This Week in History ... April 11, 1936
Hoopla marks Lake Theatre opening
The Art Deco-style Lake Theatre opened its doors this week in 1936 with the movie The Ghost Goes West as the featured attraction in the single 1,500-seat auditorium.
But the real star was actually the modern new theater itself, with its instant landmark neon marquee that beckoned moviegoers from afar.
The decorative scheme of the Lake Theatre is modern in every sense of the word, according to the publicity materials quoted in Oak Leaves.
Starting with the simple dignity of the building front in white limestone and genuine black marble and bursting forth in the interior with clear, pure, vibrant colors, the entire structure exudes the spirit of sunshine, warmth and welcome.
Designed by the New York architecture firm Thomas W. Lamb, Inc., also responsible for the Empire State Building, the new theatre in Downtown Oak Park joined the Lamar Theatre and the Southern Theater under the same management as the place to catch the latest from Hollywood long before the days of DVDs.
Today, the Lake Theatre is still Oak Park's newest movie theater and the Lamar and Southern theaters are long gone.
More information about the Lake Theatre.