La Vogue Theatre
1820 52nd Street,
Kenosha,
WI
53140
1820 52nd Street,
Kenosha,
WI
53140
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Standard Theaters Management Corp., United Theatres
Architects: Charles O. Augustine
Previous Names: New Vogue Theatre, Vogue Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The New Vogue Theatre in Kenosha was opened in September 1923 with Joe King in “Counterfeit Love”. Originally it had vaudeville acts and movies. It was remodeled in 1940. But in 1958, the the Vogue Theatre was purchased by a local religious group.
In 1960, the original marquee (which was fantastic!) was removed for the widening of 52nd Street. That same year, the theatre was loaned out to the Shoreliners Drum and Bugle Corps, who then had all the children who were in the corps tear out the theatre’s seats and level off its floor with cement. But they did install a kitchen. In 1970, a group of college kids restored the box office, brought in a bunch of folding chairs, and started showing 16mm films.
Cinema Treasures user ‘denise’ shares this memory:
“In 1977, Louis Rugani (who has a show on 920 AM in Kenosha) helped my father attain the building. He had built a loft on the balcony to live in and had it as a gymnastics academy during the day and a disco at night, and special nights for roller disco too.
My father passed away close to 11 years ago and my brother and I inherited the theatre. Unfortunately, my brother passed about 2 years ago and I became the sole owner. I am living in it and and restoring it with my fiancé."
Contributed by
denise,Pete Christy
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Recent comments (view all 20 comments)
this theater is really cool,and i know fully the very personal and sentimental value it has to its owner.the theater is some what of urban history to alot of people who had the chance to hang out ,play and even had life expanding experiences inside its intriguing walls.it has inspired poety and has a nostalgic feeling for me every time i see it. im happy denise hs obtaned it because i know how hard she has fought to keep it. salu to you ms. diorio sincerely
I’d love to see some interior photos – I’ve only heard about La Vogue from older friends.
A Moller Pipe Organ, Opus 3549, a 2 Manual/6 Rank, that cost $3,850.00 was installed in this theater in 1923. What happened to it is unknown. If you know anything about what happened to the organ, please email us!
Gee Dad, it “WAS” a Mollel!"
(April 10, 1941:)
Dies of Injuries from Hit-Run Crash
Milwaukeeâ€"(AP)â€" Kenneth Hagberg, 35, of Kenosha, died at the
county emergency hospital last night of injuries sustained early Tuesday when his automobile plunged off Highway 41 into a ditch near the county line.
Hagberg, who was a projectionist at the Kenosha Vogue theater, told
deputies another car sideswiped his and then fled the scene.
(January 14, 1930)
Arrest Of Man And Youths Solves Burglary Series
Kenosha, Wis.â€"(UP)â€" A series of burglaries, including that of the
Vogue theatre, Jan. 5, were believed solved today after a man and
three youths had been arrested and allegedly confessed to the robberies.
The four are Arthur Metten, 29; John Metten, 20; Christy Marko,
18, and a 14-year-old boy. John Metten was arrested in a stolen car, police said, and confessed to the thefts and admitted that he
and his companions planned to rob another Kenosha theatre, the safe
of which had already been taken out with $500 in it.
In 1940 the VOGUE’s original marquee was replaced with a streamlined art-moderne marquee (which remained until 1960), the vertical sign was removed, the interior was redecorated and “freshened”, and Nick Coston was appointed manager by lessee Standard Theatres of Milwaukee.
Also opened with Pathe news, and a Our Gang comedy(“Aesops Fables”).
First Day of Broadcasting Is a Success | City Manager Dedicates Radio Station WHBL to Service of Community —- Kenosha is at last being given an opportunity to broadcast to the world what it is and what its people are like. As “the Better City”, Kenosha being brought to the fore by its city officials, its civic leaders and by its entertainers until the entire middle west will learn what it means to in a happy peace-loving law-abiding community. Dedicated to “the service and enlightenment of the community", Station WHBL, the Kenosha Evening News-Vogue theater was formally presented to the atmosphere in Kenosha on Wednesday and the results of the first day’s program are still being counted in the scores of congratulatory messages that are coming in to the station. City Manager Opens Station The formal dedication was performed by C. M. Osborn, city manager, who in his official capacity invited the city of Kenosha to share in the opportunity presented by giving out into the air the pride which the city holds in its own community. The variety of the opening program Wednesday afternoon and evening and the quality of the entertain ment offered by the Kenosha artists and the members of the studio staff was on a par with that offered by broadcasting stations everywhere and as the station continues on its stay m Kenosha it will offer more distinctive features and more unique departures from the ordinary radio programs. Strikes a Popular Chord The opportunity presented to local people to broadcast local talent such as that which is being done on the programs presented by the music departments of the city schools, the professional music schools and those who have had long training in the musical arts is a unique one in Kenosha and there have been many thus far who have shown that they are quick to take advantage of this opportunity. One of the features of Station WHBL during the eight days which it will broadcast from the stage of the Vogue theater will be that which will present officially the educational and physical side of the city life. Men who are leaders in the various walks of life in Kenosha will be presented such as was started on Wednesday when City Manager Osborn, J. M. Albers, secretary of the city plan commission and Guy F. Loomis, superintendent of schools addressed the radio audience on the city manager plan of government and Kenosha’s school system respectively. Learn of Your Own City To many Kenoshans, facts disclosed in these radio addresses will be new and most interesting and the entire programs thus broadcast will be of benefit to all who listen in. There is a place on each of the programs for something of interest to all who listen in from the youngest kiddies to the oldest grown-ups. Throughout all of the broadcasting there is the opportunity given to Kenosha to see how the work is actually done. The station apparatus is the last word in radio engineering and the entire broadcasting studio is located on the stage of the Vogue theater. The wave length of the station is 2157 meters (1390 Khz) which places it on the dials between WOK and WSBS in Chicago. It is powerful enough to be heard comfortably within a range of 700 miles and the station now operating in Kenosha has been heard from as far west as Denver and as far east as Pittsburgh with its southern extremity for reception reaching to the gulf coast. All Talent On Stage The entire public is invited to watch and take part in the broadcasting of the Kenosha programs from WHBL; Its three schedules during the day are from noon until one o’clock, from 5:30 to 630 o’clock and from ll’00 o’clock until midnight The early afternoon program is broadcast directly from the stage and the public is invited to find seats in the audience to look on. A special invitation is extended by the management of the Vogue theater to those Kenoshans who desire to see the regular performance of the theater program during the evening performances and who then wish to go to their homes and tune in to hear the same programs broadcast into their own receiving sets. Because of the limited assignment of broadcasting hours by the federal government, no broadcasting can be done between 6:30 o’clock and 11:00 o’clock in the evening. And in another column on this page is explained the details which make it possible for anyone to take an actual part in the broadcasting — to appear before the microphone. This offer will be withdrawn as soon as the programs are made up sufficiently in advance to cover the entire stay of the station in Kenosha and it is urged that those who desire to broadcast fill in the coupon at once. (Kenosha News, Thursday, 25 Mar 1926)
(Thursday, March 25, 1926) - First Day of Broadcasting Is a Success City Manager Dedicates Radio Station WHBL to Service of Community
Kenosha is at last being given an opportunity to broadcast to the world what it is and what its people are like. As “the Better City”, Kenosha is being brought to the fore by its city officials, its civic leaders and by its entertainers until the entire middle west will learn what it means to be in a happy peace-loving law-abiding community.
Dedicated to “the service and enlightenment of the community:, Station WHBL, the Kenosha Evening News-Vogue theater was formally presented to the atmosphere in Kenosha on Wednesday, and the results of the first day’s program are still being counted in the scores of congratulatory messages that are coming in to the station.
City Manager Opens Station
The formal dedication was performed by C. M. Osborn, city manager who, in his official capacity, invited the city of Kenosha to share in the opportunity presented by giving out into the air the pride which the city holds in its own community. The variety of the opening program Wednesday afternoon and evening and the quality of the entertainment offered by the Kenosha artists and the members of the studio staff was on a par with that offered by broadcasting stations everywhere and as the station continues on its stay in Kenosha it will offer more distinctive features and more unique departures from the ordinary radio programs.
Strikes a Popular Chord
The opportunity presented to local people to broadcast local talent such as that which is being done on the programs presented by the music departments of the city schools, the professional music schools, and those who have had long training in the musical arts is a unique one in Kenosha, and there have been many thus far who have shown that they are quick to take advantage of this opportunity. One of the features of Station WHBL during the eight days which it will broadcast from the stage of the Vogue theater will be that which will present officially the educational and physical side of the city life. Men who are leaders in the various walks of life in Kenosha will be presented, such as was started on Wednesday when City Manager Osborn, J. M. Albers, secretary of the city plan commission, and Guy F. Loomis, superintendent of schools addressed the radio audience on the city manager plan of government and Kenosha’s school system respectively.
Learn of Your Own City
To many Kenoshans, facts disclosed in these radio addresses will be new and most interesting and the entire programs thus broadcast will be of benefit to all who listen in. There is place on each of the programs for something of interest to all who listen in from the youngest kiddies to the oldest grown-ups. Throughout all of the broadcasting there is the opportunity given to Kenosha to see how the work is actually done. The station apparatus is the last word in radio engineering and the entire broadcasting studio is located on the stage of the Vogue theater. The wave length of the station is 2157 meters which places it on the dials between “WOK and WSBS in Chicago. It is powerful enough to be heard comfortably within a range of 700 miles and the station now operating in Kenosha has been heard from as far west as Denver and as far east as Pittsburgh with its southern extremity for reception reaching to the gulf coast.
All Talent On Stage
The entire public is invited to watch and take part in the broadcasting of the Kenosha programs from WHBL. Its three schedules during the day are from noon until one o’clock, from 5:30 to 6:30 o’clock, and from ll:OO o’clock until midnight. The early afternoon program is broadcast directly from the stage and the public is invited to find seats in the audience to look on. A special invitation is extended by the management of the Vogue theater to those Kenoshans who desire to see the regular performance of the theater program during the evening performances and who then wish to go to their homes and tune in to hear the same programs broadcast into their own receiving sets. Because of the limited assignment of broadcasting hours by the federal government no broadcasting can be done between 6:30 o’clock and 11:00 o’clock in the evening. And in another column on this page is explained the details which make it possible for anyone to take an actual part in the broadcasting — to appear before the microphone. This offer will be withdrawn as soon as the programs are made up sufficiently in advance to cover the entire stay of the station in Kenosha and it is urged that those who desire to broadcast fill in the coupon at once.
(March 22, 1940) - New Streamlined Vogue Theater Opens Tomorrow Under Management of Nick Coston
Theater is Ready for Opening After Extensive Streamline Remodeling
The new modernistic Vogue theater opens tomorrow! Electricians, carpenters, painters and workmen have been busy all week completing their work in preparation for the gala opening tomorrow evening at 6 pm. L. F. Gran, general manager of Standard theaters operating the Kenosha, Gateway and new Vogue theaters, said today “We believe the people of Kenosha will like the modernistic streamlined new Vogue theater. We have spared no expense in modernizing the Vogue. The interior has been redecorated in bright new soft colors, seats reupholstered and new indirect lighting fixtures installed. We are especially proud of the new modernistic Vogue canopy which has the latest streamlined new-type neon lighting. This we believe will brighten and add a great deal to the neighborhood. Standard theaters new policy for the Vogue will be to give the people of Kenosha the very best in select double feature entertainment. The first week’s attractions booked for the gala opening I am sure will indicate the type of outstanding double feature entertainment we intend to give the Vogue theater patrons. We are proud of the new Vogue and we want the people to be.”
Plan Special “Family Nights”
Nick Coston, manager, declared everything is in readiness for the gala opening Saturday. The Saturday opening-day program will be Laurel and Hardy in “Flying Deuces” and Gene Autry in "Mexicali Rose”. For Easter Sunday and Monday the double feature attraction is “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” with James Stewart and Jean Arthur, and "Another Thin Man” with William Powell and Mvrna Loy. Special feature attractions will be booked for every Tuesday and Wednesday, the "second date” of the week Mr Coston said. This Tuesday and Wednesday’s attractions are “Allegheny Uprising” wuth John Wayne and Claire Trevor and "Fast and Furious” with Ann Sothern and Franchot Tone. One of the highlights of the new Vogue policy will be family nights every Thursday and Friday. Special low admission prices will prevail on these nights and entertainment especially selected fpr family-fare will be shown. The attractions for next Thursday and Friday’s family nights will be "The Roaring Twenties” with James Cagney, Priscilla Lane, Humphrey Bogart and Frank McHugh.