Geneva 4 Theatre
244 Broad Street,
Lake Geneva,
WI
53147
244 Broad Street,
Lake Geneva,
WI
53147
2 people
favorited this theater
Showing all 23 comments
(Janesville Daily Gazette, June 5, 1953)
Silents to 3-Dimension, Record of Veteran Geneva Projectionist
By AGATHA LANZILOTTI
LAKE GENEVAâ€"From the silent movies to 3-dimension â€" that’s the record of progress for Raymond Mellien, who celebrates his 25th anniversary Saturday as a movie projector operator at the Geneva
Theater. And Mellien, in his long experience says, “Movies really are better than ever."
Mellien actually began his career in 1925. At that time he worked as
an apprentice operator at the old Majestic Theater, now the site of
the Kroger Store on Main Street. He became associated with the Geneva
Theater June 6, 1928, and has been with it through more managers and employes than he can remember.
The veteran operator, interviewed in his upholstery shop here, recalled some early incidents in his life.
He was born in Chicago 47 years ago and came to Lake Geneva at the age of 4. He learned to play the drums as a child and harbored a desire to be a circus performer. During these early years he produced many backyard shows for his friends and neighbors. A chance to travel with a professional show did present itself, but he was forced by his parents to refuse.
Upholstering, which was his father’s business, was very distasteful to him as a boy, Mellien recalls, but now the Haskins Street shop which meant so much to his father has taken on a new meaning for him. He finds the work he does there in the daylight hours gratifying and at times relaxing.
Mellien, tall, slender and soft-spoken, enjoys his work as a projector operator so much that he has made a hobby of showing home movies which he makes himself.
He is married to the former Florence Warner of Lake Geneva. They have two sons, Ray, 21, and Dennis, 15.
Mellien recalls that the first picture shown at the Geneva Theater 25 years ago was silent. It starred William Haines in "I’ll Tell the World”. On the same bill were presented five acts of vaudeville, and, he added quietly, “One of them was from Ringling Brothers.”
His first sound movie was George Jessel in “Lucky Boy” – and the sound was on records. The date of this event was April, 1929. Not until a year later did he show a film with sound as it is today. He showed his first 3-D movie last Sunday night.
Of all the performers who were stars a quarter century ago , Nellien believes Gloria Swanson, Joan Crawford and the Barrymores are still star material today. His all-time favorite is the late Wallace Beery. Among the hundreds of pictures he has viewed, he considers “Gone With the Wind”, “Quo Vadis” and “The Greatest Show on Earth” the best. He was especially impressed by Ingrid Bergman’s performance in “Joan of Arc” and is looking forward to her return to American movies.
His favorite of favorites is the presentation of Irene Dunneand John Boles in “Back Street” in the early 1930s.
Of today’s stars, Mellien especially likes Bette Davis, doesn’t think too much of Marilyn Monroe’s “talent”, though he admits she is a tremendous drawing card.
About movie audiences, he had this to say:
“The movie public today knows a lot more than the old audiences. Today they pick their pictures and a movie has to be outstanding in order to draw a crowd. In the old days they went to the movies no matter what played."
Mellien admitted television is the movies' greatest competitor. He doesn’t feel that 3-D movies will bring audiences back to the theatre.
"Only fewer, but better, pictures can do that."
Mellien dislikes double features and pictures made from former hits.
"They seldom compare with the original,” he continued.
Mellien expects to continue in his present job for many years. His only ambition now is a trip to Hollywood, a place he knows so much about but has never seen.
Aside from his two jobs and his hobby, Mellien finds time for other activities. He represents the Third Ward on the county board and is a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Consistory in Madison.
The Geneva Theater, a member of the Standard Theater chain of Milwaukee since 1937, honored Mellien on his 22nd anniversary with the theater. At that time, Russ Mortensen was manager. Present manager is Melvin Coon.
I guess in those days they Trusted people.Bonnie and Clyde were gone.LOl.
Thats true Mike we would have most of the money already in the bank while the movies were playing and before the patrons even left the building.
that was aheck of alot of money.should have been making drops at the bank like we had to do many years later,Louis.
(September 6, 1938)
LAKE GENEVA THEATER HELD UP FOR $1,400
Lake Geneva, Wis. â€" Four gunmen held up the Lake Geneva theater late last night and escaped with $1,400, representing receipts of thc holiday weekend.
Louis Nye, the owner, told police two of tho bandits stayed on the main floor while thc others went up to the balcony. After they had seen the picture, the two bandits on the main floor forced Nye to go to the second floor office where the other gunmen joined them. Then they forced Nye to open the safe. Mary Sullivan, the cashier, said the bandits had worked so smoothly she did not get a good description of them.
(June 6, 1953) $20,000 Damages Awarded by Jury
Third Trial of Case on Spitball Injury in Geneva Theater
Personal injury damages of $20,000 were awarded Robert Pfeiffer, Lake Geneva, late Friday afternoon by a circuit court jury here. The court also assessed the defendant in the case $1,500.92 in damages for Pfeiffer’s father, George, for medical and travel expenses.
The Pfeiffers had claimed that Robert’s sight was impaired when he was hit in the eye with a spitball while attending the Geneva Theater, Lake Geneva. Defendant in the case was the Standard Theater, Inc., owner of the Lake Geneva establishment.
The jury verdict found the theater management negligent on the following counts: (1) in not patroling the theater, and (2) in not maintaining reasonable control of the conduct of its patrons. Such negligence was held the cause of the injury to Pfeiffer’s sight, the jury said.
The case was heard before Judge Francis X. Swietlik, Milwaukee, since an affidavit of prejudice had been filed against Circuit Judge Alfred Drury, who heard two preceding trials of the same suit.
June 29, 1954: New Management at Geneva Theater
LAKE GENEVA – New lobby, new box office, new management â€" all are ready to greet patrons of the Geneva Theater tonight.
Leo Kulik, who replaced Marvin Coon as manager last week, said work will be completed by the time the theater opens tonight. In celebration of the new theater’s “face”, Kulik said three CinemaScope pictures will be shown in succession this week. Beginning tomorrow night, the feature attraction will be “Three Coins in the Fountain.” This will be followed by “The Student Prince” and “Demetrius and the Gladiators."
Before coming to Lake Geneva, Kulik was manager of a Madison theater. Coon is now manager there. Both men are employees of the Standard Theater chain, Kulik since 1934. During Coon’s stay here, many improvements, including the work now being completed, were undertaken. Among the more outstanding was the installation of the CinemaScope screen. Long-range remodeling plans include complete new seating facilities.
Kulik and Coon have gone a step further than the exchange of jobs and theaters. Coon’s family, now living on Geneva Street, will join him in Madison Thursday. After their departure, Kulik’s family, still in Madison, will move into the Coon apartment here.
January 8, 1949: Russell Mortenson, manager of the Geneva theatre, announces that the Standard Theatre chain, which owns approximately 30 theatres, has been sold to Ted Gamble who owns other movie
places in the midwest. Change of ownership will in no way alter
the personnel or policy of the Geneva theatre.
The Friends of Geneva Theater are campaigning to have the GENEVA Theatre bought and restored for use as a community, cultural and arts center, along with some retail.
The theater has been for sale for some time, and is in need of much repair. The structure has not seen basic maintenance for quite some time.
A planning meeting will be held tomorrow by The Friends of Geneva Theater to consider how the building can be renovated and reused. Among those in attendance will be Ken Etten of the Lake Geneva Historic Preservation Committee, and Elizabeth Chappell of the Lake Geneva Art Museum. Etten is also a principal with McCormack + Etten Architects of Lake Geneva.
The building is a local historic landmark that had replaced the old Ford Opera House. The June 6, 1928, grand opening of the Geneva Theater attracted the state’s 25th governor, Gov. Fred Zimmerman. Past performances at the theater include sets by the Marx Brothers, Will Rogers and Bela Lugosi.
The planning group hopes to work with potential developers or buyers to create the community center. Money may be provided from the private sector and through a variety of grants.
The Lake Geneva Economic Development Corp. supports the plan, although there presently is no money available for the project.
Exterior Geneva Theatre.
View link
1983 Photo
I was in lake Geneva last week and it looks like they’re showing movies again. They were showing “Frost Nixon”, “Slumdog Millionaire”, and “Revolutionary Road”. It also looks like they do live performances as well. Good to see this place alive again!
Status should be open. Website
I was in Lake Geneva recently, and it does appear that this place will be used for live performances from now on. I’m surprised it lasted as a cinema for as long as it did, because the nearby Showboat of Lyons is right on the edge of town.
This theater has reopened as a live music venue according to the Nova Cinemas website.
Today the sign reads “Open soon.” Another indication that the theater will never show a film again. Nova’s 4-plex in nearby Whitewater, Wisconsin is still open, but also for sale. Never a good sign.
As of this date, according to the Nova Cinemas website, the theatre is “closed for remodeling”. It has been closed for a while now, and I suspect they aren’t planning on reopening it. It had been recently remodeled in 2001. Also, in a related matter, the “Showboat” theatre that is also located in Lake Geneva owned by them,is currently for sale. The last time I was at the Geneva theatre it was run by Carmike. I worked for Marcus at that time and was in town for a managers meeting at the Grand Geneva.We decided to see Forrest Gump again, there wasn’t even glass in the projection port…Made me laugh :)
Here is a photo of the Geneva 4 Theater.
At least they weren’t running with scissors:
http://tinyurl.com/2mpj7t
The Geneva opened on June 6, 1928. I suspect that the automaker “William Alfred” referred to as an investor in the original article may actually be Walter H. Alford of Kenosha, the vice-president and controller of the Nash Motors Company.
Today the Geneva’s auditorium is still intact, with the multiscreening achieved in the balcony. The lobby features displays of historic Geneva Theatre articles and photographs.
This theatre is owned by Nova Cinemas as is the nearby Showboat of Lyons (odd name as that place is also in Lake Geneva), They have a nice deal here on Tuesdays. Per Nova’s website: “FREE POPCORN DAY!!!!!!TUESDAYS!!!!!! BRING IN YOUR OWN BAG OR BOWL. 3 Free scoops.”
I should add that this is all from a bizarre Chicago Tribune article saying comic strip character Andy Gump told them this
Theater originally sat 711, was designed by Graven & Mayger, and cost $125,000. Apparently, the stockholders included William Wrigley, Jr., William Alfred, a car manufacturer, John Lane, Walter Moore, and Mrs. S.J. Llewellyn.