LaGrange Theatre

80 S. La Grange Road,
La Grange, IL 60525

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Classic Cinemas (Official)

Additional Info

Operated by: Classic Cinemas

Previously operated by: Balaban & Katz Corp., Great States, Gregory-Bernasek Theater Corp., Plitt Theatres

Architects: Roy B. Blass, Edward P. Rupert

Firms: R. Levine & Co.

Functions: Movies (First Run)

Styles: Renaissance Revival

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 708.354.0481
Manager: 708.354.0481

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News About This Theater

La GRANGE Theatre; La Grange, Illinois.

This 1,450-seat movie house in downtown LaGrange opened in 1925, and was designed by architect Edward P. Rupert working out of the architectural firm R. Levine & Co. It was built and operated by the Gregory-Bernasek Theater Corp. chain.

Operated by Chicago’s Balaban & Katz chain during the 1930’s thru 1950’s. It was re-modeled in 1949 to the plans of architect Roy A. Blass. The LaGrange Theatre remains in business today, divided into four screens in the 1990’s, and screening second-run fare.

In November 2008, the theatre’s owners received $1 million from the village of La Grange towards the renovation and restoration of the theatre, which is expected to take a year to a year and a half to complete.

In early-2022, the theatre was acquired by Classic Cinemas, and is under a luxury restoration with heated recliners in every auditorium, and many other new amenities. It reopened May 26, 2022 with 3-screens and a further 3-screens under construction opened in November 2022.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 92 comments)

Broan
Broan on April 21, 2016 at 6:58 pm

The La Grange was NOT designed by Rapp & Rapp. It was designed by E.P. Rupert for R. Levine & Co. Article in photos section.

gxceb0t
gxceb0t on April 5, 2021 at 1:46 pm

I remember when they first split the theater - they just split it straight in half and for a time the seats were still pointed at an angle as if the wall down the middle wasn’t there. My wife and I had our first date here - “The Sure Thing” - she was and still is 36 years later.

RayPatnaude
RayPatnaude on April 21, 2021 at 6:02 am

I saw Spaceballs here in 1987 when I was visiting my friend who lived nearby. We were 13 and thought it was the most hilarious thing ever. Great times. The website looks like restored it back to single screen at some point and put in new seats and did some nice renovations.

guitarnine
guitarnine on June 22, 2021 at 1:23 pm

I worked there as well as an usher from 1977 through 1981 with a break in between, so I know some of the other folks here who have posted. I have a lot of those same late ‘70s memories as they do, as well as sitting in the off-limits balcony with Ms. Velus during breaks, the 6-12 shift, double shifts on Saturday, the dollar eighty-five-and-a-half cents an hour sub-minimum wage, climbing to the roof after work at night with Olympia beer and looking at the Chicago skyline, getting Chinese food for the projectionist Joe Montana (went to a few Sox games with that guy, cool dude).

Also, hearing war stories from crusty old Jack the ticket taker about the public buses on Cermak, closing up at midnight with all of 3 patrons in the 1400+ seat floor, $1.25 popcorn buckets, tall boys coolin' in the ice maker, ice cream sandwiches, memorizing all the lines to “Rocky”, “Heaven Can Wait”, “The Sentinel” and all the other long runners, watching Botes change the marquee letters with his ladder on Thursday nights, the guys (Flynn, Barry, Horner, Liming, Robinson, Havey 1, Havey 2, Havey 3, King, the dude that liked Rush, Frank with the fast cars that also worked at a service station), the ladies (Jones, McAvinchey, Mendolia, Wall, Hayden, Pliml, Hudrlick, Reetz, Powers, Lewis, Velus 1, Velus 2, Comstock), the Jones-King wedding at the Congregational Church across the street (usher marries candy girl, alert the media).

Let’s not forget Mrs. Brewer - she sold tickets and performed Assistant Manager duties for God knows how many years, even since I was very young. She used to ‘card’ me when I was 11 since I was tall, and she thought I should pay the adult price of $1.25 instead of 75 cents. She lived behind the theater in one of those apartment buildings on Madison, so many nights after midnight, I would walk her to her door after the theater closed, so she’d get home safe. I didn’t appreciate her Southern drawl at the time, but since I live down South now, I miss it!

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on September 11, 2021 at 7:38 pm

ABC/Great States also operated the LaGrange as well since the early 1970s.

Paul Fortini
Paul Fortini on November 26, 2021 at 3:33 pm

It’s been closed for quite some time because of COVID. No word on when it’s going to re-open.

MustangMike
MustangMike on February 25, 2022 at 1:16 pm

According to this post on the Classic Cinemas website, it should be re-opening in time for summer. https://www.classiccinemas.com/article/classic-cinemas-lagrange

Joe Moore
Joe Moore on May 27, 2022 at 7:02 pm

The theater reopened on May 26th with 3 screens and 3 more screens under construction.

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on November 4, 2022 at 9:28 am

The progress is shown here in this TV clip: LaGrange

Bruce C.
Bruce C. on November 16, 2022 at 9:23 am

This theater is open and now has six screens. Saw a movie here (on Screen #6) a couple weeks ago and was amazed at how great the building looks. Even the small auditoriums have large screens with great sound systems.

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