Address | 212 W. Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, Wisconsin United States |
---|---|
Coordinates | 43°02′21″N 87°54′49″W / 43.039167°N 87.913611°W |
Owner | Otto Meister |
Type | Movie palace |
Capacity | 1,500 |
Construction | |
Opened | September 2, 1911 |
Closed | 1930 |
Demolished | 1930 |
Years active | 1911–1930 |
Architect | August Willmanns |
The Butterfly Theater was a theater that opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1911. The theater had 1,500 seats and it featured a US$10,000 (equivalent to $327,000 in 2023) pipe organ. The facade was adorned by a 27 ft (8.2 m) wide butterfly which was illuminated by 1,000 light bulbs. The theater had marble floors, canaries in gilded cages, crystal chandeliers and a mirrored staircase.
The land used for the theater was the former site of two nickelodeon theaters. The theaters were razed and the Butterfly Theater was constructed on the site and operated from 1911-1930. The theater claimed to be almost fireproof. The Butterfly Theater was razed in 1930 and the Warner Movie Palace opened on the site in 1931.
History
The theater was built by Otto Meister and opened on September 2, 1911; it became nationally known.[1][2] The theater opened to 1,500 people and showed several movies. A six-piece orchestra played and the Loos Brothers sang a duet called "My Hula Hula Love".[3]
The building permit was issued May 7, 1911 and the Milwaukee Wrecking company began demolishing buildings the lot.[4] The land was the site of two nickelodeon theaters.[5]
In July 1911 construction began on the steel work for the building on Grand Avenue between Second and Third streets. The Milwaukee Sentinel reported that the building would be nearly fireproof and it would cost US$10,000 (equivalent to $327,000 in 2023).[6]
The architect of record was August Willmanns. It is believed that Willmanns selected items pre-made from a catalogue. At the time businesses offered interior decorative plaster interior pieces and ready-made building facades. The building cost was US$200,000 (equivalent to $6,540,000 in 2023).[2] The theater hired a doorman named who claimed to be oscar award winning actor and boxing Victor McLaglen, but he was an imposter. Victor exposed the fraud. The imposter was a 6.8 ft (2.1 m) tall man and it was discovered that he was Victor's brother Leopold McLaglen.[7]
In 1929 a film in the projection room of the theater caught fire. The movie patrons had to evacuate as smoke was seen coming out of the windows. The film operator prevented the fire from spreading long enough for firemen to arrive.[8] In December 1929, Warner Brothers negotiated to purchase the Butterfly Theater and other buildings. They planned a 10-12 story building with a 2,500 seat capacity.[9] By January 1939 it was confirmed that the Butterfly would be razed to make way for the US3M (equivalent to $54,717,131 in 2023) theater and hotel.[10] In February 1930 workers began demolishing the Butterfly Theater.[11] The theater was demolished in 1930 and the Warner Theatre was built on the site.[12]
Description
The theater's facade had a terra cotta butterfly with 1,000 light bulbs. The butterfly measured 27 ft (8.2 m) wide. The center of the butterfly was a wonan's body. The facade had a total of 3,000 lightbulbs. Many of the decorative items including the butterfly were ordered. The butterfly was seen in a Decorators Supply Company catalog.[2] Another company which supplied decorative elements was the terra-cotta supply company in Chicago.[13]
Admission to the theater was 10 cents (equivalent to $3 in 2023) and had a 1,500-seat capacity.[14] The seats were leather-upholstered. On the main floor there were 25 box-seats.[15] The interior had marble floors and canaries in gilded cages. There were crystal chandeliers and a mirrored staircase. The theater had a $10,000 (equivalent to $327,000 in 2023) pipe organ with an orchestra and opera singers.[2] Mrs. Margaret L. Battin of Milwaukee was the organ player.[16]
Gallery
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Butterfly Theater at night (1912)
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Warner Grand Theater (Milwaukee) on the site of the Butterfly Theater
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Warner Grand Theater (Milwaukee) facing Wisconsin Avenue
References
- ^ Vollmert, Les (1988). Lower East Side Neighborhood Historic Resources Survey (PDF). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: City of Milwaukee Department of City Development. p. 32. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d Rankin, Jim (2022). "The Butterfly Theatre". Astor Theater. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Crowd Blocks Sidewalks". Milwaukee Sentinel. 3 September 1911.
- ^ "Real Estate News". Milwaukee Sentinel. 7 May 1911.
- ^ Tanzilo, Bobby (21 September 2023). "9 vintage Milwaukee movie theaters". OnMilwaukee. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Building News". Milwaukee Sentinel. 2 July 1911.
- ^ Ehrmann, Pete (21 February 2015). "A new kind of madness: How a future Oscar-winner had to fight to restore his own identity from an unlikely Cream City imposter". OnMilwaukee. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Patrons Flee and Movie Film Fires". Milwaukee Sentinel. 24 July 1929.
- ^ "City Will Get New Theater". Milwaukee Sentinel. 4 December 1929.
- ^ "Butterfly Made Movie History". Milwaukee Sentinel. 5 January 1930.
- ^ "Old Timer Tramps Streets Lost Among New Buildings". Milwaukee Sentinel. 24 February 1930.
- ^ Foran, Chris (8 January 2021). "Premieres, prayers and movie stars: The past lives of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's new home". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ Treu, Martin (30 October 2012). Signs, Streets, and Storefronts: A History of Architecture and Graphics Along America's Commercial Corridors. Baltimore, Maryland: JHU Press. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-4214-0494-3. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Butterfly". Milwaukee Sentinel. 26 September 1911.
- ^ Marti, Yance (18 March 2014). "1911 Butterfly Theater Opening". Old Milwaukee. Historic Milwaukee Inc. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Society". Milwaukee Sentinel. 14 September 1911.
External links
- Media related to Butterfly Theater at Wikimedia Commons