Presented to individuals for extraordinary leadership for The Belcourt Theatre.
"The Papa Joe Lightman award is the highest, and only honor bestowed by the Belcourt Theatre Board of Directors. The names of these recipients have been placed on a short, elite list of suckers who have spent countless hours working on a dilapidated movie theater."
Will Cheek III
2008 Tom Wills
2007 Kellie Conn and F. Clark Williams, jr.
2006 Pat Bullard
2005 Jayne Gordon
2004 Scott Manzler and Will Cheek, III
2003 Chase Cole
Papa Joe Lightman
At the age of 16, Joseph "Papa Joe" Lightman immigrated with his family to the United States from Hungary. He opened his first business in 1887. His businesses included a fruit stand in the downtown ara, a confectioner's booth, a saloon, a dry goods store, and a construction company. Papa Joe and his son, M. A. Lightman built and owned The Hillsboro Theatre in 1925. The name and orighanal entrance on Hillsboro Road are still marked by a sign above the building now occupied by The Villager Tavern. After several changes of ownership, multiple uses, and modifications to its physical plant, the theatre was named The Belcourt Theatre in 1966.
