Documentary Looks Back At Tivoli Theatre's 95 Year History

WDCB’s Gary Zidek talks to Downers Grove-based filmmaker Jim Toth about his new documentary, HISTORY HAPPENS HERE: THE TIVOLI THEATRE.

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WDCB 90.9 FM · The Arts Section: Documentary Looks Back Tivoli Theatre's 95-Year History

One of the Chicago-area’s oldest movie theaters is the subject of a new locally produced documentary. HISTORY HAPPENS HERE looks back the (ongoing) legacy of the Downers Grove-based Tivoli Theatre. The cinema is turning 95 this year. Today the Tivoli is part of the Classic Cinemas company, which operates 16 movie theaters in northern Illinois and Wisconsin. The company is run by the Johnson family. Lifelong Downers Grove resident Willis Johnson started Classic Cinemas after falling into the movie theater business when the Tivoli was seemingly abandoned in the late 70s. Despite lots of challenges over the decades, the Tivoli is still going strong.

Director Jim Toth filming the Johnson family for his documentary HISTORY HAPPENS HERE: THE TIVOLI THEATRE.

Willis and his wife Shirley will be honored as the 2023 Downers Grove Historical Society Historians of the year on Tuesday May 2 during a special premiere of the documentary at the Tivoli. You can get tickets to the screening at downersgrovehistory.org

You can learn more about the Tivoli at classiccinemas.com/tivoli/info

Check out director Jim Toth’s website at www.www.jimtoth.com