Timeline of the Park Forest Movie Theater

Jane Nicoll 9-2010, updated 10-27-2020

Built in 1950 as Part of "Park Forest Shoppers' Plaza."

Architects of the original building: Loebl, Schlossman and Bennett.

Decorated by Hanns R. Teichert for the firm?

Holiday Theatre 1950 Owners: American Community Builders

October 28, 1950 (opening day)--mid-1952. Name: Holiday Theatre Leased by: H. & E. Balaban Corporation; Harry and Elmer Balaban; also owners of the Esquire and Surf theaters in Chicago. Related to Balaban and Katz theater owners in Chicago.

"Tight Little Island,",  "Huckleberry Finn,"  and "The Red Shoes."  First Films shown.

Holiday Theatre 1953 Owners: American Community Builders

January 1, 1953--1978/1979. Leased by: William C. Mallers of Bluffton, Indiana, and his cousins, (not his brothers) George and Roger Scherer of Munster, Indiana. Scherer also operated a theater in Lansing, Illinois.

1966-1967 Manager: Robert "Bob" Parker

Holiday Theatre 1978- William C. Mallers withdrew from operation of the theater.

1978-1981 Probably still operated under the Mallers family business, without William.

Park Forest Theatre

1981-1986. Leased by Classic Cinemas, operated by Willis and Shirley Johnson.

1987? Leased and operated by ?

Park Forest Theatre

Owned by Cordish and Embry, Centre Shopping Center. In 1987, renovation of the shopping center was underway.

October 23, 1987 (opened). Leased by a group represented by Marcia Gevers, local attorney and PF resident for 12 years. Opened as one screen, but intended to divide the auditorium into 3 screens, including one in the balcony. Renovated, new seats, concession stand, decor and carpeting. "Dragnet" first film shown.

May 5, 1989 Park Forest Theatre closed for business. In litigation with the landlord.

Centre Cinema, Opened ca. February 9, 1990. Tickets, $1.50.

Owner: Erie Development Corporation Previous owner, or Erie, had declared bankruptcy. Leased by Willis and Shirley Johnson of Downers Grove for the second time. December 26, 1989, chasing light marquee sign on Lakewood Blvd. side of the building approved by Village.

1993 Centre Cinema. Same lessee. Fifth screen transformed to an "art house" venue.

December 1995. Village of Park Forest purchased the shopping center, renamed, Downtown Park Forest.

April 1997 Ed Doherty, manager. 5 screens, 1089 seats total, with 105 in Art Theatre.

Paper calls it Classic Cinema's Park Forest Theatre. Name change?

September 21, 1997. Willis Johnson plans to buy the theater and 12 other buildings, and is encouraging a street be cut through the shopping center and use of Lakota Group.

June 22, 1998. Tivoli Enterprises purchase offer to buy theater building and other buildings for $300,00. Willis Johnson owner. Sale goes through July 15, 1998.

November 11, 1999. The Park Forest Theatre and Tall Grass Arts Association begin the Film Series reviving the "Art Theater" for at least occasional evenings.

September 2000. Willis Johnson appeals tax bill assessed valuation. Tax bill was $333,284, more than was paid for the theater.

2002. High operating costs led to the business not being profitable. Theater closed by Willis Johnson in 2002.

Park Forest Cinemas

December 11, 2002 Classic Cinemas reopened. Owner: Sensible Cinemas, Mark McSparin, operator. Price up from $2 to $3.

December 2004. Theater closed.

January 2005. Matanky Realty Group purchased the buildings. $300,000 investment. Operator George Smiley of Elgin, President of Park Forest Cinemas, Inc. Leased from Matanky.

Eagle Theater. Eric Grubelman, independent operator, also operated the Eagle Theater in Robinson, Illinois. Park Forest Cinemas, Inc. George Smiley still involved.

Park Forest Theater on marquee.

2008 Matanky Realty Group, owners. Operators? All operators lease from Matanky.

Holiday Star Theater. "Park Forest Theater" still on marquee.

February 2010 Matanky Realty Group, owners. Operator: Ken Yochelsom, February-September 2010.

September 2010 Matanky Realty Group Took over operation. Katrina Zaret, acting manager. Searching for new operator.

February 2010  Matanky Realty Group. owners. Operator: Ken Yochelson, February-September 2010.
Holiday Star on all pr and has a colorful logo used inside the theater. Innovative outreach.
Theater repainted outside and partially inside. Bathrooms rehabbed.
“Let’s go out to the Lobby” images painted on windows facing Main Street.

September 6, 2010 Ken Yochelson, actually Ken Aaron, arrested for alleged fraud.

September 2010 Matanky Realty Group took over operation. Katrina Zaret, acting manager. Searching for a new operator.

September 26, 2010 Part One of “The History of the Holiday Theater” was held in Village Hall with a presentation by Jack and Becky Mallers Black, members of the Mallers family, projectionists and ushers who had worked at the theater over the years.

October 2010 Willie J. Reid, Manager for Matanky Realty Group.

October 28, 2010 Holiday Theater celebrates 60th Anniversary Gala, Grand Re-opening by showing, "Tight Little Island." Public reception with dignitaries and PFHS displays in the lobby.

June 26, 2011 in the Holiday Theater, 340 Main Street, Park Forest, the Park Forest Historical Society presented, “The History of the Holiday Theater Part Two”. Willis and Shirley Johnson operated the theater from 1981-1986, and 1990 into 2002 with a name change to Classic Cinema’s Park Forest Theatre.

2011-2013 At some point during this span of time, Joseph Hernandez took over as manager.

2013?  Holiday Theatre closed. We need to do further research on this date.  The Holiday had all 35mm projectors.  Films being sent out switched over to all digital.  It would have cost $300,000 to convert the projectors.

2015  A group was trying to write grants to re-open the theater, and get some money being offered to theaters to buy digital projectors.  

October 2017  Save the Holiday Theatre was a group started by Michael Ramon Cagley with a page on Facebook.