Old downtown movie house to be celebrated with film screenings in former home
Lake Theatre Revival Series kicks off Friday night at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County headquarters in Lake Worth Beach.
Movie fans are invited to a free celebration of the cinematic roots of the old Lake Theatre in downtown Lake Worth Beach.
The Lake Theatre Revival Series kicks off later this week with the first of four screenings on select Friday nights at the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County headquarters — the same art deco building that was home to a popular movie house from 1940 to 1974.
The 1940 classic comedy His Girl Friday starring Cary Grant will be shown at the Robert M. Montgomery, Jr. Building at Lake Avenue and L Street at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24. It will be followed by a post-film discussion with former Palm Beach Post journalist Scott Eyman, a film historian and New York Times bestselling author who wrote Cary Grant: A Brilliant Disguise.
The next screening, on Dec. 12, will feature award-winning shorts from the 2025 Subtropic Film Festival, which will be held Nov. 7-9 in West Palm Beach.
On Feb. 6, The Wiz will be screened as part of Black History Month celebrations, in partnership with Palm Beach County-based creative collective, FLAVAR Co.
The series ends April 3 with a screening of Orson Welles’ 1941 masterpiece Citizen Kane, in partnership with the Lake Worth Playhouse.
Space is limited; RSVP at palmbeachculture.com/film to save your seat. Complimentary refreshments will be available.
“The Lake Theatre Revival Series reflects our commitment to celebrating Palm Beach County’s rich history and showcasing all artistic disciplines,” said Dave Lawrence, Cultural Council president & CEO.
“We invite the public to join us as we revisit classic films and view works in the place where it all began: the historic Lake Theatre,” he said.
Designed by renowned Florida architect Roy A. Benjamin, the 1000-seat Lake Theatre opened in 1940 with a public ceremony that reportedly included the reading of congratulatory telegrams from Joan Crawford, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable and other movie stars.
After a showing of Disney’s Robin Hood on June 16, 1974, the movie house went dark, a victim of the proliferation of multiplex theaters.
After that, the streamline moderne building was home to a dine-in theatre, lounge, discotheque, and home to three different art museums until 2012, when the Cultural Council moved in.
As part of Cultural Council renovations, two windows were added in the front, where the old movie theater’s posters once hung.
If You Go
Classic Premiere: His Girl Friday (1940)
October 24, 2025 (6-8:30 p.m.)
601 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Beach, Fla., 33460
Save your seat at palmbeachculture.com/film
Subtropic Film Festival Winners: 2025 Showcase
December 12, 2025 (6-8:30 p.m.)
601 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Beach, Fla., 33460
Registration opens Oct. 27, 2025 at palmbeachculture.com/film
The Wiz: A FLAVAR Film Event
February 6, 2026 (6-8:30 p.m.)
601 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Beach, Fla., 33460
Registration opens Dec. 15, 2025 at palmbeachculture.com/film
Season Finale: Citizen Kane (1941) with Lake Worth Playhouse
April 3, 2026 (6-8:30 p.m.)
601 Lake Avenue, Lake Worth Beach, Fla., 33460
Registration opens Feb. 9, 2026 at palmbeachculture.com/film