(May 17, 1954)
Claims Legion Attempt to Suppress Film
CHICAGO <U.E>â€" A motion picture theater manager has accused the Illinois American Legion of using “confidential smears” and “intimidation” concerning the controversial picture “Salt of the
Earth."
M. A. Terman, manager of the Cinema Annex theater, said the state Legion’s antisubversive commission sent him a "letter of warning” about the picture, even though he has not booked it.
“I take exception to your letter even though I have no contract for ‘Salt of the Earth’,” he said in a letter to the commission. “It is McCarthyism in the world of art, and is the death of art.‘
The Legion has opposed the showing of "Salt of the Earth” on the grounds “that it was an endeavor on the part of the Communistic elements to produce the greatest Communist propaganda picture ever developed in the United States of America."
The committee’s letter to Terman said "the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, writers, producers, actors and actresses, connected with the production of the film, are all identified with the Communistic movement and later attempting to sell totalitarianism”.
Janesville Gazette, June 30, 1969)
Smoke Brings Evacuation of Theater
About 70 patrons at the Myers Theater Saturday night had to be evacuated from the building when an employe smelled smoke.
Janesville firemen were called to the scene and discovered an overheated thermostat caused a fire in the popcorn machine. Damage to the machine was minor, but the interior of the building was filled with smoke, firemen said. The patrons exited in an orderly manner when asked to leave the theater, firemen added. The incident occurred about 8:30 p.m.
(Photo caption, Janesville Gazette, February 28, 1950)
STAGE-STRUCK TRUCK â€" Apparently intent on seeing the latest movie, this semi-trailer truck loaded with eggs skidded and nearly entered the Walworth theatre before overturning yesterday. Gordon Bubel, Milan, Mich., owner of the trailer and eggs, reported about a 5 per cent loss due to breakage. He suffered a cut on the forehead. Lawrence Fender, Alexandria, Minn., owner and driver of the tractor, was uninjured. Although the truck didn’t get into the theatre, it did get into the movies when local photographers showed up with cameras. At center: Policeman Doug Dunn and Marshall Elery McCullough, right, assist in unloading-operations.
(Photo can be seen in Wisconsin Theatres www.onelist.com/group/WisconsinTheatres
(Janesville Gazette, May 28, 1969)
EAST TROY â€" John F. Benjamin has received word of his appointment as midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md, He was nominated for this position by Sen. William Proxmire.
Benjamin will be graduated from the East Troy High School June 6. He will report June 30 to the superintendent of the Naval academy to be sworn in as midshipman, U.S. Navy.
While in high school Benjamin has been active in the various bands, served as manager for the football and basketball teams, is a member of the Photo Club, Letterman Club and National Honor Society, ranking eighth in his class scholastically.
He is a member of the First Congregational-United Church of Christ and its youth organization. Pilgrim Fellowship, in which he has been president the past year.
He has worked as projectionist at the Troy Theater the last two years. His employer, Maj. Loren Husten, has advised him through the years of preparation for his chosen career.
His parents, the Rev. and Mrs. R. B. Benjamin, invite his friends to a reception in his honor immediately following June 6. It will be held in the lounge and recreation rooms at lounge and recreation rooms at First Congregational Church here.
ELKHORN – Dan Kelliher, owner and operator of Sprague Theatre here for the past 46 years, has sold the business to James K. Anderson, Whitewater. Possession will be given Nov. 1. Anderson is a part owner of the Strand Theater in Whitewater, the Fort Theater in Fort Atkinson and the Highway 18 Outdoor Theater near Jefferson. He managed the Strand Theater for eight years.
A former cashier of the First Citizens State Bank of Whitewater, Anderson is now in the investment business. He will manage the theater here but does not plan to move to Elkhorn. He has a summer home at Lauderdale Lakes.
Kelliher purchased the former Princess Theater here in 1922 and has presented the Elkhorn movies for 46 of the 58 years they have been shown.
Mr. and Mrs. Kelliher were originally from Mt. Horeb.
The present Sprague Theater was completed in 1928. The first “talking picture” was shown in 1929. During various portions of his business career Kelliher also leased or owned theaters at Lake Geneva, East Troy, Burlington and Delavan.
ELKHORN – Dan Kelliher, owner and operator of Sprague Theatre here for the past 46 years, has sold the business to James K. Anderson, Whitewater. Possession will be given Nov. 1. Anderson is a part owner of the Strand Theater in Whitewater, the Fort Theater in Fort Atkinson and the Highway 18 Outdoor Theater near Jefferson. He managed the Strand Theater for eight years.
A former cashier of the First Citizens State Bank of Whitewater, Anderson is now in the investment business. He will manage the theater here but does not plan to move to Elkhorn. He has a summer home at Lauderdale Lakes.
Kelliher purchased the former Princess Theater here in 1922 and has presented the Elkhorn movies for 46 of the 58 years they have been shown.
Mr. and Mrs. Kelliher were originally from Mt. Horeb.
The present Sprague Theater was completed in 1928. The first “talking picture” was shown in 1929. During various portions of his business career Kelliher also leased or owned theaters at Lake Geneva, East Troy, Burlington and Delavan.
(October 25, 1968)
Sprague Theater Sold at Elkhorn
ELKHORN – Dan Kelliher, owner and operator of Sprague Theatre here for the past 46 years, has sold the business to James K. Anderson, Whitewater. Possession will be given Nov. 1. Anderson is a part owner of the Strand Theater in Whitewater, the Fort Theater in Fort Atkinson and the Highway 18 Outdoor Theater near Jefferson. He managed the Strand Theater for eight years.
A former cashier of the First Citizens State Bank of Whitewater, Anderson is now in the investment business. He will manage the theater here but does not plan to move to Elkhorn. He has a summer home at Lauderdale Lakes.
Kelliher purchased the former Princess Theater here in 1922 and has presented the Elkhorn movies for 46 of the 58 years they have been shown.
Mr. and Mrs. Kelliher were originally from Mt. Horeb.
The present Sprague Theater was completed in 1928. The first “talking picture” was shown in 1929. During various portions of his business career Kelliher also leased or owned theaters at Lake Geneva, East Troy, Burlington and Delavan.
(Racine Journal Times, August 7, 1941)
Elkhorn Blazes to Premiere Of Movie Starring ‘Own Girl'
ELKHORN, Wis., Aug. 7 â€"
Elkhorn today dismissed with a yawn the news that Germany claimed the near-defeat of the Russian armies.
Headlines announcing the death of the son of Benito Mussolini received only a passing glance.
Downtown political experts left unsettled the question whether President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill were conferring at sea.
Elkhorn had a movie star.
Topic of the day in Elkhorn was last night’s world premiere of “Tillie the Toiler” â€" right downtown at the Sprague theater â€" starring Kay Harris, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James L. Harris,
Elkhorn.
The event lacked the bombast of some of Hollywood’s supercolossal premieres, but it was Elkhorn’s first and the town made the most of it.
Nearly all of Elkhorn’s 2,500 inhabitants were either inside the theater or jammed along the sidewalks outside, and everybody executed his own idea of how to behave at a premiere â€" except pretty red-headed Kay. When she stepped onto the stage to receive a bouquet from Mayor Thyson, she confessed she was unschooled in behavior at premieres, this being her first.
It was a triumphant return for the 22-year-old girl who left not long ago for a radio job at Cincinnati, Ohio. A producer spotted her at the radio station and offered her a screen test. There followed a six-year contract with Columbia studios and the lead in “Tillie the Toiler.”
Kay’s triumph lacked only the presence of her brother, John, who was attending Harvard university, and her hometown sweetheart, Charles Peters, who sat disconsolately in an army camp at Cheyenne, Wyo.
Kay rested today preparatory to a return to Hollywood to begin another picture.
(Racine Journal Times)
Woman and 2 Men Held for Burglary
ELKHORN, Wis., July 11, 1934 â€" Eugene Hansen, 3S, Otto West, 34, and his wife, Lottie, 32, Janesville were arraigned here yesterday, charged with breaking and entering. Justice Harry Ellis bound them over to county court under $5,000 bail. They are suspected with carrying away the safe of the Sprague theater here the night of May 20, obtaining $600.
(Janesville Gazette, September 26, 1969)
ELKHORN â€" Daniel F. Kelliher, 87, a native of Mt. Horeb and operator of the Sprague Theater here for 47 years, died at home Thursday September 25. Mr. Kelliher operated a movie theater at Mt. Horeb for 11 years. He bought a theater here in 1922 and later built the Sprague Theater, which he operated until his retirement. Mr. Kelliher also had operated theaters in Lake Geneva, Delavan, East Troy, and Burlington. He has been credited for holding the state record for longtime theater operation. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church here. Friends may call at the Murray funeral home here after 4 p.m. today. He is survived by his wife, Luella.
(Janesville Gazette, September 26, 1969)
ELKHORN â€" Daniel F. Kelliher, 87, a native of Mt. Horeb and operator of the Sprague Theater here for 47 years, died at home Thursday September 25. Mr. Kelliher operated a movie theater at Mt. Horeb for 11 years. He bought a theater here in 1922 and later built the Sprague Theater, which he operated until his retirement. Mr. Kelliher also had operated theaters in Lake Geneva, Delavan, East Troy, and Burlington. He has been credited for holding the state record for longtime theater operation. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church here. Friends may call at the Murray funeral home here after 4 p.m. today. He is survived by his wife, Luella.
(Janesville Gazette, September 26, 1969)
ELKHORN â€" Daniel F. Kelliher, 87, a native of Mt. Horeb and operator of the Sprague Theater here for 47 years, died at home Thursday September 25. Mr. Kelliher operated a movie theater at Mt. Horeb for 11 years. He bought a theater here in 1922 and later built the Sprague Theater, which he operated until his retirement. Mr. Kelliher also had operated theaters in Lake Geneva, Delavan, East Troy, and Burlington. He has been credited for holding the state record for longtime theater operation. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church here. Friends may call at the Murray funeral home here after 4 p.m. today. He is survived by his wife, Luella.
(Janesville Gazette, May 21, 1934)
Carry Off Heavy Safe; Rob It of About $600
Elkhorn, Wis., May 21.â€"(#)â€" Thieves yesterday rolled a 1500-pound safe down the aisle of the Sprague theater, loaded it on a truck, and hauled it three miles out into the country where they looted it of between $500 and $600.
(August 11, 1921) Theater managers and owners of Kenosha held an important meeting on Tuesday evening in the offices of Dayton Brothers in the Dale Building and organised the Kenosha Theater Managers' association. Representatives of every theater in Kenosha were present at this meeting and became members of the new organization the purpose of which is to secure closer co-operation between the theaters on matters which require joint action. (Note: The Burke Theatre was next door to the Dale Building.)
(Racine Journal Times, Friday, July 18, 1958)
City Order May Doom Old Theater; Investigation Bares Wild Vandalism
Racine’s Building Inspector Peter Brown today signed an order which may remove from the Downtown area the 47-year old Mainstreet Theater building at State and Main streets.
The order was signed after an inspection of the wrecked interior of the vacant structure was made Thursday afternoon by the Racine Fire Department inspection bureau, the state deputy fire marshal, city attorney and a police department technician.
After viewing the ruins of what was once one of the best stage houses in the midwest, Thomas P. Corbett, city attorney, said the interior was “an indescribably chaotic mess.”
Slashed by Prowlers
During the last seven years in which the theater has stood vacant vandals have ripped fixtures and furnishings from the floors and walls and thrown them into a heap in the main floor seating area. Stage curtains hang in shreds, slashed by prowlers who have raided the building on numerous occasions, despite attempts to board up windows, doors and other openings to keep out trespassers.
Dismayed by the extent of destruction, Corbett said, “I didn’t believe we had people in town who so wantonly destroy property.”
State Deputy Fire Marshal Joseph Farrar described the interior damage as the worst case of vandalism he had ever seen.
The city building inspector’s order directs the owner, Louis Bass of Milwaukee, to remove combustible materials, clear the blocked aisles and generally clean up the wreckage within 10 days and to comply with State Industrial Commission orders for correcting code violations before Oct. 1. The commission issued its orders in April, 1957. To date no steps have been taken to comply and the building has not reopened.
As an alternative, the order directs that the building be razed and removed.
Farrar said the building was a potential fire hazard and a danger to other downtown structures. He said the present condition also presented a needless danger to firemen who might be called to fight a fire within the building. He cited the aisles blocked by debris and stairways also obstructed.
The inspection party found evidence of previous small fires and several brooms evidently used to stamp out the fires. Footprints indicated the building had been entered by “a number” of persons.
Included in the inspection party were Asst. Fire Chief Matt Flynn, head of the fire department inspection bureau and Police Department technician Everette Smith.
Built in 1911
The Mainstreet Theater was built in 1911 at a cost of $60,000 by the Racine Investment Co., Martin J. Gillen, secretary. The company leased the building to the Orpheum Amusement Co., and in 1941 sold it to Len Brown for $35,000. Brown sold the building for $65,000 in 1945 to Michalopoulos & Parris, who after three years sold it for $120,000 to the present owner. The building was leased for $10,000 a year to Sam Kaufman of Milwaukee. Movies and several stage shows were presented in the theater until late 1951 when the building was closed.
Eariy in 1954 the Racine Theater Guild explored the possibility of acquiring the building which was available for $60,000. However, closer investigation revealed extensive renovations would be necessary and the project was abandoned.
This year, Bass offered the property to the city for $25,000. He suggested the site might be used for a central fire station, new police department headquarters or parking. On recommendation of the city plan commission, the offer was turned down.
(Captions follow for four photos)
“"Worst case of vandalism I’ve ever seen,“ is the way Deputy State Fire Marshal Joseph Farrar described the devastated interior of the long vacant Mainstreet Theater, 200 Main St. The fire marshal inspected the building Thursday with members of the Racine Fire Department inspection bureau, City Atty. Thomas P. Corbett and Police Technician Everette Smith. First photo is overall view of the destruction wrought by intruders who have forced their way into the building. In second photo is closeup of the radiators vandals hurled from first and second balconies into the main floor seating. Included in the ruins are seats from the balconies, equipment from the projection rooms, handrails from the balconies and boxes and smashed light bulbs. In third photo are several closeup views of the wanton damage: plaster and lathes ripped from aisle wall, hole chopped in balcony floor, glass smashed in nearly every door and window, and uprooted radiators that failed to fall.
(Racine Journal Times, October 14, 1958)
The board (of education) rejected the stipulations made by S. J . Papas of Chicago for the sale of approximately nine acres of land bounded by Wright avenue, Ohio street, Sixteenth street and Perry avenue.
Papas, who also owns the adjacent outdoor theater property, said he would sell providing that the school system would never object to the use of his other property to the north as a theater or other commercial purposes, make no attempt to have the theater property annexed to the city and that the land would be resold to him if no school is built on the site by Dec. 31, 1963. Papas offered the property for $27,500. The school board is seeking to enlarge its present 9.3 acre future junior high school site at Ohio and Sixteenth streets.
(Janesville Gazette, November 1, 1955)
Walworth Theater Management Changed
WALWORTH â€" Announcement was made Monday by F. B. Schlax, district manager of Standard Theaters, that arrangements have been completed with S. J. Papas, owner of the Walworth Theater, for Standard to handle management and operation of the theater. The Standard Theater Co. is under the general managership of A. D. Kvool and has its main office in Milwaukee. The company owns and operates the Geneva Theater, Lake Geneva, and the Delavan Theater, as well as theaters in Beloit, Janesville, Kenosha, Racine, Waukesha, Oshkosh, Sheboygan and Green Bay. Tom Finin, local manager, spent the last few days in the film department of Standard’s Milwaukee office, where arrangements were completed to bring wide-screen productions to Walworth simultaneously with showings in metropolitan cities.
(Janesville Gazette, December 31, 1948)
In October Thomas Finin took over management of the Walworth theatre. Louis Simonini, who has managed the theatre since its opening in April, 1947, returned to the Saunders theatre in Harvard. In an industry magazine. the Walworth theatre was called one of the finest and best planned small town theatres in the country.
(February 8, 1957, Janesville Gazette)
Fontana Man Gets Year’s Probation
ELKHORN-James Marsden, 22, Fontana, was placed on probation for a year by County Judge Roscoe Luce here Thursday on Marsden's
guilty plea to burglarizing the Walworth Theater and Showette
lunch counter Feb. 6.
Judge Luce ordered Marsden to make restitution and pay court
costs.
Police Chief Carl Severt at Walworth said a small amount of cash
was taken from the theater and lunch counter.
The sheriff’s department here
Racine Journal-Times, February 8, 1943)
Mrs. Grace Adele Exton, 41, wife of J. William Exton, manager of the Roosevelt theater, died Saturday at the Kenosha hospital following a short illness. She was born in Niles, Ohio, Dec 16, 1901.
(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.)
(May 17, 1937)
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.)
That’s exactly as I recall it in the summer of 1984 as well. The eastern facade was crumbling.
(May 17, 1954)
Claims Legion Attempt to Suppress Film
CHICAGO <U.E>â€" A motion picture theater manager has accused the Illinois American Legion of using “confidential smears” and “intimidation” concerning the controversial picture “Salt of the
Earth."
M. A. Terman, manager of the Cinema Annex theater, said the state Legion’s antisubversive commission sent him a "letter of warning” about the picture, even though he has not booked it.
“I take exception to your letter even though I have no contract for ‘Salt of the Earth’,” he said in a letter to the commission. “It is McCarthyism in the world of art, and is the death of art.‘
The Legion has opposed the showing of "Salt of the Earth” on the grounds “that it was an endeavor on the part of the Communistic elements to produce the greatest Communist propaganda picture ever developed in the United States of America."
The committee’s letter to Terman said "the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, writers, producers, actors and actresses, connected with the production of the film, are all identified with the Communistic movement and later attempting to sell totalitarianism”.
Janesville Gazette, June 30, 1969)
Smoke Brings Evacuation of Theater
About 70 patrons at the Myers Theater Saturday night had to be evacuated from the building when an employe smelled smoke.
Janesville firemen were called to the scene and discovered an overheated thermostat caused a fire in the popcorn machine. Damage to the machine was minor, but the interior of the building was filled with smoke, firemen said. The patrons exited in an orderly manner when asked to leave the theater, firemen added. The incident occurred about 8:30 p.m.
(Photo caption, Janesville Gazette, February 28, 1950)
STAGE-STRUCK TRUCK â€" Apparently intent on seeing the latest movie, this semi-trailer truck loaded with eggs skidded and nearly entered the Walworth theatre before overturning yesterday. Gordon Bubel, Milan, Mich., owner of the trailer and eggs, reported about a 5 per cent loss due to breakage. He suffered a cut on the forehead. Lawrence Fender, Alexandria, Minn., owner and driver of the tractor, was uninjured. Although the truck didn’t get into the theatre, it did get into the movies when local photographers showed up with cameras. At center: Policeman Doug Dunn and Marshall Elery McCullough, right, assist in unloading-operations.
(Photo can be seen in Wisconsin Theatres www.onelist.com/group/WisconsinTheatres
(Janesville Gazette, May 28, 1969)
EAST TROY â€" John F. Benjamin has received word of his appointment as midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md, He was nominated for this position by Sen. William Proxmire.
Benjamin will be graduated from the East Troy High School June 6. He will report June 30 to the superintendent of the Naval academy to be sworn in as midshipman, U.S. Navy.
While in high school Benjamin has been active in the various bands, served as manager for the football and basketball teams, is a member of the Photo Club, Letterman Club and National Honor Society, ranking eighth in his class scholastically.
He is a member of the First Congregational-United Church of Christ and its youth organization. Pilgrim Fellowship, in which he has been president the past year.
He has worked as projectionist at the Troy Theater the last two years. His employer, Maj. Loren Husten, has advised him through the years of preparation for his chosen career.
His parents, the Rev. and Mrs. R. B. Benjamin, invite his friends to a reception in his honor immediately following June 6. It will be held in the lounge and recreation rooms at lounge and recreation rooms at First Congregational Church here.
October 25, 1968)
Sprague Theater Sold at Elkhorn
ELKHORN – Dan Kelliher, owner and operator of Sprague Theatre here for the past 46 years, has sold the business to James K. Anderson, Whitewater. Possession will be given Nov. 1. Anderson is a part owner of the Strand Theater in Whitewater, the Fort Theater in Fort Atkinson and the Highway 18 Outdoor Theater near Jefferson. He managed the Strand Theater for eight years.
A former cashier of the First Citizens State Bank of Whitewater, Anderson is now in the investment business. He will manage the theater here but does not plan to move to Elkhorn. He has a summer home at Lauderdale Lakes.
Kelliher purchased the former Princess Theater here in 1922 and has presented the Elkhorn movies for 46 of the 58 years they have been shown.
Mr. and Mrs. Kelliher were originally from Mt. Horeb.
The present Sprague Theater was completed in 1928. The first “talking picture” was shown in 1929. During various portions of his business career Kelliher also leased or owned theaters at Lake Geneva, East Troy, Burlington and Delavan.
October 25, 1968)
Sprague Theater Sold at Elkhorn
ELKHORN – Dan Kelliher, owner and operator of Sprague Theatre here for the past 46 years, has sold the business to James K. Anderson, Whitewater. Possession will be given Nov. 1. Anderson is a part owner of the Strand Theater in Whitewater, the Fort Theater in Fort Atkinson and the Highway 18 Outdoor Theater near Jefferson. He managed the Strand Theater for eight years.
A former cashier of the First Citizens State Bank of Whitewater, Anderson is now in the investment business. He will manage the theater here but does not plan to move to Elkhorn. He has a summer home at Lauderdale Lakes.
Kelliher purchased the former Princess Theater here in 1922 and has presented the Elkhorn movies for 46 of the 58 years they have been shown.
Mr. and Mrs. Kelliher were originally from Mt. Horeb.
The present Sprague Theater was completed in 1928. The first “talking picture” was shown in 1929. During various portions of his business career Kelliher also leased or owned theaters at Lake Geneva, East Troy, Burlington and Delavan.
(October 25, 1968)
Sprague Theater Sold at Elkhorn
ELKHORN – Dan Kelliher, owner and operator of Sprague Theatre here for the past 46 years, has sold the business to James K. Anderson, Whitewater. Possession will be given Nov. 1. Anderson is a part owner of the Strand Theater in Whitewater, the Fort Theater in Fort Atkinson and the Highway 18 Outdoor Theater near Jefferson. He managed the Strand Theater for eight years.
A former cashier of the First Citizens State Bank of Whitewater, Anderson is now in the investment business. He will manage the theater here but does not plan to move to Elkhorn. He has a summer home at Lauderdale Lakes.
Kelliher purchased the former Princess Theater here in 1922 and has presented the Elkhorn movies for 46 of the 58 years they have been shown.
Mr. and Mrs. Kelliher were originally from Mt. Horeb.
The present Sprague Theater was completed in 1928. The first “talking picture” was shown in 1929. During various portions of his business career Kelliher also leased or owned theaters at Lake Geneva, East Troy, Burlington and Delavan.
(Racine Journal Times, August 7, 1941)
Elkhorn Blazes to Premiere Of Movie Starring ‘Own Girl'
ELKHORN, Wis., Aug. 7 â€"
Elkhorn today dismissed with a yawn the news that Germany claimed the near-defeat of the Russian armies.
Headlines announcing the death of the son of Benito Mussolini received only a passing glance.
Downtown political experts left unsettled the question whether President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill were conferring at sea.
Elkhorn had a movie star.
Topic of the day in Elkhorn was last night’s world premiere of “Tillie the Toiler” â€" right downtown at the Sprague theater â€" starring Kay Harris, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James L. Harris,
Elkhorn.
The event lacked the bombast of some of Hollywood’s supercolossal premieres, but it was Elkhorn’s first and the town made the most of it.
Nearly all of Elkhorn’s 2,500 inhabitants were either inside the theater or jammed along the sidewalks outside, and everybody executed his own idea of how to behave at a premiere â€" except pretty red-headed Kay. When she stepped onto the stage to receive a bouquet from Mayor Thyson, she confessed she was unschooled in behavior at premieres, this being her first.
It was a triumphant return for the 22-year-old girl who left not long ago for a radio job at Cincinnati, Ohio. A producer spotted her at the radio station and offered her a screen test. There followed a six-year contract with Columbia studios and the lead in “Tillie the Toiler.”
Kay’s triumph lacked only the presence of her brother, John, who was attending Harvard university, and her hometown sweetheart, Charles Peters, who sat disconsolately in an army camp at Cheyenne, Wyo.
Kay rested today preparatory to a return to Hollywood to begin another picture.
(Racine Journal Times)
Woman and 2 Men Held for Burglary
ELKHORN, Wis., July 11, 1934 â€" Eugene Hansen, 3S, Otto West, 34, and his wife, Lottie, 32, Janesville were arraigned here yesterday, charged with breaking and entering. Justice Harry Ellis bound them over to county court under $5,000 bail. They are suspected with carrying away the safe of the Sprague theater here the night of May 20, obtaining $600.
(Janesville Gazette, September 26, 1969)
ELKHORN â€" Daniel F. Kelliher, 87, a native of Mt. Horeb and operator of the Sprague Theater here for 47 years, died at home Thursday September 25. Mr. Kelliher operated a movie theater at Mt. Horeb for 11 years. He bought a theater here in 1922 and later built the Sprague Theater, which he operated until his retirement. Mr. Kelliher also had operated theaters in Lake Geneva, Delavan, East Troy, and Burlington. He has been credited for holding the state record for longtime theater operation. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church here. Friends may call at the Murray funeral home here after 4 p.m. today. He is survived by his wife, Luella.
(Janesville Gazette, September 26, 1969)
ELKHORN â€" Daniel F. Kelliher, 87, a native of Mt. Horeb and operator of the Sprague Theater here for 47 years, died at home Thursday September 25. Mr. Kelliher operated a movie theater at Mt. Horeb for 11 years. He bought a theater here in 1922 and later built the Sprague Theater, which he operated until his retirement. Mr. Kelliher also had operated theaters in Lake Geneva, Delavan, East Troy, and Burlington. He has been credited for holding the state record for longtime theater operation. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church here. Friends may call at the Murray funeral home here after 4 p.m. today. He is survived by his wife, Luella.
(Janesville Gazette, September 26, 1969)
ELKHORN â€" Daniel F. Kelliher, 87, a native of Mt. Horeb and operator of the Sprague Theater here for 47 years, died at home Thursday September 25. Mr. Kelliher operated a movie theater at Mt. Horeb for 11 years. He bought a theater here in 1922 and later built the Sprague Theater, which he operated until his retirement. Mr. Kelliher also had operated theaters in Lake Geneva, Delavan, East Troy, and Burlington. He has been credited for holding the state record for longtime theater operation. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church here. Friends may call at the Murray funeral home here after 4 p.m. today. He is survived by his wife, Luella.
(Janesville Gazette, May 21, 1934)
Carry Off Heavy Safe; Rob It of About $600
Elkhorn, Wis., May 21.â€"(#)â€" Thieves yesterday rolled a 1500-pound safe down the aisle of the Sprague theater, loaded it on a truck, and hauled it three miles out into the country where they looted it of between $500 and $600.
(August 11, 1921) Theater managers and owners of Kenosha held an important meeting on Tuesday evening in the offices of Dayton Brothers in the Dale Building and organised the Kenosha Theater Managers' association. Representatives of every theater in Kenosha were present at this meeting and became members of the new organization the purpose of which is to secure closer co-operation between the theaters on matters which require joint action. (Note: The Burke Theatre was next door to the Dale Building.)
(Racine Journal Times, Friday, July 18, 1958)
City Order May Doom Old Theater; Investigation Bares Wild Vandalism
Racine’s Building Inspector Peter Brown today signed an order which may remove from the Downtown area the 47-year old Mainstreet Theater building at State and Main streets.
The order was signed after an inspection of the wrecked interior of the vacant structure was made Thursday afternoon by the Racine Fire Department inspection bureau, the state deputy fire marshal, city attorney and a police department technician.
After viewing the ruins of what was once one of the best stage houses in the midwest, Thomas P. Corbett, city attorney, said the interior was “an indescribably chaotic mess.”
Slashed by Prowlers
During the last seven years in which the theater has stood vacant vandals have ripped fixtures and furnishings from the floors and walls and thrown them into a heap in the main floor seating area. Stage curtains hang in shreds, slashed by prowlers who have raided the building on numerous occasions, despite attempts to board up windows, doors and other openings to keep out trespassers.
Dismayed by the extent of destruction, Corbett said, “I didn’t believe we had people in town who so wantonly destroy property.”
State Deputy Fire Marshal Joseph Farrar described the interior damage as the worst case of vandalism he had ever seen.
The city building inspector’s order directs the owner, Louis Bass of Milwaukee, to remove combustible materials, clear the blocked aisles and generally clean up the wreckage within 10 days and to comply with State Industrial Commission orders for correcting code violations before Oct. 1. The commission issued its orders in April, 1957. To date no steps have been taken to comply and the building has not reopened.
As an alternative, the order directs that the building be razed and removed.
Farrar said the building was a potential fire hazard and a danger to other downtown structures. He said the present condition also presented a needless danger to firemen who might be called to fight a fire within the building. He cited the aisles blocked by debris and stairways also obstructed.
The inspection party found evidence of previous small fires and several brooms evidently used to stamp out the fires. Footprints indicated the building had been entered by “a number” of persons.
Included in the inspection party were Asst. Fire Chief Matt Flynn, head of the fire department inspection bureau and Police Department technician Everette Smith.
Built in 1911
The Mainstreet Theater was built in 1911 at a cost of $60,000 by the Racine Investment Co., Martin J. Gillen, secretary. The company leased the building to the Orpheum Amusement Co., and in 1941 sold it to Len Brown for $35,000. Brown sold the building for $65,000 in 1945 to Michalopoulos & Parris, who after three years sold it for $120,000 to the present owner. The building was leased for $10,000 a year to Sam Kaufman of Milwaukee. Movies and several stage shows were presented in the theater until late 1951 when the building was closed.
Eariy in 1954 the Racine Theater Guild explored the possibility of acquiring the building which was available for $60,000. However, closer investigation revealed extensive renovations would be necessary and the project was abandoned.
This year, Bass offered the property to the city for $25,000. He suggested the site might be used for a central fire station, new police department headquarters or parking. On recommendation of the city plan commission, the offer was turned down.
(Captions follow for four photos)
“"Worst case of vandalism I’ve ever seen,“ is the way Deputy State Fire Marshal Joseph Farrar described the devastated interior of the long vacant Mainstreet Theater, 200 Main St. The fire marshal inspected the building Thursday with members of the Racine Fire Department inspection bureau, City Atty. Thomas P. Corbett and Police Technician Everette Smith. First photo is overall view of the destruction wrought by intruders who have forced their way into the building. In second photo is closeup of the radiators vandals hurled from first and second balconies into the main floor seating. Included in the ruins are seats from the balconies, equipment from the projection rooms, handrails from the balconies and boxes and smashed light bulbs. In third photo are several closeup views of the wanton damage: plaster and lathes ripped from aisle wall, hole chopped in balcony floor, glass smashed in nearly every door and window, and uprooted radiators that failed to fall.
(Racine Journal Times, October 14, 1958)
The board (of education) rejected the stipulations made by S. J . Papas of Chicago for the sale of approximately nine acres of land bounded by Wright avenue, Ohio street, Sixteenth street and Perry avenue.
Papas, who also owns the adjacent outdoor theater property, said he would sell providing that the school system would never object to the use of his other property to the north as a theater or other commercial purposes, make no attempt to have the theater property annexed to the city and that the land would be resold to him if no school is built on the site by Dec. 31, 1963. Papas offered the property for $27,500. The school board is seeking to enlarge its present 9.3 acre future junior high school site at Ohio and Sixteenth streets.
(Janesville Gazette, November 1, 1955)
Walworth Theater Management Changed
WALWORTH â€" Announcement was made Monday by F. B. Schlax, district manager of Standard Theaters, that arrangements have been completed with S. J. Papas, owner of the Walworth Theater, for Standard to handle management and operation of the theater. The Standard Theater Co. is under the general managership of A. D. Kvool and has its main office in Milwaukee. The company owns and operates the Geneva Theater, Lake Geneva, and the Delavan Theater, as well as theaters in Beloit, Janesville, Kenosha, Racine, Waukesha, Oshkosh, Sheboygan and Green Bay. Tom Finin, local manager, spent the last few days in the film department of Standard’s Milwaukee office, where arrangements were completed to bring wide-screen productions to Walworth simultaneously with showings in metropolitan cities.
(Janesville Gazette, December 31, 1948)
In October Thomas Finin took over management of the Walworth theatre. Louis Simonini, who has managed the theatre since its opening in April, 1947, returned to the Saunders theatre in Harvard. In an industry magazine. the Walworth theatre was called one of the finest and best planned small town theatres in the country.
(February 8, 1957, Janesville Gazette)
Fontana Man Gets Year’s Probation
ELKHORN-James Marsden, 22, Fontana, was placed on probation for a year by County Judge Roscoe Luce here Thursday on Marsden's
guilty plea to burglarizing the Walworth Theater and Showette
lunch counter Feb. 6.
Judge Luce ordered Marsden to make restitution and pay court
costs.
Police Chief Carl Severt at Walworth said a small amount of cash
was taken from the theater and lunch counter.
The sheriff’s department here
The Walworth Theatre opened on the south edge of the Walworth town square in April of 1947. By 1979 it was being operated by Anne and Harlan Seaser.
In 1959 the Park Theatre was open and offering Spanish-language films.
Racine Journal-Times, February 8, 1943)
Mrs. Grace Adele Exton, 41, wife of J. William Exton, manager of the Roosevelt theater, died Saturday at the Kenosha hospital following a short illness. She was born in Niles, Ohio, Dec 16, 1901.
(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.)
(May 17, 1937)
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.)