Kenosha Theater
5913 6th Avenue,
Kenosha,
WI
53143
5913 6th Avenue,
Kenosha,
WI
53143
8 people
favorited this theater
Opened Sept 1, 1927, the Kenosha Theater was designed by architect Larry P. Larson and was commissioned by Carl Laemmle, the founder of Universal Studios.
A Wurltzer pipe organ, Opus 1696, with a 3 manual console was shipped to this theater on August 8, 1927. Sometime later it was sold and went to a private individual in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The Kenosha Theater closed on April 21, 1963.
This theater still stands today, but has suffered severe water damage. A new roof was placed on the building 5 years ago which has slowed the wear and tear of time. A non-profit group has again begun the process of fundraising to try to restore this building.
Contributed by
Jeff Baas
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Recent comments (view all 32 comments)
(April 19, 1930)
Theatre Deal Goes In Effect At Midnight
Warner Brothers To Take Over Sheboygan Theatre And Other Theatres In Wisconsin
It was unofficially announced today that Warner Bros, one of the leading film companies in the United States, has taken over the Wisconsin branch of the Universal Theatrical Enterprises chain of theatres, and that the concern will assume ownership at 12 o'clock midnight tonight and will start operating these theatres Sunday.
Theatres included are the Sheboygan theatre, which was erected at a cost of $600,000 and which was opened to the public in 1928; Venetian theatre at Racine, Kenosha theatre at Kenosha, and all the Universal theatres in Milwaukee except the Alhambra. Among the Milwaukee theatres are the Lake, State, Downer, Juneau, Nation and Kosciuszko.
The deal, which has been in the course of consummation during the past week, involves millions of dollars in theatre values.
Manager K. G. Wood of the Sheboygan theatre today would not make official comment as to the completion of negotiations, but admitted that he was notified late Friday to take a complete inventory of his theatre, and to check meters at the close of business tonight.
The Sheboygan theatre is one of the most up to date in the state chain. It is equipped with the latest Western electric sound equipment, with new changes and installations made from time to time as improvements are made in the sound facilities. The theatre in Spanish atmospheric design has a seating capacity of 1,600.
(May 17, 1937)
(May 14, 1937 – Oshkosh Daily Northwestern)
FORMER OSHKOSH THEATER MANAGER BEATEN BY THREE
Kenosha, Wis. â€" William Exton, theater manager, reported to Kenosha police today that three stranded actors, two women and a man, whom he was “giving a lift” to Chicago, beat him up and drove away with his car four miles south wf Waukegan. Chicago police found the car abandoned.
Exton reported that the trio had thrown him in a ditch. He hitched a ride back to Kenosha on a truck. (Mr. Exton. victim of the incident in the story from Kenosha, is a former Oshkosh man, having served as manager of the Strand theater about two and a half years ago.)
Many cool Kenosha Theatre pictures at this link. Scroll through using thumbnails at right:
View link
Interesting, but I’m not sure what the angles it:
View link
Many not-so-cool modern phtos here:
View link
Compare those recent photos with the photos from the Life Magazine, you see just how far gone that theatre is, sadly.
Any renovation updates?
No, no updates in a long time. To restore this theatre would require a massive amount of time and money. More than any volunteer effort could possibly do. Still would love to see it happen, just don’t see HOW it could happen, unless someone has $25 million to spare.
Also, I think the website for this theatre now is kenoshatheatre.org. Hard to say, kenoshatheatre.com doesn’t seem to connect to anything and the .org doesn’t look like its been updated in a very long time!
A blog post on the Kenosha theatre is up at After the Final Curtain