmark on March 28, 2011.
It was in 1934, that John Dillinger the bank robber was killed in front of the Biograph Theater. On the evening of July 22, Dillinger was seen leaving for the theater with Anna Sage along with another girlfriend Poly Hamilton to see the film Manhattan Melodrama. He had been hiding out for months in her North Halstead Street apartment. He was being pursued by Melvin Purvis, the head of the Chicago branch of the FBI. He missed catching him several times, but it was then he put an end to Dillinger.
When Dillinger walked into the theater that night, he was set up by Anna Sage, who had taken him there at the request of the FBI. She promised she’d be wearing a red dress for identification purposes. Sixteen cops and FBI agents waited outside of the theater for over two hours waiting for Dillinger to walk out. Finally, Dillinger left the theater and ran into Melvin Purvis outside. He stepped down from the curb, just passing the alley entrance and tried to run. He also reached for his gun, but it was too late. Four shots were fired at him, but only three hit. He fell and when he hit the ground he was already dead.
The scene at the Biograph Theater was chaotic. Tradition tells that people who passed ran to the scene and dipped their handkerchiefs in the blood of John Dillinger, getting a souvenir of this event.
At this theater people reported cold spots, icy chills, explainable cool breezes, and odd feelings of fear. Local business noticed people stopped using the alley for a shortcut on to Halstead Street. It seemed haunted to some.
During the 70s, the balcony was converted into two small additional screens. The original décor mostly lost, the Biograph continued to show movies until 2001. The theater reopened in 2002 under the Village Theatres Chain, who operated it until 2004. The interior was entirely rebuilt, which originally seated over 900 to now 299 today. The theater was repaired and cleaned to resemble its original appearance. Then the theater closed again. In 2006, the Victory Gardens Theater at the Biograph reopened with the drama “Denmark”.
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