York Theatre

The York Theatre has 1,185 seats.

The york theater is opening 2 more screens this spring...bringing the total of screens to 7.

It should be mentioned that the Theatre Historical Society of America has its headquarters and archives on the second floor of the York Theatre Building.

The York Theatre now has 7 screens open, the first movie to ever play in the new 2 screens was Spiderman 2.

Who would I contact in order to secure a position as a part-time theatre attendant? Thanks!

If I remember correctly, it was closed for a few years before Classic bought it. I lived in Elmhurst at the time and it was a hassle trying to go see a movie as a teen. There was no movie house in town and couldn't drive... so we had to get "dropped off" at OakBrook, Yorktown, or Hillside theatres.
Prior to that I remember seeing lots of movies there. I remember they had a Saturday matinee - for $1 or so, you could get in a see a "kid appropriate" movie. Every kid in Elmhurst was there - as you can imagine the place was a free-for all. Lots of fun though...

Exterior view of the York Theater:
http://www.cinemaphotogallery.com/photos/large/york.jpg

I want to extend a compliment to Willis Johnson and Classic Cinemas. The company has managed to make historic theatres viable in a manner that shows respect for their architectural features. It is hard enough to succeed under normal circumstances, let alone in a manner that takes historical value into account. I hope their creative and business-minded adaptation ideas will serve as an example to others.

I couldn't agree more LTS. Mr. Johnson and the rest of his team are keeping alive several beautiful historic theaters. The York was one of the theaters where I went to movies as a child, so I'm glad to see it in safe hands. And let's not forget the fantastic Theater Historical Society of America located upstairs from the York.

No doubt. Those THS people have class.

If you are in Elmhurst during business hours the THSA has a little museum in their space above the York Th. entrance. It's worth seeing. You can also do theatres-related research, for a fee, in their extensive archives there.

I had to attend a banquet in Oakbrook this evening, which meant that it wasn't particularly convenient for me to take I-88 home (my usual practice). Instead, I took York Road north to pick up the Tristate. I have never seen the York Theatre lit up at night. WOW! Does it ever enhance downtown Elmhurst.

Just got this in my email... I believe they removed one of the two screens added in 1993 in the storefronts and expanded into a new wing, making the York a 9-screen complex. Pretty remarkable! I suppose they're running out of room to expand any further though.

THE YORK THEATRE IS NOW BIGGER & EVEN BETTER!
Opening Friday, April 28, just in time for Mission: Impossible 3, The Da Vinci Code, and the rest of the summer blockbusters, the York Theatre is now bigger and even better with 9 screens offering more movie choices, all digital sound, and more stadium seating.
The new wing, with new auditoriums 7,8,9, will feature a series of
original art panels, by local artists, depicting "Lost Elmhurst".

This is a night view of the York Theater.

Here is a 2006 photo of the York theater.

A recent closeup view of the York theater can be seen here.

The Classic Cinemas York theatre history page has been changed to
http://www.classiccinemas.com/History/york.asp

LED Marquee, eh? How unique.

Here is a photo of the York theater and its Barton organ.

I had a chance to visit the THSA museum, which is above the York, today. If you are ever in the area, it is a place worth checking out. They have a collage of newspaper articles on the Woods Theatre's (which was the last in the Chicago Loop--until the "Siskel" opened up) closing.

I mentioned to one of the staff members how much I disliked the new electronic marquee on the York. It reminds me of an electronic scoreboard and I don't beleive it fits well with the rest of the York's exterior. She mentioned that I was not alone in this belief. Supposedly, the mayor of Elmhurst dislikes it too!

On another note, the City of Elmhurst has placed mini steam locomotives "on parade" in downtown Elmhurst. Sort of like when Chicago did "Cows on Parade" a few years ago. At least one is movie-themed. It has both "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" with an image of Johnny Depp and "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" with an image of Gene Wilder.

This is an ad for the York Theater from 1928.

Here is a night shot.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/castco/213537780/

This photo from 2003 is a great shot of the York Theater at night.

Here is another photo of the York Theater.

Ken, did you get the scrapbook owner's permission to link that photo to Cinema Treasures? The photo says "All Rights Reserved" at the bottom.

Should you have any problems following me around this website, you can print out a Google Map so you won't get "Lost".

That's really not how copyright works, Warren. You couldn't republish it or anything, but there are extremely few circumstances where you would not be able to link to a page. Direct linking to images is a little iffier. But there's no reason Ken wouldn't be allowed to do what he did here. It would be different if he were to download it and upload it elsewhere, or print it in a publication, or some such.

Warren, linking to copyrighted images is okay. Please stop bugging people about this.

These links are perfectly okay from a legal point of view, and there's no policy against making such links on Cinema Treasures.

And I'm sure Flickr doesn't mind the traffic we give them either.

Patrick and Ken (aka "Lost Memory), I must disagree. Please see my comment of this morning at the listing for the Drexel Theatre (#2928). I don't have time to repeat myself.

"I don't have time to repeat myself". Thats funny because all you seem to do lately is repeat yourself. LOL

I may regret getting in the middle of this. But: why do you care Warren? I think most photographers would be happy to have significant numbers of people viewing their material. And, for those who have concerns, I'm pretty sure there is a way to set those albums to private.

Instead of posting angry messages here, why don't you use your time to email the guy who posted the picture above and inform him of the crime that has taken place. If he cares, he can defend himself.

I find it ironic that someone like "Warren" that takes copyrighted material without permission and places it in his Photobucket, complains about me linking to Flickr photos. There is something wrong with this picture!

So this website is now a "Punch & Judy" show, a public feud between Warren & Lost Memory?

Many theaters around the country are named YORK! What is the origin of this name and why on theaters????

No Howard, a better name might be "Warren's" victims fight back!

It's on York Road, named for York Township, incorporated in 1839 and named by settlers hailing from New York.

The York Theatre Building is home to Theatre Historical Society of America, which has its headquarters on the second floor and uses an address of 152 North York Street.

The address of this theater is 150 North York Street, not Road.

Technically, yes, but north and south of downtown, York Street is York Road, which is contiguous with Elmhurst Road (which is Main Street within downtown Mount Prospect). Similarly Miner Street in downtown Des Plaines is also Northwest Highway and Route 14.

BW....Classic Cinemas website gives the address as 150 North York Street so thats probably the address that should be used above.

Yeah, let's go with "street". Google seems to prefer that, as well.

Thanks for your input, Lost and BWChicago!

An animated view of the York's marquee can currently be seen on the home page of Theatre Historical Society of America's website: http://www.historictheatres.org/

Here are some 1982 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

Photo3

Photo4

Were the new additions added on to the north side of the original theatre? Towards W 2nd St.? Just trying to figure out from satellite shot which parts of the buildings make up the 9 screens.

There were multiple additions to the York. The original theatre was split into 3 auditoriums (now numbered 3,4,5). An addition was put on the north side of the original theatre adding two screens where the candy store and parking lot were. Then a 2 screen addition was put on the south side of the original space (where Leonard's had been). These were larger stadium seating houses. Then the addition on the north side was remodelled. Tearing down one auditorium and encompassing the rest of the parking lot behind the stores. This gave 3 more stadium seating houses. Later improvement to the 3 auditoiums in the original space included light lock entrances for the 2 closest to the main lobby. It also included converting #4 (the front half of the original auditorium) to stadium seating.

Wow, thanks MM....that's a lot of additions. Still, it's nice that the theatre is still operating in this day and age.

Nice pictures, love all that neon, glad to see thats its still up and running.

Organ is in theatre 4

A 3/10 Barton was installed in the theatre in 1924