Ruby Isle Theatre
2205 B. Calhoun Road,
Brookfield,
WI
53005
2205 B. Calhoun Road,
Brookfield,
WI
53005
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.
Functions: Gymnasium
Nearby Theaters
Located in the Ruby Isle Shopping Center. The Ruby Isle Theatre was opened by Prudential Theatres on June 22, 1966 with Ann-Margaret in “Stagecoach”. Seating listed at 818-seats with 643-seats in the orchestra and 175-seats in the balcony. The theatre was taken over by United Artists in 1969. Ladt operated by independent operators, it was closed on January 1, 1996 with Hal Scardino in “The Indian in the Cupboard” & Hugh Grant in “Nine Months”.
After closing the building was converted to a physical fitness center.
Contributed by
Chuck
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
This was opened on June 22nd, 1966 by Prudential Theatres.
Grand opening ad:
View link
It became an United Artists in 1969.
This theater was kind of a smaller version of the UA Mayfair Theater. It had the booth under the balcony just a few steps up from the lobby. Same design concept as Mayfair, Southgate and the Madison Hilldale. Nothing really special about it, but not bad for a strip mall theater. Nice size screen, Simplex XL 35’s with Ashcraft Carbons.
I remember filling in for the full time projectionist vacation at this theatre. It was nice. I was showing Lady & the Tramp that week and the cinemascope was large and sharp. Still had the reel to reel changeovers and the carbon arcs. I think the manager was Sherry at the time. It must have closed sometime in ‘81 if I remember correctly.
Prudential Theatres opened the Ruby Isle Theatre on June 22, 1966 with Ann Margret in “Stagecoach”. It originally housed 818 Haywood-Wakefield rocking chair seats (with 643 seats in the auditorium and 175 seats in the balcony).
United Artists took over the theater in 1969, and would become a 99-cent house during the latter half of the 1980s, still under UA ownership. United Artists operated the Ruby Isle Theatre until the Fall of 1990 and was followed by a brief two-month closure. Independent owners took over the theater and relaunched the Ruby Isle Theatre in December 1990, and they operated the Ruby Isle until its final closure on January 1, 1996 with “Indian In The Cupboard” and “Nine Months”.
Architect : The theatre was architected by Herbert J. Grassold and Elmer A. Johnson of Grassold, Johnson, Wagner & Isley, Inc. Rolland Ruby’s Ruby Island Shopping Center architet was Rasche Schroeder Spransy & Associates (which later morphed to Schroeder & Holt Architects).
Prudential Theatres venue cost $350,000 and was a two-level approach calling for 600 seats - 234 in the balcony and 366 on the main floor. A second auditorium also seating 600 was possible in an expansion.
Closed at the end of its 30-year leasing agreement. It was demolished for a new retail building for Kohl’s Food Store.