The New Cuba Theatre opened in November of 1948 according to the trade press by the aforementioned Russell McConkey and Raymond Murphy. The theatre costs $65,000 to construct. McConkey announced a closure of the Cuba Theatre (no “New”) at the half way mark of a 20-year leasing commitment. However, a save the Cuba Theatre protest was successfully launched by the Cubs Senior Women’s Club and Business Association in October and November of 1958.
The Cuba Theatre closed in December 18, 1966 with “The Ghost and Mrs. Chicken.” It was relit once more in 1975 as a country western performance venue. “The Greatest Show on Earth” was the top performer in the history of the venue with Ma & Pa Kettle cumulatively raking in the most money for their series of films. By 1967, the Cuba Theatre had dropped from seven to four to just two days a week of operation as the town’s population was less than 1,500 people.
Charles Kuchan, Sr. opened the IdylHour Theatre on March 30, 1912 in a conversion of the existing Savil & Rafferty Cigar Factory building. The silent movie house was such a success that Kuchan would move to larger digs. He completed a ten-year leasing agreement with the IdylHour on March 30, 1922 before moving on to create the Capitol Theatre in the venerable Opera House location on September 9, 1922.
The Idyl didn’t remain so for long finding a new exhibitor in Joe Ross who renamed the venue as the American Theatre in April of 1922. The American was apparently unable to make the transition to sound and appears to have ended operations in 1931 with films ending two years prior.
Should probably be listed as the American Theatre formerly known as the IdylHour Theatre.
Another completely blank entry which probably should remain as such. I’m guessing that this was the Lewistown Opera House based on the trade press and local newspapers. J.F. Knock created the short-lived Knock Theatre - possibly here - opening October 1, 1917. The Lee Family - Ralph and John - took over the Opera House (and likely the Knock) which definitely became the Princess Theatre in 1919 showing silent films.
Ralph passed away and John appears to have left in 1921. D.M. Sheets took on the venue in 1921 continuing as the Princess. Abraham “Abe” P. and Pauline Werbner, operators of the Quincy Princess, then moved to Lewistown in 1927 and continued as Princess Theatre operators here.
Doing well with the Princess, the couple built the larger sized and streamline moderne Werbner Theatre opening in 1940. They decided in the 1950s to reduce to a single theater. They completed 40 years of Lewistown film exhibition - easily the longest tenure in Fulton County - closing in 1967. The former Princess building remained in place in the 2020s.
The entry as contributed is completely blank - which it can certainly remain. But if interested, the Werbner family were early West Central Illinois exhibitors. Hyman Werbner operated the Princess Theatre in downtown Quincy, Illinois. Abraham P. and Pauline Werbner took over the Quincy Princess but sold it. They then moved to Lewistown and operated the Princess Theatre there.
Doing well with the Princess, the couple built the larger sized and streamline moderne Werbner Theatre opening in 1940 and closing in 1967. Though the county seat of Fulton County, Lewistown had only about 2,500 residents. The Werbner became the Spoon River Opry House burning down in April of 1972. Its remnants were demolished.
The Masonic Temple Building housed the Opera House in downtown Canton opening late in 1891. Less than a year later, the entire structure was gutted by a fire on September 21, 1892 when sparklers used in a stage play led to a fatal fire. The building was reconstructed and the venue became the Grand Opera House and then the Princess Opera House before becoming the Princess Theatre. The latter occurred when films became more profitable than live programming.
Charles Kuchan, Sr. had run the IdylHour Theatre from 1912 to the end of its ten year leasing agreement in 1922 elsewhere in downtown Canton and decided to move to the larger Princess Theatre - itself, likely at the end of a 30-year leasing agreement. Kuchan changed the venue’s name to the Capitol Theatre on its September 9, 1922 relaunch. The Capitol added sound to remain commercially viable.
In July of 1935, the Capitol was gutted by fire. It was rebuilt to a streamline moderne structure at its December 3, 1936 reopening. Kerasotes Circuit took on the venue in 1948. On July 23 1975, an F3 tornado damaged the rear wall of the venue closing it. But repairs were made and the operation continued on October 31, 1975. It ran successfully until economic downturn in the area occurred in the 1980s.
Kerasotes reduced the theater to sub-run discount dollar status in September of 1982 instead of closing the theater. That policy ended a year later with the Circuit closing the Capitol Theatre permanently on November 3, 1983 with “The Final Terror.” Employees liked the title so much that they let it be the forever title on the marquee past the Capitol’s closing date.
Capitol Music opened a record store in the lobby and used the auditorium for storage. A deadly Nov. 16, 2016 gasline explosion shook the building and led to the demolition of the former movie house auditorium in 2017.
The Hillcrest Drive-In opened in tiny Norris, Illinois near Canton and Farmington, Illinois. It opened on March 13, 1950 and was equipped for widescreen projection during the 1956 season to play CinemaScope titles.
The Hillcrest was operated by Kerasotes Theatre Circuit from 1977 to 1980. It fulfilled its 30-year leasing agreement with Karasotes moving on. It then closed after the 1981 season under independent operation.
The Grand Theatre was the replacement for the burned Opera House Theatre that had been gutted by an April 27, 1939 blaze. Though that left the opera house’s exterior intact, new architectural plans were drawn up for a streamline moderne moviehouse.
The Grand opened Feb. 2, 1940. The venue survived into the 1980s. It lost its lease to the property owner - a local bank - which terminated the lease for demolition and the subsequent creation of a drive-through banking facility. The Grand Theatre closed November 28, 1981 with “Halloween 2: The Nightmare Isn’t Over.” Argumentatively, it was over.
Harvey Frederick opened the Woods Theater on July 25, 1948. The venue opened with 485 seats and projectionist Donald McKenzie in the booth. The equipment was installed by Gallagher Films of Green Bay. The Woods operated seasonally for summer tourists and year-round for some periods.
Its apparent final week showed a theater scuffling. February 2, 1974 it featured “Enter the Dragon.” February 3d and 4th, it featured the double feature of X-rated titles, “Teenage Mother” and “Teenage Sex Report.” Feb. 5th, it featured a four-wall presentation of “Call of the Wild.” There were no further listings likely ending its run eclectically.
December 31, 1920 grand opening ad posted with Norma Talmadge in “The Branded Woman.” The Park was the first cinema in town to convert to talkies on December 3, 1928 with a sound synch version of “Wings.”
The Park Cinema closed on December 29, 1983 with “Christine” and a bad boiler. The Park Theatre was torched on September 13, 1988 leading to its demolition.
The Milford Cinema was run by the Henn family from 1972 to 2020. They began as franchisees for the fledgling United General Theaters Circuit which quickly went out of business and on to fraud charges in court. But the Milford Cinema soldiered on.
Following the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, it had turned to new operators as a non-profit operation under its new name: the Milford Independent Cinema (MIC). MIC announced its closure on January 31, 2026. What a run!
Formerly the Value Cinemas - Brookfield. A year after its launch, Marcus Theatres took on the venue. It operated as a sub-run discount house through showtimes of April 14, 2002. The next day it began retrofitting for the University of Phoenix.
The new-build Pix Theater was announced nameless in 1939. It stirred a bit of controversy for displacing an 1844 building associated with early Waukesha furniture and cabinetry. (The stuff above about the Empire Theatre doesn’t belong in this entry.)
The Pix launched on May 17, 1940 with “Edison, The Man.” Bathed in era-appropriate green and cream porcelain, the theater’s exterior and lobby were in line with deco / streamline moderne movie houses - this one complete with stainless steel box office. The auditorium was also porcelain though in cream and brown color scheme. Its neighbors were attached jewelry store and drug store.
The long-running Pix completed motion picture service 56 years later as a discount, sub-run dollar house with Brad Pitt in “Seven” on January 21, 1996.
August 24, 1914 was the opening date for the Auditorium Theatre with the live play, “Seven Keys to Baldplate.” Waukesha repositioned it as a movie house in 1917 and closed the Unique Theatre. Fox Midwesco took over the Auditorium and Park in 1928 adding sound to the Park and letting the Auditorium drift with live events.
In 1930, Fox Theatres converted the Audi to sound becoming the Avon Theatre after a major refresh. It opened with Richard Dix in “Shooting Straight” on August 30, 1930. Standard Theatres of Milwaukee circuit took on the venue operating with films until dropping it in the Spring of 1953. They came back in the Fall of 1953 showing art films into 1954.
After Standard moved on, the Carroll Players staged live plays beginning in 1954 at the Avon until 1956. The theatre was gutted complete with a salvage sale as it was demolished in 1957.
The Unique Theatre launched in 1908. Waukesha Amusement discontinued the Unique on July 14, 1917 and converted the building to retail in 1918 after its roof collapsed.
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.
Merrill Amusement opened the Isle Theatre on June 7, 1927 with “Casey at the Bat” starring Wallace Beery. Raymond E. Quandy took on the venue installing sound on May 16, 1930 staring with “Oh, Yeah” to remain viable. The new Aqua Theatre was a new-build, streamline moderne structure that took three months to build by operator Quandy. Nu-wood paneling and coats of plaster gave the venue its look in August of 1937.
The theatre closed at the end of its 20-year lease. But it reopened on April 16, 1960 under new operator Lucille Fowler and her small circuit of theaters for Fowler Enterprises Inc. She died on December 2, 1971 and the Aqua was soon closed.
As noted above, the Fort Tepee (thee e’s - not four) Outdoor Theatre operated at 3769 O'Neil Rd, Eagle River, WI 54521. This drive-in was some two minutes away from the Eagle Outdoor Theatre (530 Highway 45) in the summer vacation spot of Clearwater Lake and adjacent to that body of water.
The Fort Tepee Outdoor Theatre was launched by Joe Cozzuol on May 30, 1970 with “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” He also operated the Towne Theatre in New Holstein. The Tepee closed for the season in on August 27, 1978 with Judith Armbrüster in “Varsity Playthings” and Gaby Heinecke in “Overnight Models.” In November of 1978, a windstorm knocked over the drive-in tower. Cozzuol changed “Closed for the Season” to “Gone With the Wind” and “Hurricane Alley” as a lasting tribute to the now former FTOT. That signage has since been removed.
The White Tower Outdoor Theatre launched on June 30, 1960 with “Giant of Marathon” supported by “Girls Town.” By the end of the season it was called the 45 Outdoor Theater. When it reopened for its second season on May 27, 1961, it was called the Eagle River Outdoor Theater. When it opened for the 1975 season under new operator, Steve Lind it was renamed as the Eagle Outdoor Theater (dropping “River”). Operator Lind closed for the season on September 4, 1988 with “Big” and “License to Drive.” The Eagle Outdoor Theater did not open for its 30th season. (BTW: it was never called the Eagle River Drive-In.)
Abe Werbner
The New Cuba Theatre opened in November of 1948 according to the trade press by the aforementioned Russell McConkey and Raymond Murphy. The theatre costs $65,000 to construct. McConkey announced a closure of the Cuba Theatre (no “New”) at the half way mark of a 20-year leasing commitment. However, a save the Cuba Theatre protest was successfully launched by the Cubs Senior Women’s Club and Business Association in October and November of 1958.
The Cuba Theatre closed in December 18, 1966 with “The Ghost and Mrs. Chicken.” It was relit once more in 1975 as a country western performance venue. “The Greatest Show on Earth” was the top performer in the history of the venue with Ma & Pa Kettle cumulatively raking in the most money for their series of films. By 1967, the Cuba Theatre had dropped from seven to four to just two days a week of operation as the town’s population was less than 1,500 people.
Thursday, January 29th, 2026 is confirmed as the final day.
Sorry - did some further research….
Charles Kuchan, Sr. opened the IdylHour Theatre on March 30, 1912 in a conversion of the existing Savil & Rafferty Cigar Factory building. The silent movie house was such a success that Kuchan would move to larger digs. He completed a ten-year leasing agreement with the IdylHour on March 30, 1922 before moving on to create the Capitol Theatre in the venerable Opera House location on September 9, 1922.
The Idyl didn’t remain so for long finding a new exhibitor in Joe Ross who renamed the venue as the American Theatre in April of 1922. The American was apparently unable to make the transition to sound and appears to have ended operations in 1931 with films ending two years prior.
Should probably be listed as the American Theatre formerly known as the IdylHour Theatre.
Another completely blank entry which probably should remain as such. I’m guessing that this was the Lewistown Opera House based on the trade press and local newspapers. J.F. Knock created the short-lived Knock Theatre - possibly here - opening October 1, 1917. The Lee Family - Ralph and John - took over the Opera House (and likely the Knock) which definitely became the Princess Theatre in 1919 showing silent films.
Ralph passed away and John appears to have left in 1921. D.M. Sheets took on the venue in 1921 continuing as the Princess. Abraham “Abe” P. and Pauline Werbner, operators of the Quincy Princess, then moved to Lewistown in 1927 and continued as Princess Theatre operators here.
Doing well with the Princess, the couple built the larger sized and streamline moderne Werbner Theatre opening in 1940. They decided in the 1950s to reduce to a single theater. They completed 40 years of Lewistown film exhibition - easily the longest tenure in Fulton County - closing in 1967. The former Princess building remained in place in the 2020s.
The entry as contributed is completely blank - which it can certainly remain. But if interested, the Werbner family were early West Central Illinois exhibitors. Hyman Werbner operated the Princess Theatre in downtown Quincy, Illinois. Abraham P. and Pauline Werbner took over the Quincy Princess but sold it. They then moved to Lewistown and operated the Princess Theatre there.
Doing well with the Princess, the couple built the larger sized and streamline moderne Werbner Theatre opening in 1940 and closing in 1967. Though the county seat of Fulton County, Lewistown had only about 2,500 residents. The Werbner became the Spoon River Opry House burning down in April of 1972. Its remnants were demolished.
The Masonic Temple Building housed the Opera House in downtown Canton opening late in 1891. Less than a year later, the entire structure was gutted by a fire on September 21, 1892 when sparklers used in a stage play led to a fatal fire. The building was reconstructed and the venue became the Grand Opera House and then the Princess Opera House before becoming the Princess Theatre. The latter occurred when films became more profitable than live programming.
Charles Kuchan, Sr. had run the IdylHour Theatre from 1912 to the end of its ten year leasing agreement in 1922 elsewhere in downtown Canton and decided to move to the larger Princess Theatre - itself, likely at the end of a 30-year leasing agreement. Kuchan changed the venue’s name to the Capitol Theatre on its September 9, 1922 relaunch. The Capitol added sound to remain commercially viable.
In July of 1935, the Capitol was gutted by fire. It was rebuilt to a streamline moderne structure at its December 3, 1936 reopening. Kerasotes Circuit took on the venue in 1948. On July 23 1975, an F3 tornado damaged the rear wall of the venue closing it. But repairs were made and the operation continued on October 31, 1975. It ran successfully until economic downturn in the area occurred in the 1980s.
Kerasotes reduced the theater to sub-run discount dollar status in September of 1982 instead of closing the theater. That policy ended a year later with the Circuit closing the Capitol Theatre permanently on November 3, 1983 with “The Final Terror.” Employees liked the title so much that they let it be the forever title on the marquee past the Capitol’s closing date.
Capitol Music opened a record store in the lobby and used the auditorium for storage. A deadly Nov. 16, 2016 gasline explosion shook the building and led to the demolition of the former movie house auditorium in 2017.
The Hillcrest Drive-In opened in tiny Norris, Illinois near Canton and Farmington, Illinois. It opened on March 13, 1950 and was equipped for widescreen projection during the 1956 season to play CinemaScope titles.
The Hillcrest was operated by Kerasotes Theatre Circuit from 1977 to 1980. It fulfilled its 30-year leasing agreement with Karasotes moving on. It then closed after the 1981 season under independent operation.
Status: Demolished.
Opened by Claude Ezell and Associates Inc. / Ezell & Underwood
The Grand Theatre was the replacement for the burned Opera House Theatre that had been gutted by an April 27, 1939 blaze. Though that left the opera house’s exterior intact, new architectural plans were drawn up for a streamline moderne moviehouse.
The Grand opened Feb. 2, 1940. The venue survived into the 1980s. It lost its lease to the property owner - a local bank - which terminated the lease for demolition and the subsequent creation of a drive-through banking facility. The Grand Theatre closed November 28, 1981 with “Halloween 2: The Nightmare Isn’t Over.” Argumentatively, it was over.
Harvey Frederick opened the Woods Theater on July 25, 1948. The venue opened with 485 seats and projectionist Donald McKenzie in the booth. The equipment was installed by Gallagher Films of Green Bay. The Woods operated seasonally for summer tourists and year-round for some periods.
Its apparent final week showed a theater scuffling. February 2, 1974 it featured “Enter the Dragon.” February 3d and 4th, it featured the double feature of X-rated titles, “Teenage Mother” and “Teenage Sex Report.” Feb. 5th, it featured a four-wall presentation of “Call of the Wild.” There were no further listings likely ending its run eclectically.
December 31, 1920 grand opening ad posted with Norma Talmadge in “The Branded Woman.” The Park was the first cinema in town to convert to talkies on December 3, 1928 with a sound synch version of “Wings.”
The Park Cinema closed on December 29, 1983 with “Christine” and a bad boiler. The Park Theatre was torched on September 13, 1988 leading to its demolition.
The Milford Cinema was run by the Henn family from 1972 to 2020. They began as franchisees for the fledgling United General Theaters Circuit which quickly went out of business and on to fraud charges in court. But the Milford Cinema soldiered on.
Following the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, it had turned to new operators as a non-profit operation under its new name: the Milford Independent Cinema (MIC). MIC announced its closure on January 31, 2026. What a run!
The Milford Cinema opened on June 21, 1972 with George Peppard in “The Groundstar Conspiracy” with the United General logo on the attractor
Architect - Peter Thomas of Cleveland. The cinema size was listed at 1,200. I would guess it was reduced to 1,150 after the split.
Formerly the Value Cinemas - Brookfield. A year after its launch, Marcus Theatres took on the venue. It operated as a sub-run discount house through showtimes of April 14, 2002. The next day it began retrofitting for the University of Phoenix.
The new-build Pix Theater was announced nameless in 1939. It stirred a bit of controversy for displacing an 1844 building associated with early Waukesha furniture and cabinetry. (The stuff above about the Empire Theatre doesn’t belong in this entry.)
The Pix launched on May 17, 1940 with “Edison, The Man.” Bathed in era-appropriate green and cream porcelain, the theater’s exterior and lobby were in line with deco / streamline moderne movie houses - this one complete with stainless steel box office. The auditorium was also porcelain though in cream and brown color scheme. Its neighbors were attached jewelry store and drug store.
The long-running Pix completed motion picture service 56 years later as a discount, sub-run dollar house with Brad Pitt in “Seven” on January 21, 1996.
The appeared to have exited on September 22, 1984 with “Angel,” “Children of the Corn,” and “Spring Break.”
August 24, 1914 was the opening date for the Auditorium Theatre with the live play, “Seven Keys to Baldplate.” Waukesha repositioned it as a movie house in 1917 and closed the Unique Theatre. Fox Midwesco took over the Auditorium and Park in 1928 adding sound to the Park and letting the Auditorium drift with live events.
In 1930, Fox Theatres converted the Audi to sound becoming the Avon Theatre after a major refresh. It opened with Richard Dix in “Shooting Straight” on August 30, 1930. Standard Theatres of Milwaukee circuit took on the venue operating with films until dropping it in the Spring of 1953. They came back in the Fall of 1953 showing art films into 1954.
After Standard moved on, the Carroll Players staged live plays beginning in 1954 at the Avon until 1956. The theatre was gutted complete with a salvage sale as it was demolished in 1957.
The Unique Theatre launched in 1908. Waukesha Amusement discontinued the Unique on July 14, 1917 and converted the building to retail in 1918 after its roof collapsed.
UA Circuit took on the venue in 1969. Here in 1977, they refresh and hold a grand reopening.
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.
Merrill Amusement opened the Isle Theatre on June 7, 1927 with “Casey at the Bat” starring Wallace Beery. Raymond E. Quandy took on the venue installing sound on May 16, 1930 staring with “Oh, Yeah” to remain viable. The new Aqua Theatre was a new-build, streamline moderne structure that took three months to build by operator Quandy. Nu-wood paneling and coats of plaster gave the venue its look in August of 1937.
The theatre closed at the end of its 20-year lease. But it reopened on April 16, 1960 under new operator Lucille Fowler and her small circuit of theaters for Fowler Enterprises Inc. She died on December 2, 1971 and the Aqua was soon closed.
As noted above, the Fort Tepee (thee e’s - not four) Outdoor Theatre operated at 3769 O'Neil Rd, Eagle River, WI 54521. This drive-in was some two minutes away from the Eagle Outdoor Theatre (530 Highway 45) in the summer vacation spot of Clearwater Lake and adjacent to that body of water.
The Fort Tepee Outdoor Theatre was launched by Joe Cozzuol on May 30, 1970 with “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” He also operated the Towne Theatre in New Holstein. The Tepee closed for the season in on August 27, 1978 with Judith Armbrüster in “Varsity Playthings” and Gaby Heinecke in “Overnight Models.” In November of 1978, a windstorm knocked over the drive-in tower. Cozzuol changed “Closed for the Season” to “Gone With the Wind” and “Hurricane Alley” as a lasting tribute to the now former FTOT. That signage has since been removed.
The White Tower Outdoor Theatre launched on June 30, 1960 with “Giant of Marathon” supported by “Girls Town.” By the end of the season it was called the 45 Outdoor Theater. When it reopened for its second season on May 27, 1961, it was called the Eagle River Outdoor Theater. When it opened for the 1975 season under new operator, Steve Lind it was renamed as the Eagle Outdoor Theater (dropping “River”). Operator Lind closed for the season on September 4, 1988 with “Big” and “License to Drive.” The Eagle Outdoor Theater did not open for its 30th season. (BTW: it was never called the Eagle River Drive-In.)