Wizard of Oz

Oz Info Turner Classic Movies Archive:

The Strand Theatre / Wizard of Oz

The Strand Theatre, located at 144 East Wisconsin Avenue, has a significant place in Oconomowoc’s history. Its cornerstone was laid in January, 1920 and the theater opened in April 1921. Owners of the over 500-seat theater were Philip Binzel, Andrew Fischer, H.E. Welch and John Saxe, and all members of the Oconomowoc Theater Company. At the time, Welch was identified as manager. The building was a fire-proofed, white brick structure with a ventilation system, modern rest rooms, and special lighting designed for the vaudeville stage. It Is said that the theater had a distinct ‘Italian’ feel due to its ornamental plaster and colorful decorations.There even was an ice cream parlor available for its patrons. In 1922 management responsibility passed to George Huebner who was proprietor of the Crystal Theatre. Huebner managed both theaters at the time.

The Strand Theatre and the Oconomowoc museum share a bit of history. In 1925 the theater held a fiddler’s contest to benefit the new Armory, the site of Oconomowoc’s present museum. Manager Huebner installed a new $15,000 organ to better adapt to the musical variety needed to accompany the pictures on the screen. In 1929, the Strand was remodeled, adding an extra 50 seats to be better prepared for ‘talkies.’ The Strand adopted the ‘phono film’ of Dr Lee DeForest, known as the ‘Father of Radio’ and, at the time, an authority on voice amplification. This invention paved the way for ‘talking’ pictures at the Strand. Small theaters could now better compete with theaters in larger cities. George Huebner managed the Strand until his death in 1947.

The Strand was also the site of fashion shows sponsored by Snyder & Albert in the 1920s as well as those of Germaine Fischer, Jr (nee Neis) of Andre’s in the 1960s.

The Strand was known for a very special event on August 12, 1939. The theatre, bookended by a laundry on one side and a liquor store on the other, was chosen by filmmakers at MGM Studios to premiere the final, edited film ‘The Wizard of Oz’ to gauge audience reaction to the movie before it was officially released to the public. It is noted in a news article that the manager stood in front of the theatre encouraging people to enjoy the movie free of charge. Why Oconomowoc? Although no one is positive why Oconomowoc was chosen for this honor, many believe it is because composer Herbert Stothart, Milwaukee native with a summer cottage on Okauchee Lake, and Watertown-born actor Meinhardt Raabe, Munchkin coroner, were from the area. The city was selected to preview the movie prior to the Hollywood opening on August 15, 1939, at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

The Strand Theatre closed in 1953. The building was razed in 1969. At present, the Strand Theatre site is used for a parking lot and the entrance to the drive-in facilities for Chase Bank.