The Richlands Mall Twin Cinema was designed by Cunningham, Weaver, Foreman and Bailey Architects of Atlanta and was at the rear of the mall. It was an original tenant of the mall and its placement allowed for quick entry after parking and operation after the mall closed. It opened with the mall as an original tenant in 1980 and closed at the expiry of lease under a non-original operator.
Guys Theatre and the new Star were run by Flanary, Sr, from 1939 until his death in 1946. Flanary Jr. designed the new-build Flanary to replace the Guys in December 1948. The Star and Flanary were then joined by the Guy’s Drive-In in 1950. The Flanary converted to widescreen and the Star would fade. The town operated wrh just two theaters - the hardtop Flanary and Guy’s Drive-in thereafter. Both closed at the end of 30-year leases.
After successfully showing Keystone Studio films at the independent Palms Theatre in 1913, Mutual Studios - the releasing company for Keystone - had the new-build Keystone Theatre designed by Fermer S. Cannon to additionally house the local branch of Mutual Studios Releasing offices. The Keystone launched on a 10-year lease on May 1, 1914. This was timed out well with the ultra popular Charlie Chaplin films that he made in his contract with Keystone in 1914.
Keystone Studios faded three years later but the venue kept its name for the run of the lease.The main advantages for moving the Keystone titles from the Palms to the Keystone was their popularity outstripped the diminutive 300-seat Palms and Mutual could get a more favorable split of the revenue by eliminating the independent Palms operator into the owned and operated 600-seat Keystone. Once Chaplin left Keystone and better movie venues were built, the Keystone just slid tier by tier under several operators to oblivion.
The Keystone had been 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. The theaters were close to the Terminal Building - a main hub of activity in downtown Indianapolis. At the end of its initial lease, the theatre was renamed as the Alamo Theatre beginning April 13, 1924 on a new 20-year lease. At the end of that lease, it had a final15-year lease renamed as the Rodeo Theatre playing westerns for the most part beginning on November 16, 1945. It was later demolished.
Since Guy Flanary, Jr. placed the family surname as “Flanary” on the Flanary Theatre which remained there for three decades, there is no question that the name is Robert Guy “R.G.” Flanary. Thanks for September 20, 1950 opening date.
The Ace was built as an open-air theatre in the 1920s. The Wometco Circuit took it on in 1935 and purchased it outright in 1938. It received its roof at that time and then was rebuilt as a more traditional, streamline modern movie house in 1945. Wometco closed it as a movie venue in 1967 and it became a house of worship from that point until being boarded up in 1977.
The Strand announced that it would close permanently at the end of December 2021 saying that COVID-19 had led to higher costs of operation without a return to pre-pandemic audience levels.
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 new Rialto Theatre launched May 14, 1948 to a capacity crowd with Henry W, Hall of Hall Industry Theatres Circuit on hand.
The Richlands Mall Twin Cinema was designed by Cunningham, Weaver, Foreman and Bailey Architects of Atlanta and was at the rear of the mall. It was an original tenant of the mall and its placement allowed for quick entry after parking and operation after the mall closed. It opened with the mall as an original tenant in 1980 and closed at the expiry of lease under a non-original operator.
Guys Theatre and the new Star were run by Flanary, Sr, from 1939 until his death in 1946. Flanary Jr. designed the new-build Flanary to replace the Guys in December 1948. The Star and Flanary were then joined by the Guy’s Drive-In in 1950. The Flanary converted to widescreen and the Star would fade. The town operated wrh just two theaters - the hardtop Flanary and Guy’s Drive-in thereafter. Both closed at the end of 30-year leases.
After successfully showing Keystone Studio films at the independent Palms Theatre in 1913, Mutual Studios - the releasing company for Keystone - had the new-build Keystone Theatre designed by Fermer S. Cannon to additionally house the local branch of Mutual Studios Releasing offices. The Keystone launched on a 10-year lease on May 1, 1914. This was timed out well with the ultra popular Charlie Chaplin films that he made in his contract with Keystone in 1914.
Keystone Studios faded three years later but the venue kept its name for the run of the lease.The main advantages for moving the Keystone titles from the Palms to the Keystone was their popularity outstripped the diminutive 300-seat Palms and Mutual could get a more favorable split of the revenue by eliminating the independent Palms operator into the owned and operated 600-seat Keystone. Once Chaplin left Keystone and better movie venues were built, the Keystone just slid tier by tier under several operators to oblivion.
The Keystone had been 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. The theaters were close to the Terminal Building - a main hub of activity in downtown Indianapolis. At the end of its initial lease, the theatre was renamed as the Alamo Theatre beginning April 13, 1924 on a new 20-year lease. At the end of that lease, it had a final15-year lease renamed as the Rodeo Theatre playing westerns for the most part beginning on November 16, 1945. It was later demolished.
Since Guy Flanary, Jr. placed the family surname as “Flanary” on the Flanary Theatre which remained there for three decades, there is no question that the name is Robert Guy “R.G.” Flanary. Thanks for September 20, 1950 opening date.
The New Theatre launched July 26, 1916 with a full house with Pauline Frederick in “Eternal City.”
The Ace was built as an open-air theatre in the 1920s. The Wometco Circuit took it on in 1935 and purchased it outright in 1938. It received its roof at that time and then was rebuilt as a more traditional, streamline modern movie house in 1945. Wometco closed it as a movie venue in 1967 and it became a house of worship from that point until being boarded up in 1977.
The Strand announced that it would close permanently at the end of December 2021 saying that COVID-19 had led to higher costs of operation without a return to pre-pandemic audience levels.
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.