Badger Theatre
311 E. Grand Avenue,
Eau Claire,
WI
54701
311 E. Grand Avenue,
Eau Claire,
WI
54701
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc.
Architects: Jack J. Liebenberg
Firms: Liebenberg and Kaplan
Styles: Art Deco
Previous Names: Wisconsin Theatre
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This downtown Eau Claire theatre opened on November 23, 1925 as the Wisconsin Theatre, located on Grand Avenue at Barstow Street. The opening program included the feature movie “California Straight Ahead” starring Reginald Denny. Organist Stanley Anstett opened the Smith organ. It was remodeled in 1938 to the plans of architectural firm Liebenberg & Kaplan and on December 25, 1938 the Wisconsin Theatre was renamed the Badger Theatre and was taken over by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary John Friedl. It continued to operate until 1957. The theatre was torn down in 1966.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
I remember going to Saturday kid’s matinees at this theatre. They always had cartoons, a serial and a movie. Before the show they would have contests in the front of the theatre in which you could win prizes. After it closed as a theatre, the floor was leveled and it was a youth recreation center for a short period. Later it was used for a small boat show. I remember attending it and seeing the brightly lit auditorium with hardly remnants of a movie theatre except for the small balcony which was still intact with theatre seats.
I also remember the Saturday cowboy matinees, only 12 cents. There
was a weekly newsreel that took forever when I was waiting for Trigger and Roy Rogers, Tom Mix, Gene Autry, or the Lone Ranger with Silver and Tonto.
Now I’m trying to find my mom’s story. Zona Turk was the pianist for one of the movie theaters, and I suspect it may be the Badger. She was once engaged to a young man who died after a fall from a ladder as he was changing the marquee at the Badger(Wisconsin). That incident would have been 1925 or 1926.
This house was remodeled by Liebenberg & Kaplan in 1938, and is listed as the Badger Theatre in the finding aid to the Liebenberg & Kaplan papers at the University of Minnesota.
This opened as Wisconsin on November 23rd, 1925 and as Badger on December 25th, 1938. Both grand opening ads in the photo section.
I Almost Laughed At One Attraction While Looking For Random Looney Tunes Cartoons Off Of The Newspapers Website. Unfortunately One Time, The Wisconsin Theatre On October 28, 1933 Completely Almost Refused To Screen “What’s Price Innocence” Along With Buddy’s First Looney Tune “Buddy’s Day Out” (Only Cartoon With Pre-Beta Characters And Only Appearances Of Cookie’s Baby Brother Elmer And Buddy’s Dog Happy) And A Pathe Newsreel. I Quote On This And Said: “Can The Children ONLY See The Cartoon AND The News Instead Of The Movie”?
Liebenberg & Kaplan were the architects for the 1938 remodeling.