Towne Cinema
308 E. Main Street,
Watertown,
WI
53094
308 E. Main Street,
Watertown,
WI
53094
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Family owned small town theater in a building that dates back to 1848. Originally operated as a general store, then converted to movie house in the early-20th century. Converted into a twin screen house, then the dress shop next door was purchased for the third auditorium. The flyloft is still intact, though not in use.
Currently showing first-run mainstream films. Provides space on Sunday mornings for church services and lets local groups utilize the stage for events.
Contributed by
Jack
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
A Kilgen theater organ opus 4034 size 2/3 style U08 was installed in the Classic Theater in 1928.
This is a 1950s photo of the Classic Theater and here is a 1960s postcard view.
This theater was also known as the Town Theater (no “e”) in the 1970s. Here is a photo of the Town Theater circa 1976. The current name is Towne with the “e”.
Here is a website for the Towne Cinema.
Here’s an interesting bit of advertising history touching on this theater. In the late 1920’s, the Kellogg company used Hal Roach’s “Our Gang” to promote its new cereal, Kellogg’s Pep. On this page there’s a letter sent from the Pathe Exchange to the Classic Theatre in Watertown, Wisconsin, “suggesting” to the theater’s operator a course of action by which the house could secure “…additional and earlier bookings on OUR GANG comedies….” The already somewhat overbearing tone of the letter was given a sinister note by the “SEES ALL – KNOWS ALL” watermark which appeared on Pathe’s stationery.
A Willis Norton opened the Classic Theatre, according to the local historical society.
I went to visit my folks for Thanksgiving this year and saw the latest Harry Potter movie there. I just got back from a Christmas visit with them and am sad to report that the Towne Cinema is closed — probably for good. I used to go to this theater all the time when I was a College student in Watertown in the mid 80’s.
The TOWNE CINEMA in downtown Watertown is reopening with a midnight showing of “Thor†on Friday, May 6th at 12:01 a.m. Doors will open Thursday at 11:30 p.m. The Towne Cinema will also be showing “Thor,†“Fast Five†and the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz†throughout the following week.
The theatre has been closed since mid-December of last year when Steve Lind, the former lessee of the facilities, decided to terminate his lease. Lind and his family had leased the business since November of 2004.
The new operator of the theatre is David Glazer, who also owns and operates the ROSEBUD CINEMA DRAFTHOUSE (nee TOSA Theatre) in Wauwatosa and the TIMES CINEMA in Milwaukee.
The newly-refurbished cinema will play a mix of first-run films as well as special family matinees, classics, independent movies and midnight cult favorites.
This is the website. http://www.rosebudcinema.com/home.php?venue=towne
website