Loew's Theater

kencmcintyre’s photo depicts the World Premiere engagement of THE STORY OF G.I. JOE in August 1945, just weeks after the end of World War II. Indianapolis’s own Ernie Pyle, the Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent, was killed in the final weeks of the war in Europe. His death came between the end of filming and the movie’s release. United Artists honored Pyle by opening the biopic starring Burgess Meredith and introducing Robert Mitchum in Pyle’s hometown. Great photo.

On second look ,I do see the theatre on the far right,hard to see though.

That’s a nice photo.

To further add to the confusion over the namings and history of this theatre, I found an item in the February 29, 1928 issue of weekly Variety that says that “My Best Girl” (a Mary Pickford starrer) “opens the Palace, which has been taken over by Loew, March 6. ‘Dream Garden’ will be stage presentation the first week. Emil Seidel will lead the giant concert orchestra and the Palace syncopating band. Lester Huff is organist.” And in its next isue, Variety reported “Loew officials arrived in Indianapolis Saturday for opening of Loew’s Palace, redecorated and refurnished. H.W. Foerester is manager, Teddy Joyce m.c. of stage shows, Emil Seidel directing in pit, continuous policy from 11 AM.” The item also mentioned that a fireplace from the mansion of “the late Judge Grant” had been installed in the Palace’s new lounge.

Interior photos of Loew’s State Theater from 1921. Photo1, Photo2 and Photo3.

It was probably Loew’s Palace right to the end. Loew’s marquees and vertical signs often had just the circuit name on them, especially on the more modern and compact ones that replaced the originals in the late 1930s and after WWII.

The excellent book ‘Indianapolis Theaters From A – Z’ by Gene Gladson (published 1976),names Thomas Lamb as architect with Rambush & Hunter as supervising architects.

Seating was provided for 1,420 in the orchestra, 100 in the twelve boxes, 108 in the loges across the front of the balcony and 920 in the balcony; giving a total seating capacity of 2,548. All chairs were comfortably designed and were uphostered in Spanish leather. The theatre was equipped with a Moller 3Manual theatre organ.

Thomas Lamb had some connection with the theatre, but whether he deserves to be credited as architect remains to be seen. To call it “a Lamb theater” might be incorrect. Lamb could have just been a consultant to other architects on the project. I think it’s ridiculous to credit him in the introduction as architect based on the slim evidence that has been produced so far.

This theatre is listed in numerous Film Daily Year Books as Loew’s Palace. In fact, I found it listed as just Palace before it ever turned up as Loew’s Palace, and I’ve never seen it listed in FDYBs as Loew’s State. A listing in Barry Goodkin’s “Theatre Openings” in Marquee (first quarter issue of 2006) gives both names, as well as an opening date of February 14th, 1921. Thomas Lamb and Rubush & Hunter are credited as architects. I suspect that it first opened as Loew’s State and that Loew’s later had second thoughts and re-named it the Palace. During the 1920s, Thomas Lamb was a consultant to Marcus Loew on numerous projects throughout the USA. I think that the reason why this Indianapolis theatre had not been listed at CT is that Lamb scholars do not know the extent of Lamb’s role in its construction.

Wow! How did a theater this large, in a city as large as Indianapolis run by a chain as large as Loew’s manage to not be listed in Cinema Treasures until now? Next we’ll find out it was designed by Lamb or Rapp & Rapp! :–)

This is a 1963 photo of the Loews Theater.