Lake Theatre

I love this theater! I used to go there all the time when it was a second-run venue, back when it had only 3 screens. I never went there when the theater had only 1 screen...But it must of been a big auditorium.

It was a big auditorium. I have went since it was a single screen, to being triplexed in 1985, became 4 screens in 1989, to 7 screens in the mid-'90s. One time in theater #4, art and foreign films were shown. They still do, but check newspapers.

My great aunt Cecil Crispin, sold tickets at the Lake theatre and at the Lamar theatre in Oak Park. It is sheer pleasure being able to see a movie in such a beautiful landmark building.
My favorite memory was seeing "Grease" starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. I saw it at the Lake theatre 4 times! Kids were getting up and going for popcorn and drinks during Olivia's solo "Hopelessly Devoted To You", but I just loved the song. I never moved out of my seat...I just sang along.

Seating capacity for the Lake Theatre is 1420.

Hey, CDJ - I knew your great aunt Cecile very well - worked with her at the Lake from 1963 to 1967 when I was an usher. If you see this, contact me at g.cesario@comcast.net -

I have not been inside the theater since it changed from a single screen venue...

A photo of the Lake Theater is here:
http://chicago.urban-history.org/sites/theaters/lake.jpg

From Russell Phillips' Galleries:

Lake Theater Lobby, 1984
Lake Theater Auditorium, 1984

I have wonderful memories of this beautiful theater. This was the very first theater that I was allowed to go to by myself when I was a boy (boy, have things changed). I even remember the movie that I saw, called "The Maze" (I believe I may be the only person in the world that went to see this movie, I have never known anyone else that has ever heard of this movie) It was sometime around 1949 or 1950. The movie was in 3-D, and scarred me so much that I kept covering my eyes and had to come back every day so that I could see a little more. Wonderful memories. Thank you so much.

http://www.film-tech.com/warehouse/pics/lakeoakpark/alake01.jpg

many other photos on this site.

I was able to take a tour of the Lake Theater several years ago, and according to the owner of the theater, when the auditorium was triplexed; they did it in such a way that should they ever want to go back to a single screen it would be possible. All the Art Deco wall panels that were removed to for the two additional screens were carefully taken down and stored to future use. And very little damage was done to the plaster ceiling as well.

I went to see "Wallace and Grommitt" at the Lake on 11/03/2005. What an absolutely wonderful movie-going experience! Ticket prices, even for the regular rates, are lower than what AMC or Loews charge. Concession prices are cheaper too and if you are a registered user of Classic Cinemas' website, you can get a free small popcorn.

This was the first time that I saw a film in one of the newer auditoriums, which were built into the former retail spaces next door. These auditoriums are very well-done and they look like they've been there all along (and not some half-assed job, like the Pickwick in Park Ridge). I've never had a bad experience at any Classic Cinemas Theatre and I can safely say that Classic Cinemas is a class act!

This site has a night view of the Lake Theater.

The theater was originally announced as the "Oak Park" theater with a September 29, 1935 article in the Tribune. It was noted as the first suburban cinema since 1929. Interestingly it noted that the theater was to be leased by Essaness and constructed by a "Loews, Inc." Not sure if this is the same Loews of film fame.

This is another photo of the Lake theater. It's similar to one I posted previously but it's from a different photo collection.

The FILM LITERATURE LIBRARY lists the following articles in VARIETY about the Essaness Chain:

1) Ingram, B. Essaness will run 89-screen Carisch Minneapolis circuit. Variety 330 Mar 30 (1988): 7 + [2p].

2) Chicago Essaness chain to buy Theater Operators Inc. of Montana. Variety 331 May 4 (1988): 8.

3) Odeon/Plitt buys 41 Essaness screens in Metro Chicago. Variety 323 May 14 (1986): 3+ [2p].

4) Essaness Theaters acquires 15-screen chain in Wisconsin. Variety 320 Oct 2 (1985): 5 + [2p].

Apparantly, Essaness was active up to and after the C-O/Plitt takeover.

Here is another photo of the Lake theater.

Russell Phillips photos:

Lake Auditorium
Lake Lobby

This is a 1930's photo of the Lake theater.

Here are photos of this theatre.

I still need to visit this place. I've heard nothing but great things about it. Out of curiosity, does anyone have a photo of a Classic Cinema movie stub?

I love living so close to this theater, it is really a sight for sore eyes sometimes.

In the book "OAK PARK IN VINTAGE POSTCARDS" by Douglas Deuchler, there is a nice photo of the marquee and vertical sign of the Lake theatre(from 1936) on page 93. On the marquee: Chester Morris in "MOONLIGHT MURDER" plus OUR GANG COMEDY. Under the marquee, there is a banner stating COOLED BY REFRIGERATION. According to the text, the Lake was one of the few places in Oak Park to have air conditioning in the mid 1930s. Also, on page 97, there is a small picture of the Lamar theatre from 1947.

This is a ticket dated March 15, 1964 to see the Beatles on a closed circuit tv broadcast at the Lake Theater.

Here is a rather artistic interpretation of the Lake Theater.

I just got back form Chiagoa nd had a chacne to stroll by this theatre yesterday. How wonderful to see an old movie palace still in use. I think they may be adding and 8th scree, The marquee has a slot now for 8 screens.

Here is another photo of the Lake Theater. How many screens does this theater have, seven or eight?

It's a seven screener. But they just have an eighth slot should they decide to add another screen.

I was wondering why it had eight slots on the marquee. Thanks for the explanation.

That's not why. It's so there's room if one screen is running two shows. If the theater did expand to eight screens, they'd either A) expand the marquee to 10 slots, like Elk Grove Cinema; or B) convert it to a digital marquee, like the York.

In most cases, a theater has the capability of running two shows on every screen in the house; it's just not very profitable to do so. But, technically speaking, it can be done. A two-screener can show four movies just as a twenty-screener can show forty movies.

This is a 2008 photo.

Here is a recent article about renovation:
http://tinyurl.com/3uyotq

Good news! according to the article, there will be new seats and carpeting and wider rows, and new auditorium wall coverings. They'll also renovate the restrooms and put a new single-pattern carpet in the main lounge. The last renovation had been done in 1996.

Robbery last week:
http://tinyurl.com/6zyzeq

Here is the Lake Theater at night.

This is a December 2008 photo.

Can anyone tell me what is the largest audiorium here? And how wide is the screen?

The Lake has fixtures from closed and demolished theatres. Per Classic Cinemas' website:

"Today the Lake is home to many decorative elements brought in from theatres that are no longer standing. The ceiling fixtures in the new lobby rotunda are from the Will Rogers Theatre, which stood at 5635 West Belmont until 1991.

Two plaster musician busts are from the demolished Southtown Theatre at 636 West 63rd Street. Fixtures in the transition lobby are from a 1930's renovation of one of the Schock houses in Austin and were removed when that house was remodeled. In Theatre #1 the art deco wall fixtures were rescued from the Colonial Theatre in Marengo, Illinois, prior to its demolition. They were repainted and over half of the glass panels were replaced. In the main auditorium two large statues have been placed over the exitways. These 10-foot neo classic ladies were originally in the organ grills at the MARBRO Theatre, 4110 West Madison, Chicago. They were done in 1927 by Flavin."

I was in here on January 25, 2009. In the main theatre restroom foyer (in the basement), there is a water fountain which appears to be an antique. Is this water fountain original to the Lake or was it "imported" from another theater?

I believe it is original

It is original, except the piping. There used to be an identical one in the main lobby near were the butter dispenser is now.

This is a great theater that does good business. I like the sympathetic subdivision of the original theater and the use of old theater artifacts in the new construction. The original bathrooms were recently remodeled and I was surprised that they took out the old fixtures. The finished product looks like any new bathroom anywhere. I loved the old urinals that went to the floor. I wish they had left them alone. Old fixtures are fine as long as they are kept clean.

I still haven't gotten the chance to get down here yet. Does anyone know what the new seats from the remodel are like?

Here are two 1982 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

I haven't posted this yet, but

I got around to visiting this theater a few weeks ago to see "State of Play". Wonderful theater. The decor & leather seats are really something. I plan to go back there and see "Angels & Demons" thursday. I emailed them earlier, and got the seat count.

The Lake has 1,676 seats. Aud #1-191 seats, #2(main auditorium) 529, #3-125, #4-150, #5-195, #6-196, and #7-290 seats.

To those that are tired of the mega-chains's overpriced tickets and parking, visit The Lake. You won't regret it.

This is a 2009 photo.

Here is a more recent photo.