Lake Theatre Celebrates 75 Years with FREE Screening of the First Film Shown in 1936 April 11, 2011

Monday, April 11th marks the 75th anniversary of the historic Lake Theatre, located at 1022 Lake Street in the heart of downtown Oak Park. To celebrate the milestone event, Classic Cinemas is presenting FREE screenings of “The Ghost Goes West,” the film shown at the Lake on opening day in 1936. There will be two showings on April 11th at 1PM and 7PM.

Designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the Lake Theatre is a prime example of art deco style. Classic Cinemas purchased the theatre in 1984 and began an ambitious renovation project, always working to maintain the theatre’s unique design and architecture. Decorative elements from theatres that no longer exist were incorporated into the renovation as well. This attention to historic detail has been recognized with awards from several organizations including the Chicago Art Deco Society and has made the Lake Theatre one of Oak Park's architectural treasures. The Lake Theatre today offers first-run movies with a state-of-the art sound and picture presentation in seven auditoriums, including two equipped with Digital 3-D.

“The Ghost Goes West,” starring Robert Donat, is a comedy about an American businessman who buys a Scottish castle, dismantles it, and ships it to America where it will be reassembled. The castle, however, is not the only part of the deal, as it comes with the ghost who has been haunting it for several hundred years.

The anniversary celebration will continue through the year. On Saturday, April 16th, the theatre will offer a rare opportunity to tour the projection booth from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All are welcome!

And, a classic film from 1936 will be presented on the second Monday of every month at 1 and 7 p.m. Please visit www.classiccinemas.com for movie titles.

Official Website: http://www.classiccinemas.com