About Us

The Stanley Theater is a small town movie theater serving the residents of Stanley, WI and the surrounding community. We provide newer movies weekly at reasonable prices.

Each week, a new movie is featured beginning on Friday and generally runs nightly through Tuesday (Closed Wednesday and Thursday). However please refer to specific movie times each week, they are subject to change.

We are a “Family Friendly” theater; showing family enjoyable rated movies: Rated G to PG-13. Occasionally, by popular request an R rated movie may be shown.

The Stanley Theater has been continuously run since its opening in 1936, by various owners. Our mother, Cecilia (Janesich) Eslinger, purchased the Stanley Theater in 1968. She ran the theater with her mother and brother with a minimal crash course in the movie business. Soon she met the love of her life, Daniel Eslinger, a local dairy farmer and started a family. The children have been very active in the running, cleaning, restoration and upkeep of the theater as they grew up.

The Eslinger family constantly strives to update and improve the building structure and interior. Most recent completed improvements include, central air conditioning, new carpeting in the inner lobby area and down the aisles of the auditorium. Other improvements in the past years include: a new roof, a new screen, and repainted auditorium walls – reflecting murals of the original 1936 design of the art deco period, and 7.1 Dolby Sound, and the replacement of the original seats.

The most outstanding improvement was dominating a Kickstarter Fundraising Campaign where the community stepped up to raise $65,000 in 21 days in order to purchase and install a digital projector in 2015, and abolish the film projector. In 2018, we celebrated our 50th Anniversary of owning the Stanley Theater, Eslinger Family owned! We work hard to make sure every customer is important and to be a participating member of our community, hence, we are officially named the "Stanley Theater Legacy." For we will keep the legacy going in our family and share the community traditions of it's position on main street, and in our communities heart and family traditions.

In 2022, Stanley was devasted by a tornado on December 9th, 2021. The Stanley Theater was a beacon offering shelter and electricity for those affected by the damage. The Stanley Theater did however, recieve it's own amount of damage in way of roof tears, and the destruction of it's digital projector recently installed in 2015. The Eslingers were forced to purchase a new Laser Digital Projector and updated Dolby Sound processor in 2023.

Annually, we put on FREE shows for the members of our community, at Christmas and Easter and other special occasions.

The Stanley Theater is now owned by the Stanley Theater Legacy group of Louis Eslinger, Gloria Eslinger and Theresa Pries ensuring that the legacy lives on to serve our community. The Legacy group will honor the traditions that their mother Cecilia started and late father, Daniel "Mussy" Eslinger took pride in. Together the movies will live on in Stanley, WI. We recently announced that our Legacy group will be providing live entertainment acts as well with "Legacy Events" through live music, comedy, classic cinema, and more!

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Watch Cecilia Eslinger and our story on PBS Wisconsin Life:

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Watch Now

Watch a feature of our mother, Cecilia Eslinger, on PBS's Wisconsin Life:

https://wisconsinlife.org/story/small-town-theater-is-a-family-affair/

In Loving Memory of our Founding Mother Cecilia Eslinger

Cecilia “Ceil” Eslinger, passed into the arms of our lord and savior on July 14th, 2024 and was surrounded by her loving and devoted family.

Born March 15, 1941 in Milwaukee Wisconsin, she was the daughter of the late Anthony and Mary (Purpora) Janesich.

Ceil attended Mesmer High School in Milwaukee, WI and worked at the local bakery washing dishes during this time. She graduated to a full time baker learning all aspects of the business and assisted into management by the time she was 19 years old. Ceil then went to work at JC Penney’s and worked there for 9 years in management with high responsibilities as well as management of several rental properties.

Ceil decided to broaden her business interest and together with her brother Anthony “Tony” Janesich they purchased the Stanley Theatre in 1968. As Ceil was adjusting to her new life and business venture she met the love of her life Daniel “Mussy” Eslinger in September of 1968. Ceil always said Mussy not only fell in love with her, but loved the theatre more and the deal was sealed. They married in February of 1969 and the two of them were married for 44 years until Mussy’s passing in 2013. Along with operating the Stanley Theatre, Ceil was also a partner to Mussy in the operation of their family dairy farm.

Ceil and Mussy were blessed with six children, Philomena Eslinger Probst, Gloria Eslinger, Louis Eslinger, Theodore Eslinger (Todd Liebsch), Charles (Sarah Larson) Eslinger and Theresa (Daryl) Eslinger Pries and devoted friends Cyndi (Brian) Bergman, and Andrew (LeAnn Brihn) Samplawski.

Ceil was an active member of Holy Family Parish for many years. She served as President of the Ladies Aide in 1979 and also served as the Treasurer for the “Parish of Catholic Woman’s Chippewa” (PCWC), on the sunshine club, Ceil and Mussy would also serve many funerals as a pair together for their dedication to their faith was strong. She continued to own and operate the theatre and was proud (with the assistance of ALL family members) to be able to keep the theatre open for over 50 years for the Stanley Community. Her entrepreneurial spirit also included a video rental store in the lobby of the theater for many years renting VHS, Beta and video players. Later, Ceil also worked in Home Care Services for 25 years and enjoyed her many “interesting” clients until her retirement.

Ceil was an accomplished poet and her poem ‘Friends’ has been published and is displayed in the D.R. Moon Memorial Library in Stanley. She was also a gifted musician and played the concertina, hawaiian guitar, piano and accordion. Ceil loved to sing and was a member of the church choir for many years. She was proud of her catholic upbringing and Italian heritage. She enjoyed making the most wonderful “Sugu” (sauce) and La Polpettas” (meatballs). Ceil will always be remembered for her loud and contagious laugh and her sarcastic wit.

She is predeceased in death by her husband Mussy, parents Mary Rita and Anthony Janesich and her brother Tony Janesich. She is survived by her 6 children along with 12 grandchildren, Joseph Probst (Nichole Nihart), Gregory (Amanda) Probst, Thomas (Kylie) Probst, Charolette Eslinger, Chapman Eslinger, Corina Eslinger, Lucia Pries, Marcianna Pries, Vincent Pries, Gianna Pries, Myah Larson and Shane Larson. She is also survived by 9 great grandchildren with the 10th one on his way.

A funeral mass will be at 11AM on Friday, July 19, 2024 at Holy Family Catholic Church-Stanley with Father William Felix officiating Burial will follow in Holy Family Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9AM Friday morning at the Plombon Funeral Home-Stanley until time of departure to church. Please send all correspondence and condolences to 454 Birch St. Cadott, WI 54727.