Old Trail Theatre Two
5760 W. Washington Street,
Indianapolis,
IN
46241
5760 W. Washington Street,
Indianapolis,
IN
46241
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Additional Info
Architects: Edward D. Pierre, George Caleb Wright
Firms: Pierre & Wright
Previous Names: Old Trails Theatre, Old Trail Theatre, Art Theatre, Movie Cafe, Movie Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Opened as the Old Trails Theatre on March 15, 1928 with seating listed at 580. It was renamed Old Trail Theatre when the theatre went through a remodel in 1939 with architectural firm Pierre & Wright of Indianapolis handling the remodel.
The Art Theatre on 16th Street was destroyed by fire on February 21, 1967 and the business was moved to the Old Trail Theatre on August 11, 1967 when it was renamed Art Theatre and began screening adult movies.
On September 1, 1986 it was renamed Movie Cafe screening 2nd run movies with a full kitchen menu. In early-1987 it was operating as the Movie Theatre. In March 1987 it became the Old Trail Theatre Two, closing on January 3, 1988 with Dudley Moore in “Like Father, Like Son” & Shelley Long in “Hello Again”. It briefly became an auction house and was destroyed by fire later in 1988.
Contributed by
Chuck
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
If I recall correctly, this, along with the Fox, were Indy’s so-called “art houses” for years, featuring burlesque and then porno movies. I used to read the adverts in the papers when I was a kid and wonder just what the heck “adult movies”, “XXX,” and “live shows” were about. I knew there were naked people involved, but that was about it!
If anyone has any stories about going to/ working at this threatre in its adult days, I would love to hear them. I am chronicling the histories of adult theatres in the US. Please contact me at Thanks!
The theater was born as the Old Trail Theater, not “Trails.” Here is a small photograph.
I went there in 1977 and it was still showing movies.
August 11th, 1967 grand opening ad as art in photo section.
I remember the ART Theater was in business and showing adult features in the summer of ‘83. My friend’s father would grumble about the parking lot being full on the “lord’s day” and giving us kids a lecture about the sinful modern world we live in, as if it had something to do with us!
The Old Trails Theatre launched on March 24, 1928. It lost the “s” along the way with a new sign. A February 21, 1967 fire destroyed the Art Theatre on 16th St. It moved here with a rename on.August 11th, 1967 grand opening as the Art Theatre playing porno chic era films.
It became the Movie Cafe on September 1, 1986 offering second-run and repertory fare at a discount price of $5 while offering a full kitchen menu. In early 1987 it’s just listed as Movie Theatre operating with discount films at $2.
It changed names in March to the Old Trail Theatre Two operated by Tudor Amusements and Richard L. Cosby. It declares bankruptcy in January of 1984 leading to a liquidation here and at the Plainfield Village Theatre. Final shows were “Like Father Like Son” and “Hello Again” on January 3, 1984. The name of the venue was the Old Trail Theatre that day which should be the entry’s corrected name.
As for the building, it then became an auction house that was decimated by a fire in 1988 that led to the building’s demolition.