Classic Cinemas LaGrange XQ
80 S. La Grange Road,
La Grange,
IL
60525
80 S. La Grange Road,
La Grange,
IL
60525
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In 1983, my grandfather, John Bischof, a Chicagoland motion-picture legend, and his partner Tracy Lamb, purchased the LaGrange Theatre and performed the original split of the original stage. I was rather young then, but I explicitly recall MANY of the initial renovations which brought about “#1” and “#2”.
In 1991, renovations were performed which in turn split theater #1 in two, which formed the yellow “#2” and the blue “#3”. I remember when the southwest wall was opened, and it was discovered that a 4-ton steel beam made up the corner wall. That beam was, in fact, the old piano loft. In that loft actually hung an original circa 1940s ~48" wall clock with a purple flourecent ring outside of it. That clock was refurbished, and runs to this day in one of my uncle’s homes.
Interestingly enough, the MOST UNCOMFORTABLE former seats (red steel frame, blue fabric) that resided in each theater prior to their recent, much needed, replacement in late 2006, were actually old seats removed from Chicago’s Bryn Mawr Theatre.
In ~1994, the south wall of theater #1 was moved in ~6' (which deleted the south aisle and south front entrance to #1) to accomodate a hallway which runs back to theater “#2”. Indeed, that theater is a poured slab right on top of the old stage.
I recall toward the end of my grandfather’s ownership, MANY aspects of the building were crumbling. Even at present, you could drop $1 million, and not easily determine where that money was spent. Having rercently been purchased by neighboring Horton’s in 2004, the building is now, however, finally getting the repair it so desperately needs, much of which is naked to the public’s eye. Such improvements include the roof, as well as the atiqued cloth-wrapped electrical system still in use today.
Some interesting facts about the building…
The original balcony is still accessible in theaters 1 and 4. They are not, however, zoned for public use due to their old age and assumed inability to support excess weight.
There is a third floor (painted all green, for some ungodly reason) above the balcony loft which houses all of the original film projectors. It is now obscured by the black drop-ceiling presently installed. Note, one of the old projectors is presently housed down in the lobby corridor in a display case.
Above that ugly black drop-ceiling, there is a GORGEOUS, ornate victorian-style plastered dome ceiling. It it absolutely magnificent, but is only visible today from the third floor projector (green) room.
The basement could NOT be any creepier. The original dressing rooms, now used to overstock concessions, still remain, as do their original doors still labelled accordingly. Lead paint is still present all over, however, it is now covered by MDF for the sake of safety. There are small block chevy engines, no longer in use, in the boiler rooms which were once used to circulate the old air conditioning system. The original coils for that a/c system are also still presentt, running nearly the entire width of the theater’s basement.
There are long tunnels running under the old theater floors. Imagine the concrete floor which makes up theaters 1, 3, & 4. Tunnels run under all three theaters, used for ventilation, as well as an access point through which the theater seating could be fastened. I recall being down there once during the big renovation in 1991 with my dad while seats were being welded in, and seeing a sewer rat the size of a small dog pulled out of one of the tunnels, taken out into LaGrange Rd., and bashed on the curb. Yes, LOL, I remember that quite vividly to this day.
My grandfather passed away on January 4th, 2007 at the age of 82. He leaves behind a long legacy, having been a major pioneer in the in-house, as well as drive-in, motion-picture movie theater industry, having owned LaGrange, Milford, Des Plaines, and Berwyn Theatres 1983-2000, residing as general manager of Kohlberg Theatres 1963-1983, as well as managing and supervising Schoenstadt Theatres 1946-1962. I loved him greatly, and will miss him dearly.
I only know what I read in the papers. Obviously 40 year old back issues may have some inaccuracies, so you are in all probability correct.
An ad in the 3/21/62 edition of the Austin News gives the address as 39 S. LaGrange Road.
The current upgrade puts used seats from closed theaters in screens one and two so far. Seats are wider and have cup-holders. # 1. theme is patriotic. Screen # 2. theme is Rock and Roll. Looks like paintings done by a local high school, odd lighting scheme seen no-where else. the remaining 3 and 4 are stated to be completed by 2007 on the theater’s website.
By looks of the theaters, LaGrange was divided in to two screens. Later the South Screen was divided in two – current theaters 1 and 2. The second screen was cut for a long hallway to a theater built on the stage and backstage area of the building. This is theater 3, and looks like a 1970’s vintage multiplex screen. Remaining number 4 screen has the most seats, but is odd in that hallway part having cut the original split smaller. Theaters 1,2, and 4 all have screens that are now not wide enough for current movies. I often notice that titles and credits go off the edge of the screens, number 3 I don’t think is any better.
Remodeling was done by Roy B. Blass in the 1940s.
I remember seeing “The Ten Commandments” at the LaGrange with my mom when it was re-released in the 70’s. I think the last movie I saw there while it was still a single screen venue was “Xanadu.” They showed a Tom and Jerry cartoon to start, which was pretty cool—and a damn sight better than the movie. Saw some pretty good films there after it was split in two: “The Right Stuff,” “Out of Africa” (during which the management force-fit an intermission by simply stopping the movie halfway through!), and one particularly memorable double feature of “Never Say Never Again” and “Return of the Jedi.”
Haven’t been back too many times since it was split into four screens. Saw “Goldeneye” there, and took a bunch of neighborhood kids to see “The Phantom.” One time I took the kids there to see an animated film (can’t remember the title—something with penguins), and after the coming attractions, the film broke. They couldn’t get it fixed, so we got our money back and left.
Sounds like #2 might be on the old stage?
Theatre #4 has been closed for some time. Apparantly, it is being remodeled with new seating. As a four-plex, it is oddly configured (but then again, name one chopped-up ex-single-screener that isn’t). I saw Oliver Twist in theatre #2, which is accessed via a l-o-n-g corridor to the rear. Presumably, this was where the original rear of the theatre was. #2 is perpendicular to the other theatres, which is to say that it is on a north-south orientation, whereas the #1 and #3 are on an east-west. I’ve never been in #4, so I cannot say how that is.
Thank you Brian, this answers my question. Until the Portage re-opens, the LaGrange may very well be the only one still operating strictly for movies.
Well, there’s the Gateway still showing films fairly regularly, the Portage is set to reopen apparently. There are of course lots of others still standing and used for other purposes, like the Congress, Riviera, Oriental, Chicago, Lakeshore etc. There are ones that have been entirely repuposed. Then there’s H&E Balaban theaters like the Esquire, Pickwick, and Des Plaines.
Is this the last Balaban & Katz theatre still operating in Chicago?
It was showing first-run movies in the 70s. I remember seeing Inframan there. The last time I went there, a couple of years ago, it looked like it needed some work. I think they’re trying to raise money for renovation. I don’t know why the Village of LaGrange doesn’t help out. Instead, they let national bookstore chains raze architectural landmarks. You’d think they’d want to preserve their history.
Great to see that this is still around.
George Vreeland Hill.
Not usually, but it is rare if they do. Here some theaters that I go to that usually show foreign films so you don’t have to travel to downtown Chicago:
I too saw “Snow White” there. But one more question, does LaGrange show foriegn films? Thanks
I remember going to LaGrange in 1983 to see “Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs” and “Trading Places” when it was a single screen. In 1984, the theater was split into two, and in the 1990’s became a quad. To answer Florence’s question, I am not sure if the LaGrange will show “Whale Rider” again on the big screen, you may want to contact the manager of the theater. I saw it at the Oakbrook Theaters just before they closed down (Good movie). The movie is available on VHS videocassette and DVD.
Did you or will you run “Whale Rider"
Any chance it will come through again?
Thank you, florence
Plitt theaters once operated the LaGRANGE theater from the 1970’s to the early 1980’s.