In 1919 Jacob and Abe Wallerstein purchased the Starland Theater. In July 1925 Abe Wallerstein sold his four Michigan City, Ind., theaters to Chicago-based Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In April 1929 Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy creating Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. The Starland was last listed in the 1931 Film Daily Yearbook, so it probably closed in 1930.
This Willard Theater was at 407 Willard Avenue. The November 14, 1914, Motography reported that the new moving picture theater being erected by Mrs. John Burns was “completed and will shortly be opened to the public.” There is a house at this location in 2025.
At some point the Lake Theatre became part of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy, created in April 1929 when Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy.
On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. Through this process the Lake Theatre was sold in March 1933 to Maurice Rubin for $17,500.
Exhibitors Herald reported that the Tivoli Theatre in Michigan City, Indiana., opened on February 1, 1923. It was a combination house owned by the Michigan City Theatre Corporation and operated by Abe Wallerstein.
In July 1925 Chicago-based Fitzpatrick-McElroy purchased Wallerstein’s four Michigan City theaters: the Tivoli, Starland, Dreamland and Willard. In April 1929 Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy creating Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. As a result, the Tivoli was turned back to its landlord.
The Overview notes that the Strand Theatre was built for H.P. Vonderschmitt in 1919.
From 1922 to 1928 the theater appears to have been in other hands. According to the Daily Tribune on September 7, 1928, Arthur Jackson, “who for the past six years has operated the Strand theater in Crawfordsville,” disposed of the Strand to the H.P. Vonderschmitt Amusement Company of Bloomington.
At some point between 1929 and 1932 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy acquired the Strand, though that affiliation didn’t last long. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the lease for this theater and ten others formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that this theater and four others formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WVa; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. Theatrical Managers and later, Y&W Management Corporation, operated the Princess in conjunction with the Montgomery Theatre Corporation.
On August 13, 1929, Robert H. Harris agreed to lease his Bloomington, Ind., Princess and Harris Grand theaters to Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy for twenty years. Harris built the Harris Grand in 1907 and the Princess in 1913. The formal handoff took place on September 1.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that the Princess and four other theaters formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WV; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. Theatrical Managers and later, Y&W Management Corporation, operated the Princess in conjunction with the Monroe Theatre Corporation.
On August 13, 1929, Robert H. Harris agreed to lease his Bloomington, Ind., Princess and Harris Grand theaters to Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy for twenty years. Harris built the Harris Grand in 1907 and the Princess in 1913. The formal handoff took place on September 1.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that the Princess and four other theaters formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WV; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. Theatrical Managers and later, Y&W Management Corporation, operated the Princess in conjunction with the Monroe Theatre Corporation.
B.D. Cockrill sold his Princess Theater to Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy, which took possession on December 12, 1929.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the lease for this theater and ten others formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that this theater and four others formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WVa; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. Theatrical Managers and later, Y&W Management Corporation, operated the Princess in conjunction with the Henry Theatre Corporation.
The 800-seat Ritz Theater on Main between Eighth and Ninth streets was built by the Remley Realty Corporation, whose officers were Mahlon Remley, Robert Weichman and Wilfred Jessup. The company, also operating the Murray, Murrette and Washington theaters, opened the Ritz on November 25, 1926, Thanksgiving Day, although a soft opening took place the day before.
On March 2, 1929, Remley sold the Ritz building to the local Kennedy Clothing Company, which in turn leased the Ritz to Remley. On April 19, 1929, Richmond exhibitor Robert Hudson acquired the Ritz’s lease and theater rights. On April 24, 1929, Harry Gilbert, court-appointed receiver for the Remley company, announced that Remley’s Murray and Murrette leases had been forfeited and were to be taken over by Clarence Jessup and Frank Holland, whose Jessup-Holland Amusement Company had leased the Washington Theatre from Remley in September 1928. (The redecorated Washington debuted in October 1928 as the Lawrence Theatre.) Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy took control of the Ritz on August 15, 1929, acquiring the lease from Hudson. That month a new $15,000 sound-picture apparatus was installed in the Ritz.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale of the ten, including the Tivoli, Ritz, Indiana and Lawrence theaters in Richmond, Ind.
On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that the Tivoli, Ritz and Indiana would go to a new set-up headed by Hudson, the Richmond exhibitor, in cooperation with Theatrical Managers, Inc. In a two-step transaction the three theaters were sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc., then re-sold to Hudson.
In August 1924 M.E. Remley, doing business as the Remley Realty Corporation, leased the Washington Theatre from the Victory Theatre Company of Fort Wayne, Ind. Already operating the Murray and Murrette in Richmond, Remley planned to exhibit bigger film productions and road shows at the Washington, host vaudeville at the Murray and program lower-priced moving pictures at the Murrette.
In September 1928 Clarence Jessup and Frank Holland incorporated the Jessup-Holland Amusement Company with offices in the Washington Theatre building. Jessup and Holland took over the Washington Theatre lease held by Remley Realty and reopened the redecorated playhouse in October 1928 as the Lawrence Theatre offering stock productions. At some point the Lawrence Theatre ended up in the hands of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy as part of its Richmond cluster.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale of the ten, including the Tivoli, Ritz, Indiana and Lawrence theaters in Richmond, Ind.
On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that the Tivoli, Ritz and Indiana theaters in Richmond would go to a new set-up headed by Robert Hudson, a Richmond exhibitor, in cooperation with Theatrical Managers, Inc. In a two-step transaction the three theaters were sold to Theatrical Managers then re-sold to Hudson. According to Moving Picture Herald reporting on July 1, 1933, about the disposition of Publix properties, the Lawrence was turned back to its landlord. It closed that August.
In July 1926 Richmond, Ind., exhibitor Robert Hudson agreed to the long-term lease of a new $225,000 neighborhood theater that was planned for Dearborn and Tenth streets in Indianapolis. Hudson stepped aside and Universal entered the picture after the November 1926 formation of the Dearborn and Tenth Realty Company, whose officers were Mark Margolis, Donald Brewer and C. Milton Kelly. (Margolis was also a director of Fountsquare Realty, which was erecting Universal’s Granada Theatre on Virginia Avenue.)
The Rivoli was one of several theaters in Indiana erected by Indianapolis general contractor Leslie Colvin.
Robert Hudson sold the Palace and Richmond theaters to local businessman Ora Monger on April 1, 1926. A month earlier Hudson sold his stock in the Tivoli Theater Corporation to the Circle Theater Company which proceeded to erect the Uptown Theater in Indianapolis. In July 1926 Hudson announced plans to build a new theater in Richmond, Ind. He also agreed to lease a new $200,000 neighborhood theater to be erected at Dearborn and Tenth in Indianapolis for twenty years. (This became Universal’s Rivoli Theatre.)
Robert Hudson sold the Palace and Richmond theaters to local businessman Ora Monger on April 1, 1926. A month earlier Hudson sold his stock in the Tivoli Theater Corporation to the Circle Theater Company which proceeded to erect the Uptown Theater in Indianapolis. In July 1926 Hudson announced plans to build a new theater in Richmond, Ind. He also agreed to lease a new $200,000 neighborhood theater to be erected at Dearborn and Tenth in Indianapolis for twenty years. (This became Universal’s Rivoli Theatre.)
Robert Hudson, an exhibitor from Richmond, Ind., organized the Tivoli Theater Corporation to erect a neighborhood showplace on a site at College Avenue and Forty-second Street obtained under a twenty-year lease from the Clyde Realty Company. Tivoli received a building permit for 1221 College Avenue in January 1926. On March 25, 1926, Tivoli’s capital stock was acquired by the Circle Theater Company, whose officers were A.L. Block, Robert Lieber, Fred Gardner, and Leo Rappaport. Robush & Hunter completed the work and handled the decorations for what became the Uptown Theater.
There were two Pastime Theatres in Richmond. The Richmond Times on November 8, 1906, reported the opening of a Pastime Theatre as 12 South Sixth Street. “The house makes a specialty of moving pictures,” it said. The theater’s proprietors were Langer and Kulp. It was still open in 1907 but there are no references to it after that year.
A second Pastime Theatre opened July 18, 1923. it was “at North Eighth and E streets” in Richmond. “Vengeance of the Deep” was the first picture. Music was provided by Renk’s orchestra.
There were two Pastime Theatres in Richmond. The Richmond Times on November 8, 1906, reported the opening of a Pastime Theatre as 12 South Sixth Street. “The house makes a specialty of moving pictures,” it said. The theater’s proprietors were Langer and Kulp. It was still open in 1907 but there are no references to it after that year.
A second Pastime Theatre opened July 18, 1923. it was “at North Eighth and E streets” in Richmond. “Vengeance of the Deep” was the first picture. Music was provided by Renk’s orchestra.
Robert Hudson owned the Palace Theatre. He later operated the Richmond Theatre (nee Theatorium) and several other theaters. In February 1920 Hudson announced that the Palace would close for a few weeks for a thorough remodel.
The space occupied by the Theatorium re-opened on December 20, 1919, as the Richmond Theatre. “The Broken Butterfly” was its premiere feature. The Richmond Theatre closed in January 1927. In August 1927 the Buehler brothers announced plans to remodel the building for use as the new home of their meat market.
Forrest Mills managed the showplace in the early years. He was succeeded by Robert Hudson. Hudson owned the Palace Theatre and went on to operate several other area theaters.
The Peerless Realty Company, led by Ben Sagalowsky, I.F. Nier, and M. Horowitz, on October 7, 1926, obtained a 99-year lease on the old Moh block at Shelby and Prospect on which they planned to erect a $450,000 building containing a theater, offices, stores and a community center. The J.W. and W.C. Martin Company received the contract to construct the building.
To make way for the Peerless project, “one of the city’s earliest theaters was razed. This was the old Eagle theater, which occupied the Moh block, a landmark of the city, which stood on the site,” reported the Star on June 13, 1927. Other occupants of the Moh building in recent years included the Shelby Furniture Company and the Standard Grocery chain. Million Population Wrecking Company needed two months to clear the 200-foot by 150-foot plot. A building permit was issued to Peerless on March 16, 1927.
Peerless had announced in January 1927 that its new showhouse would be leased to Fred Sanders, who at the time operated the South Side and Sanders theaters at Fountain Square, for ten years with a ten-year renewal option.
Abraham Katzow’s Virginia Realty Company announced on October 8, 1926, that it planned to erect a new motion picture and vaudeville theater at 1043 Virginia Avenue. H. Ziegler Dietz was named as architect in the October 9, 1926, Star article, which also contained a sketch of the proposed showplace. In January 1927 the Fountsquare Realty Corporation took over the project with no mention of why the change occurred.
Fountsquare Realty erected what became the Granada Theatre on land leased from William Gansberg for 99 years. Fountsquare’s principals were four Indianapolis businessmen: Mark Margolis, Leslie Colvin, Pierre Goodrich and Donald Graham. Colvin served as general contractor and built the structure. Graham, an architect and University of Illinois Plym Architectural Fellowship winner, drew the plans. Fountsquare leased the $500,000 theater to Universal Chain Theaters Corporation and Universal Chain Theater Enterprises, Inc. for 25 years.
The city building department approved the Fountsquare project in March 1927 just as the principals were finishing up construction of a new theater in Muncie, Ind.
On May 6, 1926, three Indianapolis businessmen – Leslie Colvin, Pierre Goodrich, and Julius Kiser – formed the Muncie Theater Realty Company, which planned to erect an 1850-seat theater building costing $425,000 at the northeast corner of Adams and Mulberry streets in Muncie. The Realty Company arranged to lease the land under the structure from Fred Rose and L.S. Ganter for 99 years. The theater was leased for 25 years to Chicago-based Fitzpatrick-McElroy, which already had a strong footing in Muncie with the Star, Strand, Lyric and Columbia theaters.
Donald Graham, Indianapolis architect and University of Illinois Plym Architectural Fellowship winner, drew the plans. Leslie Colvin, the Realty Company’s president, served as general contractor. Mark Margolis, an Indianapolis theater promoter, was said to have been a catalyst for the project. (Graham, Colvin and Margolis were occasional collaborators, often for Fitzpatrick-McElroy.)
The Rivoli Theatre opened April 16, 1927. In April 1929 Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy creating Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the 19 theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the lease for this theater and ten others formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that this theater and four others formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WVa; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. In February 1940 Y&W Management Corporation succeeded Theatrical Managers as operator.
Muncie Theater Realty Corporation, whose principals were Leslie Colvin, J.J. Kiser, and P.F. Goodrich, was formed in July 1933 “to acquire property of Muncie Theater Realty Company,” which was dissolved.
On April 25, 1937, the Rivoli, Wysor Grand, Strand, Hoosier and Uptown theaters became part of a city cooperative. The pooling agreement was signed by the Muncie Theater Realty Corporation (Leslie Colvin and P.E. Goodrich); Theatrical Managers, Inc. (V.U. Young and Marc J. Wolf); George Challis (lessor of the Wysor Grand); and Leonard Sowar (owner of the Strand and Uptown). For the five theaters Theatrical Managers, Inc., operating the Wysor Grand, Rivoli and Hoosier theaters, agreed to handle from its Indianapolis office all film buying, contact with motion picture exchanges, booking of vaudeville and road show attractions, and accounting. Sowar was named city manager replacing Ray Howard, who relocated to Bloomington, Ind., to handle southern Indiana theaters operated by Theatrical Managers. Sowar ran the Muncie cluster until his death on January 2, 1945.
Four theaters occupied the space at 604 S. Walnut Street: Colonial, Lyric, Princess and Luther Day. In August 1912 the Luther Day Company sold the two “Edison moving picture machines, very cheap” and converted the space into a retail store. In September 1912 the space became The Luther Day Company jewelry store and photo studio. The store closed on 6/30/1914, and its equipment was offered for sale the next month. In 1916 William O’Meara applied for a liquor license with plans to open a saloon at 604 S. Walnut.
The Lyric Theater in 1914-1915 was the one at 204 South Walnut. And the Lyric at 12 S. Mulberry Street in 1914-1915 turns out to be the Lyric Airdome Theater operated by the same people who ran the Lyric Theater.
On November 1, 1925, Chicago-based Fitzpatrick-McElroy acquired the Columbia, Star and Lyric theaters from the Andrews Producing Company, owned by brothers C. Ray, Forrest and George Andrews. The Star was remodeled and reopened on November 26, 1925, Thanksgiving Day.
In April 1929 Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy creating Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. The Star went dark after March 1928, except for occasional boxing matches and other special events. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. As a result, the Star lease was cancelled. On April 1, 1934, the new Star Theater opened “Under the Original Ownership and Management of C. Ray Andrews,” noting further that it was “Home Owned – Home Managed.”
On April 9, 1935, Andrews transferred the Star Theater’s $5000/year lease to the Muncie Theater Realty Corporation, which assigned it to Theatrical Managers, Inc. (Muncie Theater Realty owned the Rivoli Theater Building.) Howard Webster was named manager. The Star became the Hoosier Theater on May 6, 1935.
On April 25, 1937, the Strand, Uptown, Rivoli, Wysor Grand, and Hoosier (old Star) became part of a city cooperative. The pooling agreement was signed by Sowar (for the Strand and Uptown); the Muncie Theater Realty Corporation; Theatrical Managers, Inc.; and George Challis (Wysor Grand lessee). For the five theaters Theatrical Managers, Inc., already operating the Wysor Grand, Rivoli and Hoosier theaters, agreed to handle from its Indianapolis office film buying, communication with motion picture exchanges, vaudeville and road show booking, and accounting. Sowar was named city manager replacing Ray Howard, who relocated to Bloomington, Ind., to handle southern Indiana operations for Theatrical Managers. In February 1940 Y&W Management Corporation entered the scene. Sowar ran the Muncie cluster until his death on January 2, 1945.
Robert Hudson closed his namesake theater “for the summer” in May 1942, a year after he opened his new State Theatre located a block away.
In 1919 Jacob and Abe Wallerstein purchased the Starland Theater. In July 1925 Abe Wallerstein sold his four Michigan City, Ind., theaters to Chicago-based Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In April 1929 Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy creating Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. The Starland was last listed in the 1931 Film Daily Yearbook, so it probably closed in 1930.
This Willard Theater was at 407 Willard Avenue. The November 14, 1914, Motography reported that the new moving picture theater being erected by Mrs. John Burns was “completed and will shortly be opened to the public.” There is a house at this location in 2025.
At some point the Lake Theatre became part of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy, created in April 1929 when Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy.
On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. Through this process the Lake Theatre was sold in March 1933 to Maurice Rubin for $17,500.
Exhibitors Herald reported that the Tivoli Theatre in Michigan City, Indiana., opened on February 1, 1923. It was a combination house owned by the Michigan City Theatre Corporation and operated by Abe Wallerstein.
In July 1925 Chicago-based Fitzpatrick-McElroy purchased Wallerstein’s four Michigan City theaters: the Tivoli, Starland, Dreamland and Willard. In April 1929 Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy creating Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. As a result, the Tivoli was turned back to its landlord.
The Overview notes that the Strand Theatre was built for H.P. Vonderschmitt in 1919.
From 1922 to 1928 the theater appears to have been in other hands. According to the Daily Tribune on September 7, 1928, Arthur Jackson, “who for the past six years has operated the Strand theater in Crawfordsville,” disposed of the Strand to the H.P. Vonderschmitt Amusement Company of Bloomington.
At some point between 1929 and 1932 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy acquired the Strand, though that affiliation didn’t last long. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the lease for this theater and ten others formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that this theater and four others formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WVa; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. Theatrical Managers and later, Y&W Management Corporation, operated the Princess in conjunction with the Montgomery Theatre Corporation.
On August 13, 1929, Robert H. Harris agreed to lease his Bloomington, Ind., Princess and Harris Grand theaters to Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy for twenty years. Harris built the Harris Grand in 1907 and the Princess in 1913. The formal handoff took place on September 1.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that the Princess and four other theaters formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WV; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. Theatrical Managers and later, Y&W Management Corporation, operated the Princess in conjunction with the Monroe Theatre Corporation.
The Harris Grand lease was disaffirmed.
On August 13, 1929, Robert H. Harris agreed to lease his Bloomington, Ind., Princess and Harris Grand theaters to Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy for twenty years. Harris built the Harris Grand in 1907 and the Princess in 1913. The formal handoff took place on September 1.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that the Princess and four other theaters formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WV; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. Theatrical Managers and later, Y&W Management Corporation, operated the Princess in conjunction with the Monroe Theatre Corporation.
The Harris Grand lease was disaffirmed.
B.D. Cockrill sold his Princess Theater to Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy, which took possession on December 12, 1929.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the lease for this theater and ten others formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that this theater and four others formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WVa; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. Theatrical Managers and later, Y&W Management Corporation, operated the Princess in conjunction with the Henry Theatre Corporation.
The 800-seat Ritz Theater on Main between Eighth and Ninth streets was built by the Remley Realty Corporation, whose officers were Mahlon Remley, Robert Weichman and Wilfred Jessup. The company, also operating the Murray, Murrette and Washington theaters, opened the Ritz on November 25, 1926, Thanksgiving Day, although a soft opening took place the day before.
On March 2, 1929, Remley sold the Ritz building to the local Kennedy Clothing Company, which in turn leased the Ritz to Remley. On April 19, 1929, Richmond exhibitor Robert Hudson acquired the Ritz’s lease and theater rights. On April 24, 1929, Harry Gilbert, court-appointed receiver for the Remley company, announced that Remley’s Murray and Murrette leases had been forfeited and were to be taken over by Clarence Jessup and Frank Holland, whose Jessup-Holland Amusement Company had leased the Washington Theatre from Remley in September 1928. (The redecorated Washington debuted in October 1928 as the Lawrence Theatre.) Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy took control of the Ritz on August 15, 1929, acquiring the lease from Hudson. That month a new $15,000 sound-picture apparatus was installed in the Ritz.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale of the ten, including the Tivoli, Ritz, Indiana and Lawrence theaters in Richmond, Ind.
On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that the Tivoli, Ritz and Indiana would go to a new set-up headed by Hudson, the Richmond exhibitor, in cooperation with Theatrical Managers, Inc. In a two-step transaction the three theaters were sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc., then re-sold to Hudson.
In August 1924 M.E. Remley, doing business as the Remley Realty Corporation, leased the Washington Theatre from the Victory Theatre Company of Fort Wayne, Ind. Already operating the Murray and Murrette in Richmond, Remley planned to exhibit bigger film productions and road shows at the Washington, host vaudeville at the Murray and program lower-priced moving pictures at the Murrette.
In September 1928 Clarence Jessup and Frank Holland incorporated the Jessup-Holland Amusement Company with offices in the Washington Theatre building. Jessup and Holland took over the Washington Theatre lease held by Remley Realty and reopened the redecorated playhouse in October 1928 as the Lawrence Theatre offering stock productions. At some point the Lawrence Theatre ended up in the hands of Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy as part of its Richmond cluster.
In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the nineteen theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the leases for eleven theaters formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale of the ten, including the Tivoli, Ritz, Indiana and Lawrence theaters in Richmond, Ind.
On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that the Tivoli, Ritz and Indiana theaters in Richmond would go to a new set-up headed by Robert Hudson, a Richmond exhibitor, in cooperation with Theatrical Managers, Inc. In a two-step transaction the three theaters were sold to Theatrical Managers then re-sold to Hudson. According to Moving Picture Herald reporting on July 1, 1933, about the disposition of Publix properties, the Lawrence was turned back to its landlord. It closed that August.
In July 1926 Richmond, Ind., exhibitor Robert Hudson agreed to the long-term lease of a new $225,000 neighborhood theater that was planned for Dearborn and Tenth streets in Indianapolis. Hudson stepped aside and Universal entered the picture after the November 1926 formation of the Dearborn and Tenth Realty Company, whose officers were Mark Margolis, Donald Brewer and C. Milton Kelly. (Margolis was also a director of Fountsquare Realty, which was erecting Universal’s Granada Theatre on Virginia Avenue.)
The Rivoli was one of several theaters in Indiana erected by Indianapolis general contractor Leslie Colvin.
Robert Hudson sold the Palace and Richmond theaters to local businessman Ora Monger on April 1, 1926. A month earlier Hudson sold his stock in the Tivoli Theater Corporation to the Circle Theater Company which proceeded to erect the Uptown Theater in Indianapolis. In July 1926 Hudson announced plans to build a new theater in Richmond, Ind. He also agreed to lease a new $200,000 neighborhood theater to be erected at Dearborn and Tenth in Indianapolis for twenty years. (This became Universal’s Rivoli Theatre.)
Robert Hudson sold the Palace and Richmond theaters to local businessman Ora Monger on April 1, 1926. A month earlier Hudson sold his stock in the Tivoli Theater Corporation to the Circle Theater Company which proceeded to erect the Uptown Theater in Indianapolis. In July 1926 Hudson announced plans to build a new theater in Richmond, Ind. He also agreed to lease a new $200,000 neighborhood theater to be erected at Dearborn and Tenth in Indianapolis for twenty years. (This became Universal’s Rivoli Theatre.)
Robert Hudson, an exhibitor from Richmond, Ind., organized the Tivoli Theater Corporation to erect a neighborhood showplace on a site at College Avenue and Forty-second Street obtained under a twenty-year lease from the Clyde Realty Company. Tivoli received a building permit for 1221 College Avenue in January 1926. On March 25, 1926, Tivoli’s capital stock was acquired by the Circle Theater Company, whose officers were A.L. Block, Robert Lieber, Fred Gardner, and Leo Rappaport. Robush & Hunter completed the work and handled the decorations for what became the Uptown Theater.
There were two Pastime Theatres in Richmond. The Richmond Times on November 8, 1906, reported the opening of a Pastime Theatre as 12 South Sixth Street. “The house makes a specialty of moving pictures,” it said. The theater’s proprietors were Langer and Kulp. It was still open in 1907 but there are no references to it after that year.
A second Pastime Theatre opened July 18, 1923. it was “at North Eighth and E streets” in Richmond. “Vengeance of the Deep” was the first picture. Music was provided by Renk’s orchestra.
There were two Pastime Theatres in Richmond. The Richmond Times on November 8, 1906, reported the opening of a Pastime Theatre as 12 South Sixth Street. “The house makes a specialty of moving pictures,” it said. The theater’s proprietors were Langer and Kulp. It was still open in 1907 but there are no references to it after that year.
A second Pastime Theatre opened July 18, 1923. it was “at North Eighth and E streets” in Richmond. “Vengeance of the Deep” was the first picture. Music was provided by Renk’s orchestra.
Robert Hudson owned the Palace Theatre. He later operated the Richmond Theatre (nee Theatorium) and several other theaters. In February 1920 Hudson announced that the Palace would close for a few weeks for a thorough remodel.
The space occupied by the Theatorium re-opened on December 20, 1919, as the Richmond Theatre. “The Broken Butterfly” was its premiere feature. The Richmond Theatre closed in January 1927. In August 1927 the Buehler brothers announced plans to remodel the building for use as the new home of their meat market.
Forrest Mills managed the showplace in the early years. He was succeeded by Robert Hudson. Hudson owned the Palace Theatre and went on to operate several other area theaters.
Sketch of proposed theater at 1043 Virginia Street by architect H. Ziegler Dietz. A different plan was eventually built.
The Peerless Realty Company, led by Ben Sagalowsky, I.F. Nier, and M. Horowitz, on October 7, 1926, obtained a 99-year lease on the old Moh block at Shelby and Prospect on which they planned to erect a $450,000 building containing a theater, offices, stores and a community center. The J.W. and W.C. Martin Company received the contract to construct the building.
To make way for the Peerless project, “one of the city’s earliest theaters was razed. This was the old Eagle theater, which occupied the Moh block, a landmark of the city, which stood on the site,” reported the Star on June 13, 1927. Other occupants of the Moh building in recent years included the Shelby Furniture Company and the Standard Grocery chain. Million Population Wrecking Company needed two months to clear the 200-foot by 150-foot plot. A building permit was issued to Peerless on March 16, 1927.
Peerless had announced in January 1927 that its new showhouse would be leased to Fred Sanders, who at the time operated the South Side and Sanders theaters at Fountain Square, for ten years with a ten-year renewal option.
Abraham Katzow’s Virginia Realty Company announced on October 8, 1926, that it planned to erect a new motion picture and vaudeville theater at 1043 Virginia Avenue. H. Ziegler Dietz was named as architect in the October 9, 1926, Star article, which also contained a sketch of the proposed showplace. In January 1927 the Fountsquare Realty Corporation took over the project with no mention of why the change occurred.
Fountsquare Realty erected what became the Granada Theatre on land leased from William Gansberg for 99 years. Fountsquare’s principals were four Indianapolis businessmen: Mark Margolis, Leslie Colvin, Pierre Goodrich and Donald Graham. Colvin served as general contractor and built the structure. Graham, an architect and University of Illinois Plym Architectural Fellowship winner, drew the plans. Fountsquare leased the $500,000 theater to Universal Chain Theaters Corporation and Universal Chain Theater Enterprises, Inc. for 25 years.
The city building department approved the Fountsquare project in March 1927 just as the principals were finishing up construction of a new theater in Muncie, Ind.
On May 6, 1926, three Indianapolis businessmen – Leslie Colvin, Pierre Goodrich, and Julius Kiser – formed the Muncie Theater Realty Company, which planned to erect an 1850-seat theater building costing $425,000 at the northeast corner of Adams and Mulberry streets in Muncie. The Realty Company arranged to lease the land under the structure from Fred Rose and L.S. Ganter for 99 years. The theater was leased for 25 years to Chicago-based Fitzpatrick-McElroy, which already had a strong footing in Muncie with the Star, Strand, Lyric and Columbia theaters.
Donald Graham, Indianapolis architect and University of Illinois Plym Architectural Fellowship winner, drew the plans. Leslie Colvin, the Realty Company’s president, served as general contractor. Mark Margolis, an Indianapolis theater promoter, was said to have been a catalyst for the project. (Graham, Colvin and Margolis were occasional collaborators, often for Fitzpatrick-McElroy.)
The Rivoli Theatre opened April 16, 1927. In April 1929 Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy creating Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. On February 1, 1933, Referee in Bankruptcy Carl Wilde appointed Irving Lemaux to manage as Trustee in Bankruptcy the 19 theaters in Indiana formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. In March 1933 the federal bankruptcy court auctioned the lease for this theater and ten others formerly operated by the defunct chain. After bids on ten were rejected, the Trustee ordered a private sale. On April 1, 1933, the Referee announced that this theater and four others formerly operated by Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy had been sold to Theatrical Managers, Inc. The new company included veteran theatrical operators V.U. Young of Gary, Ind., and C.J. Wolf of Wheeling, WVa; and Indianapolis businessmen Pierre Goodrich and Leslie Colvin. In February 1940 Y&W Management Corporation succeeded Theatrical Managers as operator.
Muncie Theater Realty Corporation, whose principals were Leslie Colvin, J.J. Kiser, and P.F. Goodrich, was formed in July 1933 “to acquire property of Muncie Theater Realty Company,” which was dissolved.
On April 25, 1937, the Rivoli, Wysor Grand, Strand, Hoosier and Uptown theaters became part of a city cooperative. The pooling agreement was signed by the Muncie Theater Realty Corporation (Leslie Colvin and P.E. Goodrich); Theatrical Managers, Inc. (V.U. Young and Marc J. Wolf); George Challis (lessor of the Wysor Grand); and Leonard Sowar (owner of the Strand and Uptown). For the five theaters Theatrical Managers, Inc., operating the Wysor Grand, Rivoli and Hoosier theaters, agreed to handle from its Indianapolis office all film buying, contact with motion picture exchanges, booking of vaudeville and road show attractions, and accounting. Sowar was named city manager replacing Ray Howard, who relocated to Bloomington, Ind., to handle southern Indiana theaters operated by Theatrical Managers. Sowar ran the Muncie cluster until his death on January 2, 1945.
Four theaters occupied the space at 604 S. Walnut Street: Colonial, Lyric, Princess and Luther Day. In August 1912 the Luther Day Company sold the two “Edison moving picture machines, very cheap” and converted the space into a retail store. In September 1912 the space became The Luther Day Company jewelry store and photo studio. The store closed on 6/30/1914, and its equipment was offered for sale the next month. In 1916 William O’Meara applied for a liquor license with plans to open a saloon at 604 S. Walnut.
The Lyric Theater in 1914-1915 was the one at 204 South Walnut. And the Lyric at 12 S. Mulberry Street in 1914-1915 turns out to be the Lyric Airdome Theater operated by the same people who ran the Lyric Theater.
On November 1, 1925, Chicago-based Fitzpatrick-McElroy acquired the Columbia, Star and Lyric theaters from the Andrews Producing Company, owned by brothers C. Ray, Forrest and George Andrews. The Star was remodeled and reopened on November 26, 1925, Thanksgiving Day.
In April 1929 Publix Theaters Corp., the exhibition arm of Paramount-Famous-Lasky, acquired control of Fitzpatrick-McElroy creating Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy. The Star went dark after March 1928, except for occasional boxing matches and other special events. In January 1933 Publix-Fitzpatrick-McElroy was placed into receivership, followed by bankruptcy. As a result, the Star lease was cancelled. On April 1, 1934, the new Star Theater opened “Under the Original Ownership and Management of C. Ray Andrews,” noting further that it was “Home Owned – Home Managed.”
On April 9, 1935, Andrews transferred the Star Theater’s $5000/year lease to the Muncie Theater Realty Corporation, which assigned it to Theatrical Managers, Inc. (Muncie Theater Realty owned the Rivoli Theater Building.) Howard Webster was named manager. The Star became the Hoosier Theater on May 6, 1935.
On April 25, 1937, the Strand, Uptown, Rivoli, Wysor Grand, and Hoosier (old Star) became part of a city cooperative. The pooling agreement was signed by Sowar (for the Strand and Uptown); the Muncie Theater Realty Corporation; Theatrical Managers, Inc.; and George Challis (Wysor Grand lessee). For the five theaters Theatrical Managers, Inc., already operating the Wysor Grand, Rivoli and Hoosier theaters, agreed to handle from its Indianapolis office film buying, communication with motion picture exchanges, vaudeville and road show booking, and accounting. Sowar was named city manager replacing Ray Howard, who relocated to Bloomington, Ind., to handle southern Indiana operations for Theatrical Managers. In February 1940 Y&W Management Corporation entered the scene. Sowar ran the Muncie cluster until his death on January 2, 1945.