New Regent Theatre

Joe Vogel on December 24, 2023 at 12:08 am

The 1914-1915 American Motion Picture Directory listed a house called the Liberty as the only movie theater in Prairie du Chien. It was located on Bluff Street, which was the former name of Blackhawk Avenue. The January 6, 1917 issue of Motography ran this item:

“Early in December the Regent Theater at Prairie Du Chien was opened to the public as a picture and vaudeville theater. The playhouse was formerly known as the Liberty, but the new manager, Mr. Harris, renamed it. The theater has been redecorated and other improvements.”

I’ve been unable to discover exactly when the Liberty opened, but it was mentioned in the August 31, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World. The Regent Theatre was on a list of independent vaudeville theaters published in the February 23, 1918 issue of The Billboard. It was also mentioned in the January 25, 1919 issue of Film Daily: “Prairie du Chien, Wis.— George Gassen has bought the Regent. Gassen formerly owned Fox, Black River Falls.”

The Regent was also the only Prairie du Chien theater featured on the “Important First Run Houses” list in Wid’s Year Book for 1921.