The New Monogram operated here and the original Monogram operated at 3028 South State Street. They had a short period of interoperation so should be listed seperately.
The Palms (aka The Palms Theatre aka Palms 1 Theatre) launched September 8, 1913 managed by Grant and Heath for Edward G. Sourbier Entertainment. According to reports, Sourbrier had previously opened the first dedicated movie theatre in Indianapolis. He was a car enthusiast city councilman, one of the principles of Stutz Motor Company, and purchased the Central Amusement Company / Central City Amusement Co. He even used his personal Stutz auto for some of the theater’s ballyhoo.
The Palms presented Keystone Films at 5 cents per photoplay show. A second location for Soubrier was established at 341 West 30th at Highland Street as The Palms 2 (aka The Palms 2 Theatre aka Palms 2) with the original becoming The Palms 1 Theatre or Palms 1. From a naming viewpoint, The Palms 1 became simply The Palms / The Palms Theatre in 1917 when The Palms 2 became the Courtney Theatre. From an historical viewpoint, The Palms was an important part of Indy’s “Movie Lane” / “Film Row” which found so many theatres packed into a small part of town; these theaters included The Palms / Alamo, the Lyric, the Lenwood, the Alhambra, the Ambassador, the Crystal, et al.
Sourbrier’s diminutive 300-seat theatre was updated in 1918 when he announced that he had taken over the adjoining Indiana Traction and Terminal Company’s baggage room as the Indiana Traction Terminal was a neighbor. This could have allowed a “new” Palms to double its seating from 300 to 650 and the addition of a prized Wurlitzer Organ to try to compete with new-build movie theaters' presentations. It appears that those plans never actually occurred – though the theatre did extend from 300 to 330 seats.
Further evidence that the transformation did not occur was in the theater’s renaming to “Cozy.” Cozy would not likely describe or be desirable for a newly-renovated 650-seat theatre. The 1930 change from Palms to Cozy was the venue’s “sound name” for the former Palms as sound was added by DeForest PhonoFilm and PhonoDisc to three Sourbrier locations. Central City Amusements would later upgrade the Cozy’s technology both in 1934 and again in 1939 to have sound on film exclusively .
On October 28, 1948, the neighboring Ambassador-Alamo would split apart with the Alamo nameplate coming to the Cozy courtesy of new operator Mannie Marcus and M. Marcus Enterprises. The theatre received new seats, lighting and equipment with Charles Aken managing the theatre. Good authorities say that the theatre closed in 1956 as the Alamo. Sadly, it is mostly not remembered.
Dan Cantor closed following the 1983 season on September 5, 1983 with “Hell’s Angels Forever,” “Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann,” and “The Rose.” It was razed not long after in favor of the Greenwood Place Shopping Center in 1984.
The final advertised show was on October 8, 1978 with Brooke Shields in “Pretty Baby,” Diane Keaton in “Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” and Sebastián Ligarde in “Survive!” The drive-in did not, however, closing and ultimately razed in July of 1982 for a new shopping center project.
The final shows advertised were on September 6, 1993 with “Hard Target” and “The Fugitive” on the East screen and “Needful Things” and “Jason Goes to Hell” on the West screen. There were no other further listings.
The National Outdoor Theatre went out in one of the greatest bills ever on September 2 into September 3, 1984, 1984 with “Tightrope,” “Police Academy,” “Footloose,” and the original “Porky’s.” We salute you, National! It was demolished in favor of the Oaks Village subdivision not long after.
Jacob M. Smiler built the National Drive-In to accommodated 1,100 cars with a mammoth 72-foot screen in 1955. It was the city’s 11th drive-in and it was deluxe with a swimming pool, a dance pavilion, two playgrounds for different sizes of kids, shuffleboard, skating rink and mini amusement park. It opened August 20, 1952 with Rod Cameron in “Wagons West” and the Bowery Boys in “Feudin' Fools.”
The Northside Drive-In went out with style and a bang showing “American Graffiti” and having a fireworks show with 250 cars at the goodbye on August 12, 1988. It was razed just days later. The Eastridge Group had purchased the property for the Walden Pond development and, in a classy move, they sponsored “The Last Night at the Northside.” The Northside’s continuous operation appears to have ended at the end of a 30-year lease in 1982. The 41-acre location had room for 1,250 cars.
The ABC Noblesville Outdoor Theatre closed on August 28, 1994 with “In The Army Now.” It closed as the ABC Noblesville Outdoor Theatre (1992-1994). It was known as the ABC-Noblesville Drive-In from 1965 to 1992. It was the Noblesville Drive-In from 1955 to 1964.
The Pendleton Pike Drive-In appears to have closed for the season on September 6, 1992 with a triple feature of “The Unforgiven,” “Pet Semetary 2,” and “Lethal Weapon 3.” It promised to reopen in 1993 but there is no evidence that it did.
The Shadeland Drive-In went out a winner on September 4, 1986 with a triple feature of “Armed & Dangerous,” “Ruthless People,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Ruth and Ernest Voight ran the amusement center complete with small amusement park, swimming pool, Westlake Dance Terrace, and Westlake Drive-in Theatre. The roots of the center date back to 1931 when Ernest Voight opened Westlake Beach and added the dance terrace in 1935. The drive-in was added on April 28th, 1950 operating through the 1981 season closing October 4, 1981 with “The Jerk” and “The Blues Brothers.” The ozoner was actually the last remaining item that existed in the amusement complex at that date. The Westlake Drive-In was demolished and replaced with a shopping center.
Recliners were installed in 2015. It’s a mouthful, but the theatre was soon saddled with the moniker of the Regal United Artists Galaxy Stadium Theatre & ScreenX. It closed with the rest of the chain on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Regal… with ScreenX reopened in September of 2020 but closed October 4, 2020 with employees wondering if the venue would even reopen. Those with Regal gift cards, loyalty points or loyalty programs had three more days to cash them in at the last open Regal/UA/Cineworld DFW theatre in the Regal Fossil Creek which then closed with remainder of the circuit globally on October 8, 2020 for the pandemic.
But both the Fossil Creek and …with ScreenX surprised all by reopening on June 25, 2021 to present Fast and Furious 9. Recliners were installed in 2015. The theatre closed again on September 6, 2021 for what the Regal website called renovations. They appear to have temporarily shut down because a road closure on the frontage road made it virtually impossible to get to the theatre. The renovations appear to have been extremely limited with the major difference at reopening on October 8, 2021 is that the expanded menu / kitchen items have been removed as of the reopening.
Located just a half mile from where the famed Indy 500 race takes place was the “500” Speedway Shopping Center announced in 1954/5 with a scheduled but missed opening date in September of 1956. The not so speedy project finally opened theatre-less on November 30, 1960 anchored by a J.C. Penney, S.S. Kresge, Kroger grocer (whose presence lasted into the 2020s), and one of the final stores in the, then, century-old Vonnegut Hardware Company local chain. They were joined by a Topps Discount City “big box” store in 1962.
Ten years later, General Cinemas opened its newest area twin-screen facility, the Speedway Cinema I & II on December 22, 1972 with “Oliver” and “Jeremiah Johnson.” The venue featured two identical auditoriums with 456 seats each for a total of 912 seats. The GCC Speedway also featured an art gallery in the lobby as many of its theaters did in that period. It was one of seven theaters GCC had announced in the Indy area in 1972, alone.
General Cinema repositioned the Speedway as a sub-run discount house beginning on August 30, 1991. GCC closed the venue at the end of a 20-year lease point on July 23, 1992. CTS Heaston Circuit took on the venue on July 31, 1992. That only lasted until November 19, 1992 when CTS Heaston moved on. G&M Entertainment of Merrillville took on the venue next on August 25, 1993 after a refresh with a soft-launch and free showings of “The Sandlot” and “Hot Shots! Part Duex.”
About two operators later, Movie Craze Inc. was the last brave entrepreneur to take on the aging Speedway Cinema 1 & 2 which appears to have sputtered closing in February of 2000. Movie Craze announced bankruptcy in the tumultuous year of 2000 for the movie industry.
The Hollywood Bar and Filmworks had a large number of openings (Invitation-only opening October 18, 1991; VIP only opening November 1, 1991; Free soft launch to the public November 14, 1991; Grand Opening to everyone with “City Slickers” and “Terminator 2” on November 22, 1991). “Rocky Horror” was a good draw for the theatre. But the 2000s were a lean time for the third-floor venue and it ceased operations October 29, 2006.
The GCC Castleton Square Cinema IV-V-VI launched here on November 3, 1976 with “Shout at the Devil,” “I Wonder Who’s Killing Her Now,” and “Bugs Bunny Superstar.” The theatre was located in an outparcel building in the Northeast parking lot. It opened simultaneously with the new GCC Lafayette Square Cinemas II-III-IV.
Edward J. DeBartolo had launched Castleton Square Mall four years earlier with Sears' mall division, Homart Development Company. General Cinema was an original tenant opening its interior GCC Castleton Square I-II-III on September 29th, 1972. Plans for the theatre dated back to 1969. Cinema I seated 293, II seated 299 and III seated 384 for a total of 976 seats. That theatre would close with “The Firm” and “Jurassic Park” on July 1, 1993. Its address was 6020 East 82nd Avenue.
The GCC outparcel building, however, continued onward. It was renamed as the GCC Castleton Square (no numbers) after retaining the IV-V-VI for about a year. It was then rebranded as the General Cinema Castleton Square Arts on June 27, 1997 as GCC tried to compete with megaplexes that were destroying it business model. This move proved successful and a mecca for art film and indie film fans in Indy.
GCC declared bankruptcy in October of 2001 and its carcass was sold off to AMC in 2002. AMC rebranded here as the AMC Castleton Arts 3 on April 6, 2002. When Landmark announced a 7-screen art cinema, AMC decided to move on from the aging triplex. The AMC Castleton Arts 3 cllosed with “Capote,” “Shopgirl,” and “Pride and Prejudice” on November 27, 2005.
The open-air Greenwood Shopping Center had opened theatre-less with anchors Sears and A.S. Ayres along with an MCL Cafeteria and a Kroger grocery store in 1965. The Greenwood Shopping center was said to have been the tail end of a trend of open air malls including St. Louis' Northwest Plaza that were largely replaced over the next ten to twenty years with enclosed malls. In fact both of these 1965 projects became enclosed malls.
The General Cinema Greenwood Cinema I-II-III opened in the Greenwood Shopping Center on December 21, 1973 with “Robin Hood,” “The Seven Ups,” and “Ash Wednesday.” Theatre I had 632 seats, Theatre II had 334 and Theatre III had 281 seats for a total of 1,247 seats. The theatre was freestanding in the Northeast area of the center.
Five years later, Melvin Simon decided to spend $20 million to enclose and expand the Greenwood Shopping Center. On October 19, 1979, GCC Greenwood’s Screen I was divided into two auditoriums with the venue being called the GCC Greenwood Cinema I-II-III-IV. The Greenwood Park Shopping Center would become the Greenwood Park Mall officially in 1980. The theatre’s name was again tweaked to the GCC Greenwood Park Cinema I-II-III-IV.
General Cinema decided to take a portion of the interior mall to create its latest triplex, the Greenwood Park Cinema V-VI-VII opening on June 5, 1981. That theatre closed as the Greenwood Plaza Cinema 5-7 (roman numerals had been dropped) on April 11, 1999 with General Cinema in major economic trouble.
In January of 2000, GCC showed some spunk building a 14-screen megaplex at Greenwood Park Mall - its only effort at stadium seating in town - to replace its aging interior quad. The GCC Greenwood Park 1-4 closed on March 23, 2000. The next day, the new megaplex opened and seven months later, GCC declared bankruptcy.
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. launched the Lafayette Square Mall in 1968. The first theatre there was an original tenant and was an interior 925-seat single-screen operation for General Cinema Corp. (GCC) as the Lafayette Square Cinema. Due to the success of both the mall and the cinema, GCC would add this exterior outparcel triplex - the Lafayette Square II-III-IV - on November 5th, 1976 in the southeast corner of the mall at 4220 West 38th Street.
The interior screen facility was duplexed in 1977. The interior venue was renamed as the GCC Lafayette Square I & II. Since “II” was already in the use, the interior’s new name caused the exterior facility to be renamed as the GCC Lafayette Square III-IV-V. Confused customers arriving at the wrong “II” were simply directed inside or outside. Modern megaplexes challenged GCC’s aging duplexes, triplexes and 6- and 8-screen multiplexes in the mid-1990s but these two venues held their own.
The interior I-II finally closed at the end of a 30-year lease on May 26, 1998. The exterior was renamed one final time carrying on as the Lafayette Square Cinema (Roman numerals redacted) until closure on October 18, 2000 when General Cinema was in free fall economic collapse and closing its older multiplexes all over the country.
The naming of the theaters here is a bit of an oddity in that the opening name of the original interior theatre became the closing name of the exterior. Had they simply renamed the exterior as the GCC Lafayette Square I-II-III, it would have held the distinction of the circuit’s only theatre in its history to hold the names of the xx I-II-III, II-III-IV, and III-IV-V. Somebody missed a bet!
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. launched the Lafayette Square Mall in 1968. An original tenant in the Mall’s interior was a 925-seat single-screen theater for General Cinema Corp. (GCC) known at opening as the Lafayette Square Cinema. Mia Farrow was in person for “Rosemary’s Baby” on that date, June 26th, 1968, and both the film and the actress were substitutes when Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward cancelled a special appearance.
Due to the Mall and cinema’s successes, GCC would add an exterior triplex - the Lafayette Square II-III-IV - on November 5th, 1976. The interior screen was duplexed in 1977 becoming the General Cinema Lafayette Square I & II. Since “II” was already in the use outside, the new name created short-term roman numeral havoc with the exterior facility which became the General Cinema Lafayette Square III-IV-V. The I-II interior space managed to survive into the multiplex era closing at the end of a 30-year lease on May 26, 1998 with “He Got Game” and a split screen of “Mercury Rising” and “Barney’s Great Adventure.” The exterior carried on as the General Cinema Lafayette Square (roman numerals redacted) until closure on October 18, 2000.
Joe Cantor and his Priority Theatres' South 31 Drive-In opened September 29, 1965. The adjoining Regency 1 & 2 opened less than two months later on November 10, 1965 with “The Ipcress File” and “The Bedford Incident.” Cantor had also opened the new Georgetown in August of 1965 and the Carlyle.
Land values increased near the Regency Indoor/Outdoor operation and, in 1983, Skinner and Broadbent had the buildings bulldozed in favor of a new-build shopping plaza, Greenwood Point and Greenwood Place. The hardtop twin theatre closed on January 27, 1983 but Priority Theatres said that the move was probably two years later than it should have been for the aging properties which had faced declining audiences.
Both structures were razed not long after the drive-in finished its final season. The South 31 Drive-In - with its massive 1,600 car lot - was only attracting about 100 cars nightly. The ozoner closed for the season on September 4, 1983 with “Time Riders,” “Hells Angels Forever,” and “The Rose.” A Cub Foods and later Burlington Coat Factory anchored the plaza that replaced the two movie venues.
The Norgate Plaza Shopping Center was announced in 1969 and Loews signed on to lease the $450,000 twin-screen 1,500-seat twin-screen project as it was closing its downtown theatre in 1970. The theatre launched on a 25-year lease with “The Skin Game” and “Johnny Got His Gun” on October 6, 1971. The mural work with legendary screen stars survived from opening to closing. A special “Skin Game” cake was at the launch as it was Warner Bros.‘ 1,500 film release.
The Loews II was closed on November 13, 1978 as the 750-seat theatre was split into two 375 auditoriums when the venue became the Loews Norgate Triplex as relaunch on December 22, 1978. In 1993, the Norgate I was duplexed and the venue became known as the Loews Norgate Plaza Quad.
About a year later, this venue changed names in November of 1994 to the Sony Norgate Plaza 4 when Loews and Sony were one and the company rebranded many venues under the Sony nameplate. Sony/Loews dropped the Norgate Plaza on October 31, 1996 at the end of a 25-year lease. Jeff Rawlins of Movie Craze Cinema Inc. or MCCI Theatres circuit took on the venue relaunching the next day, November 1, 1996 as Norgate Cinemas 4 - now a discount, sub-run venue. The final screenings were held November 20, 1998.
An independent operation was then formed to try and reopen the Norgate in 1999/2000 but the relaunch did not materialize. The Norgate comeback officially dissolved after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in April of 2000 reflecting assets of $0 - which makes perfect sense if one thinks about it.
The Fox Theater was demolished along with its shared building operation, the York Hotel, in September and October of 1979.
The New Monogram operated here and the original Monogram operated at 3028 South State Street. They had a short period of interoperation so should be listed seperately.
The Palms (aka The Palms Theatre aka Palms 1 Theatre) launched September 8, 1913 managed by Grant and Heath for Edward G. Sourbier Entertainment. According to reports, Sourbrier had previously opened the first dedicated movie theatre in Indianapolis. He was a car enthusiast city councilman, one of the principles of Stutz Motor Company, and purchased the Central Amusement Company / Central City Amusement Co. He even used his personal Stutz auto for some of the theater’s ballyhoo.
The Palms presented Keystone Films at 5 cents per photoplay show. A second location for Soubrier was established at 341 West 30th at Highland Street as The Palms 2 (aka The Palms 2 Theatre aka Palms 2) with the original becoming The Palms 1 Theatre or Palms 1. From a naming viewpoint, The Palms 1 became simply The Palms / The Palms Theatre in 1917 when The Palms 2 became the Courtney Theatre. From an historical viewpoint, The Palms was an important part of Indy’s “Movie Lane” / “Film Row” which found so many theatres packed into a small part of town; these theaters included The Palms / Alamo, the Lyric, the Lenwood, the Alhambra, the Ambassador, the Crystal, et al.
Sourbrier’s diminutive 300-seat theatre was updated in 1918 when he announced that he had taken over the adjoining Indiana Traction and Terminal Company’s baggage room as the Indiana Traction Terminal was a neighbor. This could have allowed a “new” Palms to double its seating from 300 to 650 and the addition of a prized Wurlitzer Organ to try to compete with new-build movie theaters' presentations. It appears that those plans never actually occurred – though the theatre did extend from 300 to 330 seats.
Further evidence that the transformation did not occur was in the theater’s renaming to “Cozy.” Cozy would not likely describe or be desirable for a newly-renovated 650-seat theatre. The 1930 change from Palms to Cozy was the venue’s “sound name” for the former Palms as sound was added by DeForest PhonoFilm and PhonoDisc to three Sourbrier locations. Central City Amusements would later upgrade the Cozy’s technology both in 1934 and again in 1939 to have sound on film exclusively .
On October 28, 1948, the neighboring Ambassador-Alamo would split apart with the Alamo nameplate coming to the Cozy courtesy of new operator Mannie Marcus and M. Marcus Enterprises. The theatre received new seats, lighting and equipment with Charles Aken managing the theatre. Good authorities say that the theatre closed in 1956 as the Alamo. Sadly, it is mostly not remembered.
Dan Cantor closed following the 1983 season on September 5, 1983 with “Hell’s Angels Forever,” “Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann,” and “The Rose.” It was razed not long after in favor of the Greenwood Place Shopping Center in 1984.
The final advertised show was on October 8, 1978 with Brooke Shields in “Pretty Baby,” Diane Keaton in “Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” and Sebastián Ligarde in “Survive!” The drive-in did not, however, closing and ultimately razed in July of 1982 for a new shopping center project.
The final shows advertised were on September 6, 1993 with “Hard Target” and “The Fugitive” on the East screen and “Needful Things” and “Jason Goes to Hell” on the West screen. There were no other further listings.
The National Outdoor Theatre went out in one of the greatest bills ever on September 2 into September 3, 1984, 1984 with “Tightrope,” “Police Academy,” “Footloose,” and the original “Porky’s.” We salute you, National! It was demolished in favor of the Oaks Village subdivision not long after.
Jacob M. Smiler built the National Drive-In to accommodated 1,100 cars with a mammoth 72-foot screen in 1955. It was the city’s 11th drive-in and it was deluxe with a swimming pool, a dance pavilion, two playgrounds for different sizes of kids, shuffleboard, skating rink and mini amusement park. It opened August 20, 1952 with Rod Cameron in “Wagons West” and the Bowery Boys in “Feudin' Fools.”
The Northside Drive-In went out with style and a bang showing “American Graffiti” and having a fireworks show with 250 cars at the goodbye on August 12, 1988. It was razed just days later. The Eastridge Group had purchased the property for the Walden Pond development and, in a classy move, they sponsored “The Last Night at the Northside.” The Northside’s continuous operation appears to have ended at the end of a 30-year lease in 1982. The 41-acre location had room for 1,250 cars.
Closed following the September 4, 1989 triple feature of “Land Before Time,” “Uncle Buck,” and “K-9.”
The ABC Noblesville Outdoor Theatre closed on August 28, 1994 with “In The Army Now.” It closed as the ABC Noblesville Outdoor Theatre (1992-1994). It was known as the ABC-Noblesville Drive-In from 1965 to 1992. It was the Noblesville Drive-In from 1955 to 1964.
The Pendleton Pike Drive-In appears to have closed for the season on September 6, 1992 with a triple feature of “The Unforgiven,” “Pet Semetary 2,” and “Lethal Weapon 3.” It promised to reopen in 1993 but there is no evidence that it did.
The Shadeland Drive-In went out a winner on September 4, 1986 with a triple feature of “Armed & Dangerous,” “Ruthless People,” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
Ruth and Ernest Voight ran the amusement center complete with small amusement park, swimming pool, Westlake Dance Terrace, and Westlake Drive-in Theatre. The roots of the center date back to 1931 when Ernest Voight opened Westlake Beach and added the dance terrace in 1935. The drive-in was added on April 28th, 1950 operating through the 1981 season closing October 4, 1981 with “The Jerk” and “The Blues Brothers.” The ozoner was actually the last remaining item that existed in the amusement complex at that date. The Westlake Drive-In was demolished and replaced with a shopping center.
Recliners were installed in 2015. It’s a mouthful, but the theatre was soon saddled with the moniker of the Regal United Artists Galaxy Stadium Theatre & ScreenX. It closed with the rest of the chain on March 16, 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic. The Regal… with ScreenX reopened in September of 2020 but closed October 4, 2020 with employees wondering if the venue would even reopen. Those with Regal gift cards, loyalty points or loyalty programs had three more days to cash them in at the last open Regal/UA/Cineworld DFW theatre in the Regal Fossil Creek which then closed with remainder of the circuit globally on October 8, 2020 for the pandemic.
But both the Fossil Creek and …with ScreenX surprised all by reopening on June 25, 2021 to present Fast and Furious 9. Recliners were installed in 2015. The theatre closed again on September 6, 2021 for what the Regal website called renovations. They appear to have temporarily shut down because a road closure on the frontage road made it virtually impossible to get to the theatre. The renovations appear to have been extremely limited with the major difference at reopening on October 8, 2021 is that the expanded menu / kitchen items have been removed as of the reopening.
Located just a half mile from where the famed Indy 500 race takes place was the “500” Speedway Shopping Center announced in 1954/5 with a scheduled but missed opening date in September of 1956. The not so speedy project finally opened theatre-less on November 30, 1960 anchored by a J.C. Penney, S.S. Kresge, Kroger grocer (whose presence lasted into the 2020s), and one of the final stores in the, then, century-old Vonnegut Hardware Company local chain. They were joined by a Topps Discount City “big box” store in 1962.
Ten years later, General Cinemas opened its newest area twin-screen facility, the Speedway Cinema I & II on December 22, 1972 with “Oliver” and “Jeremiah Johnson.” The venue featured two identical auditoriums with 456 seats each for a total of 912 seats. The GCC Speedway also featured an art gallery in the lobby as many of its theaters did in that period. It was one of seven theaters GCC had announced in the Indy area in 1972, alone.
General Cinema repositioned the Speedway as a sub-run discount house beginning on August 30, 1991. GCC closed the venue at the end of a 20-year lease point on July 23, 1992. CTS Heaston Circuit took on the venue on July 31, 1992. That only lasted until November 19, 1992 when CTS Heaston moved on. G&M Entertainment of Merrillville took on the venue next on August 25, 1993 after a refresh with a soft-launch and free showings of “The Sandlot” and “Hot Shots! Part Duex.”
About two operators later, Movie Craze Inc. was the last brave entrepreneur to take on the aging Speedway Cinema 1 & 2 which appears to have sputtered closing in February of 2000. Movie Craze announced bankruptcy in the tumultuous year of 2000 for the movie industry.
The Hollywood Bar and Filmworks had a large number of openings (Invitation-only opening October 18, 1991; VIP only opening November 1, 1991; Free soft launch to the public November 14, 1991; Grand Opening to everyone with “City Slickers” and “Terminator 2” on November 22, 1991). “Rocky Horror” was a good draw for the theatre. But the 2000s were a lean time for the third-floor venue and it ceased operations October 29, 2006.
The GCC Castleton Square Cinema IV-V-VI launched here on November 3, 1976 with “Shout at the Devil,” “I Wonder Who’s Killing Her Now,” and “Bugs Bunny Superstar.” The theatre was located in an outparcel building in the Northeast parking lot. It opened simultaneously with the new GCC Lafayette Square Cinemas II-III-IV.
Edward J. DeBartolo had launched Castleton Square Mall four years earlier with Sears' mall division, Homart Development Company. General Cinema was an original tenant opening its interior GCC Castleton Square I-II-III on September 29th, 1972. Plans for the theatre dated back to 1969. Cinema I seated 293, II seated 299 and III seated 384 for a total of 976 seats. That theatre would close with “The Firm” and “Jurassic Park” on July 1, 1993. Its address was 6020 East 82nd Avenue.
The GCC outparcel building, however, continued onward. It was renamed as the GCC Castleton Square (no numbers) after retaining the IV-V-VI for about a year. It was then rebranded as the General Cinema Castleton Square Arts on June 27, 1997 as GCC tried to compete with megaplexes that were destroying it business model. This move proved successful and a mecca for art film and indie film fans in Indy.
GCC declared bankruptcy in October of 2001 and its carcass was sold off to AMC in 2002. AMC rebranded here as the AMC Castleton Arts 3 on April 6, 2002. When Landmark announced a 7-screen art cinema, AMC decided to move on from the aging triplex. The AMC Castleton Arts 3 cllosed with “Capote,” “Shopgirl,” and “Pride and Prejudice” on November 27, 2005.
The open-air Greenwood Shopping Center had opened theatre-less with anchors Sears and A.S. Ayres along with an MCL Cafeteria and a Kroger grocery store in 1965. The Greenwood Shopping center was said to have been the tail end of a trend of open air malls including St. Louis' Northwest Plaza that were largely replaced over the next ten to twenty years with enclosed malls. In fact both of these 1965 projects became enclosed malls.
The General Cinema Greenwood Cinema I-II-III opened in the Greenwood Shopping Center on December 21, 1973 with “Robin Hood,” “The Seven Ups,” and “Ash Wednesday.” Theatre I had 632 seats, Theatre II had 334 and Theatre III had 281 seats for a total of 1,247 seats. The theatre was freestanding in the Northeast area of the center.
Five years later, Melvin Simon decided to spend $20 million to enclose and expand the Greenwood Shopping Center. On October 19, 1979, GCC Greenwood’s Screen I was divided into two auditoriums with the venue being called the GCC Greenwood Cinema I-II-III-IV. The Greenwood Park Shopping Center would become the Greenwood Park Mall officially in 1980. The theatre’s name was again tweaked to the GCC Greenwood Park Cinema I-II-III-IV.
General Cinema decided to take a portion of the interior mall to create its latest triplex, the Greenwood Park Cinema V-VI-VII opening on June 5, 1981. That theatre closed as the Greenwood Plaza Cinema 5-7 (roman numerals had been dropped) on April 11, 1999 with General Cinema in major economic trouble.
In January of 2000, GCC showed some spunk building a 14-screen megaplex at Greenwood Park Mall - its only effort at stadium seating in town - to replace its aging interior quad. The GCC Greenwood Park 1-4 closed on March 23, 2000. The next day, the new megaplex opened and seven months later, GCC declared bankruptcy.
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. launched the Lafayette Square Mall in 1968. The first theatre there was an original tenant and was an interior 925-seat single-screen operation for General Cinema Corp. (GCC) as the Lafayette Square Cinema. Due to the success of both the mall and the cinema, GCC would add this exterior outparcel triplex - the Lafayette Square II-III-IV - on November 5th, 1976 in the southeast corner of the mall at 4220 West 38th Street.
The interior screen facility was duplexed in 1977. The interior venue was renamed as the GCC Lafayette Square I & II. Since “II” was already in the use, the interior’s new name caused the exterior facility to be renamed as the GCC Lafayette Square III-IV-V. Confused customers arriving at the wrong “II” were simply directed inside or outside. Modern megaplexes challenged GCC’s aging duplexes, triplexes and 6- and 8-screen multiplexes in the mid-1990s but these two venues held their own.
The interior I-II finally closed at the end of a 30-year lease on May 26, 1998. The exterior was renamed one final time carrying on as the Lafayette Square Cinema (Roman numerals redacted) until closure on October 18, 2000 when General Cinema was in free fall economic collapse and closing its older multiplexes all over the country.
The naming of the theaters here is a bit of an oddity in that the opening name of the original interior theatre became the closing name of the exterior. Had they simply renamed the exterior as the GCC Lafayette Square I-II-III, it would have held the distinction of the circuit’s only theatre in its history to hold the names of the xx I-II-III, II-III-IV, and III-IV-V. Somebody missed a bet!
Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. launched the Lafayette Square Mall in 1968. An original tenant in the Mall’s interior was a 925-seat single-screen theater for General Cinema Corp. (GCC) known at opening as the Lafayette Square Cinema. Mia Farrow was in person for “Rosemary’s Baby” on that date, June 26th, 1968, and both the film and the actress were substitutes when Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward cancelled a special appearance.
Due to the Mall and cinema’s successes, GCC would add an exterior triplex - the Lafayette Square II-III-IV - on November 5th, 1976. The interior screen was duplexed in 1977 becoming the General Cinema Lafayette Square I & II. Since “II” was already in the use outside, the new name created short-term roman numeral havoc with the exterior facility which became the General Cinema Lafayette Square III-IV-V. The I-II interior space managed to survive into the multiplex era closing at the end of a 30-year lease on May 26, 1998 with “He Got Game” and a split screen of “Mercury Rising” and “Barney’s Great Adventure.” The exterior carried on as the General Cinema Lafayette Square (roman numerals redacted) until closure on October 18, 2000.
Joe Cantor and his Priority Theatres' South 31 Drive-In opened September 29, 1965. The adjoining Regency 1 & 2 opened less than two months later on November 10, 1965 with “The Ipcress File” and “The Bedford Incident.” Cantor had also opened the new Georgetown in August of 1965 and the Carlyle.
Land values increased near the Regency Indoor/Outdoor operation and, in 1983, Skinner and Broadbent had the buildings bulldozed in favor of a new-build shopping plaza, Greenwood Point and Greenwood Place. The hardtop twin theatre closed on January 27, 1983 but Priority Theatres said that the move was probably two years later than it should have been for the aging properties which had faced declining audiences.
Both structures were razed not long after the drive-in finished its final season. The South 31 Drive-In - with its massive 1,600 car lot - was only attracting about 100 cars nightly. The ozoner closed for the season on September 4, 1983 with “Time Riders,” “Hells Angels Forever,” and “The Rose.” A Cub Foods and later Burlington Coat Factory anchored the plaza that replaced the two movie venues.
East Coast Entertainment reopened here in 2021.
Ad looking for a manager for the Loews Norgate Triplex after it split screen II two ways.
The Norgate Plaza Shopping Center was announced in 1969 and Loews signed on to lease the $450,000 twin-screen 1,500-seat twin-screen project as it was closing its downtown theatre in 1970. The theatre launched on a 25-year lease with “The Skin Game” and “Johnny Got His Gun” on October 6, 1971. The mural work with legendary screen stars survived from opening to closing. A special “Skin Game” cake was at the launch as it was Warner Bros.‘ 1,500 film release.
The Loews II was closed on November 13, 1978 as the 750-seat theatre was split into two 375 auditoriums when the venue became the Loews Norgate Triplex as relaunch on December 22, 1978. In 1993, the Norgate I was duplexed and the venue became known as the Loews Norgate Plaza Quad.
About a year later, this venue changed names in November of 1994 to the Sony Norgate Plaza 4 when Loews and Sony were one and the company rebranded many venues under the Sony nameplate. Sony/Loews dropped the Norgate Plaza on October 31, 1996 at the end of a 25-year lease. Jeff Rawlins of Movie Craze Cinema Inc. or MCCI Theatres circuit took on the venue relaunching the next day, November 1, 1996 as Norgate Cinemas 4 - now a discount, sub-run venue. The final screenings were held November 20, 1998.
An independent operation was then formed to try and reopen the Norgate in 1999/2000 but the relaunch did not materialize. The Norgate comeback officially dissolved after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing in April of 2000 reflecting assets of $0 - which makes perfect sense if one thinks about it.