Southgate Theatre

Actually the original SOUTHGATE was a block south of the current SOUTHGATE-10, and scars in the same parking lot show where the older one stood. It was a shame that the older single screen was demolished, since it did show the attempts at decor when it was built about 1960. It had a little class with its plate glass walled lobby showing the wood panelled areas, whereas the 1994 multiplex has much smaller auditoriums but less character, though a larger lobby. The new version's facade has a nice Art Deco look, but that is all that distinguishes it. Incidentally, the vintage shopping center is gone; some big box stores replaced it, but for a fragment retained on the south end. In 1950 it may have been the "south gate" of the city, but ensuing years found the suburbs moving ever farther south and west, so the old sign in the 27th St. boulevard "Welcome to Milwaukee" faded away and was never replaced as the actual city limits are now much farther south. The nearby POINT LOOMIS movie house of circa 1965, which became the POINT CINEMAS, was demolished a few years ago, but was part of the inducement for Marcus to build the second SOUTHGATE in competition.

This house had a deep Cinerama curved screen, never had 3 strip, only 70mm. The design was similar to several other now gone Milwaukee theatres, the Mayfair, Ruby Isle and also the Madison WI Hilldale. Southgate ran numerous 70mm films and would run old "chestnuts" from time to time like 2001 and other similar films. It was equipped with Century JJII 35/70 projectors with Ashcraft Cinex Special carbon arc lamps and a Ampex 6 channel sound system. There were some differences in the various theatres, Southgate had a balcony with the booth above it, Mayfair had a balcony with the booth on the main floor, (Mayfair had 70mm as well with Norelco AAll's), Ruby Isle was set up the same way as Mayfair but no 70mm, and the Madison Hilldale (which is still open, but not for long) has no balcony and no 70mm. I worked as a relief projectionist at Southgate from time to time, a nice booth to work in!

Upon closer inspection, I noticed that someone has this theatre in the Marcus chain, the current "Southgate" theatre is part of the Marcus chain, but the original single screen was a United Artist "UA" theatre, as was the Mayfair and originally the Ruby Isle as well. U.A. usually took pretty good care of this house and tried it's best to keep it booked with good film, but alas, like virtually every other single screen house, the suburban multi's killed it, including some of U.A.'s own newer cinemas.

Here is a 1979 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cn5bhy