Here is the history of the 53 Auto-Vue that preceded the Lake 7 Cinemas at the same location.
1981 photo, history & caption credit Old School Rice Lake Facebook page. 53 Auto Vue Drive In Marquee – Rice Lake,Wi. – 1981 —
The 53 Auto Vue drive in opened on Friday 6-15-1951. The first movie on Friday/Saturday June 15-16,1951 was “Frenchie” starring Joel McCrae & Shelley Winters. The 2nd movie on Sunday/Monday June 17-18,1951 was “Bedtime For Bonzo” starring Ronald Reagan. The last dusk to dawn show at the drive in was on Saturday 8-18-1984 featuring the movies “Stripes”,“Psycho 2”,“The Lords of Discipline” & “Sizzling Seniors”. The last four nights of the drive in were Thursday-Sunday August 23-26,1984. The movies were “Best Defense” starring Dudley Moore & “Trading Places” starring Eddie Murphy. On 12-21-1984 Cine 3 Theatre (later Lake 7) opened on the site of the drive in.
Majestic History via the Old School Rice Lake Facebook page.
It accompanied the photo previously identified as 1922, but the silent version of “The U.P. Trail” noted on the theatre poster and promotional wagon was released in 1920.
Majestic Theatre-Early `20’s
Downtown Rice Lake.
In the summer of 1920 a local businessman,Eusebe Craite,built a brand new theater,The Majestic,at 214 N. Main St. It had a front of buff colored Navajo brick & a seating capacity of 470,while the inside had a balcony with opera chairs,a modern screen & 2 motion picture machines. This was a 3 story building with an attractive outdoor marquee & living quarters for Mr. Craite & his family in the upper story.
The Majestic opened on 10-6-1920 with Douglas Fairbanks,Sr. starring in “The Mollycoddle”. Only 2 years later,the theater was purchased by George Miner,who remodeled it to 2 stories. From 1924-1935 the Majestic was Rice Lake’s only movie theater. On Saturday 3-16-1929 Rice Lake’s first talking movie was shown there. In 1935,Mr. Miner built a new state of the art theater,The El Lago,by remodeling an old feed mill on the corner of Main & Highland Sts. It had the city’s first air conditioning. For 20 years,from 1935-1955,Rice Lake had two theater’s downtown to choose from. The last movie at the Majestic was “The Sands of Iwo Jima” starring John Wayne on 3-5-1955.
This tidbit courtesy of the Old School Rice Lake Facebook page. It accompanied the 1935 photo of the Isle posted in 2008, with Zim Zim still painted on the exterior wall.
It is the history of the Zim Zim name.
Note on the side of the building. The theater was once known as The Zim-Zim & the old sign was still there. At that time it was owned by Edward & Mae Zimmerman. In the 1920’s Mrs. Zimmerman was arrested multiple times for operating the theater on Sunday’s. The following is a Wednesday 9-16-1925 Rice Lake Chronotype story on Mrs. Zimmerman’s brush with the law —
Mrs. Mae Zimmerman of Cumberland,who has been waging a lone warfare against the blue law proponents of Barron county by operating her motion picture house on Sunday,is fast attaining the record of the most arrested woman in Wisconsin.
The twentieth arrest of Mrs. Zimmerman was made last week. A new feature to the weekly arrest of Mrs. Zimmerman was the arrest of her husband,Edward,for attending the theater & operating the motion picture machine. Judge Kinsley of Barron,who has imposed the fines in all cases,assessed $10 & costs on four counts,charging violation of the law on the last four Sunday’s.
Mrs. Zimmerman has vainly endeavered to have her case tried in her home town of Cumberland by a home town jury. The blue law proponents apparently do not want to give her a home town trial,as in one instance in which a warrant was issued by Municipal Judge Hart of Cumberland,it is alleged that Attorney Fuller,who signed the complaint,withdrew his complaint & filed another with Judge Kinsley of Barron.
Mrs. Zimmerman has taken this phase of the fight up with the governor in the hope that he force the issue & give her a chance to have her case tried in her home town. She claims 90 percent of the people at Cumberland are with her.
At the last trial in Barron,Mrs. Marthina Falkenburg,foreman of the jury,inquired why Mrs. Zimmerman was the only theater owner in Barron county arrested. Judge Kinsley informed her this had nothing to do with the case.
1984 photo & caption added, credit Old School Rice Lake Facebook page.
El Lago Theatre – Friday 11-30-1984 – Lining up for the last night.
The movie was “All of Me” starring Steve Martin & Lily Tomlin.
The El Lago had opened on 5-15-1935 in a remodeled feed mill. The first movie was “Go Into your Dance” starring Al Jolson & Ruby Keeler. Rice Lake’s first air conditioned building!
1936 photo & caption added, credit Old School Rice Lake Facebook page.
The movie on the marquee in this picture is “Come and Get It”. A 1936 film starring Edward Arnold,Frances Farmer & Walter Brennan,who won the first ever Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in this movie.
Early `30’s photo and caption added credit Old School Rice Lake Facebook page.
Downtown Rice Lake. Main & Eau Claire Sts. – Early 1930’s. The building on the NW corner of Main & Eau Claire Sts. was built in 1928 for J.C. Penney.
Well, apparently the Admins removed the 53 Auto-Vue marquee photo from 1981 I added. Not sure why.
Photo added credit & copyright Vincent David Johnson.
Circa 1938 photo added courtesy of Daniel Patch.
Here is the history of the 53 Auto-Vue that preceded the Lake 7 Cinemas at the same location.
1981 photo, history & caption credit Old School Rice Lake Facebook page. 53 Auto Vue Drive In Marquee – Rice Lake,Wi. – 1981 —
The 53 Auto Vue drive in opened on Friday 6-15-1951. The first movie on Friday/Saturday June 15-16,1951 was “Frenchie” starring Joel McCrae & Shelley Winters. The 2nd movie on Sunday/Monday June 17-18,1951 was “Bedtime For Bonzo” starring Ronald Reagan. The last dusk to dawn show at the drive in was on Saturday 8-18-1984 featuring the movies “Stripes”,“Psycho 2”,“The Lords of Discipline” & “Sizzling Seniors”. The last four nights of the drive in were Thursday-Sunday August 23-26,1984. The movies were “Best Defense” starring Dudley Moore & “Trading Places” starring Eddie Murphy. On 12-21-1984 Cine 3 Theatre (later Lake 7) opened on the site of the drive in.
Likely 1935, initial release for “In Caliente” on the marquee.
Majestic History via the Old School Rice Lake Facebook page. It accompanied the photo previously identified as 1922, but the silent version of “The U.P. Trail” noted on the theatre poster and promotional wagon was released in 1920.
Majestic Theatre-Early `20’s Downtown Rice Lake. In the summer of 1920 a local businessman,Eusebe Craite,built a brand new theater,The Majestic,at 214 N. Main St. It had a front of buff colored Navajo brick & a seating capacity of 470,while the inside had a balcony with opera chairs,a modern screen & 2 motion picture machines. This was a 3 story building with an attractive outdoor marquee & living quarters for Mr. Craite & his family in the upper story. The Majestic opened on 10-6-1920 with Douglas Fairbanks,Sr. starring in “The Mollycoddle”. Only 2 years later,the theater was purchased by George Miner,who remodeled it to 2 stories. From 1924-1935 the Majestic was Rice Lake’s only movie theater. On Saturday 3-16-1929 Rice Lake’s first talking movie was shown there. In 1935,Mr. Miner built a new state of the art theater,The El Lago,by remodeling an old feed mill on the corner of Main & Highland Sts. It had the city’s first air conditioning. For 20 years,from 1935-1955,Rice Lake had two theater’s downtown to choose from. The last movie at the Majestic was “The Sands of Iwo Jima” starring John Wayne on 3-5-1955.
This tidbit courtesy of the Old School Rice Lake Facebook page. It accompanied the 1935 photo of the Isle posted in 2008, with Zim Zim still painted on the exterior wall. It is the history of the Zim Zim name.
Note on the side of the building. The theater was once known as The Zim-Zim & the old sign was still there. At that time it was owned by Edward & Mae Zimmerman. In the 1920’s Mrs. Zimmerman was arrested multiple times for operating the theater on Sunday’s. The following is a Wednesday 9-16-1925 Rice Lake Chronotype story on Mrs. Zimmerman’s brush with the law —
Mrs. Mae Zimmerman of Cumberland,who has been waging a lone warfare against the blue law proponents of Barron county by operating her motion picture house on Sunday,is fast attaining the record of the most arrested woman in Wisconsin. The twentieth arrest of Mrs. Zimmerman was made last week. A new feature to the weekly arrest of Mrs. Zimmerman was the arrest of her husband,Edward,for attending the theater & operating the motion picture machine. Judge Kinsley of Barron,who has imposed the fines in all cases,assessed $10 & costs on four counts,charging violation of the law on the last four Sunday’s. Mrs. Zimmerman has vainly endeavered to have her case tried in her home town of Cumberland by a home town jury. The blue law proponents apparently do not want to give her a home town trial,as in one instance in which a warrant was issued by Municipal Judge Hart of Cumberland,it is alleged that Attorney Fuller,who signed the complaint,withdrew his complaint & filed another with Judge Kinsley of Barron. Mrs. Zimmerman has taken this phase of the fight up with the governor in the hope that he force the issue & give her a chance to have her case tried in her home town. She claims 90 percent of the people at Cumberland are with her. At the last trial in Barron,Mrs. Marthina Falkenburg,foreman of the jury,inquired why Mrs. Zimmerman was the only theater owner in Barron county arrested. Judge Kinsley informed her this had nothing to do with the case.
1984 photo & caption added, credit Old School Rice Lake Facebook page. El Lago Theatre – Friday 11-30-1984 – Lining up for the last night. The movie was “All of Me” starring Steve Martin & Lily Tomlin. The El Lago had opened on 5-15-1935 in a remodeled feed mill. The first movie was “Go Into your Dance” starring Al Jolson & Ruby Keeler. Rice Lake’s first air conditioned building!
1936 photo & caption added, credit Old School Rice Lake Facebook page. The movie on the marquee in this picture is “Come and Get It”. A 1936 film starring Edward Arnold,Frances Farmer & Walter Brennan,who won the first ever Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in this movie.
Not as visible as the next photo.
1976 photo added, photo credit Old School Rice Lake Facebook page.
Early `30’s photo and caption added credit Old School Rice Lake Facebook page. Downtown Rice Lake. Main & Eau Claire Sts. – Early 1930’s. The building on the NW corner of Main & Eau Claire Sts. was built in 1928 for J.C. Penney.
50 years ago today. Grand Opening 8/19/66 ad added courtesy of the Chicago’s Extinct Businesses facebook page.
1955 photo added credit South Bend Tribune.
Mid `60’s photo added courtesy of the AmeriCar The Beautiful Facebook page.
This link has 32 photos.
http://detroit.curbed.com/2016/8/16/12505638/fisher-theatre-photos-rare-original
1966 photo added, photo credit Peoria Public Library. Partial marquee photo.
1976 photo added courtesy of the Vintage Everyday Facebook page.
Circa 1951 photo added courtesy of the Hemmings Motor News Facebook page.
9/29/64 photo added via Tim O'Neill.
A large portion of the rest of it ended up in Grizzly’s Lodge on Lincoln Avenue.
Trib article about the new project.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/norridge/news/ct-nhh-theater-sold-tl-0811-20160808-story.html
Circa 1960/`61 photo added courtesy of the AmeriCar The Beautiful Facebook page.
Edgar Allan Poe festival coming.
www.dailyprogress.com/entertainment/movies/new-poe-film-festival-set-for-byrd-theatre-this-fall/article_7b178c44-5820-11e6-9d29-47dd1775d61e
Correct. On the right. If you were to download the photo and look at it full size, it would be clearer.