Golf Mill Theatres 1-2-3

I just remembered that in the summer of ‘81, I saw RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK in June, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK in July, and THE ROAD WARRIOR came out in August. If memory serves, RAIDERS and ESCAPE both played on screen 2 and ROAD WARRIOR was in the center auditorium. All of them were in 70mm on those huge screens in six track Dolby! Wow, that place was amazing! The 50s era bowling alley was great, too.

I grew up a short distance from the original Golf Mill theatre during the 70s and 80s. It was my favorite place to watch movies and I still remember it very vividly. The first film I saw there was JAWS at age 7 and I remember thinking the Golf Mill was like a palace. The two main auditoriums were incredible. Huge screens, great sound, a really cool lobby and spacious seating with big balconies. Even the third smaller screen was big in comparison to today. I saw at least 4 movies a month there for over 17 years of my life. I saw ROCKY, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, SUPERMAN, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, RETURN OF THE JEDI, APOCALYPSE NOW, FLASH GORDON, GREMLINS, GHOSTBUSTERS, THE GOONIES, FRIDAY THE 13TH, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, RED DAWN, ALIENS, TERMINATOR 1 & 2 and countless other classics, in their initial first run at the Golf Mill. I stopped going as frequently when I moved to the city in ‘92. The last movie I saw there before I moved to California was COPLAND in August of '97. I hadn’t been there in about six years and the place really looked rundown. We sat in the center auditorium and the seats were in really bad shape. The once great 60 foot screen was torn and stained in a lot of places. It was sad. In its heyday, it was the coolest and classiest place to see films and there will never be anything like it again.

I noticed several inaccuracies in the above description of the Golf Mill. The third screen was added in the summer of 1974, not 1984 (as it’s listed above). Also, it was always (as long as I can remember) a 3 screen theatre. It incorrectly states above that the Golf Mill was a quad and that the fourth screen was added in the late 80s, which was not the case. I also saw a lot of movies at the nearby Golf Glen, too.

The Mill Run Theater (or Mill Run Playhouse in its old days; it opened in 1965) was in the space occupied by Kohl’s today. It was a completely different building, of course.

Incidentally, its first play was “A Man for All Seasons” starring Charlton Heston. I have a couple of Chicago Tribune scans that show “artists' renderings” of the interior. There’s an exterior shot as well, but it’s not very clear. Email me if you’d like and I’ll forward them:

I was likely at the same shows poster Joe was at too.

When Empire Strikes Back came out, my mother – knowing what Star Wars fanatics we were – picked me and brother up at lunchtime to get out of school early that day (it was a Wednesday). We waited in line at Golf Mill for at least two hours. I remember how long line was!

I prepared to do the same when Jedi came out, but it wasn’t necessary for whatever reason. I waited about 30 minutes in line, right in the lobby.

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Cienmaven, its funny you mention those movies cuz i saw 2 of them. Rambo and Goonies. Goonies was was with my brother and friends and Rambo with my dad and brother. My parents let me see many R movies when i was young.

When did the Golf Mill Theatre change from Fink Enterprises to Essaness Theatres?

Chicago Tribune, November 26, 1961: “[Golf Mill Theater] will be the first theater in the Chicagoland area to be located in a shopping center”. Remember, the Old Orchard was across the street from the shopping center. And the Park Forest/Holiday could be argued as being part of a shopping center, although not as commonly thought of.

Thanks for the photos billymac. They bring back memories.

Here’s a few photos I took shortly before the theater was converted to a fitness club. It had already closed by this point. In hindsight, I really wish I put my camera up to the glass doors for a few shots inside! I looked in there and most of the fixtures were still in place but furniture, etc. were all over. The exterior never changed as far as I remember throughout its 30+ year reign. Anyway, enjoy.

http://bmac5.photosite.com/Album5/

CinemarkFan
dakotaben,
I’m disapointed, all this excitment about the opening of the Showplace 12 on the Golf Mill page and now that the Showplace 12 is open and has it’s own page, no info from this page or other info you might have, has been added to the new page. I live way down by Kankakee, Illinois a long drive from my old area around Glenview, please get as much info as you can on the Showplace 12 site, including it’s pre opening and first day movies. Sometime long into the future folks will find that very interesting. I think it’s important to get info about a new theatre on ASAP rather than trying to find out the info years from now. Thanks!

Oooh tell me, when should the remodel begin/end? I better get over there and snap photos of the old Webster Place while I still can.

Okay, more on Showplace @ Golf Mill.

All in all, I highly recomend it. It was worth the 30 miles we drove to get there. I will return. While it probably won’t hold up with the original Golf Mill’s huge screen and style, it’s a wonderfull replacement. More that what you could hope for in this day and age of shoeboxes being put up. I just wish the “big units” were a little bigger. But it’s okay though. But if the design of Showplace 16 @ Roosvelt Collection is anywhere near Shoplace @ Golf Mill’s, then that place is gonna rock. Now if Kerasotes could just give Webster Place the remodel it deverves…..