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.)
This opened as the Broad Street Theatre on September 19, 1917 with Keith Vaudeville and a feature film. It was shortened to the Broad Theatre within one month. The venue added sound to remain commerically viable. Atlantic Theatres Circuit added a streamline moderne house, the Grove, in town in 1940 closing here for a major streamline moderne refresh.
Although discontinued as a movie house in the 1950s, its presence was felt for 50 years including annual Santa visits. But here it was unceremoniously razed in October of 1968.
NOTE: The “related websites” link at right is bad and should be removed.
And the link from the entry and in comments is also a broken link.
The venue’s address was at 251 North Broadway in the Pennsville Shopping Center. The building and property were officially condemned in February of 2022 (long) after the building was ravaged by interlopers. The Penn Theatre opened on February 9, 1966 with Sean Connery in “Thunderball” the day after a benefit screening with the mayor in attendance.
The Pennsville Shopping Center had opened theatre-less in 1960 with a W.T. Grant, Acme Foods, Penn Drug, Penn Bowl, and others. In June of 1965, announced that Frank Theatres Circuit would be adding the property in an outparcel opposite the Penn Bowl. Samuel Frank and and Mayor Joshua Vincent were on hand at the benefit opening on February 8, 1966. It was a suburban luxury era theater which took advantage of a large, free parking lot and comfortable for the era seating.
To remain competitive, the building was twinned in 1978 operating as the Penn Twin Theatre. The Penn Twin closed in 1995 completing its 30-year leasing agreement.
In 1997, Motion Picture Entertainment Circuit took on the venue. Its plan was to refresh the two auditoriums and create an expanded mutliplex. The company narrowly missed its December 1997 target opening August 12, 1999 with “Runaway Bride” and “Deep Blue Sea.” At this relaunch, the venue had been reseated and equipped with Dolby audio to keep the presentation as contemporary as possible. It was now operating as the Premier Cinema - Pennsville and the planned expansion to a multiplex never took place.
Premier left following the showtimes of February 27, 2005. But on May 6, 2005, and despite long odds (twin theaters were out of vogue about 20 or 25 years earlier), the cinema continued. Under new - and the venue’s final - operators it was renamed as the Pennsville Cinema (singular though still a twin). It opened May 6, 2005 with “Sahara” and “Kingdom of Heaven.” The Pennsville Cinema closed permanently on October 8, 2006 with “School for Scoundrels” and “The Guardian.”
The property was optimistically offered for lease in 2006 and 2007 but an interior fire in November of 2007 ended any thought of continuing the cinema or salvaging the building. It sat dormant and was headed toward a date with the wrecking ball after, as noted, being vandalized constantly and condemned by the city.
Atlantic Theatres Inc. circuit launched the Grove Theatre on August 16, 1940 as a streamline moderne alternative to its existing Broad Theatre. The Broad was closed that night for a major streamline moderne refresh.
The theatre completed two 20-year leasing agreements. But the venue scuffled in the 1970s. It first became the FunHouse, a “Hooray Cinema” concept tried out in several local and aging movie houses. That started June 27, 1973 with “Scorpio” playing a discount run. That ended nine months later on March 12, 1974 with a discount double feature chopsocky/blaxploitation pairing “That Man Bolt” and “Trick Baby.” Hooray.
On September 11, 1974, the Grove reopened as the Earle Theatre playing repertory shows here with “Sound of Music.” When that failed to draw customers, they went X-rated fare which met with local displeasure. The Earle made it just two months closing November 17, 1974 with “Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat” and “Heavy Traffic.” Its entry certainly should remain the Grove Theatre.
The Dukedun Theatre was built in 1925 at a cost of $18,000 and architects were Stebbins & Walters of Weslaco, Texas. The theater scuffled in its transition to sound. Its first attempt was in 1931 and the $7,500 job doesn’t appear to have been a resounding success. Robert L. Vogler was the architect for that remodel for sound. In 1933, it was wired with Western Electric sound by new operator E.F. Stein under its new Bijou Theatre nameplate. That led to a lawsuit with the landlords of the building who placed a lien on the sound equipment for failure to pay rent toward that leasing agreement.
Percy Bond build the new Lorex Theatre “#2” opening in October of 1946. The post-war structure replaced the original Lorex Theatre which was converted into a retail location of an Allen Brown Variety Store.
Note: According to the trade press, the open air drive-in concept was only used for three seasons. The venue was then enclosed becoming a 250-seat hardtop. (For the curious.)
This project was announced by Robert “Bob” N. Smith in 1935 and was optimistically created with 600 seats. That got reduced to 440 at its July 6, 1936 opening with “Dancing Pirate.” It would get a makeover reducing seat count to 400.
Add in that the original Alamo Theatre was destroyed February 12, 1939 by fire. Just months later, an all new Alamo Theatre was built. The theatre with its equipment was offered for sale in 1974 for $13,500. It was definitely in business in the 1960s and likely into the early 1970s.
Also operated by Benitez Theater Circuit for a brief period. End of the line for the Benitez Thunderbird Drive-In Theatre was on Labor Day weekend following the September 6, 1982 showing of Cantinflas in “El Barrendero.” The venue continued as the Benitez Thunderbird Drive-In Flea Market until December of 1984.
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.)
Opened in June of 1964
Opened July 19, 1928 with Mary Pickford in “My Best Girl.”
A week prior to closure, the cinema reached an agreement with the landlord to remain open.
This opened as the Broad Street Theatre on September 19, 1917 with Keith Vaudeville and a feature film. It was shortened to the Broad Theatre within one month. The venue added sound to remain commerically viable. Atlantic Theatres Circuit added a streamline moderne house, the Grove, in town in 1940 closing here for a major streamline moderne refresh.
Although discontinued as a movie house in the 1950s, its presence was felt for 50 years including annual Santa visits. But here it was unceremoniously razed in October of 1968.
NOTE: The “related websites” link at right is bad and should be removed.
And the link from the entry and in comments is also a broken link.
The venue’s address was at 251 North Broadway in the Pennsville Shopping Center. The building and property were officially condemned in February of 2022 (long) after the building was ravaged by interlopers. The Penn Theatre opened on February 9, 1966 with Sean Connery in “Thunderball” the day after a benefit screening with the mayor in attendance.
The Pennsville Shopping Center had opened theatre-less in 1960 with a W.T. Grant, Acme Foods, Penn Drug, Penn Bowl, and others. In June of 1965, announced that Frank Theatres Circuit would be adding the property in an outparcel opposite the Penn Bowl. Samuel Frank and and Mayor Joshua Vincent were on hand at the benefit opening on February 8, 1966. It was a suburban luxury era theater which took advantage of a large, free parking lot and comfortable for the era seating.
To remain competitive, the building was twinned in 1978 operating as the Penn Twin Theatre. The Penn Twin closed in 1995 completing its 30-year leasing agreement.
In 1997, Motion Picture Entertainment Circuit took on the venue. Its plan was to refresh the two auditoriums and create an expanded mutliplex. The company narrowly missed its December 1997 target opening August 12, 1999 with “Runaway Bride” and “Deep Blue Sea.” At this relaunch, the venue had been reseated and equipped with Dolby audio to keep the presentation as contemporary as possible. It was now operating as the Premier Cinema - Pennsville and the planned expansion to a multiplex never took place.
Premier left following the showtimes of February 27, 2005. But on May 6, 2005, and despite long odds (twin theaters were out of vogue about 20 or 25 years earlier), the cinema continued. Under new - and the venue’s final - operators it was renamed as the Pennsville Cinema (singular though still a twin). It opened May 6, 2005 with “Sahara” and “Kingdom of Heaven.” The Pennsville Cinema closed permanently on October 8, 2006 with “School for Scoundrels” and “The Guardian.”
The property was optimistically offered for lease in 2006 and 2007 but an interior fire in November of 2007 ended any thought of continuing the cinema or salvaging the building. It sat dormant and was headed toward a date with the wrecking ball after, as noted, being vandalized constantly and condemned by the city.
Atlantic Theatres Inc. circuit launched the Grove Theatre on August 16, 1940 as a streamline moderne alternative to its existing Broad Theatre. The Broad was closed that night for a major streamline moderne refresh.
The theatre completed two 20-year leasing agreements. But the venue scuffled in the 1970s. It first became the FunHouse, a “Hooray Cinema” concept tried out in several local and aging movie houses. That started June 27, 1973 with “Scorpio” playing a discount run. That ended nine months later on March 12, 1974 with a discount double feature chopsocky/blaxploitation pairing “That Man Bolt” and “Trick Baby.” Hooray.
On September 11, 1974, the Grove reopened as the Earle Theatre playing repertory shows here with “Sound of Music.” When that failed to draw customers, they went X-rated fare which met with local displeasure. The Earle made it just two months closing November 17, 1974 with “Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat” and “Heavy Traffic.” Its entry certainly should remain the Grove Theatre.
The Dukedun Theatre was built in 1925 at a cost of $18,000 and architects were Stebbins & Walters of Weslaco, Texas. The theater scuffled in its transition to sound. Its first attempt was in 1931 and the $7,500 job doesn’t appear to have been a resounding success. Robert L. Vogler was the architect for that remodel for sound. In 1933, it was wired with Western Electric sound by new operator E.F. Stein under its new Bijou Theatre nameplate. That led to a lawsuit with the landlords of the building who placed a lien on the sound equipment for failure to pay rent toward that leasing agreement.
Percy Bond build the new Lorex Theatre “#2” opening in October of 1946. The post-war structure replaced the original Lorex Theatre which was converted into a retail location of an Allen Brown Variety Store.
Opening date was October 1, 1953 with “The Arrowhead.” The Bonds also operated the hardtop Lorex throughout the 1940s and into the 1950s.
Note: According to the trade press, the open air drive-in concept was only used for three seasons. The venue was then enclosed becoming a 250-seat hardtop. (For the curious.)
The Varsity Theatre closed on January 15, 2026 with Primate, Avatar: Fire and Ash, and Marty Supreme.
Still going in 1979
This project was announced by Robert “Bob” N. Smith in 1935 and was optimistically created with 600 seats. That got reduced to 440 at its July 6, 1936 opening with “Dancing Pirate.” It would get a makeover reducing seat count to 400.
Announced its closure on January 8, 2026.
The Eagle has crash landed - all 3 locations closed permanently January 4, 2026 including this locale
The Eagle has crash landed - all 3 locations closed permanently January 4, 2026 including this locale
The Eagle has crash landed - all 3 locations closed permanently January 4, 2026 including the Streator 6
Final day January 8, 2026 as Regal runs out the 25-year lease
Add in that the original Alamo Theatre was destroyed February 12, 1939 by fire. Just months later, an all new Alamo Theatre was built. The theatre with its equipment was offered for sale in 1974 for $13,500. It was definitely in business in the 1960s and likely into the early 1970s.
Also operated by Benitez Theater Circuit for a brief period. End of the line for the Benitez Thunderbird Drive-In Theatre was on Labor Day weekend following the September 6, 1982 showing of Cantinflas in “El Barrendero.” The venue continued as the Benitez Thunderbird Drive-In Flea Market until December of 1984.
Also known as the Benitez Drive-In
Operated at the latter stages by the Benitez Theatre Circuit
Operated by the Benitez Theatre Circuit