I went to the movies at the Capitol when I was a kid. I think we saw Love Bug and Jungle Book when they first came out. I had worked at the Capitol during my high school days 1976-1977. The owner at the time was Frank? Carmichael – not sure on the spelling. He owned a theater in Kenosha and started publishing the Happenings magazine. I remember delivering those to various locations in West Racine. My main duty at the theater was janitor. I recall hauling the bags of popcorn and the soda canisters from Washington Ave up the entry way and then down the steep stairs into the basement. The projectionist once had me come upstairs and showed me the ornate lighting fixtures that were in between the original ceiling and the drop ceiling. Also, at one time, the fire marshall was about to shut down the operations because of all the junk “in the back”. Well, I was able to assist in cleaning out the area behind the twin screens …. what I saw back there was amazing. A stage area and rooms behind or under the stage. My dad later told me he had gone there as a boy to see vaudeville shows. I had been hoping someone would take on this project. I live in Houston, TX now but whenever I’m home I always stop by and peer into the windows. I did so this past July and it appeared work was going on in there but that it had been awhile. I’m sure there will be a good amount of interest in seeing this restored.
I went to the movies at the Capitol when I was a kid. I think we saw Love Bug and Jungle Book when they first came out. I had worked at the Capitol during my high school days 1976-1977. The owner at the time was Frank? Carmichael – not sure on the spelling. He owned a theater in Kenosha and started publishing the Happenings magazine. I remember delivering those to various locations in West Racine. My main duty at the theater was janitor. I recall hauling the bags of popcorn and the soda canisters from Washington Ave up the entry way and then down the steep stairs into the basement. The projectionist once had me come upstairs and showed me the ornate lighting fixtures that were in between the original ceiling and the drop ceiling. Also, at one time, the fire marshall was about to shut down the operations because of all the junk “in the back”. Well, I was able to assist in cleaning out the area behind the twin screens …. what I saw back there was amazing. A stage area and rooms behind or under the stage. My dad later told me he had gone there as a boy to see vaudeville shows. I had been hoping someone would take on this project. I live in Houston, TX now but whenever I’m home I always stop by and peer into the windows. I did so this past July and it appeared work was going on in there but that it had been awhile. I’m sure there will be a good amount of interest in seeing this restored.