York Theatre celebrates 100 years of movie magic

A fixture of downtown Elmhurst is celebrating 100 years of movies and memories.

The York Theatre, 150 N. York St., opened its doors on Labor Day weekend in 1924 and has since welcomed generations of moviegoers.

The original look of the York Theatre when it opened in 1924.
Courtesy of Classic Cinemas

“When you listen to what this place has meant to people, it’s really heartwarming,” said Classic Cinemas CEO Chris Johnson. “The building is more than just a movie theater. It’s a piece of Elmhurst’s history.”

In addition to the York Theatre, Classic Cinemas owns six theaters built in the 1920s and 1930s during the heyday of movie palaces. The chain owns 16 theaters with 141 screens across Illinois and Wisconsin.

“If I’m going to be in business, I want it to be something I’m proud of,” Johnson said. “These buildings have great bones and they’re community gathering spots that have created memories. There’s something special about that.”

The theater, which predates “talkie” movies by three years, will host its 100th anniversary celebration on Sept. 1 with a screening of the 1924 classic Buster Keaton film, “Sherlock Jr.,” complete with a live organist and documentary about the theater.

Tickets are available at classiccinemas.com/york100 or at the box office.

Johnson said Classic Cinemas was started by his father and stepmother — Willis and Shirley Johnson — when they acquired the Tivoli Theatre in a Downers Grove building they owned in 1978.

The York Theatre as it was around the time Classic Cinemas purchased it.
Courtesy of Classic Cinemas

The couple bought the then single-screen, 900-seat York in 1982 when it was a bargain theater showing second-run movies.

“It wasn’t in great shape,” Johnson said. “There was water damage, and it was a mess. So we cleaned it up and got it functional. Then we started diving in a little more to the aesthetic, trying to recapture the magic of the original.”

In the early 1990s, they divided the theater to have three screens. Later, the theater was expanded on the north and south sides of the building, going to five, then seven, then nine, and ultimately 10 screens. The York now has a total seating capacity of nearly 800 seats.

The Art Moderne facade — with bright neon and dancing bulbs that bring the York letters to life — was restored to how the building looked after a 1937 face-lift transformed it from its original Spanish Revival style. The inside is full of classic flourishes with many fixtures from other theaters of the same period.

The floor plan has changed from the initial sloped floor to stadium seating, which now has roomy, heated recliners with power headrests to enjoy the 4K RGB laser projectors and DTS immersive audio.

“It still retains the history but has all the modern amenities,” Johnson said. “It’s the classic moviegoing experience where you escape your everyday and just have a two-hour vacation and enjoy life.”

While going from one screen and 900 seats to 10 screens with about 800 might seem counterintuitive, the key is attendance over capacity.

“Back in the 900-seat days, we used to average below 15% occupancy. But now we’re filling more of the seats because they’re all nice. They’re comfortable and spread out,” he said.

The anniversary event features the premiere of the documentary “York: 100 Years of Movie Magic.” The film, which chronicles the theater’s past century, is narrated by Elmhurst residents and business leaders who grew up near the theater and current and former employees.

In the documentary, John Quigley, president and CEO of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry, talks about the importance of improvements to the theater to the revitalization of downtown.

“It was the first redevelopment project that led to the downtown being what it is today,” Quigley said in the film. “And I can tell you, if not for the York Theatre, that downtown redevelopment … would have taken another decade or so to happen.”

Johnson said watching the documentary made him appreciate all the support the community has shown the theater over the years.

“There was this passion and excitement for what we were doing,” he said. “I think about that all the time.”

The facade of the York Theatre, pictured here in 1938, after a renovation and style change.
Courtesy of Classic Cinemas